SWAP MEETS - A FUN WAY TO MAKE MONEY ON THE WEEKENDS

Written by Darren Hendricks


SWAP MEETS - A FUN WAY TO MAKE MONEY ON THE WEEKENDS By Darren Hendricks

Looking for a way to make extra money, meet lots of interesting people, spend quality time with your family, enjoyrepparttar great outdoors ... and do it all without missing a day of work? Or maybe your goal is to make two or three-day weekendsrepparttar 141077 only working days ofrepparttar 141078 week. You may be able to do all of that and more as a Swap Meet/Flea Market marketer! You can find regularly scheduled Swap Meets and Flea Markets in cities and towns of all sizes acrossrepparttar 141079 nation, each attracting many hundreds, even thousands of bargain hunters. They may be held atrepparttar 141080 local drive-in theatre, in large parking lots, warehouses, parks, and community centers - just about anywhere there's enough room to put up some booths and bring in a crowd. The majority ofrepparttar 141081 time these meets are held on weekends, although in some locations you can find them starting on Thursdays and running four consecutive days. Swap meets and flea markets are fun, profitable, and can be a great launching pad for your business. Many people who began with Swap Meet sales have gone on to open Gift Shops, or run sizeable Mail Order businesses. A SWAP MEET BY ANY OTHER NAME…
According to our FAR HORIZONS Business Coaching staff, there are actually three distinct types of Swap Meets.

Note: (Inrepparttar 141082 interest of simplicity, from here on in when we say "Swap Meets," we're also referring to flea markets, craft fairs, and similar events as noted below).

1.Outdoor Swap Meets
These usually runrepparttar 141083 gamut in terms of merchandise. Here, you can find anything from high end stereo systems to fashion jewelry to families clearing out Auntie Emma's garage of old tools, toys, and various parts and pieces from who-knows-what. Ordinarily these events attract folks looking for some bigtime discounts and bargains.

2.Indoor "Malls"
These usually attract a more professional class of marketer. The displays tend to be more organized in appearance, andrepparttar 141084 merchandise is generally of a consistently higher quality throughoutrepparttar 141085 meet. Rather than tables there may be booths, and each marketer tends to specialize in specific product categories.

3.Craft Fairs
These may be held indoors or outside; you'll find them in parks, or as part of a local carnival, fund-raiser, county fair, or other similar event. Usuallyrepparttar 141086 marketers show their wares from booths, andrepparttar 141087 offerings can vary from homemade to high-ticket, (or homemade and high-ticket) depending onrepparttar 141088 location.

WHEN YOU PACK FOR THE SWAP MEET, DON'T FORGET THIS

We've heard from scores of successful Swap Meet sellers overrepparttar 141089 years, and they tell us thatrepparttar 141090 two most important things you can bring with you are:

1. A friendly, upbeat attitude.
2. Willingness to barter and "playrepparttar 141091 game."

As one member puts it, "People come to shop at Swap Meets looking for a bargain, and they come because it's fun. So I keep a smile on my face and I'm always ready to enter intorepparttar 141092 bargaining game. I have my 'bottom line' price in mind, and I don't go below it - but I'm always willing to give a little onrepparttar 141093 original asking price. That way my customer feels good aboutrepparttar 141094 purchase, and I still make a nice profit. We both come out winners."

Whatever type of Swap Meet you choose to begin with, there are some simple, basic steps you'll need to take beforerepparttar 141095 event, duringrepparttar 141096 event, and afterrepparttar 141097 event.

Let's start with ... well,repparttar 141098 beginning!

A FEW THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU CAN START
1. First, find out whererepparttar 141099 local Swap Meets are, if you don't already know. This shouldn't be too hard; they normally advertise in local newspapers, and in giveaway magazines you can find in convenience store racks. Smaller meets may not advertise, but if you check withrepparttar 141100 local drive-ins, or let your fingers do some walking throughrepparttar 141101 phone directory, you should find some.
2. Next, scoutrepparttar 141102 meet yourself. Take a look around, observingrepparttar 141103 tables and booths with a marketer's eye. What arerepparttar 141104 vendors carrying? More importantly, what aren't they carrying? What are they charging?
3. Reserve a table (or booth, asrepparttar 141105 case may be). Do this by contactingrepparttar 141106 meet manager, who will provide you with pricing, along with a list of rules and regulations you must follow when marketing atrepparttar 141107 meet. The cost for renting space at a Swap Meet varies widely, from a few dollars a day to much more, depending onrepparttar 141108 meet. Try to begin at an inexpensive yet well-attended meet, so you can keep your initial cash outlay as low as possible.
4. Select your merchandise. FAR HORIZONS' Business Coaching staff generally recommends you begin with $450-$750 worth of merchandise (meaning your actual cost).
5. Get your other supplies ready.



Helping the Unbanked Save Money

Written by Ethel Robinson


The first and most basic step to financial wealth is having a checking or saving account. This setsrepparttar stage for future endeavors, such as investing, homebuying, etc. Many people are unable or locked out to do this due to past bank situations. Some mistrustrepparttar 141076 financial institution and hide their money aroundrepparttar 141077 house. Others use money orders or cash for method of payment. This group ofrepparttar 141078 population is often referred to asrepparttar 141079 unbanked. There are thousands upon thousands of people inrepparttar 141080 arena.

Some banks see this as a problem. These individual or families are potential customers, which mean more accounts, which means more money made byrepparttar 141081 institution. Suppose there are 10,000- 15,000 individuals in a city without checking accounts. At a potential eight dollars per account, per month, can add up to a hefty sum year after year. And depending onrepparttar 141082 profitability orrepparttar 141083 bank this can be big business.

Whilerepparttar 141084 banks seerepparttar 141085 unbanked as a problem,repparttar 141086 check cashing and payday loan companies see it as a windfall. These operations take advantage of an already bad situation making it worst, charging outrageous fees. Bringing inrepparttar 141087 bucks. Many of these companies are located in low income areas and prey heavily on minorities.

One way a person can save onrepparttar 141088 fees from a check cashing business or to help in his every day business transactions is purchase a prepaid debit card. These cards can be used like a credit card. One would load money onrepparttar 141089 card when needed. The difference is when using your debit or prepaid card you are using your own money. With a credit card you are using someone else money, accruing interest and a bill. These cards haverepparttar 141090 Visa and Mastercard logo and can be used anywhere these cards are accepted nationwide or internationally.

A person without a checking or saving account, can have his employer deposit money torepparttar 141091 card, eliminatingrepparttar 141092 need for a check cashing, saving money. Not only will it saverepparttar 141093 employee, it can saverepparttar 141094 employer money in check cost.

Another way a person can save money, is by transferring money to others that haverepparttar 141095 same type card for a minimal fee. Many minorities send money home weekly to families. Withrepparttar 141096 minimal transfer fee, more money can be sent home forrepparttar 141097 family. Some cards charge as little as $2.45 per transfer.

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