- Full-time RVer Robert F.
(Going from Resort Work to eBay Sales: Excellent Tips)
I came halfway across the country for a job in the eastern Sierra Nevadas. It’s beautiful country here, mountains, springs, lakes, snow still visible on top of the peaks in early September! Never gets warmer than about 80 degrees, so perfect for living in a RV.
I had a job set up on a beautiful lake working at a resort. I worked the job for 1 1/2 months, but wasn’t too keen about the owner and his management style. I decided if I was going to continue working there I would ask for a raise. I was being paid much, much less than the going rate for my skill level, and I had to put up with the owner! When I asked for a raise, the owner threw a fit, called me all kinds of names, and I basically walked off the job. I spent the next few days getting my back pay, and payment for living costs that he had promised but hadn’t delivered on, and felt lucky to be away from that place!
So, now I needed a job. I very much liked the area, and wanted to stay for a while. I’m planning on spending the winter in Baja Mexico, but it was too hot to leave for Mexico in early July, so I started contemplating where I could get a job. I have a lot of experience in construction, so I looked around in that field.
One day I went into one of the local thrift stores, and wow, they had great stuff! I had sold on eBay before, and still had an account. I bought a couple items, and within a day had sold both items. I kept going back, every day in fact sometimes more than once a day, and kept selling more and more items.
One of the keys to my success is the area is very affluent. The average home sells for a million. Crazy! So the quality of items was/is great.
As of quitting my job, in two months I’ve sold over $5,000 of goods on eBay. I sourced all the goods at three thrift stores, two within 3 miles of where my RV is parked, and yard sales in the area. I like to motorcycle, it’s my favorite hobby, and on rides I would stop at yard sales. Most of