A guide to making money at car boot sales

In your planning, make sure you know how you’re going to display items. Hang clothes on hangers, using a clothes rail or laundry horse, instead of leaving them in a rummage pile. Put smaller items on a fold-out table, and make sure any small items of furniture you have for sale are clearly marked for sale (otherwise people may think they are for display only).

Books, CDs, and DVDs sell well at car boot sales, so make sure they are easy to access. Line them up on a table instead of leaving them stacked up in boxes, so people can easily see the individual titles. Get some ground sheets or a tarpaulin to lay out on the floor, as it will protect items from getting dirty and also help show which items are yours for sale.

Remember to take some deck chairs to sit on, too. It can be a very long day! It’s also handy to take some carrier bags: if people realise they can buy more, they will! Also, be ready with a pen and notepad. Sometimes, particularly for heavy items, people will pay for an item and ask to come back for it at the end. Take a note of their name and phone number, and put it with the item stored in your car. This will help you remind them to return and collect it, and ensure it isn’t accidentally sold again to someone else!

Go with a family member or friend. This will enable you to use the loo without leaving your stall unattended, and perhaps have a look around yourself. It makes setting up easier too, as you tend to have buyers descend on you as you are trying to unpack. Some people will take advantage and steal from you if you don’t have enough eyes on them, unfortunately.

Arrive as early as you can, so that you can get organised before the crowds turn up, and secure a good spot. If possible, pack your vehicle the night before for a quick departure, and make sure you take plenty of snacks and a Thermos of tea or coffee, as the food vans might not be open for a few hours.

A cash float is a must, so start collecting coins in advance. You will find that people turn up with twenty-pound notes right at the beginning of the sale. You want to be able to offer the correct change, to avoid someone haggling a lower price just because you can’t give them a full fiver of change.

Don’t forget to have separate cash for your stall fee as well, so that you don’t have to pay from your float.

Once you start raking in some profits, a money belt is the safest way to keep cash safe. Keep a small amount in your easily-accessible float, and regularly top up your money belt as the day goes on.

Take a good supply of food and drink, like a flask, sandwiches, chocolate and water. You can purchase things like cups of tea and burgers on-site, but there are often queues at the refreshment vans. 

It can be chilly early in the mornings, even in summer, so dress for a cold start. However, wear layers and take a sunhat and sunscreen so you don’t burn when the sun arrives. You might want to pack a parasol umbrella if the ground is soft like a field, or some other form of sunshade. Just check the rules ahead of turning up that you will be allowed to put a shade up. If you can’t, or the car boot sale is on hard standing, take a sheet that can be draped over one side of your open boot (behind your stall!) to give some shade when you need it. 

People expect to find bargains at car boot sales, so don’t price unreasonably high. But, don’t underprice – be prepared to haggle. Research prices beforehand on marketplaces like Gumtree, eBay, Vinted, and Facebook to get a good idea of what someone would pay online. They often come with extra postage costs too, so price your items around the same as prices found online because you’re already saving people on the delivery cost.

Take a supply of bin bags to clear up your unsold stuff at the end. You may want to deliver it straight to a charity shop or charity bin at the recycling centre. You are obliged to clear up your rubbish, too.

Occasionally, charities come around to collect up any unsold wares, so it is worth asking the organisers if this is an option.

Once you have these basics in place you can sell your old stuff and maximise your profits. After that, just enjoy the process. It’s fun chatting to customers and to the neighbouring stallholders, so you can have a bit of entertainment whilst making some extra cash.