Is Free Too Expensive?

Lately, I have become quite engaged with finding treasures, getting them practically free, and trying my hand at reselling them in my booth at an antique mall.    I call it "my hobby."  Hobbies are good, right?  Well, for me this "hobby" has started having some definite down sides. 

Sometimes I wonder if the neighbors are looking out their windows at all the junk I take into the house and all the junk I bring back out.  Now, I'm not being paranoid.  I know they don't watch or care what I do, so maybe I am just wondering myself why all this junk is being brought in and out of the house; maybe I am questioning the value of my "hobby."

The obvious reason for the transferring of all this junk is to fill my booth and become rich!  Well, at least, to make enough to support my hobby.  It has been a break-even endeavor for awhile.  In fact, I did well enough to have two booths for a few months.  Now for some reason I haven't even made my rent on one so I decided I would stop for awhile. 

Booth I now share with Susie!

But, (isn't there always a "but?"), a friend I met since starting the booth wanted me to share her booth.  Well,  needless to say, I was talked into it.   The rent will be a lot less; the fun part of this racket will continue for awhile anyway; but, alas, the junk will still be going in and out of my house.

Today was the day to totally close my booth and move stuff to hers.  In the process, I had to move many of my treasures (junk?) home again.   I have just finished unloading the trunk by putting it on the porch to expedite the process of getting stuff out of the trunk in the rain. 

Then I dragged the stuff into the house to decide what will go back to the trunk to take to Goodwill.  And while I'm at Goodwill, I might as well cruise through the shop and see if there are some good things at good prices (practically free) to take back home and eventually to the booth.

That's why the image of the neighbors slyly peering out their windows, clucking in disapproval, texting their neighbors to watch the fiasco, and writing down some of the items that were littered around the porch to be sure to discuss at their next neighborhood get-together came into my mind.  (It probably happened on "Desperate Housewives.")

This parade, of course, starts when I buy the "whatevers," unload them out of the trunk, and bring them into the house.  Then the scenario continues when I clean the stuff up,  paint it, or simply get the price tags off (not an easy project) and lug it back to the trunk to go to the booth.

So you can imagine why I am wondering about all of this today after once again carting these "treasures" in and out of the car, the house, and the car again.

However, to make this all seem a little more worthwhile, I should tell you that I have learned some things from this experience.  I have grown.  I am probably a better person because of it.  Let's see if I can verbalize it so you can totally see how much smarter I am about this business and life in general than when I started a year and a half ago.

1.  If you don't leave something in the booth long enough, it won't sell.
2.  If you leave something in the booth too long, it won't sell.
3.  If it is priced too low, it won't sell.
4.  If it is priced too high, it won't sell.

So, you see, I have it all figured out, don't I?  Okay, I am being a little jaded.  This is a tricky business though.  You get something you think will sell the next day, and it takes weeks (if at all) to sell.  Then some things are gone the next day.  Yay!  But it is pretty trendy.  My problem is that I really like trends, but I'm usually into the last trend not the latest trend.  

So you may be actually wondering, like I imagine my neighbors are--if they cared, why I am doing this, the answer is, "I don't know!"  I'm trying to figure it out.  It is fun, but time-consuming.  It is costing me more money than I would like.  It is cluttering up my house (at least my attic) and my mind.  It is leaving too little time for other things I want and need to do.

Hmmm.  Maybe I am figuring it out after all; it is dawning on me that this "hobby" and/or obsession is becoming too expensive and not just financially.  The quest, the parade, the trade, and all the rest may need to be minimized in my life.  In fact, it may need a complete break.  I know!  I know!  What will the neighbors do without having a parade to watch??? 

I guess it is true:  "What you get free costs too much." (Jean Anouilh)