Unconventional Ways to Invest

Money/Finances - Making Money

By: Wasatch 12-Jan-2011

Introduction:

I am a casual investor. Unconventional investments are where most of my investment money goes. I like hard goods I can control. I dislike stocks generally and shares in anything I don't have a say in the value of. These are the top 5 areas I invest money into on a regular basis.

Antiques

I love antiques. I have a few categories like pre-war pressed steel toys and tin wind-up toys that I specialize in. I can often buy a toy at an antique store and sell it for a good profit to other collectors. I rarely lose money after I learn values in a category of antiques.

Silver Rounds and Coins

Silver has been a great investment for me over the last few years. I watch the spot price of silver a few times a week. If I feel silver is low I buy a few one ounce rounds or U.S. Morgan silver dollars and other U.S. silver coins. If prices are at a peak I wait for a 5% downturn and buy if I feel it will go back up. I have tripled my investment money in silver over two years time. It is also very liquid any day you need to sell.

Paintings and Art

I like good art work. Oil paintings and occasional a water color I like I count as investments. I avoid the so called Sunday painters. I buy works that look good and that I like personally for the price. I know the cataloged artists locally, from one hundred years ago to now. If I see a painting by someone famous from the early 1900s for a few hundred dollars, I can often resale it for several thousand. I have done that a handful of times. I also buy work by local beginning artist if I feel they are under appreciated and will make it big soon. I am near a university with a good art department and frequent student art shows.

Yard Sale Big Ticket Items

I buy under priced big ticket items at yard sales. If I see a $200 lawn mower for $50 in the fall I buy it. I then resale in the spring in the local classified on-line ads. I usually double or triple my money on good tools, guitars, nice mountain bikes and other items with a strong resale market. This is some of the best small scale investing I do.

Ebay Finds

I love to bid on quality items on ebay. Especially antiques. I have sometimes seen a great item with a reasonable buy it now price. I buy it and then in a month list it myself and often make good returns on my initial investment.

Final Thoughts

I try to double my money on most $100 items I buy. But even buying for $100 and selling for $125 is a quick 25% return on my small investment fund. Some of the oddities I find are for sale on TheCabinetOfCuriosity.com It will be in the links below.

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Comments

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ListMaker 1/19/2011
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Nice, creative ways to invest in different things. You have more luck than I've had with yard sales. I usually can't unload the 'treasures' I pick up.
clewand550 1/18/2011
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Nice list of ways to invest.
Jennywrites 1/13/2011
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Great lists! I like to buy text books at yard sales, and sell them online.. for like 13.00 or so.. but I actually hit the jackpot and had 5 books at 80.00 a piece. Not a ton of money, but easy money!
nwgirl 1/12/2011
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Great idea about buying yard sale items and then reselling in a season when they're more in demand.