“What is up you guys, my name is Josh, my wife Haley and I like to go to flea markets, thrift stores, garage sales, places like that where we can try to buy things super cheap and then we attempt to flip those items online for a profit.” That is how @HairyTornado opens a video about a recent trip, and it is a pretty good description of a hobby that has become a side hustle for a lot of families.

The day before filming, the couple went to their local flea market. Josh says that is where he found what he believes to be one of the most rare vintage video game finds the two of them have ever come across. The price at the booth was five dollars. The couple says the game is worth at least forty dollars online.

That is a potential eight to one return, if the numbers hold. Watch the full video to see the find for yourself.

The Game Boy Micro Part Of The Story

The video does not stop at one game. Josh also talks about picking up a Game Boy Micro, the tiny handheld Nintendo released in 2005. He says one in good working order is worth roughly two hundred dollars, and that even a Micro that does not work is still worth about thirty dollars.

Then he does something every smart reseller should do. He checks the numbers. On eBay, the Game Boy Micro comes in various colors, and the one in this video is the silver model. When he searched sold listings, he says he found 136 that had sold in the last 90 days. He says the console might not be super rare, but plenty of people are clearly buying it. The couple figures they will probably end up with about seventy to eighty dollars for it.

Why Sold Listings Matter

That step with the sold listings is the lesson hiding in this story. Anyone can put a price on an item and hope. What a buyer actually paid last week is a much better guide. A search of sold listings shows you the real prices, and the number of sales shows you how fast the item moves. A rare item that sells once a year can sit for a long time. A common item that sells all the time may be easier to turn into cash.

How To Start Flipping Without Losing Your Shirt

If you have ever wondered whether you could do what Josh and Haley do, here are a few practical thoughts for getting started.

• Start with what you know. Pick one category, like video games, records, kitchenware or tools, and learn what is common and what is hard to find. The more you know, the faster you can spot a bargain.
• Check sold prices before you buy. On a phone at the flea market, you can look up what similar items have actually sold for. A five dollar game is an easy decision when the sold prices are forty or more. It is not so easy when you are looking at something that costs fifty.
• Test it if you can. The difference between a working console and a broken one is huge. Josh mentions that a working Micro is worth about two hundred dollars and a broken one around thirty. Ask the seller if you can plug it in or check it before you pay.
• Look for the complete item. Collectors tend to pay more for items with their original box, cables and paperwork. Always look at what comes with the item, not just the item itself.
• Count your costs. Selling sites take fees, and shipping costs money. Packing supplies are not free either. Your profit is what is left after all of that, not the difference between the buying and selling price.
• Be patient. Some things sell in a day. Others sit for months. Do not spend money you will need soon on items that may not sell fast.

The Flea Market Advantage

Flea markets are a great place to learn because sellers sometimes do not know what they have. A seller may have bought a box of items from an estate or a storage unit and priced it all by the piece. The prices are usually flexible, so it never hurts to ask what the seller would take. In this story, the couple asked what the seller wanted for the game, got the five dollar answer and walked away with something they figure is worth far more.

It also helps to treat it as a team activity. Josh and Haley are doing it together, and that makes the whole process more fun. One person can look up prices while the other keeps digging through the bins. They can talk each other out of a bad deal and cheer each other on when they find a good one.

Whether the five dollar game ends up selling for forty dollars or more, the story is a good one to remember. A little knowledge, a little curiosity and a few minutes with a phone can turn a Saturday morning at the flea market into something that pays you back.

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