I'm a poet and I don't even know it.
Apologies for the lazy blogging lately, I've been sick (curse you, Sea Sessions) and haven't been up to much, therefore I had nothing to blog about. I don't think many people would be interested in hearing about what I got up to - mainly lying in bed binge-watching Orange Is The New Black - so I decided to wait until I actually did something productive.
I'm mad for a good car boot sale. I'm mad for a good bargain in general - isn't everyone? - I get most of my clothes from charity shops because I don't have the money to spend €30 on one top in this economy, and chances are no one else is gonna be wearing the same things as you.
Since moving house I realised how much stuff I have accumulated, so when I heard about an upcoming car boot sale in Sligo I was delighted I'd finally have the chance to get rid of some unwanted items that were takin up space in my room. I filled up some boxes with clothes, shoes, books and DVDs to sell and me, my mum and my brother headed on our merry way to the venue where the boot sale was being held.
I've been to some depressing and disappointing car boot sales in my time, but this one was by far the most disappointing. 30 minutes in I still held on hope that there would be a sudden rush of people who were all dying to buy our quality items. I felt like a child at their birthday party when nobody turns up but their parents, except there wasn't even free food or balloons to console me.
I envisioned myself making a fair amount as I had so much stuff to sell and had priced it fairly - I think anyone who charges €10 for a secondhand dress is a bit deluded - so I thought I'd make about €50 which I can add to my London savings. I made a grand total of...... *drum roll*
NINE. EURO.
Soul destroying. That wouldn't even buy me lunch in London. If anyone wants to donate to the Charity of Me, feel free.
At one point we were so bored we started playing with a box of Lego we were selling and I made the beautiful creation above. The one on the left is a self portrait. We were having a whale of a time until some fun-sponge bought the Lego off us.
Also, what is with people taking the p*ss trying to haggle ridiculous amounts? Some woman had the nerve to ask would I sell her 2 handbags for €2 (I was selling them for €2 each, one was from Topshop). In the end she begrudgingly bought one of them. I think I'm better off selling my stuff online or somewhere where people actually appreciate the bargains they're being offered.
*sniff*
Anyway, that concludes this sad tale. If anyone wants to find me in London you'll see me standing outside Buckingham Palace with boxes of bric-a-brac, holding a sign saying 'Will sell cheap clothes for Oyster Card'.
Sorry to hear about ur expereince :(
ReplyDeleteYou get cheapskates anywhere especially a car boot sale or a charity shop. Also you could make a Facebook event of it so you would get more people to buy your stuff the next time you're doing one again. Hope you guys are ok!
Good idea. Hopefully I'll have more success the next time I do one! We're all keeping well, thanks.
DeletePoor Lucy:-(!! I turned up late to jolly ur mum along & buy ur sh&&* but u were gone(wisely, it must be said)...and a buck ugly shower of rain drenched the few traders that were left. Man, it was the epitome of misery. I will never go back to that car park again for anything-ever-in my life- ever, NEVER ever!!!!
ReplyDeleteYep, it was so miserable we packed up early. Good job we left just before the rain! I feel the exact same.
Deleteam I allowed to where the car boot sale was ?
ReplyDeleteNorthside Centre Sligo. Such a pity it never took off!
DeleteI feel for you, Lucy. I know all too well, sadly, those types of boot sales and, I'm sorry to have to report, a few markets and fairs like that in my time, as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I have had similar first-hand experience with miserable, miserly, penny-pinching gits who seem to think they're in a Middle Eastern bazarre trying their best to 'make deals' with you on the price, and seem to get their jollies out of you explaining and then defending your oh-so-high prices to them, when in fact, you're practically giving them away for free.
I had just such an experience this past Saturday at the Ben Bulben market...an old curmudgen of a guy, blinged up to the heavens, trying to get me to sell him one of my hand-made, hand-painted, hand-crafted plaques for a fiver!!! Asking me all sorts of questions about how it was made, what kind of wood it was, who I was, where else have I sold my crafts besides there, etc. I should have (and wanted to) tell him to piss off, but, ever-respectful me kept my mouth shut (as far as the expletives went) and he eventually moved away from my stall...of course, in a huff that he didn't get what he wanted at a fraction of the very, very fair and reasonable asking price. He was actually nasty about it all. Why do people behave like this?
A cryin' shame about how bad the Northside Centre Sligo car boot sale was. That's not the one in Collooney, is it? Near the Collooney roundabout? I see signs for a Sunday car boot sale whenever I drive home from Sligo town...I hope and wish better sales for you next time. There's also a very good car boot sale in Boyle on Saturdays, right in the town centre. I think you might have much better luck (and foot fall) there. :)
You're right, it's almost as if they're trying to get a rise out of you when you justify your prices to them! I just don't get people who are downright rude, and the same people would get all huffy if you tried to haggle with them. So unreasonable.
DeleteNo, the Collooney one is the Teeling Centre one - tried that too, not many people went to that one either. Unfortunately car boot sales don't seem to thrive in Sligo. I'll check out the Boyle one though, thanks!
There's also one I just heard about from another vendor at the Ben Bulben market. There's a supposedly fantastic and brilliant car boot sale that takes place on the last Sunday of every month in Castlebar. Granted, it is a bit far, distance/driving-wise, but this guy who told me about said that in the first half hour of him setting up his table, he made a hundred euros!! Mostly paintings, books, some bric-a-brac too. 100 euros!? In a half hour!? Sign me up for that. :)
Deleteps - my apologies for the typo earlier - it should be spelled 'bazaar,' not 'bazarre.' Although, now that I look at that misspelling and remember how obnoxious that
old coot was, the experience was indeed a mixture of 'bazaar' and 'bizarre' - voila! - 'bazarre'! :)
I'll give it a look. We tried the Carrick one but getting up at 6 a.m. was a huge downside. I'd be laughing if I made that much!
DeleteIt was a lucky typo ;-)
I can only imagine how frenzied and chaotic being a seller/vendor at the Carrick one would be - it's always chock-a-block and crazy busy there (and that's only a shopper's/browser's take on it). Not that far away from us (or you), but I agree - as it starts early, you really have to get up nearly at the crack of dawn. The Castlebar one is even further than that, sadly...I may check it out one day, though. If you do, let us know how it went/what you thought about it. I'm sure it'll be a hell of a lot better than someone trying to get you to sell two handbags for two euros (I shake my head in despair and disappointment - okay...and annoyance and irritation, too - at people like that).
DeleteAh, Lucy, that was great gas. You are becoming the Ellen DeGeneres of Ireland with your wry wit. Keep it coming!! Kate Bell
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm flattered! Don't think I'll be cutting my hair like hers anytime soon though ;-)
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