Redneck Retirement

Been hatching a plan for my future and any feedback that I can get from the survival community would be most helpful and much appreciated.

This year will finish up my sixth decade (turning 60). Although I've worked hard for most of my life things have gone for me in a way that even if it's to be still available, social security is not something I can see supporting me. I fully intend to never apply. My best hope for the future is that I make myself as useful as possible until the day I lay down and give it up. I've been out of work for a couple of years now and funds are getting low. I have a plan to put some of the last of those funds to work for me and I can't afford many mistakes so I need advice. Lots and lots of advice.

I have done flea marketing in the past and thoroughly enjoyed it. I always did it at local flea markets and started out with my own yard sale items I had accumulated. I would be where I had to drive home at night and pay for the booth whether I sold anything or not. If you're not doing well or if the local market gets depressed you can get in a hole pretty quick and easy. Not a deep hole but a temporarily paralyzing one. I never worked out a niche. I think I have that solved and would like to hear what you have to say about it.

Since survival and emergency preparedness is a dominating part of my every day life, that should be the theme of my booth. I have gotten lined up with some very good wholesalers whose prices will allow me a lot of room to dicker and still make a good profit on the major things. I'm going to sell crossbows, pellet guns, blow guns and sling shots. I may even sell some of those stoves I've been making and maybe make some slings to sell too. Add to that any survival related tools that seems to be in demand and some survival books. Maybe help some people get together a survival kit and through conversation help them figure out what they need and what they don't. I'm probably going to be a little slow about getting into knives but all flea market have plenty of people selling knives already and you can sink a lot of money into knives fast. The right deal from a wholesaler could change my mind about that though. I don't want to sell anything I need an FFL for. I hate paperwork.

I have good information on flea markets along with contact info and I have a motor home. I'm alone so I don't have to worry about the comforts and needs of anyone else at this point in my life. That's not how it's always been and hopefully not how it's always going to be. Point is I can haul my stuff in the motor home and stay with it as long as it sells. When things get slack it may be time to drift.

This will put me in a position to spend my days discussing survival and preparedness with others who (most of them anyway) actually want to talk about it. Every day will be more opportunity to learn and to help others. And as an added bonus, when the balloon goes up I'll be setting on a gold mine of barter goods. Goods that are useful to keep and outfit a group as well as barter. Along the way I'll occasionally pick up a deal that's too good to pass and these will help to make a little more money. Maybe if things hold together I can one day own a decent flea market. That booth rent looks like good steady money for when I'm too old for much else. Maybe that would give my kids a reason to look after the old man.

Anyway, That pretty much spells it out. What do you think?

This sounds like a very good plan to me. I think you've really found a terrific niche. I don't know of anyone else who's focused on survival items. I live in NE Tennessee and alot of elders and retirees make money from the flea markets. Sounds like you've thought it out quite well.

I'm curious, why don't you want to collect Social Security? After all, you've paid into it.

Semper
Maybe not such a bad idea. It is a niche that has not been taken to the cleaners.
You might contact some publishers like Delta Press or Paladin Press that specialize in self sufficiency type of information.
Army surplus goods might also do well as I have seen them out and about at many flea markets. I don't have any good sources though. I might even be interested in that myself
Fire starting kits may be asembled and sold resonably as well. They could be assembled as you ply your goods.

respectfully

reluctantpawn

I'm curious, why don't you want to collect Social Security? After all, you've paid into it.

Several reasons. I haven't exactly spent my life playing by the rules where those matters are concerned but I've spent my life watching our gov't. systematically rob those who did. The people of my generation have already been robbed of the bulk of what they have paid in. It's not our fault but neither is it our children and grand-children's fault. Also I can see it being used as a leash to control me. There's an old saying floating around the internet. I don't know who said it first but it stuck in my mind. "You can't kill the beast while you're sucking on the tit."

Fire starting kits may be asembled and sold resonably as well. They could be assembled as you ply your goods.

I like that. Maybe instead of just concentrating on either individual items or completed survival kits I should compartmentalize. Fire kits, water purification kits, food procurement kits, first aid kits, etc, etc, etc. Wherever my imagination and feedback from others leads me. Thanks.

Semper
Filed under " for what it's worth "
Alot of manufacturers have a " floor plan" for new retail outlets.
You might look into whether the folks you buy from have such a plan.
The advantage of a " floor plan" is they provide you with stock, which you only pay for if you sell it.
Another thing is advertising. You didn't mention if you were going to run a circut or just stay local, but you might look into creating a web site to let folks know where your at and when, and some idea as to what your marketing.
Between word of mouth ,a web site and maybe an ad on Craigs list you should be able to make yourself known.
Judging by your age, I can identify with where your coming from. One " freak" to another, best of luck.

Hi Semper,

flea Markets are a good idea but have a limited market, ( Those that go to flea markets). A Web based store offers alot of benefits, as a much more diverse market range. No inventory as you could drop ship ordes from manufactureres if you wanted to. A web site with eye appeal and good advertising (banners, or what have you) and well rounded, not just stuff for sale but information also will get you repeat vistors besides unique vistors.

But before you proceed you need to have a business plan, (set goals for were you want to be in 1 year, 5 years , 10 years with your business). The internet provides a good place to make money as long as you offer something diffrent from other internet sites of the same category.

It wouldn't be a get rich quick kind of thing but could be a good income provider in 5 years, unless we get another big diaster like Katrina when there was a run on survival stores on the internet (if sitx doesn't happen before hand).

Visit a few of the other survival web sites to get a feel for a internet based store if that is the way you wish to proceed.
here's a few

www.first-aid-product.com...

beprepared.com...

www.disasternecessities.com...

www.meyerscustomsupply.com...

www.survivormall.com...

www.nitro-pak.com...

survivalsolutions.com...

survivalunlimited.com...

www.tacda.org...

Best of luck to you in what ever you choose as a course of action.

Oh yes, if you get a web site up with stuff for sale let me know, I'm always in the market..