I'm self employed and loving every minute of it. Some weeks I make more than I ever did working! You'd be surprised at how much money can be made just buying random stuff and flipping it for fast cash. 60% of my income is just keeping my eyes open for anything I can make money on and having cash on me to steal the deal. Every week I check the Kokomo Rescue Mission thrift store, Salvation Army thrift store, Goodwill, 2 flea markets, every yard sale I can find, one scrapyard daily, another scrapyard weekly (All the way across town and they hold stuff for me.), I ride up and down alleys everywhere I go, and I check in with local junkers every time I get a chance to see what they are picking up. I also have three junkers that bring me any bikes they find. As I say you can work for your money or let it work for you.
Few examples of good deals I have made:
1. Small block 350 Chevy engine (that ran) $75 from scrapyard and I had to spend an hour pulling it. Rebuild kit from Summit Racing $240, engine paint, degreaser, and header paint from AutoZone $25, Chrome valve covers and air cleaner Summit racing $60, Carb from scrapyard $2, Rebuild kit for carb $25
Total invested $427
Sold for $1,000
$573 profit for a few weekends worth of work
2. Bought a car that ran and drove but was filthy dirty for $500. Spent $5 on cleaners, ran a buffer over the paint, and spent an hour detailing it out. Sold for $1,000. Nearly $500 profit for an hours worth of work.
3. 10 random Walmart bikes from scrapyard for $6 each sold for $50 each. $440 profit for dragging them home, airing the tires, few adjustments and listing them.
4. Non-running 49cc scooter $75, cleaned the carb and adjusted the valves got it running great and sold for $400. $325 profit. Half hour's worth of work.
5. Redline BMX bike paid $20 sold for $300 shipped, shipping was around $40, $240 profit 10 minutes to throw it in a box.
6. 1950's cruiser bicycle at yard sale for $5 sold for $100. $95 profit nothing but dragging it home and listing it.
7. Schwinn road bike from flea market $20, new tires $30, Sold on Craigslist for $125. $75 profit 15 minutes worth of work.
8. Body for golf cart found in trash FREE! Sold on Craigslist for $75 ALL profit just drag it home and list it.