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Metro
26-05-2025
- Business
- Metro
The items gathering dust in your home that are actually worth £100s
Selling things you no longer use is an easy way to drum up extra cash — but you don't need an antiques collection for your home to be a treasure trove. The UK secondhand market is booming right now, with UK consumers predicted to spend a whopping £3.6 billion on used goods in 2025. There's certainly money to be made, and as a self-professed 'car boot queen', Ellie Macsymons from NetVoucherCodes, is well versed in turning pre-loved into profit. So if you have any of these sought-after items lying around gathering dust, listen up. Your next clear-out could really pay off. You can access completely fee-free mortgage advice with London & Country (L&C) Mortgages, a partner of Metro. Customers benefit from: – Award winning service from the UK's leading mortgage broker – Expert advisors on hand 7 days a week – Access to 1000s of mortgage deals from across the market Unlike many mortgage brokers, L&C won't charge you a fee for their advice. Find out how much you could borrow online Mortgage service provided by London & Country Mortgages (L&C), which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (registered number: 143002). The FCA does not regulate most Buy to Let mortgages. Your home or property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. According to Ellie, these retro cooking dishes are 'hot property right now,' with designs like Gooseberry, Butterprint, and Snowflake fetching anywhere between £30 and £150 each among collectors It all depends on their condition though, as she adds: 'Chips, cracks, cloudy glass (often from dishwasher damage), and faded patterns can all reduce the value significantly.' From Game Boys to Sega Mega Drives, Ellie says 'enthusiasts and nostalgic millennials are snapping up working consoles and original games.' In terms of games, you're looking at £20 to £30 for common titles, but rare ones can be worth as much as £300. Vintage consoles typically sell for a minimum of £40, while certain models command upwards of £200 — and even just the packaging can go for £100 or more online. Ellie advises: 'For the full resale value, make sure consoles aren't missing power leads or controllers and check game cartridges for corrosion or heavy scratches.' Fashion makes up a 37% share of all recommerce purchases in the UK, but you can command a particularly pretty penny by cashing in on the current trend for Y2K clothing. 'Look out for denim jackets, branded hoodies, and old-school trainers from labels like Levi's, Adidas, Burberry, or Ralph Lauren,' says Ellie. 'Such brands can resell for £20 to £150 depending on the piece'. Before you list anything designer though, make sure to double check it's not a fake, as Vinted, Depop and eBay suspend or ban users for selling counterfeit goods. Furniture and decor pieces from the mid-century modern era – roughly the 1940s to the 1960s – has stood the test of time, and has long been a coveted style for interiors fans. Ellie says that 'small furniture items like teak side tables, magazine racks, or atomic-era mirrors,' can command £40 to over £300 if you find the right buyer, but 'the roof is the limit' for everything MCM. Keep in mind however, 'newer mass-produced items that just look retro' will go for a lot less. 'LEGO holds its value incredibly well, especially themed or discontinued sets like Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Architecture collections,' says Ellie. 'Even bulk bags of random bricks can go for good money.' Depending on completeness and theme, you're looking at £20 to more than £200 for a sets or boxes of well-kept LEGO, but (and this is a big but) 'things like missing mini-figures, incomplete instructions, or knock-off bricks can make them essentially worthless.' Not sure how to tell whether you've got a fake? Real LEGO has the brand name stamped on every stud. As film photography skyrockets in popularity, so has the demand forvintage cameras like Olympus Trip 35, Pentax Spotmatic, or old Polaroids. The price you can fetch for one of these will be lower if it's in poor condition (look out for issues like rusty battery compartments, sticky shutters, or broken lenses) or, for Polaroid cameras, the film type is no longer available. If you find the right buyer though, you're looking at between £25 and £150. When it comes to ceramics, Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, or Denby are the brand names to look out for — especially limited editions or discontinued ranges. Teapots, dinner sets, or figurines, 'can resell for £30 to £200 depending on condition and pattern,' says Ellie, but 'crazing (fine cracks in the glaze) will lower the resale amount, as will missing pieces, or heavily used sets.' Old books can be big earners; you just need to hunt through your shelves for the most valuable ones. More Trending Ellie says 'first editions, niche cookbooks, out-of-print art or photography volumes, and certain children's books' can sometimes resell for £500 or more, so it's worth doing some research if you think you've got something unique. She adds: 'Ideally, books should include their dusk jackets (better yet if they're preserved in plastic) and not have torn pages or heavy wear. 'Ex-library copies are usually worth less.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: Walking With Dinosaurs viewers devastated as major change has 'ruined' beloved show MORE: What are Labubu dolls and why are grown men brawling over them? MORE: Music industry pays tribute to agent Dave Shapiro after death in San Diego plane crash
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
'Car boot queen' lists nine 'flip' items to sell online for hundreds
Expert tips on what to look out for when buying at car boot sales, including vintage Pyrex dishes, branded clothing and retro gaming consoles that can be sold for a profit online Car boot sales could be your golden ticket to a cash windfall, especially if you've got an eye for bargains. Buried beneath piles of odds and ends, from preloved playthings to mismatched crockery, lie treasure-worthy finds that savvy flippers can sell on for a tidy sum. "Car Boot Queen" Ellie Macsymons from NetVoucherCodes has revealed her top picks of car boot must-haves that might just net you a small fortune. Ellie said: "Car boot sales are the perfect place to spot a deal. Often sellers don't know what kind of treasure they have right under their nose, and often sell luxury items for a fraction of their price. If you know what you're looking for, you could resell some of these items for hundreds of pounds, giving you an extra boost coming into summer. "If you're new to flipping items, start small by buying things you can test easily and know a bit about. As you gain experience, you'll start spotting those lucrative gems more quickly. And remember: always check sold listings on eBay to get a realistic idea of an item's value, not just the asking price." Nine items to buy at car boot sales to sell online Vintage Pyrex dishes Nan's old patterned dishes are all the rage nowadays, with "Gooseberry", "Butterprint," and "Snowflake" fetching handsome sums from collectors and vintage kitchenware enthusiasts, selling for £30 to £150 based on scarcity and state. Nonetheless, be wary of diminished value due to wear like chips, cracks, murky glass (often dishwasher-related), or fading patterns. Retro gaming consoles and games The retro gaming scene is thriving with gear like Game Boys and Sega Mega Drives in high demand among buffs and yearning millennials, commanding £20–£30 for common titles and a mint for rarer finds. Vintage consoles can resell for £40–£200+, and precious game up to £300+, while even original boxes might fetch over £100 online. Ensure full resale price by checking that consoles have all cables, aren't missing controllers, and watch out for tarnished or badly scratched cartridges. Branded vintage clothing 90s and Y2K fashion is all the rage right now. Keep your eyes peeled for denim jackets, branded hoodies, and retro trainers from big names like Levi's, Adidas, Burberry, or Ralph Lauren. These brands can fetch anywhere between £20–£150 on resale, depending on the brand and item, and often, car boot sellers are unaware of the treasures they possess. Be vigilant for counterfeits, which are rife at car boots and markets, particularly with designer labels. Scrutinise stitching, tags, and quality meticulously and steer clear of anything with stains or noticeable damage, unless it can be cleaned effortlessly. Mid-Century furniture and decor Compact furniture items such as teak side tables, magazine racks, or atomic-era mirrors can be bought for a song and sold for a handsome profit, especially to buyers who are into interior design or vintage styling. The sky's the limit with vintage furniture, but it can sell to the right buyer from £40–£300+. Be wary of damage to veneers, signs of woodworm, or newer mass-produced items that merely look retro, which will significantly affect the resale price. LEGO sets LEGO sets, particularly themed or discontinued collections like Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Architecture, hold their value remarkably well. Even bags of random bricks can fetch a pretty penny. Well-preserved LEGO sets and boxes can be sold for £20–£200+, depending on the theme and completeness. However, factors such as missing mini-figures, incomplete instructions, or counterfeit bricks (genuine LEGO has the brand name stamped on every stud) can render them virtually worthless. Vintage cameras The popularity of film photography is soaring, leading to an increased demand for vintage cameras like Olympus Trip 35, Pentax Spotmatic, or old Polaroids. A quick scroll through TikTok reveals a new generation of influencers flaunting their retro film cameras or camcorders. Enthusiasts and collectors are on the hunt for usable gear, often found at car boot sales. These finds can resell from £25–£150+, but beware of rusty battery compartments, sticky shutters, or broken lenses. If it's a Polaroid, ensure the film type it uses is still available. Rare or first edition books Old books may not appear to be big money-makers, but first editions, specialist cookbooks, out-of-print art or photography volumes, and certain children's books can fetch a pretty penny. These treasures can resell for £20–£500+. Ideally, books should come with their dust jackets (even better if they're preserved in plastic, but then the seller might be aware of their value) and ensure they don't have torn pages or heavy wear. Ex-library copies are typically worth less. Designer handbags or accessories It's uncommon, but not unheard of to find authentic designer items at car boot sales, particularly older styles that people presume are worthless. Think Mulberry, Coach, even vintage Gucci or Fendi. Vintage designer handbags can resell anywhere from £50 to £400+. Remember, counterfeits are a massive issue for designer pieces. Look for serial numbers, logo placement, stitching quality, and branded hardware. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Royal Doulton, Wedgwood, or Denby Ceramics Classic British ceramics continue to be a hit with collectors and stylists. Keep an eye out for teapots, dinner sets, or figurines, particularly limited editions or discontinued ranges. The tales are countless of people who've stumbled upon a seemingly ordinary ceramic piece at a car boot sale, only to discover it's worth a small fortune on programmes like Antiques Roadshow. These items can fetch between £30–£200, depending on their condition and pattern. Be aware that crazing (fine cracks in the glaze) will decrease the resale value, as will missing pieces, or heavily used sets.
