Personal Finance Information

Financing Collectibles for Fun and Profit


With the advent of the internet and especially auction services like those provided by Yahoo and E-bay, serious collectors have much larger arenas in which to buy and sell their wares. This provides the opportunity for quick discovery of hard-to-find items that previously might have taken years to find.

Depending upon the rarity of the collectible and the owner's awareness of its value, prices may range up to thousands of dollars for something of true quality in above average condition. However, there are still bargains being found everyday. A lot of things are being sold for a fraction of their true values simply because the owner wants to free up some space or rid themselves of what they perceive to be unnecessary clutter.

Savvy collectors know, not only the true values of the items that they collect, but also where and how to sell them for a profit. Unfortunately, if the item available costs more than available cash, the opportunity of a lifetime can remain unrealized. The question is: how to prevent this opportunity from being lost forever.

The answer is financing.

To finance something is to make up the difference between cash on hand and the purchase price. Depending upon the price of the item and the time it can take to liquidate it, you may have some options. If you only need a few dollars until pay day, you may be able to borrow short-term money from a relative or friend. If you need a few hundred, you might consider a cash advance on a credit card; especially if the item can be sold before the bill comes due. If you need a few thousand, neither your friends nor your credit card may be willing to accommodate you. You may want to consider a HELOC.

HELOC stands for Home Equity Line of Credit. It is an inexpensive means of borrowing money by accessing equity that you may have in your home. When you have a HELOC you can get money immediately. Interest is reasonable because it is tied to the Prime rate. Payments are low because they are interest only.

Many homeowners find that HELOC rates are considerably lower than the rates of the credit cards, personal loans and second mortgages. However, unlike credit cards and personal loans, the interest paid on a HELOC is often tax deductible (consult your tax advisor).

Given the previously described scenario, having a HELOC would allow you to write a check for items that may cost thousands of dollars. Conceivably, you could turn around and sell them, pay-off the HELOC and make a profit before your first payment becomes due.

If you would like to turn your hobby into something more serious and graduate from seller to "Power Seller" or from hobbiest to entrepreneur, a lack of cash may not be an obstacle. A HELOC could be the key to your success.

Copyright © 2005 Robert E. Jones, Jr.

Robert E. Jones is a Mortgage Loan Officer with years of experience helping homeowners manage their debt.

He is also known as "Mr. HELOC".

Robert has an established reputation as a creative problem solver. He specializes in helping homeowners use their equity and credit to achieve their personal and financial goals and overcome difficult situations.

If you have questions about HELOCs or creative financing, you can contact him by visiting http://www.mrheloc.com

  


MORE RESOURCES:

Boston Globe

Personal Finance: Don't let Web scams ruin holiday
Sacramento Bee,  USA - Nov 30, 2008
Whether you're shopping online or just checking your personal e-mail, don't get financially fooled this holiday season. "In this economy, when we're all ...
Video: Online Retailers See Monday As Black Friday AssociatedPress
Bargain hunters head to the Internet in search of good deals Inside Bay Area
Authentium Offers Free Trial of Online Security Software for ... TMCnet
Buffalo News - Fox 8 News WJW
all 1,327 news articles


Personal finance: Survive the holidays with budget intact
Fort Worth Star Telegram, TX - Nov 30, 2008
The Christmas Countdown has begun. Black Friday was a couple of days ago. For the next month you will be charmed, pitched and enticed. Plan ahead. ...


Personal Finance: CDs and fixed annuities: Which is right for you?
The Daily Advertiser, LA - 7 hours ago
Both are highly effective tools with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to choose the one that best meets your financial goals and ...


Financial Literacy Expert to Expose the Shocking State of ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 7 hours ago
The findings are surprising and shocking and will make viewers see the importance of personal accountability for financial literacy in a new light to avoid ...


Military Money Magazine Shows Families How to Detect - and Avoid ...
PR Web (press release), WA - 8 hours ago
Kimberly Lankford, in a recent report for Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and updated in Military Money, groups the scams into four areas - and shows ...


TD Bank Financial Group CFO to Present at Goldman Sachs Conference
Earthtimes (press release), UK - 1 hour ago
... customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in key financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, ...


Downturn provides teaching moment for kids to learn about saving
Chicago Tribune, United States - Nov 30, 2008
There is a lot of talk these days of requiring schools to teach personal finance. It sounds good, but the evidence so far suggests that classes tend not to ...


Personal Finance Queries
NEWS.com.au, Australia - 12 hours ago
Send her your personal finance-related queries now. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. ...


Personal Finance: Avoid seasonal splurging
Business Mirror, Philippines - Nov 30, 2008
Chinkee Tan is a registered financial planner and a lifestyle trainer. He is the author of the best-selling book Till Debt Do Us Part and is one of the ...


Spread the wealth: Smart money-minded gifts that pay
DetNews.com, MI - 10 hours ago
Gracefully giving a personal finance book can be tricky. "You may think you're doing someone a huge favor. But it can easily be taken the wrong way," said ...

personal finance - Google News

Article List | Index | Site Map
All logos, trademarks and articles on this site are property and copyright of their respective owner(s).
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest is Copyright © 2006 CanadaSEEK.com - All Rights Reserved.