This is my new GRANDDAUGHTER ALEXA JULIANNE GORTH born April 12, 2006 - just wanted to start my GUIDE with a beautiful picture!!

I have been shopping on a budget for as long as I can remember - as a child growing up in the country - I made my $1 allowance each week go far at the 5 & 10, then later in married life with my family - starting out - not a lot to spend.

Now I have money enough but I LOVE getting as much as I can by spending as little as possible.

In the early 90's when I started doing DOLL SHOWS all I had was a small collection of dolls of my own - I did well, branched out and ended up doing ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLES SHOWS.  MOST of the re-sale items I obtained back then (AND now) was at THRIFT STORES, FLEA MARKETS AND YARD SALES.  My ALL-TIME best source, NO MATTER WHERE I GO on my travels in the USA - GOODWILL!  At home I LOVE my 2 GOODWILLS - one is WEIGH AND PAY - where they bring out BINS unsorted and people dive in - the other we call the BOUTIQUE one as it's more upscale and at the base of the MALL!

ANYONE can take two or three hundred dollars or more and BUY THINGS - but what's the sport in that??  TRY for fun - $20 and see what treasures you can come up with!  THAT is fun!

Allow TIME when you go TREASURE HUNTING as I call it - allow at least 2 hours in a large THRIFT STORE or FLEA MARKET, 1/2 hour at a YARD SALE and you MUST LOOK AT EVERYTHING especially if you are like me and SELL A BIT OF EVERYTHING.

I NEVER buy anything I don't LIKE OR LOVE as I have to live with it! 

eBay is my number one choice for selling - I LOVE the fun of it - like a slot machine in VEGAS - you go up and put a quarter in - push the button or pull the handle and VOILA - MAYBE $100 or a JACKPOT - MAYBE NOTHING!! MAYBE a nice $5 return for you quarter!

Best sales??  MY FIRST eBay sale - I had spent 49 cents for a Hungarian Airlines giveaway - sold for $75!  $1.50 for an autographed record - sold for $213!

I like to say that I buy cheap and sell cheap but sometimes that theory pleasantly surprises me and something goes for nice money. 

My other outlet is two antique mall spaces I rent, one is where I live, in OCALA FLORIDA, and the other is in my HOMETOWN of HENDERSONVILLE NORTH CAROLINA - what doesn't go on eBay goes there and vice versa - THANKS FOR READING AND I HOPE YOU HAVE HAPPY HUNTING AND SELLING!

RITA GORTH
RITARETRO