Different ways I found of making money from seemingly nothing

25 years ago I was selling hotel supplies in a Southeastern state. I had the whole state, and normally covered it in 2 weeks. I drove about 55K miles per year which would come close to 1K a week calling on hotel chains and independents (small hotel owners 40 rooms or less). My company inventoried 10K items for hotels. We sold bar soap, to towel bars,toilet tissue, kleenex, trash cans, shampoo, and conditioner. Everything you see in a hotel room which is expendable ex..soap, shampoo, cups, ice buckets and trays, shower curtains, linen, etc...we sold it.

Here is where the story begins that changed the way I looked at things. I was calling on a Ramada Inn one morning and knew the housekeeper very well. She had a box of linen and old towels and wash cloths underneath her folding table in a toilet tissue box. I asked her what she was going to do with it and she said they were so thin that they normally throw them out or turn them into rags. I thought for a moment that I could use these as drop cloths and cleaning rags around my house and I offered her $15.00 for the box. She called her manager and he agreed and I forked over the cash and hauled the box out to my car. It must have weighed 50 pounds.

I went on my way to another stop and came to one of my little independent motels. Mr Patel, an Asian Indian, had about 25 rooms and his place rented by the hour if you know what I mean. I took his order and he walked me out to my car. He saw the box of linens in my front seat and inquired about them. He asked if I wanted to sell them, and I said sure. I told him they were just rags and thin sheets, he said "no problem." I said "how about $25.00?" He agreed and I took them out and placed them in his laundry room.

The little light went on in my brain and I asked him if there is anything else that he would use in his motel in "used condition?" He said "need bedspreads," I told him I would be back. I went back to the Ramada the next week and asked the housekeeper if she had any used bed spreads and she said she had 80 used spreads that were collecting dust. I offered her $2.00 a piece and her manager took it. Went back to the motel and sold them to him for $8.00 apiece. You do the math.

Here is what I have found and anyone can do this. If you are confident enough to ask a question of someone then this will work. Go to any Flagged chain(Comfort, Hampton, Sleep, Holiday Inn) and go to the back of the building or look for maid carts outside of double doors. Ask for the executive housekeeper and tell them that you are in the market to buy used linen or spreads etc...

If you land a deal, remember to offer low and go up if you have to. Your best place to sell these used items are in motels that are usually 50 rooms or less. Always talk to the manager or owner and tell them that you buy and sell used FF&E (Furniture, fixture, and equipment). Do you or anyone you know have a need for used bedspreads and linens etc....

What I do know is that the small "Indian" motels have relatives that have other motels and if you stop and ask one owner, he may not need anything but he may know someone who does.

I went from buying bedspread and linens to buying out complete "refurbs" for pennies on the dollar. A refurb is when an owner has to upgrade his hotel (about every 5-7 years)I purchased TV's, bedding, furniture, chairs and tables, drapes, spreads etc.... Big market for good used FFand E.

I would go to the manager who was planning a refurb and offer to be their tylenol and solve their headache of getting rid of their used FF&E. They normally would jump at this knowing someone was going to take this weight off of their shoulders.

You can always write and ask me more about this money maker, and I can assure you, these people need you more than you need them. Everyone is trying to cut costs and save where they can. There is work involved but it takes very little money to get this off the ground and running.

By the way, you can Google Hotel liquidators or used hotel furniture and look at the websites and see what is going on in this industry. 

I will be publishing other pages on how to make money that are even simpler than this. Keep watching and I will also have some great recipes that I have collected over the years from different friends and strangers.