Can thrifting generate minimum wage? A 3-month business experiment
My economics teacher said 'entrepreneurship is for everyone,' but is it really? Can someone with just ₹2,000 starting capital actually earn minimum wage through a business? I was skeptical. Most business ideas need thousands in investment, connections, or special skills. What about someone starting from zero?
I tested thrift-flipping: buying second-hand clothes cheap and reselling them. Started with ₹2,000, sourced from Chor Bazaar and local thrift stores, cleaned/repaired items, sold on Instagram and Facebook Marketplace. Results after 3 months: ₹12,260 profit, 387% average ROI, ₹124/hour earnings. Answer: YES, thrifting can beat minimum wage (₹52/hr), but it requires skill, taste, and hustle—not just money.
how i accidentally started a business: August 2023 - found a vintage Levi's jacket at Sunday flea market for ₹120. recognized it was worth way more (thanks, Instagram fashion accounts!). posted it on Instagram. sold for ₹450 in 2 hours. profit: ₹330 for literally 15 minutes of work. that's ₹1,320/hour. more than any internship would pay me. got obsessed. started hitting thrift stores every weekend. learned to spot quality brands, negotiateprices, photograph items properly, write good descriptions. 6 months later: flipped 47 items, ₹28,000 total profit. best part? learned real business skills—sourcing, marketing, customer service, profit margins, inventory management. way more than any textbook taught me. and funded my entire birthday trip to Goa. not bad for shopping at flea markets. 👗💸
Detailed cost, time, revenue tracking for each item to calculate true hourly wage
Analyzed which items, brands, and styles have best resale value and demand
Built @thrift.treasures.mum to 450 followers, drove 70% of sales
Calculated if business model could scale to full-time income
₹2,000 from birthday money. No loans, no parental funding. Constraint: prove minimum wage possible with small capital like real minimum-wage workers have.
Visited Chor Bazaar, Linking Road, Bandra thrift stores on Sundays. Target: branded items at 30-40% retail, in good condition. Built relationships with shop owners for first-pick deals.
Not just reselling—cleaning, minor repairs, professional photography. This justified 3x markup. Average 2 hours work per item increased willingness to pay significantly.
Tracked every rupee: purchase price, repair costs, time spent, listing fees, sale price, buyer demographics. Calculated profit margin, ROI, effective hourly wage for each flip.
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