THE cost of living crisis is starting to get on my nerves.

Not least of all because every time it is mentioned it is accompanied with nothing but depressing advice about how to cut back, save money and buy cheaper.

That is OK to a point, but for most of us in this long, long month of January the idea of boosting our income with a few hundred pounds cash is much more appealing.

Who wouldn’t want to have £100 or £200 in cash added to their weekend funds or monthly income.

So armed with a car full of clutter that I no longer needed or wanted I set off to the Colchester Car Boot Sale on Sunday.

Firstly the start for sellers setting up is from 8am, much later than most bootsales and the venue is a car park so the ground is not soggy or uneven.

You get to set up from 8am to 9am when the early bird sellers pay £3 each to come in before 10am to grab the best bargains.

No buying is allowed before 9am but the regular stallholders do look round for bargains to buy once the event opens.

Echo: People buying at Colchester car boot salePeople buying at Colchester car boot sale (Image: Lorne Spicer)

They were queuing to such an extent on Sunday that they let them in at 8.55am There is no doubt that it is the early buyers, many of them dealers and collectors, who spend the money.

First off my stall was a pair of damaged Timberland boots for £10, a pair of very worn Nike trainers for £6 and two felt rabbit kits for £5.

The clothes rail did well with buyers snapping up a Long Tall Sally jumper for £5, a boy’s coat for £10, and two vintage coats for £15 each.

A Kenzo top made £10 which had been bought second hand for £10 so I got my money back.

This is not an exercise in making a profit on whatever has been spent over the years. Far from it.

There is very little chance of you ever getting the full retail price back on any item, even if it is Gucci or Prada, but if it is sitting at home doing nothing, then any money is better than no money.

Echo: The cash Lorne made in under an hourThe cash Lorne made in under an hour (Image: Lorne Spicer)

And it is hard to find a means of making money legitimately and more quickly than at a car boot sale.

Within the first 40 minutes I had taken £216 cash all from stuff I did not want and frankly did not need.

It is hugely satisfying to think that you have made £200 an hour as I like to look at it.

Of course, there is petrol, the pitch fee which is £12 per car and any money spent during the day but for a few hours “work” sorting out stuff and selling it, nothing beats holding cash in your hand.

Then every Sunday at 7pm loads of us meet up on Facebook live to compare bargains and sales – it is the most fun work of the week.

What I sold

  • James Pringle wool cape £20
  • Made in Italy woman’s coat new with tag £10
  • Z by Zegna son’s shoes £10
  • Howick men’s suede loafers cost £55 sold for £10 – were a gift but too small for my Dad
  • Modern chrome lantern £5 n Kipling cross body bag £8
  • Joules gilet with broken zip £6
  • Chanel mascara in box found in makeup draw £5
  • Basler women’s coat £15
  • Nike sliders £5
  • Red or Dead prescription glasses £3
  • Adidas gilet with marks to back £8
  • Norwegian traditional jumper £12
  • Motorbike gloves £5