House Prices

Collecting for fun and profit

Button collecting may not sound like a viable alternative to buying shares, but a friend of mine has scoured op shops, online auctions and garage sales for buttons of note.

Saturday, August 21st 2004

In hard cash terms, her investment returns outstrip what she could have earned if she'd ploughed her money into shares.

Making money from something you love, be it buttons, bottles or Beatrix Potter figures, can help your financial future. Many an entrepreneur has started this way.

It doesn't really matter what you collect, providing you buy well, choose a sector that has liquidity, and time your entry and exit into the market. If you treat your hobby as an investment, it should provide portfolio diversification.

The trick is to learn the ropes and then ratchet up your returns.

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