When I started trading with the Watch Trading Academy, I was very low on capital.
All I had was $1700, which I used to buy an Omega Seamaster Professional. That’s the watch that started my watch trading journey.
Being active in the academy, I see similar questions about “how much money do I need to have to start flipping watches?”. You might be surprised, but you do not need any of your own funds to start buying and selling watches.
However, having access to some of the below can make the process easier for you:
- Good Credit
- Credit Card
- PayPal Credit
- Banks Checks
Good Credit
Building Credit was one of the first things I did when I moved to the United States. That was one of the reasons why I wanted to know more about how it works.
Here are the factors which affect your credit score, which can range from 300-850. When the credit score is 720 and up, it’s is considered Good; you can check your credit score online for free athttps://www.creditkarma.com/, which I use.
- Payment history, late payments
- How much of the credit am I using
- The average length the credit accounts are opened
- Total debt
- Did I open any new credit cards
- Number of hard inquiries on your credit report
Credit Card
When I was looking for the right credit card to maximize the benefits they provide, I googled “the best credit cards,” and I got so many options to choose from.
I am always looking for the promotional benefits such as no annual fee, spend $5,000 in the first three months and get $500 bonus cash, or no interest for 12 months.
Remember, it’s important to mention that you are making a significant amount of money to qualify for a higher credit line. One of the questions I am always asked is, what is my total household income, which can include alimony, spouse’s income etc.
When I use a credit card, I always make sure that I am aware of the payment schedule so I won’t miss any deadlines. Also, when I pay for a watch, I always track what method of payment I have used for the specific watch to make sure that I will pay it off before the promotional period ends. I usually label this in my CRM sheet which is taught and provided in Watch Trading Academy’s advanced Knight Watch Course
PayPal Credit
The first time I used PayPal Credit, I was excited about the possibility of using someone else’s money for six months. The best part about PayPal Credit. is when I pay it off, I can borrow from the credit line again.
When I wanted to increase the credit amount, I had to charge more than my credit limit at the time of a purchase. They do not approve your request to purchase higher every single time. Currently, my limit is almost $10K, which is not bad for having it for a little bit longer than a year.
The way the PayPal credit works is that you have to pay a monthly minimum payment. At the same time, the interest is adding to your purchases, which you do not have to pay unless you aren’t able to pay the total balance before the promotional period ends which can be 6-12 months.
Bank Checks
The promotional bank checks are one of my favorite options to use as the fees are very low. For me, it’s 3% one-time fee for the total amount I want to use plus .99% APR for 15 months. So for example, when I borrow $1000, I have to pay only $30 fee to use their money plus the .99% APR which isn’t bad.
The downside is that not every bank takes these types of checks, so I have to make sure that banks do take them. I have found that many Federal Credit Unions take promotional checks, so keep that in mind when using them.
Overall benefits and risks:
I like to leverage other people’s money instead of my own because I’m resourceful. If there are 0% or low APR options available, it almost always makes sense to take advantage of them. That said, please know there are risks with any type of business like this and you should ensure you can pay-off the borrowed funds to not damage your credit or future leverage needs.
Fortunately, for me, I learned to buy and sell watches quick enough using the knowledge in the advanced watch trading academy courses like Part 2 and Knight Watch that I don’t have issues paying off the cards.
If you aren’t disciplined and don’t track the purchases from different sources, it’s easy to see the dark side is right around the corner.
Like anything in life, the key is to choose the path which is right for you. What works for me, is I can use the points from the purchases on these promotional interest cards for my family who can enjoy the perks of getting “free” rewards and points I earn while still making money on my watch trades. It’s a true win-win!