Helping Britain buy & sell smarter at the car boot
Car Boot Compass is a free, independent guide site for UK car boot sales. No marketplace, no affiliate links — just clear, experience-led advice and a calculator that tells you what a pitch is really worth.
A straight-talking companion for car boot day
Most car boot advice online is thin, copied, or padded out to fit ads. We set out to do the opposite: answer the real questions sellers and buyers actually ask — what sells, what it's worth, and whether the early start pays — in plain English.
Whether you're clearing the loft for the first time or you pitch up most Sundays, you'll find practical guides and a free Profit Calculator built around how British car boot sales really work — pitch fees, weather, footfall and all.
Everything you need, nothing you don't
A free Profit Calculator
Enter your stock and costs and see your net profit, profit per item and break-even point before you commit to a sale.
Step-by-step guides
Beginner-friendly walk-throughs on setting up, what to sell, pricing and haggling — written to be acted on this weekend.
Honest money advice
We count pitch fees and fuel, not just takings, so you always know the difference between a busy day and a profitable one.
UK-specific, independent
No affiliate links or upsells. Just guidance tuned to UK car boot sales, updated as fees and trends change.
Why this site exists
When Ellie started out, she wanted one honest answer to a simple question: "will this actually be worth my Sunday morning?" Nowhere gave it to her plainly. Car Boot Compass is the answer she wishes she'd had — clear guidance, realistic numbers, and a tool that does the maths so you don't have to guess.
We're not trying to be the biggest listings database in Britain. We're trying to be the most useful place to learn how to do a car boot sale well — and to walk away with more money and less hassle.
Meet Ellie Fairweather
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Ellie Fairweather — Founder & car boot specialist
Ellie has been buying and selling at car boot sales across the UK for over a decade — from muddy village field sales to the big tarmac giants. She's made every beginner mistake so you don't have to, and writes every guide on the site herself.
How we research & keep guides accurate
Our guidance is grounded in hands-on experience at real UK sales, combined with current seller and organiser practice. We update articles as pitch fees, rules and trends change, and we date every page so you can see how fresh the advice is. Where something depends on your local sale — opening times, fees, what's allowed — we tell you to confirm directly with the organiser rather than guessing.
What we stand for
- Independent. Not owned by an events company or marketplace. If a tactic doesn't work, we say so.
- Practical. Every guide is something you can use at your next sale — not vague theory.
- Honest about money. Our calculator includes pitch fees and fuel, because takings and profit are not the same thing.
- Beginner-friendly. No jargon, no gatekeeping. Everyone's first boot sale is a learning curve.
Our promise: if we wouldn't do it ourselves at 6am in a damp field, we won't tell you to do it either.
About Car Boot Compass: FAQs
Is Car Boot Compass free to use?
Yes — completely. Every guide and the full Profit Calculator are free, with no account, no paywall and no sign-up. The calculator runs entirely in your browser, so your figures never leave your device.
Is this an affiliate or shopping site?
No. Car Boot Compass is an independent information and guide site. We don't sell products, we're not a marketplace, and our advice isn't shaped by commissions — just what genuinely works at a UK car boot sale.
Who writes the guides?
Every guide is written and reviewed by Ellie Fairweather, our founder, drawing on more than a decade of buying and selling at car boot sales across the UK. We date each page so you can see how current the advice is.
See what your next sale could make
Two minutes, no sign-up — find out whether the early start is worth it.