For as long as I can remember, collectibles have been huge in my family. My grandmother collected costume jewelry as well as old books. It does not matter how useless something seems, there will always be someone to collect it.

I remember a television program in which a man was fascinated by macaroni and cheese boxes. He collected over 100,000 of these boxes from around the globe, covering several different eras. Although this wouldn't necessarily constitute as profitable collectibles, this man clearly found value in his macaroni boxes.

Sometimes becoming a collector is as easy as telling friends and family what you like. Knowing that you like a particular item, often leads them to ensure your every gift resembles such a theme, and in time your collection builds.

People collect things for different reasons: some for remembrances of their youth (playthings and figurines) and others for their interest and devotion to certain brands like Pepsi or Barbie -- and any item with a Coca-Cola history can be considered a collectible with profit potential.

There are a few collectibles that are greatly valued by consumers due to the fact that the value will never decrease. Something that not only makes you feel good because you own it, but that has value in addition to that is what makes an object collectible.

Obtaining collectibles for cash is what I would consider to be the second reason for collecting. You may find that a particular item is very popular and start collecting only to find that you end up with a room full of junk that has lost its popularity and no one wants, including you.

The best advice is to collect only those items that you personally appreciate, since you may be the only one who wants them in the long run. If your goal is to make money with collectibles, you should not hold onto them for a long time in hopes that they will appreciate in value. Instead, you should have a minimal turnaround time on these items.