Do they intrigue you?
Annoy you?
For me they are a reminder of spring and impending summertime. Many early Saturday mornings waking with the promise of a donut and a fun time driving around with my mom.
Even before that, I was running around the neighborhood trying to sell mini-pies that my sister and I had made. Or trading stuffed animals and toys with the neighbor kids.
Garage sales for those of you that have never experienced one can be a lot of fun. They are a place to get really great deals and see a lot of interesting stuff.
There is strategy to yard sales though... These are just a few tips that my mom and I have learned over years of yard saleing.
Plan a route. Check your local papers or the internet. Know where the hot spots are in your area. Watch for signs to pop up later in the week. Don't waste those precious minutes driving in a dead zone. The route doesn't have to be exact. Leave some room to wander. Not everyone will take an ad out for their yard sale.
Know what you are looking for. Some people may disagree with this statement. But I always have the best luck when I have something in mind I want to buy. Say I really want a blender. This gives you a focus. You might find a blender or some other kitchen gadget that you really need.
Cash on hand. Have a certain amount of cash with you. Do not carry your purse with you around the sale. Just put the cash in your pocket. Stash your purse safely in your car and have a little more money in there. Don't bring a wildly high amount of money. Most homeowners will hold an item if you need to go get more money. Plus its a good bargaining tool to only have $5 left.
Price. I'm not sure why people thing they are going to "make money" by having a yard sale. Don't buy anything that you could get a better deal at a store.
Haggling. I don't have much advice for this. I don't often haggle. If something is priced too high I usually don't bother. But some people have that skill. Most homeowners are willing to bring down the price. They are trying to get rid of this stuff.
Bundling. Get a whole armload of stuff add it all up in your head and then offer a lower total price. If you are 10 random items that total up to be $22.30, offer $20 or if you are feeling lucky $15. Usually the seller will shrug and take the amount offered. You are doing them a favor by taking that large quantity of items away right now.
Slow drive-by. Don't be afraid to do this. Again don't waste precious minutes parking and getting out at a sale that you can see from the street has nothing. Just don't block traffic, please.
Neighborhood sales. These can be a hit or miss. Sometimes they are great you can find one parking spot and walk to several sales. Other times its a miss because people will put only a handful of items in their sale just so they can participate.
Early bird gets the worm. This statement is definitely meant for yard sales, well and fishing... There will be people out there as soon as the people start putting their stuff out. I suggest between 7:15-7:45 am is a good time to hit the first sales.
Don't be afraid to walk away. It used to make me uncomfortable to dig through other people's stuff find nothing and just walk away. But now with experience I can fairly quickly scan over their things and with a polite smile and a "Thank you" by on my way. Not every sale will have that precious gem you are hoping for.
Go with a friend. This is suppose to be fun. So go with someone you want to chat with on the road. It also helps to have a friend there so say "Do you really need that?" or "That's a great/terrible deal!" It's also good to have an extra set of eyes on the merchandise.
When my mom and I would go to yard sales. We would always talk about what we "wanted to get". We would gauge our success by whether we got what we intended, how much money we spent, and how full the car was when we got home. We loved having those hours of time to chat in the car. It was a great time to catch up. We had a few different paths we would take through Concord and the surrounding areas depending on what we were looking for. She would always get nervous to drive through the school district she worked in, worried she'd see someone she worked with or taught. That would always make me laugh. Shortly after beginning we would stop at a grocery store and grab donuts and cash.
I have been lucky enough to get some good stuff at yard sales. To name a few: a picnic basket, Cuisinart food processor, countless knick knacks, set of high ball glasses, some clothes, artwork, drafting supplies for school, art portfolio, books, movies... that's all I can remember off the top of my head. But there is much more I'm sure.
My mom never got that much. She mostly just likes the experience and company. As did I.
Just give a whirl on a Saturday morning. Talk a friend or your mom into going with you. You never know what you'll find.
PS: Those people with babies or children. You can really hit the payload at yard sales with any baby need you have from toys to furniture to clothes! I can't wait till I can do that for myself.
So go out and save some money and have fun.
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