The following is a guest post from Katherine at BeCentsAble.
Photo by snowflake5
Yard sale, rummage sale, moving sale, tag sale and garage sale are some of the many names for the type of informal sale where a homeowner offers used household items for a low price. I’ve been to numerous garage sales over the years, and I’ve scored bargains on all kinds of items ranging from clothes to our solid-wood kitchen table to sports equipment. We’ve saved hundreds of dollars by buying used.
However, shopping at garage sales can be hit or miss. How do you get the best deals? Over the years I’ve learned a few tricks.
Know how to find the sales.
*Check the newspaper classifieds. Most papers include a garage sale section that you can access online if you aren’t a subscriber.
*CraigsList has a tab under the For Sale/Wanted section dedicated to garage sales.
*Word of mouth. I hear about many of the best sales because my friends know I’m interested.
Know when to shop.
*Starting early in the morning on the first day of the sale is the best way to get the bargains, many of which will be snatched up within the first half hour. Seasoned garage sale shoppers often park outside and wait for the garage doors to open so they can begin shopping as soon as the sale begins.
*Oftentimes the second best time to shop is late on the last day of the sale. This is especially true of sales that have run over the course of two or three days. Although many items will be sold, those that are left are often available for a huge discount. After 11am or noon some owners will reduce all their prices by half. Even those who don’t advertise a half-price sale probably will be ready to listen to a lower offer. No one wants to pack up all their leftovers and take them back inside.
Be aware of the cost of gas.
*When driving around town to hit the sales you may be burning a lot of gas. Take the cost of gas into consideration when calculating the actual price of the bargains you’re buying. It’s helpful to draw a map and plot the shortest course before beginning.
*Hit neighborhood, block, multi-family or even city sales so that you can visit many sales in the same area.
Know how much to pay.
*A general rule of thumb is to pay no more than 1/3 of the price of new. However, many items sell for far less than this and prices vary widely from sale to sale. Clothing, books, small toys and many other items often sell for 25 to 50 cents each. When buying clothes for my toddler, I never pay more than one dollar unless I’m buying good quality jeans or a special occasion dress.
*Look for sales where the owner has listed all similar items for a single price. For example, sales where all clothes and books are marked 50 cents apiece tend to yield better bargains than sales where the owner has taken the time to mark every item separately.
Be cautious about what you buy.
*Check all items over carefully to make sure they are free of stains, cracks, rips, marks and tears.
*Consider what items you are and are not willing to buy used. We don’t buy couches or mattresses at garage sales – there are too many unknowns. Some people aren’t willing to buy used shoes.
*Especially if you’re shopping for babies or children, please take the time to familiarize yourself with items involved in recalls to make sure you’re not purchasing unsafe equipment. Check out www.Recalls.gov for the most recent recalls issued.
Keep the bigger picture in mind.
*Sometimes you have to visit quite a few sales to find one that suits your needs, and sometimes you will hit the bargain jackpot at a single sale. Those jackpot sales make a morning of shopping worth it for me. Be patient and have fun.
*Be flexible. If you have a very specific item in mind, your hunt may feel like searching the proverbial needle in the haystack, but if you go with a general list of items you’d like to purchase, you can probably find what you need. When you do find a sale with items you don’t need immediately but will use within the near future (e.g. children’s clothes for the next season) consider stocking up and storing them until you can use them.
*Your bargain hunting will not only save your family money but also by buying used you are making a more eco-friendly choice than buying new. You are reusing an item that might otherwise end up in the landfill as well as helping conserve the resources and energy costs involved in manufacturing and transporting a new item.
Happy bargain hunting!
Deal Seeking Mom here: What are some of your tips for finding the best deals at garage sales? I’ve found some pretty sweet deals over the years, like a Vita-Mix blender for $5 that I sold on eBay for over $200!
Katherine is a happily married mother of one with one on the way. She blogs at BeCentsAble where she writes about frugal, eco-friendly living and maintains a comprehensive list of the best bargains at stores around the country in the Grocery Gathering.
Melissa
Great information here! I just posted about a new resource for people that want to find garage sales and/or list their own garage sales. It is a site called garagesalestracker.com, in case you want to check it out!
Melissa´s last blog post..Garage Sales Tracker
Suzette
I don’t ever consider the price of gas when I go to garage sales. I figure if I spend 3 hours driving around to different sales, the gas I spend is written off as entertainment or me time. If it cost me $5 in gas for 3 hours of entertainment- it is totally worth it. What else can I do to get away from the kids that is that cheap?
When I make my list, I never include garage sales that are listed as “annual” sales. That just means they are trying to get rid of all of the stuff they couldn’t get rid of last year. I also dont include sales that are on the second day. If I happen to drive by one I will stop, but don’t make a special trip.
Tammi
I just found a little tykes classic pickup truck in good shape for only $10 last weekend!
Tammi´s last blog post..Free Sample Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce
CaroleG
Gsalr.com is my favorite thing to use to map out my plan!
Colleen
I use Craiglist and look at the classfied sections of our small, local newspapers to find yard sales. We shop early in the morning, and we usually follow the rule of “always offer half” when it comes to negotiating the prices on items.
Colleen´s last blog post..ropa vieja, local style
Heidi
I LOVE to go to garage sales! Its how my kids have been outfitted for the past 6 years. Now that they are in bigger sizes, it is tough to find things that aren’t worn out (particularly for my 4 year old son) so when I do, I am more than willing to drop at least $3 (sometimes more for a name brand) if it looks like it hasn’t been worn. Since its difficult to find things their sizes, if I find something that isn’t the “style of the month”, I will also buy ahead when I have the cash. I have several nice pairs of jeans that my son will fit into in a few years that I got for $1. If he has a major growth spurt and misses wearing them I can sell them for what I bought them for. This happened to me last year. He was in a 3 T last winter and grew SO fast that he went through 4T, 5T, boys 4 and boys 5 all in one year. I had a huge garage sale this year to get rid of those sizes and made a nice amount of cash to go to garage sales for the rest of the summer! Yea for garage sales!! Love to go to them, love to have them!
Indymoney
I love Garage sales. But I’m so restricted in buying things. I won’t buy clothes, shoes, couch or mattress. I buy furniture, decorative items, books, kitchenware and household items.
So, whenever I feel I need something, I go for garage sale.
I saved so much of dollars from Garage Sale.
Deanna
I love going to garage sales! My older sister is the GARAGE SALE QUEEN! She always finds the best stuff. I had a garage sale of my own 3 weeks ago along w/ my neice and daughter who recently moved out( getting ready for college in the fall). We had great success made over $400.00! The best part is clearing out the clutter and what you don’t use and getting rid of it!
Francine Huff
This is a great post. I’ve gotten everything from toys for my daughter to antique dolls to dishes at garage sales for pennies on the dollar.
Francine Huff´s last blog post..Consignment shops offer gently worn clothing at affordable prices
Crystal Freeland
I also find it’s a great and useful idea to carry a list of my kids’ measurements and take along a tape measure. It may seem like a hassle, but it’s worth it when you don’t have to worry whether something will fit or not! Also, different brands fit differently. My toddler can wear a 3t in Gymboree and a 5t in Children’s Place. It varies that much…and if something is an unknown brand or the tag is missing (it’s itchy!) or unreadable, that tape measure is a lifesaver! I also find that NOT showing up in the best vehicle is a plus. No one wants to haggle with someone wearing Dereon jeans and driving a Mercedes…not that that would ever describe me, but you get the point. I NEVER pay more than a dollar for something my kids will fit into LATER. It’s a gamble. And I also find it useful to pack a light lunch and a cold water bottle so that I don’t have to buy food and something cold to drink while I’m out!! I generally use funds from our yearly tax refund to bulk purchase food items and clothing for the whole family, along with anything that is due to be refurbished or replaced. I also set aside money for school supplies, school pictures and fees…it saves a lot of headaches when school starts and they start hitting you up for money from day one!!
Donna
Just got a $100+ fire pit for $20….it was pretty darn new, we really wanted one but didn’t want to shell out $100 and there it was sitting at this garage sale…even 4 hours later when I came back!!!
A plus, it has wheels so we can move it easily!!
Donna´s last blog post..Take a guess??
stephanie
I grew up with a single mom who can haggle with the best at garage sales. our home and our clothes never showed that we struggled to get by almost our entire life. she was and still is incredible at finding just what she needs. i have joined her in this quest since i became a mom myself. it is a family event. 1st we hit mcdonalds for a quick breakfast and then we are off. my kids love it! mom always offers less than half of their asking price. occassionally we get the “are you crazy” look, but most of the time people are willing to barter and she usually gets it for about 1/2 their asking price. she’s fun to watch! we never make lists or have a map. we just start out and make a loop around town. we know the better areas (you learn these quickly) and stay in those areas. NOTE TO OTHERS: bigger houses does not = better garage sale! these people tend to invest more in their house and so therefore do not get rid of or have as good of quality stuff! sometimes a little old house will have the best treasures! my suggestion… have fun with it! it’s a oasis and stress reliever for me… oh and remember that once the money is gone- you are done!
stephanie´s last blog post..FUN IN THE SUN!
Dizzy Mommy
It sounds awful but I am always sure when I drive around this time of year to glance at the big time fancy neighborhoods. I live outside Detroit towards a bunch of lakes while my parents live in the city so rather then the freeway I take side streets. Ive found the homes out by me that tend to be larger and more exclusive hold yearly neighborhood sales all over 2 or 3 weekends. They tend not to have junky garage sales but expensive kids stuff that is generally newer and nice furniture such as tables. Ive bought most of my kids clothing and yard toys this way. Last weekend I purchased a peg perego double stroller less then 2 years old for $50 brand new it cost well over $400 and was not very used because it was Grandmas. I also find lots of Gymboree brands and designer brands this way. It makes me feel good to no I still look like I belong in my neighborhood. Growing up my mom and aunt always went to the richer suburbs and our homes always had gorgous stuff.
I have notice however since the recession began that prices at sales around us have sky rocketed, last week I was at a sale and a women wanted $70 for a Dora Toddler bed I bought for $75 at Meijer a couple years ago for my daughter.
eesuiter
I buy everything but shoes and undies at garage sales. I’ve bought a couch, wooden play structure, portable basketball hoop, lumber, clothes, etc. If you just have a little patience you can find everything you need at a garage sale for a fraction of the price.
eesuiter´s last blog post..PF BS: "Don’t Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford"
Diana
I love yard sales! I buy all of my kids’ clothing, shoes, coats and Halloween costumes there. I agree with this blogger about how the people who individually price items ask more (usually too much!) so I tend to shop more at the ones that give one general price, such as 50 cents for each clothing item. I also will not pay more than $1 for clothes unless it’s a winter coat or new, brand-name shoes. Our great find two weeks ago was a computer router my husband needed for only $1 (retails from $80-$120).
I also wholeheartedly agree with poster Suzette about not worrying about the cost of the gas involved because it’s just great to get away from my two little kids for a couple hours! Well worth the money, in my opinion!
Hannah
I went to a garage sale this morning for an organization I love called PS Girlfriends. They have an annual garage sale. I got a Juicy couture tank top and dress for a total of $5. I also got a pair of Rock and Republics that fit perfect for $3!
couponloversunite
I love garage sales and have been a garage sale junkie for over 30 years. I buy to mainly resell to suppliment my income. This is entertainment and part of my dh and my business. A great way for all of us to save money buying used. I usually ask if they can take an offer unless it is a fantastic deal and I want to buy it and just get out of there.
couponloversunite´s last blog post..Garage Sales can Save You Money or even Make You Money
treasure Hunters Roadshow
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