Or, maybe you're one of those people who just doesn't like yard sales. They're a waste of time, it's all "junk," everything is dirty, the stuff is too expensive... yeah, yeah. I've heard it all before!
I just so happen to be one of those people who loves yard sales. Around Wednesday of every week, I start to get what I call the "yard sale itch," and I hop onto Craigslist and browse local yard sale listings. I have tons of things in my house that were purchased from yard sales, and I guess I'd call myself something of an expert! I've rounded up some of my best tips for you to browse and (hopefully!) learn from!
1. Do your research. As I said above, I typically check out Craigslist for listings of yard/garage sales in my area. I like Craigslist because people can put as much information as they want and they can add pictures! Sometimes, though, people don't want to/have time to/know they can post online, so drive around and look for signs listing times, dates, and locations of local sales. I typically take note of signs as I drive around throughout the week and hit up any sales that look promising! Oh, and don't forget newspaper ads!
2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. You'll be doing lots of walking! A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also good ideas!
3. Do a drive-by. This isn't as shady as it sounds! If you are looking for something specific at a yard sale (for example, furniture) do a drive-by before stopping your car (as long as it's safe to do!). That way, you can quickly see if they have what you're looking for. If you're just browsing or looking for knick-knacks, though, this tip isn't for you.
4. Ask questions. It is a huge pet peeve of mine to go to a yard sale where nothing is priced! It does happen, though, and if you really want to buy an item, you have to ask for the price. (Annoying, especially for introverts like me!) Also, don't be afraid to ask if something actually works. Hopefully, the answer is yes, but I've also gotten the response of, "Well, it would work if the cord was replaced" or "We don't have the battery pack that goes with that, but it would work if you ordered one online!" (Also annoying!)
5. Don't be afraid to dig. Lots of people throw yard sales together last-minute and don't take the time to display items on tables to everything is visible. If stuff is piled in boxes or crates, dig in! (Tip: bring gloves and/or hand sanitizer with you!) You never know what you're going to find!
6. Take small bills. Especially if you're shopping early in the day, yard sale hosts probably won't be able to make change for a large bill. It really stinks to not be able to buy something just because it costs $.50 and you only have a $20 bill.
7. Haggle, haggle, haggle! I can't stress this one enough. Try to talk people down! Chances are, they'll take your offer as long as it's reasonable. At our last yard sale, I had an old Garmin GPS marked at $15, and I sold it for $10 to the first person who asked about it. We also had a loveseat for $50 and sold it for $25 because we just wanted to get rid of it. It was worth that other $25 to not have to lug it back into the garage!
8. Go later in the day. Around here, yard sales all seem to end around 3PM. I've noticed lots of times that after around 1PM, sellers start to lower prices. Again, they probably will do whatever it takes to get rid of the stuff! The downside to this tip is that, by later in the day, lots of the good stuff will already be gone.
9, Take your own bags. Even if you just take a plastic Target bag and stick it in your pocket, it'll save you from having to worry about carting all of your treasures back to the car! It is also helpful to keep a crate in the car, to move things into from the bag. That way, the items won't be rolling around in the car.
I was going to do 10 tips, but I think I'll stop at 9 for now... I enjoy odd numbers. :)
Have a fab Saturday and be sure to share your treasures with the Clip Smarter community tomorrow!
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