Ah, the joys of spring and warm weather! Garage sales! I love being able to get out and enjoy a day of bargain hunting. My kids are really starting to enjoy garage sales too. I have a very strategic method to my shopping, and I like to hit quite a few sales earlier in the spring so that I can figure out what I still need to look for on Ebay or at resale shops in the late summer or fall.
I really like being prepared for the next season with clothes for my kids. I also am pretty picky on how much I spend and what I buy. Most of what I buy is clothes for my kids, but I also look for other items for me or my home if we need it. If you are new to garage sales or a seasoned addict, I have a few tips to help make the most out of garage sale shopping.
1. Search for neighborhood sales: if you spend a lot of time just driving to individual houses, you waste time and gas. It is beneficial to look in your paper or online classifieds for neighborhood sales. If you see a sale on your way to a destination, it doesn’t hurt to stop, but going way out of your way in “hopes” of a bargain usually loses you money.
2. Barter: Don’t always accept the price you see on an object, try to decide what it’s really worth to you. Is it going to be something that you really need? Have an idea of what you are willing to pay. A lot of people just want to get rid of their stuff- and most will compromise a little. Sometimes I barter with the total, sometimes with individual items. For example, the other day my total at one house was 17, so I asked if they would take 15, and they did. Saved me two bucks right there! I tend to walk away from sales that I consider high priced and the people are unwilling to barter. What do I consider high? It’s too high if it is more than 5-10 percent of the original value. It’s a garage sale, not a resale shop- and I know what resale shops charge. If I can get it for a better price, it’s a deal at a garage sale.
3. Buy name brands: Look for the “trusted” brand names, especially with clothes. I really like Gymboree, Baby Gap, Old Navy, The Children’s Place, Nike, Carter’s, and Oshkosh. I do buy Circo, Okie-Dokie, Jumping Beans, and other store brands if they are in super great shape, but they also can be bought brand new for much cheaper at the end of the season sales. The higher quality brands tend to last longer and hold up to kids’ wear much better. Not to mention that they are usually cuter! I love dressing my kids in adorable clothes, and I find 90 percent of their clothes at garage sales. Another bonus to this is that the brand names sell better if you resell them at your own garage sale or on Ebay.
4. Look for flaws: Always double check items for stains, tears, or other flaws. Make sure items that take batteries actually work. If it is an electrical appliance, have someone plug it in to make sure it works. Clothes should be in good shape with little pilling or wear- if you do buy older clothes to use for play, make sure that you pay no more than 50 cents per item. Items with stains and tears I usually skip over though. Nothing is more frustrating than getting home and discovering an item doesn’t work or a white shirt with a huge yellow stain set on the front of it.
5. Look for things that you may not need, but KNOW you will eventually: this can be a little tricky, because it won’t save you money in the short term, but it pays off in the long run. I look for gifts for people (items with price tags still attached, pristine condition), or clothes for my kids that are an EXCELLENT bargain and ADORABLE for a few years down the road. I found some 4T outfits the other day that were absolutely darling (and a good price to boot). My 16 month old daughter probably won’t wear them for another 2-3 years, but I will store them in plastic bins with my other 4T items until she can.
This list is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully gives you a few ideas where to start. I like having the challenge of finding items that I can use for my family and getting a great bargain too! It makes me feel like a Proverbs 31 woman!
“She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.” Proverbs 31:18
Happy Garage-Sale-ing!
You sound just like me. That is exactly how and why I garage saled in the early years. I would have a map, a piece of paper with my routes mapped out, and the order in which I would travel. I always bought for the future, keeping in mind styles. I learned not to get too excited or emotional….how funny, you’re a carbon copy of ME!!