Garage Sales

Garage Sales will be starting up soon. Typically Springtime is the season for everyone to clean out the garage. It is an awesome way to make a little extra money, sometimes a lot of extra money. But keep in mind that the economy has people in such a state right now that the market is saturated with used stuff. Right now they are practically giving away their items just to make a sale. If you happen to be among those with money then you are in an ideal position to buy whatever you want if you are looking to save money on used stuff.

The paper is a great place to start, also online, to look for garage sales in your area. I have a friend, April, known as the Queen of garage sales. She goes usually every Friday when they start up so as to get the best choice available. She checks the local paper and online and maps out her day according to neighborhoods. You would not believe the stuff this gal has purchased! Just about all of her children's clothing and all of their toys come from garage sales, not to mention some of her clothing and household items etc. Children outgrow their clothes so fast it makes no sense to buy everything new. I used to shop garage sales often, but to tell the truth, my children are now grown and gone, so I don't go as often as I used to. My home is already full of stuff. When you are a young family it makes perfect sense, but as you get older, it isn't as important anymore. At least not for me. If I am looking for something specific that is a different story. I did find some used bicycles for my grandchildren last summer that were in perfect condition, a Schwinn for $20. and a Mongoose for $35.00 and some clothing for my granddaughter that was near new. I walked away with about four bags of clothes for twenty bucks. I felt really good about those purchases. If you can get the clothes down to say .25 cents per piece for play clothes that is great. (If they are in great condition and there is an abundance, I make an offer to buy the whole lot. But when people are asking $3-$5 for children's clothing, most of the time I walk away. If it is a specialty item like a suit or a beautiful dress, I will rethink it.

I love it when a neighborhood is having a garage sale or yard sale. That makes it worthwhile when you don't have to drive around all over the place. So if your HOA allows a neighborhood garage sale that is a great time to have one. The advertising is usually shared and the attraction is so great your chances of success are increased tremendously.

If you don't care for the hassle of doing a garage sale then by all means donate your stuff to a charity / thrift store. It is tax deductible and you will probably be allowed more for the donation than you would have made doing all of that work trying to sell it, unless of course you need the cash now.

Ebay is an awesome way to buy stuff online and you can get incredible deals. Most things are marked at least 30-50% off the original price. I bought my grandson a Thomas the Tank Engine set for under $300. brand new. Then I found the table at a garage sale for $50. I was thrilled with my purchases. The set I bought including the table was close to $1000.00 retail. So I was a happy grandma.