Comments on: Six Things I Look For At Yard Sales – And How I Get Them Even Cheaper http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Suzy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-917201 Suzy Thu, 08 Jul 2010 22:31:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-917201 As new, good quality kid’s books and even toys are quite suitable to be gifts for kids. All the young families I know are hugely in favor of recyled everything and are so appreciative of these presents. Even well loved yard toys are welcome, especially when you are only paying small amounts of money and the toys will be enjoyed for years to come.

I’ve given brand new linen towels to friends who have expressed a lack of them. Coffee cups are easy finds to match a theme. The downside is when people ask you to look for ‘something’ at a garage sale, then you find it, but forget who wanted it! My favorite painting came from a garage sale.

]]> By: Sam http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-914899 Sam Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:26:31 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-914899 Almost any tools when priced low – my kid either looses or breaks them.
I second the thing on high end neighborhoods – they change decor & toss out everything from the old color scheme. My family thinks i’m fancy for having the nice things I do but it’s all from garage & estate sales and made from sturdier stuff then what I could afford to buy new. My running joke is that if it’s already survived in someone else home then I know it’s sturdy enought ot survive mine.

I’ve also been keeping an eye out for cast iron cookware and metal anything kitchen related. My kids can drop metal mixing bowls with out any breakage & metal spoons don’t melt or bend when I stir boiling noodles.

]]> By: john http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-497109 john Tue, 27 Jan 2009 02:41:22 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-497109 Loose leaf binders — they are almost always undervalued and having a bunch in reserve will keep you organized. I use them at home and at work — and of course kids need them — although they won’t want the beat up ones, there are often high quality binders in mint condition for next to nothing.

Screw drivers when they’re priced low. Five gallon buckets — also very handy to have extras.

]]> By: Topher http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-463105 Topher Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:34:10 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-463105 One time late in the day I stopped at a garage sale and spotted a few items. Before I could even make an offer the lady said “It’s free! Take it away, please!”

]]> By: Dale http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-110478 Dale Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:11:00 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-110478 Keep an eye out for golf clubs. If they’re in halfway decent shape, you can always turn around and sell them on eBay at a profit. Golf stuff sells great on eBay.

]]> By: d.a. - All In Good Health http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-109964 d.a. - All In Good Health Wed, 14 Nov 2007 17:44:39 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-109964 Heck, if you’re going to use old towels for rags (I do, too!), don’t even bother bleaching them. They’re rags, right? No need for them to be pretty! Bleach can sometimes be environmentally detrimental, so it makes sense to use it sparingly.

For a well-rounded article on the effect of bleach breakdown in the environment, see: http://en.allexperts.com/q/Occupational-OSHA-Environmental-1417/Bleach-used-household-cleaning.htm

]]> By: deRuiter http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-109482 deRuiter Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:29:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-109482 Here in the Northeast, sales (yard, estate, garage, tag) run the gamut from the sublime to the ridiculous. Sales in more expensive areas often have beautiful clothing for adults, barely worn, for pennies on the dollar. You can buy natural fiber sweaters, fresh from the dry cleaners, FOR LESS THAN THE COST OF THE CLEANING. Freshly washed, ironed and starched men’s dress shirts are generally priced at a dollar each. You’ll find barely used furniture and decorative accessories, household goods and kitchenware. In upscale neighborhoods, things are sold when the owners want a change, not when the items are worn. You can get thousand dollar (literally!) window treatments for less than $20. The housewife changes her color scheme and a whole room full of beautiful things are for sale in the driveway for next to nothing. Unless you admit to the source of your elegant clothing and household furnishing, people will assume you’re a trust fund baby. This approach is also great for the environment. HAPPY YARD SALING.

]]> By: vh http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108901 vh Tue, 13 Nov 2007 10:33:06 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108901 Do you have estate sales in your part of the country? Around here (Southwest) there’s often a big difference in the quality of goods available in estate sales as compared to yard sales. I’ve managed to score quite a few items that sit in “places of pride”–two gorgeous hand-thrown pottery bowls; a giclee Diego Rivera print (an unusual one that you don’t see in every cheapo frame shop); a beautiful solid cherry library table made by the seller’s father, who was a furniture-maker in New England; a coveted set of Talavera-ware; and (get this!!) a high-quality brand-new leather sofa and matching chair for less than what the chair alone would have cost.

Sometimes estate sales are really just yard sales, but sometimes they’re gold mines.

When you’re throwing a yard sale yourself, one way to get rid of the junk no one will buy even at reduced prices is to push it out to the curb and stick a “FREE!” sign on it. Gone in minutes!

]]> By: Wade http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108328 Wade Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:51:03 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108328 Great advice, on the other side of the transaction, if you are holding a garage sale, realize the point is to get rid of stuff and encourage lowball numbers later in the sale. I will group things together, even things nobody wants in one box and put a nice item in the box as well. When someone asks the price of the item, I will tell them the price of the entire box. They are happy with their find, and I got rid of more stuff. In the end, it is wonderful to see someone else carry the box down your driveway to their vehicle and haul it off. I have made some decent change from these sales and more importantly, watched people happily carry my junk away.
BTW, when they make a great buy like that, they will sometimes go through your stuff again and look at buyimg something they might not have, but now they realize they will get a great deal.

]]> By: DivaJean http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108297 DivaJean Mon, 12 Nov 2007 19:06:15 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108297 Also- don’t forget to leave your name and number with the seller if you find a sale with the perfectly sized kids clothes you’d need.

We have a resource from over 4 years ago whose son is about a year older than our oldest. They call us each spring when they are ready to have their annual sale- and we get first picks on the clothes. They give us a big break for buying the volume we do- and we get good clothes for Buddy for next to nothing.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108254 Cindy Mon, 12 Nov 2007 18:28:22 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108254 Don’t forget to watch for old cotton or linen tableclothes. Even with stains, these can be cut down & hemmed to make napkins or car cleaning rags. Also, I have found lots of “items to display in places of pride”. If you aren’t concerned about “perfection”, there are lots of old items out there with some light paint wear or a little chip !

]]> By: FinanceAndFat http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108177 FinanceAndFat Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:43:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108177 I’ve always wanted to try the yard sale thing. I mean, I think I went to one or two with my parents when I was a kid, but I have never been to one in my adult life. Sounds like a frugal way to shop!

]]> By: paidtwice http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108161 paidtwice Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:25:05 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/11/12/six-things-i-look-for-at-yard-sales-and-how-i-get-them-even-cheaper/#comment-108161 I also buy children’s clothes from yard sales and I use a similar tactic – I’ll offer a lowball price to take everything in a specific size. I’ve found this works really well with boys clothes and not at all with girls clothes. At least baby/toddler sizes. People seem very attached to their girl baby clothes and like to make money on them for some reason. here, at least.

If I get clothes I don’t want using this tactic mixed in with things I do want I donate it to Goodwill or I try to get rid of it at my own yard sale ;).

I like the idea of getting storage containers at yard sales, I will have to start looking for that next year when the season starts again!

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