Tips for Successful Garage Sale Bargain Hunting

Today I would like to welcome Krista from Coffee and Chaos to TheNorthForty. Krista is a busy mother who blogs about family, household management, cooking and more! Here she shares her expert tips on achieving success in garage and yard sale bargain hunting:

I don’t consider myself to be frugal, and yet I love a bargain and will often postpone a purchase to wait for it to “go on sale.” For me hunting for a bargain is as much fun as finding the actual bargain item. I’m one of the people on this earth who often engages in “retail therapy,” an experience that brings pleasure (and for some reason stress relief) by buying just about any type of item(s). Although a garage or yard sale, rummage sale or consignment store isn’t officially “retail,” I find myself being fulfilled by shopping in these venues too.

And because I am frugal, er thrifty, I also save my coin change during the winter months so I can have “fun money” for spending when the warm weather sales arrive. The “fun money” fund (read: Mason jar) let’s me shop without guilt and without having to cut into our household budget.

I have found many quality bargain items throughout the years: new clothing items (with tags still attached), small appliances, furniture, like new children’s toys, home décor items, and gardening tools just to name a few. I DO NOT buy damaged or broken items, items with missing parts or worn/torn/ripped/stained clothing.

My Plan

1) Check your local newspapers, community websites and Craigslist for advertised “sales.”

2) Group the sales you want to shop by area so you will be efficient with your time and resources (money).

3) Stock your vehicle with supplies: money in small bills and coins, a checkbook in case you do find a large purchase, snacks and beverages (this will save time by not stopping for refreshments in your travels).

4) Clean your vehicle. By this I mean remove any unnecessary items so you will have the maximum space available to store your purchases.

5) Plan to arrive early on the first day of the sale. This will give you a better selection of items before the majority of crowd arrives. However, don’t arrive before the posted start time. Many sellers really don’t like it.

Shopping/Buying

1) Browsing is fun, but have some idea of what you are looking for before arriving at the sale. This saves time and gets you moving onto another sale and other potential purchases.

2) Learn to visually scan the sale without having to pick up and examine every single item. You could be there all day if it’s a sale with hundreds of items.

3) Don’t be afraid to ask for a reduced price. Many sellers expect this. But also don’t be offended if they refuse you. It’s all part of the process.

4) When buying anything electronic, ask to operate the item before buying. This is completely acceptable and will prevent buying something that is broken.

5) My personal rule for buying clothing/toys or similar items: if I can’t wash it by hand or in the washer, I don’t buy it. I also usually avoid stuffed animals, just a personal preference.

That’s it! You’re ready to go. Good luck and have fun. Enjoy the process, it really is a “hunt for treasure.”

Meet Krista: I am a wife, mother and writer. I live in the Midwest with my husband and family. When I’m not writing, folding laundry and chasing my dreams I can also be found working as a registered nurse. At times I feel like I’m living in a blender, but a lot of coffee and occasional sleep make the chaos more manageable. Visit me at Coffee and Chaos.


 

Interested in writing a guest post for TheNorthForty? Please check out my Guest Posting Policy and send submissions to tykesmom@the-north-forty.com.

For more homemaking tips, check out: The Better Mom