Garage Sales: Friend or Foe?

[nitajaye]

Went to 3 garage sales today, and got some really good deals. I was just wondering if you like garage sales, if so what do you like to look for, and how do you keep from spending too much money?


8 -8oz. bottle of paint , mostly 90% full for 1.35
Underwear and tights for the purple princess for .50
two shirts for me 1.00
purple bed skirt for the princess .50
couple of toys for the prince and princess 2.00
rockem sockem robots 2.00 for the memory , Priceless
Discovery toys game 5.00
Magnetic travel games for the van 1.50
foo foo sparkling lotion for princess 1.50
some baby items for my niece who is expecting 3.50
tinker bell purse for my niece 1.50 watching her react like my 4yo to foo
sparkling lotion, again, priceless.


Total 19.35

I try not to go over $20.00

[Lori63]

I haven't been for ages, but when my boys were young they were great. Adidas soccer cleats, worn once, for 25 cents, for example.

[Pupart]

I like garage sales, but free is better!
The best place I have found for free stuff is Craigs.
This week there was a man ten minutes from me who was giving away three bowling pins. Since my son is an avid bowler I sent an email and arranged to get them. I had to paint them, but when they are finished I think they will make interesting decor.
The man who gave me the bowling pins had a moving van in his driveway and after I got the bowling pins I asked him if he was giving anything else away. < ask and you shall recieve>
He replied yes, want to take a look?
Here is what I got:

A new discontinued never opened special edition Corvette Monoply game.
New in package Victorias Secret nylon stockings <2 pair> Stickers say $18.00 & $10.00
Medium size very good condition dog crate.
Pizza baking tray
Hardback cookbook
Small area rug in good condition
Earlier this week at another location I got two satin comforters. One shocking pink, another royal purple.
Last week I got a white and maple captains chairs. I painted the white parts and it looks wonderful.
Today I got two large fans which I can always use for drying the paper mache I create.

[Ima saver]

I never go. I have too much "stuff" as it is.

[kealina]

*hops up and down* friend! friend! friend!
lol... yup, i am an enthusiastic garage sale shopper. haven't been going for the past couple of weeks due to going to vegas, then getting sick, etc.
went back to my march log and found a weekend where i'd logged it. we spent all of $2.
.50-pilates rubber resistance bands (two of them brand new in box) & small bottle scrapbook glue;
$1 - power inverter (i think it changes power from your car into an outlet power source)
.25- 3 decks used but complete playing cards;
.25- tan "fleece" Banana republic pants (tiny bit big so i'll either take them in or wear them slouchy)/cute japanese hankerchief

of course, our garage sale spending varies widely... we've spent as little as $0 except some gas money, to over $100 if there was something special that we felt was worth it and that might not come along again for years...
our average is usually under or around $20...

[disneysteve]

We love them, though they were much more appreciated when our daughter was a baby as it seems that baby items are the most plentiful things one can find. We hardly ever bought anything new as far as baby stuff.

Now, DD looks for books mainly. I mainly look for Disney collectibles and virtually anything that I know I can resell on ebay for a good profit. DW occasionally picks up knitting supplies.

Garage sale season is just starting up around here and we're looking forward to it. We enjoy the morning out, even if we come home empty-handed.

We're also gearing up for our own sale. We just decided today to have ours on May 19th.

[cschin4]

Personally, the more you shop, be it yard sales, stores, malls, etc, the more you will buy. $20 is still money spent. But, if you enjoy it then to each his own. Instead I go "shopping" in my basement when I need something. I can finds lots and lots of stuff in my own house that I forgot I had or find a new use for!

[shelbylovesmelby]

I'm an avid garage sale shopper especially since becomming a sahm & having kids.

Since season is just starting here there's only a few church rummages & things won't pick up til next month.

We did find 2 baseball bats @ .50 ea, tops for the kids @ .25 ea

I think the only foe to rummage sales is the people who think that they can get consignment prices for thier stuff & the rising gas prices.

I usually only take $10-20 to go & we usually don't spend it all.

[jodi]

*hops up and down* friend! friend! friend!

Ditto! I am just waiting and waiting for the season to get started around here. I used to buy nearly all my boys' clothes at garage sales, to the point that I had to rein myself in a bit because I had too many. Mainly I buy kitchen items, clothes for myself, and books and toys for the kids. Often I don't spend more than $5 in a morning of sales. I try to plan out my route first and hit neighborhood sales to minimize gas use, which can be significant in my rural area. Even if I don't find anything, I still have a great time and consider it cheap entertainment.

I will usually take $10-20 and a few handfuls of change from our change jars. That keeps me from spending too much, although I have been known to run to the ATM if I find a great deal. The great thing is that I don't feel bad if I bring home a toy that breaks, or the kids hate, because I have only spent a buck or two rather than $20-30 new (ditto with clothes, or really anything).

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I ditto cschin, although I have no problems dumpster diving or curb picking mostly. Free is fine otherwise I don't shop.

[nanamom]

I love Garage sales. I expect to hit less this year as DH is into geocaching and we only have one car (pain until you look at one car payment) There is a community near us that has a huge sale the third Saturday of May every year. We gear up for that one but have to miss it this year for our ministerial interviews. RATS!!!!! We have gotton some incredible deals at that because everyone wants to undercut prices of everyone else. Our season is just starting because it has been cold but I hope to find some within walking distance.

[simpleyme]

I avoid garage sales like the plague;-) there is always something good at a good price that I simply must have

so we just do not go but we have a friend who will call us when he finds something he thinks we need, we got a huge stack of plywood for 8 bucks (we were in the middle of re-roofing a house and needed a few sheets ) , a box of printer paper for 50 cents

our dear friend has actually added sheds to his property to hold his garage sale finds

[fairy74]

I look for baby stuff, new things to be used for gifts and crafts materials.

[Fern]

i like to go, but it's been ages since i found anything worth buying at a reasonable price.