Garage Sale Thoughts

Whoever thought of the idea of garage sales was brilliant! Think about it! All of that stuff being kept out of the landfills, it is amazing. Not to mention, all of the money that we all save by going to garage sales. Here are some thoughts I was having about my garage sale escapades:
1. Cost: I read a long time ago that generally speaking things at garage sales should cost about 10 cents on the dollar. Hence, a ten dollar item new should run you about one dollar at a garage sale.
2. Set a price you are willing to pay for an item in your head before you start bargaining. Then try to keep to that price. Otherwise, you may be overpaying for something you really did not want to spend that much money on.
3. Don't walk away from something because it is a bit over your price if you really NEED it or LOVE it. I have done this before out of stubborness and it was a mistake. Then I had to go to the store and pay (I hate to even say the words.....) FULL PRICE! lol
4. Be polite. People have the right to charge what they want for their junk but you also have the right to negotiate on the price. The trick is to do it politely. Very often people having garage sales don't really know what they should be charging for something. People having garage sales may not have even been to someone else's garage sale before. So, offer your price, and if they don't accept, you can ask again (nicely or bargain with a higher price.) If they still refuse, just say thank you and move on. You will probably find the same item at another garage sale for the same price or cheaper.
5. Know where to go when you have to go. Okay, so what do I mean by this??? It is always good to know where a Starbucks or a MacDonalds or a Dunkin Donuts is when you have had a big cup of coffee before you left home early in the morning. Get my drift??? It is also polite to patronize the business, so buy a bottled water or a donut on your way out. They provide a valuable service.
6. GPS makes it easy! If you have a GPS, use it! Sure does save time!
7. Check out the local sales in your local newspapers. That is where I look and I am sure to find some good sales. The sales you find advertised on the street as you are driving are considered "bonuses." Sometimes these bonus sales are not as good b/c they have not comitted to buying an ad in the newspaper. They are just "trying their luck" and may have less valuable items to sell...but not always!
8. Beware of signs on the street that point to where you should go. Why??? Because you may be driving alot further than you really wanted to.
9. Go early. Have you ever heard the saying that the early bird gets the worm? Well, that is because it is true! The best things go first. However, the last things are usually the cheapest. So chose your poison! lol
10. Have fun! Sometimes I have things I am looking for, other times not. One thing I am always wanting from my garage sale escapades is fun! My husband and I and sometimes my daughter, too, go out on a Saturday morning. We bring drinks and food and lots of stories to tell. We laugh and joke and marvel over our finds. We dream about what new thing we can make from that old thing we just bought. The key word here is FUN. It is amazing to see what treasures you can unearth on your garage saling escapades.
HEY! We would love to know what your BEST find was and what your WORST find was. We will be waiting to hear!