8 Simple Tips to Make the Most of Garage Sales
Here’s a brief course on the best garage sale strategies…
1. Make a plan.
Some people shop yard sales recreationally or professionally. We think the best strategy for saving money is to go with an actual plan. You will still likely find things if you go wandering, but will they be things you actually need? Probably not. Armed with a budget and a clear idea like “Beach Toys”, “Garden Tools” or “TV for the Cottage” you can protect yourself against impulse buying just like in a retail store.
2. Shop the right “Stores”.
Think of your city as a Mall.
- The starter-home young-family neighbourhood is like the Kids store.
- The older, more established areas are your sources for vintage or antique stuff.
Check out the garage sale listings for the weekend and use your regional knowledge to predict what each will offer. If you can find whole neighbourhood sales, that is like a department store!
3. Get there early.
The “Pros” often arrive before the posted start time and try to negotiate unreasonably great deals on the best stuff with sleepy-eyed sellers looking to get the ball rolling with early sales. We don’t advocate that, but a garage sale fanatic we know said that by 9AM, all the stuff worth having will be gone, so do get an early start.
4. Be Selective.
5. Know what stuff is worth.
6. Buy in Bulk and Save.
7. Close the deal like a Pro.
If you can’t find a price tag, don’t ask what they want for it. This gives the seller a chance to start too high. Instead, make a reasonable offer of what you’d pay for it.
And after you negotiate a $20 item down to $15, don’t ask the seller to break a $50 for you. Carry small bills and change and drive a vehicle that can actually carry what you are looking to buy. Some sellers will hold things for you while you run to a bank machine or find a buddy with a mini-van, but don’t expect those kinds of offers. Go ready to buy, but…
8. …Be ready to walk away.
If it really isn’t a good deal or the seller seems to have unreasonable expectations of the quality and selling price, be OK with moving on to another sale (Remember, most are bad, but every “bad” gets you closer to a “good”).
Have you got hot garage sale tips to share?
Robin and Ed are a DIY-loving couple with over 25 years of design and build experience. Also, Robin is a Nutritionist and former Registered Dietitian and Ed is an award-winning Business Educator. We share strategies for living a rich life on a DIY budget: creative money-savvy ideas for a stylish home, healthy meals and family fun. Our work has been published in the pages of Do It Yourself, Farmhouse Style and Better Homes & Gardens magazines.
Great tips! I'm not much of a garage-saler–as your article points out, it's actually quite a bit of work to make it worth your while. I just don't like to get up and out that early in the morning! 🙂
I'm with you, Rita! 🙂