Yard Sale Success

Second Hand Sallies Unite! Yard sale season is in full swing! I've been going to yard sales my entire life. When I was a kid I could make a dollar last all day, buying books for a nickel and jewelry for a dime. Usually, the ladies would send me home with a stuffed animal for free!
These days I can work magic with a $20 on a good yard sale Saturday.

But the competition for bargains is stiff. If you don't know the rules you can't win the deals.
I used to hang with the Twisted Sisters yard sale crew. They would declare a winner after a Saturday of church rummage sales, yard sales and thrift store sweeps. I won a few times. My big victory was scoring a like-new Red coach bag. I got it for $2. The lady selling it just make me promise that I'd buy a 25cent lemonade from her kids at the end of the driveway. No problem. That brought my grand total to $2.25!

True yard sale divas can be secretive about their strategies. I told you the competition for deals is tough! But here are a few tips for yard sale success

1. Plan your route. Hit the big ones and the rich neighborhoods first! At the big ones like the Matt and Ramona Yard Sale this Saturday from 8:00 am until 11:00 am. (http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Parks/Parks+By+District/Central+District+III/Marshall+Park.htm)
you can hit a lot of sellers without wasting a lot of gas and time. Then cruise over to the rich neighborhoods. By the time you're done at our sale, the rich people who overpriced their stuff will be ready to make deals. The same holds true if you hit the nicer hoods first. By the time you get to our sale, you'll be able to find good stuff for next to nothing. I hit day 2 of a weekend yard sale in Pataskala, Ohio on Saturday. I helped my Aunt Nell collect stuff for her flea market booths (http://www.jamiesfleamarket.com/). She racked up!

2. Get some cash. Go to the A-T-M on Friday night. You shouldn't waste precious yard sale time getting money on Saturday morning. Leave your checkbook and credit cards at home. They are useless at garage sales. Make sure you have cash.

3. Be careful with baby gear, electronics and furniture. Yard sales are not a good place to buy car seats and safety helmets. If you're staring at a Wii for $15, it probably doesn't work. There is no return policy. You have to insist on a demonstration for electronics. If you're buying upholstered furniture, inspect it carefully. I bought a beautiful chair for $10 several years ago at the annual German Village yard sale in Columbus. The sickening smell of the pet wildebeest, that must've called that chair it's restroom, never did go away.

4. Never accept the marked price. But just because the seller doesn't budge doesn't mean you aren't getting a great deal. No one will pay 20 dollars for a coat at a yard sale, but a FUR coat might be worth it! Remember to negotiate fairly. My friend KPC practically spiked a throw pillow marked at $15. Know the true value of the item so you know when to pay and when to walk away.