Money Saving Monday: Garage Saling

 

I'm trying to remember the exact time in my life where I pretty much ditched department store shopping and replaced it with thrifting. (When I say "thrifting", I mean thrift stores, garage sales, craigslist, Facebook buy/sell sites, used clothing stores/consignment stores, estate sales, and hand-me downs/freebies.) I'm pretty sure the change happened during my transition from high school to college.  But I think I got serious about it during college. Of course this time in my life makes perfect sense that I would start seriously thrifting because I was completely broke and was living on my own for the first time. However, I do have to give some credit to my friend and roommate at the time, who was super creative, fun, and also thrifted. My roommate and I even had "Goodwill runs" where we'd go thrifting for creative projects, decorations, and furniture. Obviously, the things I thrift for now have changed quite a bit when you add 10 years, a husband, 3 kids and 7 moves across the country. During these past 10 years, I've learned some valuable lessons when it comes to thrifting. These days, my favorite types of thrifting are Garage Sales and thrift stores. This post will focus on garage sales only. Don't worry; I'll do another post on thrift stores soon.

 

Having lived in the Midwest the majority of my life (27 years), the Pacific Northwest for 1 year and now the South for 2 years, I was pleasantly surprised by how vastly different the entire garage sale experience is depending on your zip code. In Kansas, Wichita area specifically, most of the cities and little towns have "city-wide garage sales". This. Is. Awesome. I mean, seriously, a true thrifter's dream come true. You can find the list by googling it and I used to put them on my calendar and try to make as many as I could. Also, garage sales almost ALWAYS started on Thursdays, continued Fridays and concluded on Saturdays. But the best thing about garage sales in the Wichita, KS area was the fact that you could basically just drive around certain parts of town during garage sale season (April-August) and hit easily 20-30 sales in a 5 mile radius. If you had the entire morning you could hit even more sales. 

 

In the Pacific Northwest, I realized that there weren't "city-wide garage sales", most of the sales were Saturday-only sales, and I couldn't just drive around and plan on hitting even ONE garage sale (let alone 30) on any given Saturday during garage sale season. I had to improvise using Craigslist to "search" for both close garage sales and/or needed items. This took the spontaneity out of it a little, but it worked. I've found that here in the South, it is similar to the Pacific Northwest experience except I have found certain neighborhoods that have "neighborhood sales". I like to find them by searching for "neighborhood garage sale" in craigslist. I like these because I use way less gas and so my savings increase.

 

Nevertheless, a garage sale is a garage sale; these tips aren't necessarily location-specific. But they will help you garage sale like a boss.
 

Top Thrifting Tips for Garage Sales

1.  Have a list in mind of what you NEED. "Need" and "Want" are two very different things. My husband is very good at reminding me to "only buy what we need" when I go garage saling...Maybe TOO good at reminding me. But in all honesty, he's right. I strive for that ideal because browsing other people's junk with no list in mind leads to purchasing items that end up being in YOUR garage sale in a year or so. Believe me. I know.
2. Only bring as much cash as you're willing to spend for said items on your list. For example, if you're looking for a couch and willing to spend $200 max, only bring $200.
3. If possible, plan ahead by browsing on craigslist, the newspaper, garage sale apps (I don't have an iPhone, so I'm not sure what those apps are, but I know they exist) or other social media a   week or so ahead of time to search out said list of items to see if any garage sales are close to you.
4. Look for any neighborhood sales or city-wide sales 1st. You are bound to find some things on your list by hitting massive amounts of sales vs. a few scattered sales. Plus, it saves gas money since you're driving in a concentrated area vs. miles stretched between various locations. 
5.  Go on the first day of the sale if possible. I used to think just going on the final day of the sale was good enough, but there's a reason people rush the 1st day of a sale: the best deals get taken fast! This is especially true for big ticket items like furniture and appliances. The only downfall to going on the 1st day of sales is the fact that people usually aren't willing to haggle down prices quite yet (and with good reason).
6. Go on the last day of the sale if possible. By this point, in general people are just plain done: they are tired of the sale; tired of the haggling; tired of their unsold junk lying around; and, frankly in most cases, getting desperate to make a sale so they won't have to either haul a load to the thrift store or pack it up in storage again. (Having been on the other side of hosting a garage sale, this is definitely how I feel by the end.)
7. Go garage saling during rainy weather. Seriously. All the points in #6 are 10X's more true during rainy weather because they have had less customers and are even more desperate to get rid of their junk. I have found some of my best deals during rainy weather sales including a pack 'n play for $15  and they threw in the baby walker because I was hesitating on the offer.
8. Never be afraid to ask a lower price. Especially on the last day of the sale. And especially if it's the last day of the sale and it's raining. I was at one said sale and this lady happened to be pregnant and happened to be moving. (I may or may not have been eavesdropping while I was shopping).  I ended up with a handful of my now favorite cardigans from Gap and Banana Republic for probably a quarter a piece. Cute, right?
   

   

    But really, the worse they can say when you haggle is "no" and you'll never know if you don't ask. Back when we were living in KS during the 1st two years of medical school, I started offering 1/2 of their asking price (mostly with kids' clothes) right off the bat and was usually surprised by how many times a deal was made. Don't judge. Desperately poor times call for desperate measures like becoming a shameless garage-sale haggler. Get your price that you want to offer in mind before you ask if they'd take lower and be prepared for them to say "no". One type of garage sale I DON'T haggle at are fundraiser garage sales. That's just tacky.
9. Don't settle when looking for items on your list. Don't just buy it because it's "close enough" to what you need. If you have the time, your item will be sure to show up and you'll be glad you waited. An example of this is my dining room table. When we moved to Alabama, we actually had a formal dining room which we had not had in the past. It drove me crazy to see the empty space and so I started doing my search for table/chairs set. I started looking in July but did not find my set until mid November. I'm glad I didn't settle or spend more just to get the set; it was something worth waiting for since it wasn't a necessity in the house (we already had a kitchen table/chairs set).
10. Don't be afraid to ask the hosts of the sale for the items you're looking for. Especially if you're in a hurry. This strategy has found me some awesome finds including the legos pictured below. I asked if she had any boy toys and she pulled them out and made me an offer I couldn't refuse of $5.

Top Items to Buy at Garage Sales

1. Baby and kid clothes and shoes. My theory about kids' clothes is that I'm going to keep buying second-hand until they start caring and hopefully that won't happen for a while. Plus, kids are so rough on clothes that it's just more practical to buy it cheap so it can be easily replaced. There have been NUMEROUS occasions, especially during that new baby, breastfeeding, diaper-blow-out stage where I simply threw the onsie away because it just wasn't worth my time or the $0.25 I spent on the darn thing for me to scrub any nasty stains out. It may sound gross, but that is the exact reason I try to buy used training pants/underwear for the kids at garage sales. It's just easier to toss it in the trash when it only cost a quarter. I try to find clothes between $0.50 and $1.00, but have been known to spend more if in good condition. I like to spend around $1.00 for shoes but I also pay more depending on quality. I got these adorable sketchers for Gianna when visiting in KS a couple weeks ago at a city wide garage sale in Andale. I paid $1.00 for them!
   

   

    
2. Maternity and women's clothing (clothes for me!).  Most of my maternity clothes are boxed up in storage now but this shirt I recently bought at a city wide garage sale in KS a couple weeks ago for $1. It's in great shape and you can tell by how new the "Motherhood" tag looks and the lack of washing machine wear on the shirt.
   

   

   Maternity clothes is so expensive if bought new, even if on sale. I LOVE to buy maternity clothes at garage sales, even if I'm not pregnant. I just put it in my "maternity" box at home and then when I am pregnant, it's like Christmas! Some of my favorite maternity finds through the years have been: shirts, dresses, jeans, shorts, pajamas and even bras (Those nursing bras are SO expensive and you can never have enough. Once you know a brand and size that worked the first time around, it's crazy to pass it up at $1.00.). I have only a few pieces I bought full price at a department store and I'm okay with that.
3. Baby equipment. I got this baby gate for $5 and the safety night light (it screws into the wall so that kids can't unplug it or take the bulb out) for $0.50 a few years ago while living in KS.
   

   

   As long as it can be wiped down or thrown in the washer-it's fair game. Some of my favorite baby finds through the years have been: pack 'n plays, baby walkers, strollers, bouncy seats, booster seats, potty chairs (yep. It can be bleached), bumbo seat, mobiles, crib soothers, monitors, diaper bags, play mats/gyms, changing pads/tables, and even bottles. One thing to keep in mind about anything baby related is if it has been recalled. Also, if buying things like helmets or car seats, they are no longer deemed effective or safe to use if they have been in a car accident and it's hard to know if bought second hand.
4. Furniture. I got this glider/ottoman set for $40 at a garage sale. It was a hideous hunter green/khaki checker pattern on the cushions so I just covered them with changing pad covers. (It's not a perfect fit, but it works and it was free. I already had the covers.)
   

   

    This t.v. stand used to be taller with a square for the t.v. to sit in. We got it for $10 at a garage sale in Wichita, KS right before we moved to Alabama (we actually loaded it into our moving van from the garage sale a day before we moved). I remodeled it about a year ago by taking off the top and now love it. Ironically, a lady was giving one just like it away for free on a Facebook buy/sell site so we have a matching on in the basement with the VHS player.
   

   

    I picked up a set of 4 of these for $5 a piece last summer in Alabama shortly after we first moved! Now, they were pretty gross to look at with yellowing paint, cobwebs and covered in dust. But it was fairly easy to wash them off and repaint them; and I was about 8 months pregnant, too! Where there's a will, there's a way.
   

   

   Some of our favorite furniture has been bought at garage sales through the years. Anything that can easily be wiped or scrubbed down without damaging the integrity is key.
5. Baby and kids' toys. I got this mint condition floor mat at a garage sale in Alabama last year and gave it to Benjamin for his 1st Christmas last year. They wanted $5 and said it was taken out of the package once and realized it didn't go with the décor so it was never even played on. I could tell it was in great shape because it was so clean and there weren't any bite marks like the ones my kids have added since last year. Side note, I also got that fan on the floor for a whopping $1 at a neighborhood garage sale in Goddard, KS about 4 years ago. It still works like a charm and doubles as the kids' white noise maker because it puts off a pretty good hum.
   

   

    This is a tub full of Legos that I gave Gabriel for his 5th birthday a few months ago. I got all of them (we're talking 5 Wal-Mart bags full with Spiderman guys, Star Wars guys-though Gabriel doesn't know those characters quite yet, cars, wheels, etc) for $5! Anyone who has boys and/or legos knows what a steal that is.
   

   

   Again, anything that I can wipe down, put in the dishwasher or washing machine. Some of my favorite finds over the years have been: Leap Frog activity table, riding toys, baby strollers, baby rattles, dinosaurs, stuffed animals, board games, and puzzles.
6. Kids and/or adult books and movies. I recently got these almost mind-condition favorites of ours for a mere $0.50 a piece.
   

   

   I especially like getting kids' books for less than $0.25, but have paid up to $1.00 if in good condition. I like to spend $1.00 on DVD's and $0.50 for VHS. 
7. Holiday décor. I got this beautiful nativity (it's probably close to a foot tall) at a Spokane garage sale for I think $10. I think it's beautiful. I keep it up all year round in the basement.
   

   

   Usually they are priced dirt cheap. I got a dozen cheap plastic Easter eggs last year for $0.10. We're talking pennies, here.
8. Appliances. You do have to know a little something about it before purchasing it, though. I honestly don't buy appliances at garage sales because I haven't really had the need, but my mother in law has had luck in the past. Come to think of it, our VHS player was a garage sale find from her and we use it all the time.
9. Home goods. My mother in law and I love looking for kitchen items at garage sales. Some of my favorites from over the years are: utensils (can openers, spatulas, pizza cutters, etc), popcorn popper, George Foreman grill, measuring cups/spoons, hot mitts, kitchen towels, glass pyrex pans, and both rugs I have in the kitchen currently. I also love looking for picture frames and mirrors at garage sales. I got this gold-painted wood frame at a garage sale here in Alabama for maybe $1 last year.
   

   

    This mirror I got at an estate sale in Kansas City for $15. I love it and it always reminds me of being newly married living in our 1 bedroom apartment. It has traveled to each of our 4 homes during our (almost) 7 year marriage.
   

   

   If you don't like the color of the picture frame or mirror, you can always paint them.
10. Outdoor goods. Again, you have to have some knowledge about what you are buying. I'd be clueless about most outdoor equipment (like lawnmowers, edgers, etc), but I see these things at garage sales constantly.
11. Crafting projects. Depending on what you have in mind, you can find some amazing deals on supplies. One sale in Washington, a guy had recently done a remodel job and was giving away extras for free. He had a whole box of small, plain white, ceramic tiles for free. I took about a dozen but would have taken the whole box had I not been moving across the country in a few months. Um, have you checked Pinterest lately for DIY projects involving tiles? I've done a few projects with them, but I had intended to do coasters with them. I also got free screen, which I use as backing for making earring holders with picture frames. Can't beat free stuff, right?
    

    

    Some of my favorite crafting items over the years have been: sewing scissors, buttons, jewels/beads, material/felt, needles/thread, glitter, paint, markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, and even paper.

So there you have it. Garage saling at it's finest. I hate to admit this, but I'm pretty sure from April to August, my hobby is garage saling. I also hate to admit that I have given my kids garage sale toys and clothes for numerous Christmases, Birthdays, and otherwise. And I sort of hate to admit that the majority of our furniture is second-hand. But there's one thing I'll never get tired of admitting: I love garage sales; I love the "green" aspect of garage saling; I love the adventure of looking for a treasure from someone else's "junk"; I love the adrenaline I get when I pull up to a sale and see in plain sight the long awaited items on my list in plain sight; and  I love saving money. Happy Money Saving Monday and Happy Easter Monday!