4 Garage Sale Tips To Scoring The Best Deals

4 Garage Sale Tips To Scoring The Best Deals

Garage sale season is upon us! Here are a garage sale tips for scoring some really good deals. 

Garage Sale Tip #1: Know what you’re looking for. 

Firstly, it is very easy to get caught up on buying something just because it’s cheap. Resist the temptation and actually take stock of your wants and things that you feel like you need. 

For instance, I recently needed more short sleeve shirts and under clothes and work clothes. So, I limited myself to those things and fought off the temptation of buying a whole bunch of really nice jeans just because they were cheap. That way, someone who really feels like they need jeans have the opportunity to get a pair of really nice jeans for a low price. 

Buying things because you’re unsure about it is not wise either. I purchased different vases even when I didn’t really 100% like them. Now I have these vases that only I can sell in a yard sale. So, make sure that you’re only buying things that you really, really like.

Garage Sale Tip #2: Always keep cash. 

Secondly, it’s important to always keep cash on hand with you as you go about your everyday life. I don’t know about you, but I always keep a few dollars on me for at least two emergencies. 

Well, during garage sale season, a good garage sale is indeed an emergency! So keep a few bucks on hand for if you stumble upon a place with a really good deal. 

What money should I take to a garage sale?

Specifically, keep ones, fives, and tens. And remember, yard sales are a good way to get rid of loose change! People who are selling their wares and clothes really don’t care whether you pay with dimes! As long as they make the sale and turn a profit, that is all that matters to them. 

What money should I NOT take to a garage sale?

However, try not to keep a bunch of big bills like twenties and fifties on hand. That makes it hard for people who are usually selling very low priced items to properly give you change back.

Also, when you have big bills, it’s really hard to negotiate the prices of things because clearly you have enough money to buy something. So, sometimes some sellers might take offense to you negotiating down while having a really big bill. 

For example, if you negotiate a lot of candlesticks from $10 to $5, but you’re paying with a $20, some sellers might get irritated and voice their frustration with you. It doesn’t happen often, but it’s best to avoid those types of awkward situations. In conclusion, if you keep a bunch of ones or a couple of fives, this is less of an issue that might happen. 

Garage Sale Tip #3: Only keep a limited amount of cash on hand. 

Moreover, in a vein of not overspending for the sake of a deal, try not to keep too much money on hand. That way you’re not just buying stuff just for the sake of buying it. 

In my head, once you break a 20 dollar bill, the entire 20 is gone. Therefore, if you keep $20 worth of money in hand, only limit yourself to spending $20 worth of things. 

For instance, I have gone to yard sales with only three bucks in my hand. As a result,  if I can’t find something for $3, it wasn’t meant to be on that particular day. This number tends to be arbitrary for me depending on the amount of things I already have and of course my monthly budget. 

Sometimes only having a limited amount of money is a lifesaver so that you don’t spend unnecessarily. And if I really need something, then I can just ask the seller to hold the item for me while I go get money from an ATM or my bank. That has only happened on a very rare occasion where I really felt like I needed to hold something and go get more money and return. 

If you do find something that you really like but you have a limited amount of money, sometimes the seller will offer their phone number. Then, you can just send them a text and ask, “Hi, do you still have that item remaining? If so, I will be happy to buy that today.” If the person still has that item, they are still happy to make a sale. 

Garage Sale Tip #4: Take note of location.

Just before the weekend, I like to take different routes home to drive through different neighborhoods to take note of who will be selling that upcoming weekend. 

I definitely have favorite neighborhoods that I like to shop from and even favorite sellers who put on good garage sales every season. For example, I have a neighbor from whom I bought a mid-century modern side table. Therefore, when I see him put his sign out for a garage sale, he is a must visit for me! 

With more experience with garage sales, you’ll know which neighborhoods are treasure troves for certain items. Some neighborhoods are great for home decor, and others are great for kids clothes and toys. Those usually are the neighborhoods that have a lot of young families. The vintage stuff tends to be in neighborhoods with older people. With experience you’ll just figure it out.

So, take the garage sale tips and get out there and enjoy this lovely season of garage sale.

P.S.: See my latest garage sale scores here!