YARD SALES

JUNE 21, 2012 - YARD SALES

YARD SALE TIPS FOR SUMMER:

      Keep your eyes and ears open to find out where the yard sales are.

     Circle the ads for the yard sales you plan to go to.

 Keep your eyes opened for upcoming yard sales and mark the calendar so you don't forget

 Necessities for the hard-core yard sailor: hat/sunglasses to keep sun out of eyes, suntan lotion (if you burn easily), a small cooler with beverages in the car, comfy shoes, plenty of change and small bills and local map.

 Don't wear sandals or flip-flops. Your feet will get wet and you cannot easily carry bulky items. Wear comfortable shoes or sneakers.

 Keep a cardboard box or tote bag in your car to hold your purchases. It will keep them from rolling around as you head to the next yard sale. It also it will make it handy to carry your purchases in your house. 

      This is probably commonsense, but you never know what you will find and where, so hit them all. 

 If you find yourself at a truly great yardsale (great prices and has a lot of things you want/need) don't be in too much of a hurry to run off to the next yardsale. Make sure you have thoroughly shopped it before leaving.

  When buying used clothing for kids, don't rely only on the size listed on the tag, keep it mind its been washed many times and may have shrunk. 

 With clothes shopping, it helps to know a few brand labels

 If you are buying something for a child - make sure you look it over good when you get home.

 If you are sensitive to cigarette smoke or smell, be sure and smell clothes before you purchase.

 Make sure you are buying what you think you are buying.  Sometimes when people upgrade their stuff, they often put the old item in the new box.

 When buying dishes or glassware, run your fingers over the edges. Your fingers will most likely catch any chips or nicks that your eyes miss.

 When buying something that is battery-operated, open the battery compartment to make sure there aren't some old batteries in it that are corroded.

 When buying CDs, DVDs or videotapes, open up the case to make sure the right item is in the case.

 Some people turn their nose up at the thought of buying "used" clothing. Consider this: hotels have used sheets and towels.

      If you see an item that you may or may not want, pick it up anyhow and carry it around a bit, then decide.

 Also when shopping with kids, it's better to have them actually pay for their own purchases. It also gives kids practice with handling money (and learning the value of it). It also builds their confidence in talking to adults.

 It's good to bring a lot of small bills and change especially if you plan on making small purchases. Don’t be afraid to haggle a price down if you feel it is too high. The worst that the seller can say is no. I think it’s in very bad taste to haggle a price down from $1.00 to .50 only to whip out a $20 bill to pay for it. Believe me, it happens. If I think the price is fair or a steal, I don’t bother haggling. Nothing is more annoying to me (when having a yardsale) is to have a customer who wants to haggle on every little item. Also, I would not drive up in a Lexus expecting to haggle. Drive the junker instead. Or at least park the Lexus around the block before you walk up to the yardsale.

 When I am going yardsaling, I wear a fanny pack and don't carry a purse. Yes, I know it makes me look like a fashion disaster. Believe me, it's nothing new. It saves time when I jump out of my car and find a new treasure. It also keeps both hands free to look over an item (your hands often can find chips and cracks easier than your eyes!) One bad thing about wearing a fanny pack is other buyers may confuse you with the person holding the yard sale and will come up to you offering money. (Oh, did I say that was a bad thing???)

 When making a purchase, carefully look over an item before you buy it. Most items are sold "as is." If you get home and your purchase doesn't work or is missing a piece, you are probably out of luck. If it’s an electrical appliance, ask to plug it in to test it.

 Be creative when you browse yard sales, when you look at an item, not only look at it for its primary use, but look at it for its POTENTIAL use. Some people buy old broken down leather boots and use them as outdoor planters. An old toy dump truck can be planted with flowers for an interesting planter. I attached suction cups to a wire shower caddy and use it as a window bird feeder for suet.

 Be wary of items that may have been recalled by the manufacturer. It's kind of tricky because it seems that everything imaginable has been recalled for some reason or another. Be especially selective about baby things. (Personally, I would avoid buying a child's car seat at a yard sale even if I knew it wasn't a "recalled" one, just because you have no idea if the car seat has been involved in an accident or anything). If you are unsure about an item you've purchased, call the Consumer Product Safety Commission at 1-800-638-2772 or visit their website. For a general idea on what things to avoid, click here.

 Be careful when digging through a box of used kitchen utensils - so you don't get cut by an old rusty knife. (I often rummage through boxes like this looking for collectible spoons.)

 Often times, if you've purchased a large item (like a sofa or a chest of drawers) at a yardsale, you may need to come back later with a truck. Before you leave the first time, make sure you get a receipt if you've paid in cash (or offer to write a check for the item, then promise to exchange the check with cash when you come back with the truck. Some sellers are uneasy (and rightfully so, about accepting a check from a stranger). Tip: if you have to come back later in the day to pick up the item, take a small piece of it with you before you leave the first time, like a cushion or drawer. Why? It will prevent other zealous customers offering the seller more $$$ for the item than what you paid for it. You don't want to go back to the house and have the item not there and the seller saying "sorry - here's your money back, someone else offered me a higher price". Most sellers are reputable and wouldn't do that, but I'm just trying to prevent the worse case scenario.

 Don't be afraid of NOT buying something at a yard sale. I know some people who feel a weird obligation to buy something at every yard sale whether they need it or not. I just say, "sorry I don’t see anything I need - good luck with your sale, you have a great day for it", and then I’m off to the next one. Otherwise you’ll end up with so much stuff you’ll have to have your own yard sale.

 Lastly, if you see an item you would like (but is priced too high and the seller won't negotiate), give the seller your name and telephone number and tell them you are interested if it doesn't sell by the end of the day and they are willing to come down on the price. One reader's suggestion: carry extra business cards for this purpose, who knows, YOU may end up selling THEM something!