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Cha-Ching!
10 Tips for a Successful Day of Yard Sale Shopping
©
Nancy Twigg
Yard
sale season is now in full swing. For the true bargain
hunter, nothing is more exhilarating than coming home
from a day of garage sale shopping with a trunk full
of steals and deals. Here are some tips for making
your yard sale shopping trip as pleasant and profitable
as possible.
Even
if you don't get the newspaper every day, you'll probably
want to buy or borrow one the day before your shopping
trip. Although the online versions of most major newspapers
have yard sale listings, the most complete listings
are usually found in your newspaper's Classified section.
You
want to spend the majority of your time actually finding
bargains, not driving all over town. Use the classified
ads and a map to locate the areas that have the most
sales. Concentrate on hitting all the sales in those
areas.
A
computer program for making maps (such as Rand McNally's
StreetFinder) comes in very handy for planning your
yard sale route. But even if you don't have this program,
you can still use a city map or even an online map
service such as Yahoo! Maps to locate sales and get
directions.
Your
yard sale shopping experience will be more pleasant
if you are comfortable. Wear weather-appropriate clothing
and comfortable shoes. Sunscreen and a hat can also
be helpful if you'll be out in the sun for long periods.
And don't forget to hit the bathroom before you leave
the house!
To
keep your hunger and thirst at bay, take along a small
cooler with easy-to-eat snacks and plenty to drink.
Of course you could make a quick stop at a fast-food
drive-thru when your stomach starts to growl, but
that would take time away from bargain-hunting.
Rather
than carrying your purse, you may want to carry just
your money and any essentials in a fanny-pack or small
change purse you can put in your pocket. This leaves
your hands free to inspect the merchandise and also
frees you from worrying about your purse being stolen.
Negotiating
is the name of the game. Most sellers are willing
to deal as long as you are fair with them. Asking
the seller to take $2 for an item that is marked $20
is pushing your luck; however, the seller may be more
than willing to sell the item for $15 or even $10,
depending how late in the day it is.
Going
to yard sales early in the day (as soon as the sales
open) has the advantage of getting the best selection.
If you are looking for a big-ticket item such as furniture
or electronics, you'll probably have to go early.
But going later in the day has its advantages, too.
Sometimes sellers are willing to practically give
their stuff away rather than pack it up and carry
it back in their homes.
Be
sure to carry lots of change and small bills. Wiping
out the seller's entire change supply with a $20 for
a $1 sale is inconsiderate. Save your change throughout
the week to use for your Saturday yard sale trip.
If
you try to negotiate on a large item but the seller
won't budge, leave your name and phone number along
with the price you are willing to pay. Tell the proprietor
to give you a call at the end of the day if the item
doesn't sell and she wants to sell the item at your
price.
Nancy
Twigg is the editor of Counting the Cost, a free email
newsletter about simple and frugal living. She is
also the author of the new book, Celebrate Simply:
Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and
Special Occasions. To learn more about living simply
or celebrating simply, visit Nancy online at http://countingthecost.com
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