04.01.11 / Garage Sales / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: Collecting, Economy, garage sale, Gas Prices, money, Season Opener, Smart Shopping
There are at least a half a dozen advertised garage sales this weekend in sunny Ottawa. With a small chance of a rain-out, the winter hoarders are ready to let one fly!
Here are some tips to make this year a clean sweep:
With a roll of quarters, your handbag becomes a weapon!
• Use your change. No one likes a money-flaunter, especially when your are asking for a lower price. The last thing you want to do is agree on a lower price, then pull out a wad of cash to peel off a large bill, it insults the seller and they may not agree to lower the price next time. Remember most people who have a garage sale, have them annually, sometimes more. It’s nice to build up a “set-your-own-price” relationship with your favorite hunts.
I normally have a roll of quarters in my purse, a few singles in my pocket, and larger bills just in case for the crazy deal tucked away in the hidden chambers of my pocketbook.
• If you do have larger bills, get your money’s worth by bundling. Group together $15 worth and flash a $10 and ask if they would take the discounted rate. I have never turned down a bundle, I am always so happy to see the stuff walk out of my yard!
• Don’t be afraid to walk. Sometimes all it takes is a glance to notice that items are over priced or in bad condition. Just because the owner is staring you down and starting a sales pitch, doesn’t mean that you have to buy something. Saying, “Thanks” or “Have a Nice Day” is a great exit line. The only exception is for the lemonade stands. These little entrepreneurs are learning valuable skills, salesmanship, making change, product display, food safety (at least I hope they are learning this one!), budgeting. Basically they are learning everything they need to know in life by selling lemonade. I’ve watered many curbside flowers (around the block and out of child’s sight) with tart lemonade.
• Save your gas. Know where your going before you leave. If you are bargain hunting the last thing you want to do is waste your gas by going back and forth. Before driving great distance, check the newspaper for featured items to see if you have something to gain before you fill up. Find a friend that is as passionate as you and rotate weekends for driving. You may have some trouble if you both have a passion for collecting 1980′s ugly sweaters, but try to be a good sport. It’s just a game!
• Try to have an idea of what you need or might be needing in the near future. Collecting priceless china for your toddler is fine, but make sure your child has clothes that fit and toys, books and movies to entertain and educate them first.
My top items that I am looking for now are summer shorts and dresses for my child, soft comforters for my compulsive blanket eating bulldog, and as always frames for my artwork (to keep me from buying anything that’s a quarter, I keep a list of sizes and have a mini tape measure on my keychain). If something is an up-grade from what you currently have and the price is right – buy it. But be sure to put your out-dated item that you are replacing in your own garage sale, cheap, to pass on the savings. Don’t become the crazy lady with 15 blow dryers.
12.30.10 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: Christmas, Clearance Sales, Garage Sales, money, Party, Profit, Rummage Sales, Sweater, Thift Stores, Ugly
Chances are if you haven’t been invited to a Christmas Ugly Sweater party, you know someone who has.
My deep secret is that I haven’t been invited to any, but I have had five people ask to borrow one of my Christmas Sweaters. One won the contest of the ugliest sweater and got a great prize!
No, I don’t think they are ugly and, yes, I loan them out simply because I would do anything in my power to spread the wonderful Christmas cheer of wearing a festive garment.
I haven’t always been this way. I think it started when I worked at an elementary school.
Teacher’s are the queen’s of dress-up. They have a sweater for every holiday. Kid’s love ‘em. You’ve got it made if you have a cutesy Rudolf sweater — they love you!
Since then, I can’t pass them up. Thrift stores, church rummage sales, garage sales, and after Christmas clearance sales all are good pickin’s for the avid Ugly Christmas Sweater connoisseur.
These parties have become so popular that I have added these sweaters to my mental thrift checklist and plan to stock up for next season so that I can sell them for a big profit!
Along with advertising profits, buyuglysweaters.com sold more than 160 Christmas sweaters last year and has hopes to more than double that total this year. With an average sale of $20 per sweater, that is quite a profit for a garage sale find.
10.08.10 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: bargain, boat, fishing, Garage Sales, Granny, Halloween, holiday, money, Pirates, saving, yard art
I have to admit that Tightwad Granny and Sir Spendthrift double tag teamed for extra bargaining power at the garage sale with all the vintage fishing gear.
Let me give you a little background — dangle anything related to fishing in front of Sir and he’ll bite, he wants it, he’s going to use it, he down right NEEDS it — not. Anyway, back to the garage sale: I am at one table, he’s across the yard and I hear, “My wife would kill me!” I look up, see him, the proprietor, and a pile of old wood, nailed together to resemble a boat. I say, “You’re right, I will!”
We are now the proud owner of an antique dinghy. 
Lesson 1 — If an item says “Make an offer,” don’t assume it’s going to be too expensive.
Lesson 2 — Play bad cop, good cop. Sir really wanted it, but thought I would be mad at the acquisition. I really thought it was pretty cool, but I played it up. The price kept dropping.
It didn’t take much to make it into a Halloween yard centerpiece that even the snooty neighbors enjoy.
Cost Break Down:
- Boat — $10
- Flag — $0 (old cape and white foam on hand, oh, and an old broken fishing pole that I kept for art projects )
- Pirate — Garage sale find ($1 at the most) embellished with pirate hat shape cut out of same old cape as the flag.
- Spider webbing — 10¢ – bought last year at a 90% off sale at Dollar General.
- Skull and Crossbones on side — Buy one get one 1/2 off sale at ALCO: $3
- Treasure Chest —On hand, I use it for a reward system in child rearing. Bought it at The Antique Mall for 75% of the asking price: $1.50
- Treasure — Gold paint (on hand) on rocks: free.
- Skulls — Have been through a couple of seasons already but bought at Dollar General 90% sale: 10¢ a piece.
Total Cost: $15.80
Aarg!
09.02.09 / Uncategorized / Author: TWGranE / Comments: (0)
Tags: ebay, garage sale, money
Nothing is sweeter than citywide garage sales, except the day before citywide! Fearing I would not have the stamina (or the money)(or the driving skills) to go to hundreds on Saturday, I armed myself with 20 bucks cash, enlisted a driver (my devoted husband) and headed North. Driver was needed because I am unable to maneuver tricky alley way parking and able to read signs and watch traffic at the same time. My husband brought more dough into the deal, but my twenty bucks was my twenty bucks to be used in the GREAT AMERICAN GARAGE SALE EXPERIENCE, referred to here on out as the GAGSE! Simple really, buy really cool stuff for my own use and buy really cool stuff for resale to finance my GAGSE and make some extra moo-la.
I did amazingly well, impressing even myself! Here’s my loot: Big yellow Mexican clay girl figurine (KEEP), 1960′s Starburst German Metal Clock (KEEP – it so matches our vintage Shasta trailer); 10 large pink chandelier crystals (KEEP – already hanging from our front entry light – Thank you Erin!); Giraffe baby blanket (SELL); 9 pair of Vintage Hose NIP, some with back seams and heel design (UNDECIDED, these would look really cool and unsure of resell on these); Sunflower Cross Stitch Pillow Kit (KEEP – winters here get really long), Victorian Dolls Stitch and stuff Kit (KEEP, ditto); I Dream of Genie Costume (KEEP, I’ll sell it next year!), adult cat costume (SELL, I can’t pull that one off); Bratz “lips” doll bed (KEEP, until daughter grows out of that phase); Kids Weaving Loom for potholders (KEEP, hey I need new potholders!); Tupperware Deviled Egg container (KEEP, watch out office potlucks!); Alfafa Bobble Head (SELL!); Vintage plastic Flower lamp (KEEP, hanging in my new Art/Office); Bratz Carrying Case (KEEP – Dah); Baby Clothes – Levi Jacket, Minnie Mouse Coat, Dora Shoes, Strawberry Shortcake Shoes, 2 Dora fleece pullovers, Infant Cowboy Boots (SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL, SELL); 2 Tupperware Christmas Labelors (Ah, want am I going to do with these?); Vintage Tandy Zackman Handheld game (SELL); Antique Princess 6′ mirror (KEEP, needs some work); Giraffe Keychain (KEEP, oldest likes giraffes for some strange reason); Most Awesome Scarf from Paris (KEEP – Absolutely); 2 Vintage Brooches (1 KEEP – goes with Paris scarf, 1 SELL – Christmas item); Victorian 3D Bathroom Art (KEEP – gotta love bathroom art!); Hannah Montana Slippers (KEEP – but she better keep tags on them); A bunch of Corn Cob Handle thingies (KEEP – we so needed these); New Iron (KEEP, unfortunately I don’t believe in ironing)
THAT’S IT – WITH $1 LEFT OVER!
Halloween items are up on ebay already. Working on the others. I’ll let you know if I come ahead. But, I bet I do! Thanks for reading and check back for results of the GAGSE!
