With warmer weather either here or on the horizon depending on where one lives, comes the opportunity to garage sale. Here are my tips for planning to shopping at garage sales & discount/thrift stores. I shared some of these tips and ideas before, but thought it good to share again. (that post can be found here)
#1: go with a list!: this is my first tip because, like a store it can be easy to get caught up with all the cool and fun stuff you see. Going with a list allows you to stick with what you need or want. With a list you are making a plan--you are giving yourself an opportunity to do your research (see tip #2), and the opportunity to buy only what you really are hoping to find (remember: even though an item is cheap, it still costs money! So if it isn’t something you really need or will use, in effect you are wasting money).
#2: Do your research: Once you have determined what items you hope to find at garage sales (or discount/thrift stores or on sale), research what those items would cost new at local stores, online or to make. Some items at garage sales are actually more than at a store! (not often, but sometimes, so you do have to be careful). Online is a great resource for buying items, new or used, not found nearby for a good price, but be sure to calculate shipping costs to get the total cost of the item(s) (also be sure to only buy from sites and companies you trust). Making items can save money, but not always. Be sure to determine the cost of materials and time involved as well as your skill in making it to what you hope and want the finished product to be.
#3: Determine the price you are willing to pay for the item (this goes with research). Determine either a percentage of the store bought new price or a set price otherwise based on your budget that you can use to buy the item(s). Keep looking until you find the item at the price you are willing to pay, unless an item is needed immediately of course, then you may have to determine if the need is as great as the cost you will be required to pay for having the need met sooner than later.
#4: Inspect: While at the garage sale/store, inspect the item to make sure it is in the condition you want, the size you want, etc. Will it need to be fixed up to make it usable or to your tastes? If so, what is the time and cost in materials to do so, factor these into the total cost of buying the item. Will you be able to fix it up before you find one in better condition?
#5: Room & availability: do you have room to transport the items (or will you have to get a truck or trailer). Do you know where the item will reside once home? Will you have to get rid of something else to make room for it? This is good to think about because, if buying an item, you don’t want it to end up where you forget you have it and thereby suffer the effects of buying but not using and thereby wasting your purchase time and money. How many times have you bought an item only to find you already had one but forgot you had it?
There are great deals to be found at garage sales. Yes, it does take patience to find what you want, but when you do it is a great feeling knowing you found a deal. Good luck and happy saving!
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