7 Tips for Garage Sale Shopping

In my last post, I shared my tips on how to host a successful garage sale.  Now that you have made room in your home and have some extra cash, you may want to replenish your home with age appropriate toys and clothes that fit your kids.

Here are my tips on how to effectively shop at garage sales:

1) Remember, you just de-cluttered your house!  Do not buy things that you do not have specific purpose for and specific place to store.

2) Negotiate.  It doesn’t hurt to ask for a better price.  Be willing to walk away.

3) Adjust your expectations from a regular shopping trip.  Garage sales can be very hit and miss. Don’t get discouraged when you can’t seem to find just the right things.

4) Prepare for your trip. Make a checklist of the general items you are looking for so that you are not looking aimlessly through piles of “junk”.  Make sure you go to the bank beforehand and get cash.  Smaller bills are better.

5) Take your smartphone.  If you come across an item that you are unsure of its value, you can easily look it up. (This could help with your negotiating as mentioned in #2)

6) Be ready to think outside the box.  My husband and I have come across things that we knew were more valuable than the asking price.  We then in turn sold the items on E-bay or Amazon at a profit.  Be careful to not get in over your head.  Just invest in what you know will sell.  (Smartphones are helpful for making these decisions quickly.)

7) If the price is wrong, try again later. Go right when the sale opens and make mental notes of what they have.  If they have items you are not willing to pay full price, consider returning before closing time.  More often than not, if the item is still there, the seller will be willing to bundle items or decrease the price so they will have less to deal with in the end.

And one more bonus tip.  Don’t worry, this one is on the house. 🙂

8) Practice makes perfect.  As you become familiar with the process, you will become more savvy.

If you have any tips, please share below.  I’m always looking to improve my game!