Yard Sale Finds

If you are on a tight budget, just setting up your first household or just enjoy finding treasure or great bargains then yard sales may  be the thing for you. I started going to yard sales out of necessity but now I go for pure pleasure, plus I am a bit frugal.
Kim's Tips for a successful yard sale trip....













Don't let Cruella DeVille Drive...Letting someone drive that is not in the spirit of the day is unwise.
When yard sale-ing you will be looking for signs and or addresses.


 There may be several unexpected sales on the same block which means you may be stopping frequently.

                                                         
So having someone like my son or husband driving who would rather pretend they don't hear you when you scream THERE'S ONE! isn't wise.

Just Sayin....

Don't feel like you have to buy something at every yard sale you go to. Sometimes people try to push their stuff on you, but take your time and always let your inner voice be the boss.

Don't be afraid to bargain, just because there is a price on it, doesn't mean they won't come down in price. My daughter is especially good at doing this. Generally if it is a good price I pay it, I mean 1.00 for a brand new item still in the box when it retails for 20.00 is a great deal,don't bargain.

 However if it is a 10.00 item and they have 9.99 on it then it's time to wheel and deal. If they don't want to then... walk away. You can always go and spend a penny more and get something that has never been in someone else's home. My rule of thumb is if it is at a yard sale it should be at least half the regular price (minimum). People don't go to sales to pay almost store price and frankly we don't care how much you spent on it. We want a deal....If I think something is over priced I will offer half of what they want. This shocks people....but there is an unspoken rule,I don't know who wrote it. However it is true and it is real, if someone makes an offer and you turn it down..that darn thing won't sell. No one else will even pick it up. So I always counter and I expect the person I am making an offer to also make counter offers. In fact you can keep countering until it is the price you like.

Never buy anything you don't know what to do with. HAVE A job for the item!

When you go yard sale-ing know that you will be out there for a while so wear comfortable shoes, Take plenty of cash, including smaller bills and change.

Kim's Yard Saleing tool Kit (I never go sale-ing without it):
Have some tie down(rope) in the trunk ( you never know what you will find). Have 2 of every battery in your purse ( it is frustrating when you get it home and it doesn't work) I also take a small flathead and philips screw driver(so you can take the battery box covers off).

Always plug it in and turn it on before buying. If the seller won't let you chances are it doesn't work so put it down smile and say goodbye.


And ALWAYS check out the free box...you would be amazed at the items people toss in there because it needs a good scrub or they just don't think someone will pay them to take it away.


 Now go out and buy, buy, buy!

 And remember to always have fun while you do it!


Here are some of my latest finds:

Mr. Frog, she asked 4.00 I paid 2.50 why did I buy him?

My daughter picked up this never used fondue set. Although I told her there was a reason it was never used she wanted it anyway.I suppose every newlywed wants to know if you fondue too...

Vintage wine boxes. When you walked in the door there was always a pile of misc. shoes.

and other small clutter...solution. Wine Boxes..they look cool and they keep it out of sight. I paid 5.00 each for these.
             





From the Free Box....

There were other things that I did not get pictures of like my daughter's vintage blue canning jars with lids which normally sell for 3.00 a piece, we got 12 of them for 7.00. My daughter is going to make a Wagon wheel ceiling lamp using them... I will have to take pictures of that.

My new Printer Desk 2.50:

For the Mr.

A Black and Decker automatic tape measure..how cool is that?

For my son:

I bought my son A Huffy 10 speed and did not take a picture of it...I will though...

And then there were the clothes:

My daughter literally updated and bought an entire wardrobe nice enough for office work which she is really wanting. Prior to this she only had fun time wear and nothing suitable for the office.

 many of these items had the price tags still on them...

I also purchased those 4 chairs

Her favorite and my favorite outfits of the day did not not come out so I will have to re-take them.

We also met and purchased this man's Vietnam brass

He is one of our hero's and had been wounded in Vitenam 1968

I have his story in writing (I left it at my daughters house darn it)

My girl has an old WWll bombers jacket she is going to add these items to and I will get a picture of it and re tell his story then.