I mentioned to a visitor
that I love to shop garage sales and he immediately started looking around
our home. He seemed surprised and remarked, "Well, I don't see
any velvet posters of dogs playing poker!"
If you are one of those
people who are- ahem- above- garage sales, you may want to rethink your
position. Garage sales are not about buying other peoples junk- they
are for finding items your family needs for a fraction of what they
would cost new. Here are some tried and true items to look
for:
Snow gear- families with
many children can spend a small fortune outfitting each one with boots,
snowpants, and gloves. Children use these things a few times a year
and rarely wear them out. I can outfit an entire child for $5.
Try to do
that at Walmart.
Sports gear- This is
especially great for the child who thinks he wants to try,
say--skateboarding. Find one for a couple of dollars and see how
much the child actually uses it. If they are serious about the
sport, THEN go spend big bucks on nice gear. I've seen hockey gear, balls
of all kinds, rackets, and golf clubs.
Baby gear- Strollers, cribs,
exersaucers, swings, slings, monitors, and toys can all be found for next
to nothing. Don't buy baby gear, especially cribs, older than 10
years as they may not meet current safety recommendations. Never buy
a used car seat.
Fitness gear- People buy
them and then don't use them. If you're in the market for exercise
dvds, weights, a treadmill, a stationary bike, or exercise step you can
find them all with one morning of dedicated garage sale shopping.
And you'll save a bundle.
The lucky find- The real
addictive thrill from garage sales comes from that unexpected find.
I've bought Transformers for 25 cents, board books for 10 cents, a
sterling silver dessert set for $10, Halloween costumes for $1, like new
Gymboree pajama sets for 50 cents, pampered chef stoneware for $4, and
5
yards of fleece for $1. I really love buying
ugly framed posters for $1 to reuse the frames for my children's
artwork.
Don't Buy- Anything you have
to paint, fix, match, or alter in anyway unless you are extremely self
disciplined and know exactly when you will do this work and how much the
repair will cost. Be wary of games, puzzles, or kits with lots of
pieces or things that "just need batteries".
In short- DON'T BUY JUNK and
no one will know that your family uses- gasp!- second hand items from time
to time. Unless, of course, you simply can't resist telling them
about the great deal you found!
