For the organizers, garage sales are an efficient way to sell unnecessary items and quickly grow their home budget. However, the true value of garage sales lies in the wide range of affordable products available for the buyers.
Whether you need another bookshelf for your growing collection of books or a new cabinet for your home office, attending a garage sale is an excellent idea. However, it is not as simple as driving your car to the event and purchasing every single item that caught your eye. To become a garage sales expert, you must prepare a plan of action to make the most out of this opportunity.
Besides getting up early to arrive before the others, you might want to have small bills and change at hand, carefully scout the sale for the best offers, and buy in bulk. Additionally, you could combine items for more attractive deals and plan your route to hit as many garage sales as possible in one day.
Here is a list of tips to help you score good deals at garage sales:
Combine Items for More Attractive Deals
If you consider buying multiple items at a garage sale, try negotiating with the seller. Some people are willing to give discounts if you combine more things from their offer.
For example, if you are looking for a particular piece of furniture and you find two chairs that go with it, the seller might be willing to give you all three items for a lower price. Alternatively, if you want to freshen up your garage and know that a new garage door cost will take a great part of the money you put aside, you could buy a few garage accessories to spruce it up further on a budget.
Sellers tend to offer better prices for bundles of items than for individual pieces. Use this factor to your advantage and enjoy affordable, high-quality products.
Plan Your Route
To save time and energy, it is best to plan your route before setting out for a garage sale spree. Look for sales in your area by searching online or checking the local newspaper.
When you have a list of garage sales you want to visit, map out the route to hit as many of them as possible. This way, you won’t waste time driving aimlessly around town and you will be able to focus on finding the best deals.
Get There Early
Most garage sales start early in the morning, so if you want to find the best deals, you must be one of the first customers. It is widely known that the best items are usually sold out early. Therefore, taking time to get up and arrive at the site before the others is a good idea.
This step is crucial if you are looking for a particular item because it is likely that someone else is interested in it too. If you want to avoid the competition, make sure to arrive before them. Even if you do not get the best deals, you will still find valuable items at lower prices.
Have Small Bills and Change at Hand
Garage sales beginners often make the mistake of not having enough cash to pay for the items. A garage sale is not your usual trip to the local shop, where you have several payment options available. Instead, you need to pay with cold hard cash right there and then. Being prepared with small bills will save you from making the trip to the ATM or bank.
If you expect a successful day of garage sale shopping, consider bringing several twenties and a few fives with you. This way, you will be prepared to pay for larger items, such as furniture, that may cost more than $10. On the other hand, if you only plan to attend one garage sale, taking less money than that may be enough.
Scout the Sale for the Best Offers
When you first arrive at a garage sale, take a quick look around and see if any items catch your eye. Once you have found something you like, check if the item fits your budget and is available for purchase.
Look at new products and those in the packaging, as these items tend to be more expensive. Also, remember that bargaining for a lower price is always an option. If you find a product without any price tag, you can bargain with the seller and try to get it for less than half its retail price.
Buy In Bulk
Buying in bulk can save you a lot of time and money. Many garage sales offer discount deals when you buy more. Furthermore, some sellers will even give you a free item when you buy two or more of the same type. Take advantage of this to stock up on things already on sale.
For instance, if you are searching for office supplies and find a box of staplers, you can buy the entire box instead of taking one stapler at the regular price. You can also try this strategy with clothing items, as you can find clothes in sets or bulk lots. To make them easier to carry, roll t-shirts and jeans before placing them in a bag, as they take less space this way.
Buying in bulk is more affordable than buying items one by one. It might be a good idea to create a list of items you need and aim to buy at least one item from each category. Once you find more than one thing you like, ask the seller for a bulk discount.
The Bottom Line
Garage sales are an excellent opportunity to score amazing deals on household items. By attending them, you can get good deals on things you need or want.
Yet, to become a garage sale pro, you must be prepared to put in some hard work and know how to hit multiple sales in one day. The best way to do this is to plan your route and carefully scout each sale for the best offers. However, this will take time, so you might want to get up early to arrive at the first sale before the others.
Once you prepare a list of must-haves and have a plan of action in mind, you will likely come back home with some great deals.
