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5 Shopping Tips For Garage Sale Days
The budget conscious shopper is always looking for bargains
and there is no better place to bargain hunt than a garage
sale. Garage sales are a piece of Americana and they can be
found in any city on almost any day during the fair weather
months. Before you head out to a garage sale, here are five
helpful shopping hints to get you off to a great start.
First,
plan your route for your shopping spree. Many times
there will be community or neighborhood garage sale days which
is easier than running around neighborhood to neighborhood.
This is one of the best ways to cover a lot of ground in the
shortest amount of time. Go early for the best deals in the
neighborhood and bring a wagon or several bags to help you
haul your purchases away. Don’t show up to a sale earlier than
the listed starting time; often you’ll be in the way of the
person trying to set up their sale and aggravate them.
Second, pack
some food if you will be hitting a lot of garage
sales or a large community sale. A water bottle and some sandwiches
in a cooler can get you through a long day of shopping. Occasionally
people will be selling food but don’t count on it.
Third, before
you shop for clothing, make sure to have a list of clothing
sizes for your family. Take measurements of family
members so you can purchase items without size tags. Take a
tape measure with you when you go shopping also. Remember,
items that you purchase at garage sales are by and large not
returnable. Check for rips, stains or missing zippers and buttons
before you purchase clothing items. Rarely will you be able
to try on clothing at a garage sale. Check all of the tags
for sizes and measure items without tags before you buy them.
If you sew and find an item that needs repair, don’t be afraid
to haggle the price with the seller.
Fourth,
carry a lot of small bills since most items you purchase
will be under $10. Be sure to have a few larger bills in
case
you find a large item that you just have to own.
Fifth, check
all items to make sure they are working and have all of
their parts. Many garage sales have power cords so that
you can check to see if appliances actually run. When it comes
to children’s games make sure that you have all of the game
pieces and that other toys have all of their parts. In general,
things should do what they are expected to do. Broken or “as
is” items should be marked as such.
People that have a garage sale want to sell the items they
have; they don’t want to lug the items back into their home
after the sale. If you want an item and it is out of your price
range make an offer to the seller. They may agree to sell it
to you for less than the ticketed price. Remember to be respectful
and reasonable with the seller when haggling over prices.
Finally, observe basic etiquette when shopping at a garage
sale. Don’t let your children break people’s collectibles and
if at all possible leave your small children at home. Leave
the dog at home as well, not everyone wants to be in close
quarters with unfamiliar animals. Finally, be careful where
you park. Don’t block anyone’s driveway with your car and be
careful not to park in front of a fire hydrant or in a tow
away zone.
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