With all the news about recession, my blog lately has taken on a hard luck theme. Wednesday's topic was garbage picking.
Today's is garage sales.
When I first moved out to the suburbs from Chicago, I didn't even know what a garage sale was. They seemed to be a suburban institution. They probably exist in Chicago also, but since I've moved I don't know. Do they exist in other countries? I don't know the answer to that question either.
Anyway, around here, as soon as the weather clears in the spring, the garage sale signs seem to go up. You can find them tacked to light poles or trees, staked into the ground on street corners or lawns, and other spots where the salers hope to catch your eyes.
Although my husband says I'm just taking home someone else's junk when I go to garage sales, I love going to them anyway. One reason is because I enjoy the surprise element. I never know what I'm going to find, but I usually do find something to bring home.
The thing about garage sales is they often contain items that are no longer available in stores, although I wish they were.
I've bought barely used dressers, picture frames, cassettes, book cases, books, all kinds of great stuff at garage sales - all at reasonable prices.
That's another thing. It's traditional when you go to a garage sale to bargain about the price. Most of the time the price on the ticket is pretty low anyway, but I usually say something like, "Would you take this instead?" and name a figure. Sometimes I get a no, other times a counter-offer, many times a yes.
I do have this idea in my mind about a story based on a garage sale. Some day you may see it in print.
In the meantime, please comment and share your experiences with garage sales. Do you go to them? Do you bargain? What great finds did you get?
I love to GO to garage sales. I know I should bargain, but I rarely do, unless my instincts tell me they're asking too much. As for having them, I'd rather hit myself in the head with a rock. Once you advertise the date, people are knocking at your door at 6 a.m., no matter what time you said you'd start. They try to walk off with your stuff. They use the side of your house as a restroom (yes, it's happened), or want to know if they can have a drink of water, or will you take a nickel for this plate marked a dime, it goes on and on. I'm getting a headache, just remembering.
ReplyDeleteI found great help in using
ReplyDeleteGarage Sales Tracker
They were such a help as a great comprehensive site showcasing items for sale and mapping out the directions to the sale.
I love garage sales, too, but unfortunately they always happen on Saturday when I have to work!
ReplyDeleteI donate to our church's annual tag sale, but I don't attend garage sales. Mostly it's a time factor for me. I always seem to drive by them on my way to something else.
ReplyDeleteCheryl
My younger daughter (Mandy) us a huge fan of garage sales -along with shopping at Goodwill, the Salvation Army and virtually any other used item or consignment type store! And her shopping sprees at these have paid of quite well over the years as her two little ones have quite the huge wardrobes! All at much lower prices than if she had only gone to the retail stores and not a darned thing wrong with the clothing she purchased either.
ReplyDeleteSo, we are both big fans now of garage -or yard -sales!