Garage Sales and Yard Sales – A Frugal Shoppers Dream!

yard sale shopping tips
Every Saturday morning my friend Ellen would shop garage sales, and return home to show off her treasures.

I used to marvel at the treasures she would find until I wised up and joined her!

What treasures can you find at a garage sale or yard sale? Here's a list (in no particular order) of some items I discovered when volunteering at a school garage sale:

  • Terra Cotta Pots

  • All sizes 50¢

  • Sterling Silver Jewelry

  • All the jewelry, real & costume was in a basket marked 50¢

  • DVD's

  • 50¢…that's cheaper than renting a movie, and then you can sell it back at a garage sale or half price books.

  • Jean Jacket

  • Name brand, $2.00! Clothes are always a bargain at garage sales, but you must be willing to dig! The clothes are usually piled in a heap on a table, and there will not be a dressing room.

  • Birkenstock Sandals

  • $1.00! A lady found 6 pairs!

  • Locker Shelf

  • Like new for just 50¢.

  • Samsonite Suitcase

  • Brand new with tags for only $1.00!

  • Set of Dishes

  • $10.00 for the entire set! Yes, this is why Ellen had a set of dishes for every season!

  • Lladro Madonna

  • $2.00! Somebody must not have known the true value of this! You just might find the next star of The Antiques Road Show at a yard sale.

  • Stuffed Animal

  • 50¢ for a brand new giant Easter Bunny! If your children are always begging for new toys, and you find yourself always giving in and blowing your budget…maybe it's time to take them to a garage sale! Toys abound at garage sales and yard sales!

  • Mountain Bike

  • I told my son that there was no point in spending $200+ on a brand new bike for college that was going to sit out in the rain, so he found a great $40 mountain bike at a garage sale!

 
Of course, I can't promise what you'll find at a garage sale, but I can promise you'll find some bargains!

Please remember The Budget Diet's rules for shopping at Garage Sales, Goodwill, Consignment Shops and Thrift Stores:

  • Be Open Minded
  • Shop Often
  • Be Friendly
  • A Bargain is Only a Bargain if You Can Use It
  • Use Your Imagination
  • Shop in Upscale Neighborhoods

 
Start your Saturday morning off with a bargain! Get in the garage sale habit!

What treasures you have found at garage sales and yard sales?

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Megan
12 years ago

Hello! I saw this post and felt I had to reply because my fiancee, myself, and my mom went garage sale shopping this past weekend, and we got steals on stuff! So my fiancee and I just bought our first house, and we have begun the hunt for some furniture. We checked out all the stores and discount/outlet stores, and felt the furniture we wanted was still out of our budget range. However, this past weekend when we garage sale hopping, we found this microsuede couch…comfy…looked underneath and it was SOLID WOOD (which you do want to look for in quality furniture that will last a long time)….average price from what we have learned…roughly $700-$900 brand new. This couch — we paid $75!!!!!! My mom got antique, hand-painted tables for $15. I bought two sets of dishes (plates, dessert plates, and bowls) for $10 a set! You just never know… Read more »

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