Tips for Getting Great Deals and Garage Sales

If you are shopping at garage sales, chances are you really like a good deal. And garage sales by their nature present some bargains. But you can do even better! Here are some tips for getting great deals at garage sales.

Be Friendly and Courteous

One of the fun things about yard sales is getting to know the seller(s) a bit. For most of them, this is their house and their stuff (and their garage!), and they may be your near neighbors. Don’t, for instance, speak negatively of any of the items (“That’s so ugly!” or “That’s so dirty – it needs a good cleaning.”). Instead, compliment the seller on his/her house, yard, and so forth. Striking up a conversation and being friendly may make the seller more inclined to give you an extra-good deal.

Use Small Bills

This is not just to facilitate making change. Using small bills helps prevent you from looking like a rich person trying to get a deal. If you haggle with the seller to get an item down to, say, $1, and you hand the seller a $50 bill, it just doesn’t look good (plus, that’s a lot of change the seller has to muster!).

Pile It Up

As you find items you like, ask the seller if you can set them in a certain area or place them in an empty box (you could also bring your own cardboard box). This can be a boon of a bargain – the seller may let the whole lot go for a great deal less than if you’d bought and priced each item individually.

Early versus Late

Many people will tell you that going early always scores the best deals. While it’s true that there may be more choice items early on, there may be super-good deals later when the sale is closing up. You’re likely to get good deals either way. Ideally, you could hit the same garage sales early and late. It’s perfectly acceptable to make two trips if you have the time!

Have a Plan

Just popping in your car on a Saturday morning and driving around looking for garage sales can be fun, but it isn’t a very efficient way to find good deals. Instead, look for signs that people put up toward the end of the week, look online, and look in the newspaper. Make a rough plan of where you’ll hit first. Pack a lunch if you like; that keeps you from having to shell out money at a restaurant, which would offset all your great savings.

Make an Offer

Don’t be bashful about making a reasonable offer (make sure it’s not insulting, like proposing $2 for a $35 item). This may come in particularly handy when the sale is about to end. Even if prices are set, it never hurts to ask. The worst the seller can say is no.