One fun summer adventure that can also end up saving you money is to go on a garage sale hunting spree. You’ll find all kinds of things at a steep discount. Sometimes, you’ll even find things at a garage sale that simply can’t be bought anywhere else.
Summer is the season of garage sales. In winter, nobody wants to be sitting on their front porch for hours and hours. In summer, however, people are more than happy to hang out in the sun or in the shade and chat with people all day.
This is a quick and easy way to spend a day on your own, with kids or with friends.
==> Where to Find Garage Sales
The first place to look is your local newspaper. Look in the classifieds section.
Make sure you also check the church section, as churches will often have church sales and post it in the church section instead of the classifieds section.
Check Craigslist if you’re in the USA, or Craigslist if you’re in the UK or Australia. People will often go online and post a notice about their garage sale either in the community or events section.
Check your local grocery store for flyer boards. This is a very common place for people to announce garage sales.
==> Tips for a Great Garage Sale Hunt
The neighborhoods you shop in will affect the kinds of goods you receive. For example, if you shop in an artsy neighborhood, you can expect to find paintings and handmade clothing. If you’re in a posh suburban neighborhood, you could expect to find appliances or maybe vintage goods.
Be quick – most garage sales only last a day. If there are other people around, look quickly and pick things up before someone else does. Don’t assume that you can come back later in the day to grab something, as someone else will probably notice it too.
One good tip is to pick up anything you might want to buy and just carry it with you while you’re shopping. If you don’t want it, you can put it back down. This way, someone else can’t come in and pick it up before you.
Bargain – garage sales are not the place to pay full price. That’s especially true if you’re buying two or more items. If you’re buying two pieces for $7, ask if they can offer $12 for both.
Open every case. Don’t just assume that because a CD is marked “The Beatles” that there’s an actual Beatles CD inside.
Use your fingers to inspect items, rather than just your eyes. Your fingers will spot chips and rough edges that your eyes wouldn’t see.
Going garage sale hunting is a great way to spend a summer afternoon or two. You can pick up amazing deals, talk to some interesting people and enjoy driving around in the sun.