spending small amounts at estate sales reaps big

[Suzy]

Hi!!! During the past couple of years I have not had a lot of cash but I love to go to estate sales....they have a lot of them around here, more like big yard sales...

I have found that I can come up with some big bargains....I've gotten enough thread for my sewing and quilting that I very seldom have to buy thread! Usually there will be a big box of sewing notions and thread for a $1 or $2....the same with knitting and crocheting thread!

I've also gotten some beautiful quilt tops for $5 each! and stacks of many different kinds of fabrics! One of the Christmas aprons that I put on my web site (suzysfarm.com) today, the poinsettia one) was from fabric I got in a box of stuff at an estate sale...think I paid like $3 for a HUGE box of fabric pieces.

I'm always on the look out for quart and pint fruit jars as well, and any other canning supplies.

I've gotten homesteading books and magazines too...

There's usually lots of hand tools too....sometimes for as little as a $1 each! I've gotten GOOD tape measures and all kinds of things. If it's something I don't need right now but know it is a good buy at a good price, I buy it any way and use it to barter with someone else for something I DO need! (that is IF one of my grown kids doesn't need it for THEIR homestead!)

So even if you don't have a lot of money go anyway....you'd be surprised with what you can come home with for less than $5!!!

And then there was the estate sale where I got all the wooden merry-go-round horses, placques, and all kinds of other stuff, which I have sold unpainted and painted....I think I spent about $80 there but made that back in my little farm store within a week....and I still have stuff that I'm selling out of all that....the family just wanted it to go to someone who had a way to paint it, and resale it....their dad was the one who had cut all the objects out and the mama was the painter.....since my dad used to do that with my mama painting the items I knew a little about doing that....that was more than I usually spent but I figure I got at least $1000 worth of stuff....and like I said I'm still selling it!

A few years ago my husband bid $800 for a man's workshop full of tools and things....and he got it! Buckets and buckets carefully seperated with all kinds of nails and screws and other things he's used, tools he's using and others he sold, and more! It took him and daughter all day and about six TRUCK LOADS to get everything here! That was a little high for my blood but he's more than made his money back!

Just some thoughts today as I'm resting from sewing and tending goats, chickens, ducks, and bunnies!

[NCLee]

Yes, you can get some real buys for a few bucks.

At one auction happened to look in a child's inexpensive jewlery box. Among the few pieces of child's jewlery, I noticed a tiny doll, about a 1 1/2" tall. Bid a dollar for it. The doll was Barbie's Barbie Doll. Looked it up and it was valued at $25, at the time. Haven't checked on it in years..... now you have me wondering... :)

Was at an estate yard sale and happened upon a box of fabrics and other items mixed in with the boxes of clothing. Added the box to my pile of "stuff. That included a huge heavy duty aluminum pot like ones used in school cafeterias, a 70's Bun Warmer still in the box, brushed aluminum ice bucket still in the box, some kitchen utensils, and some other stuff. Asked the guy running the sale to give me a lot price. Asked if I'd give him $25. Said OK. He helped me load my car.

In addition to the fabrics, that box contained brand new aprons from the 50's and early 60's. Apparently they were gifts that had never been worn. It also has several table cloths from the 40's to 50's. Hand embroderied dresser scarves, vintage ladies hankies, hand crocheted doilies, dish cloths, and potholders and some other similar items. Don't have any idea of what the current value is of those items, but do know the other things I bought were worth the $25 that I spent that day.

Lee

[otobesane1]

We cruise estate sales, yard sales and auctions regularly and have picked up some useful items for next to nothing. We aren't pack rats, impulse or junk buyers so we usually leave without buying anything at all. But every once in a while, we are get surprised by a deal... and we enjoy just looking too.

TK

[Deberosa]

This brings back memories for me because when I was a kid my mom loved estate sales. She looked for antique glass nick knacks for window sills and I have alot of those today, but one time she fell in love with a single knick knack but she had to buy a whole truck load of stuff that came with it - crates and furniture and all kinds of stuff. And for $1!!! Well, my dad complained for weeks about hauling all that stuff home just to get one knick knack. ;-)

I think they still have some of that old furniture in the shop!

[Mom5farmboys]

I love estate and garage sales. When I was first married we started out with very little, its how I got what I needed. Most of my canning and kitchen items are mismatched garage sale items, however everything is very high quality. It was made at a time when people expected things to last. Now that I can afford to buy new once in awhile, I can't bear to spend so much money for something that will maybe last a year or two, so I just keep the quality equipment that I already have.

I have also picked up pitchforks, shovels, rakes, hoes, lots of stuff for the farm. Once when the husband and I went to an auction there was a piece of equipment we were bidding on (only bidding against one other guy) and we only had $75.00 to spare. The guy got the farm implement (forget what it was now--that was almost 20 years ago) and a heck of a deal. I guess it is true for us that we have never regretted what we bought, only the great deal we missed out on!

[Thyme]

Love estate sales & garage sales. Went to a I27 garage sale 2 weeks ago, lady was an interior decorater. Got an entire bolt roll minus a 2 inch piece on the corner for 15 $. Didnt like paying 15$ for it but i did as it is an exact match for my bedroom wall paper. This material will be made into curtains for my room. It also had the manufacters tag where she bought it from at 24.99$ a yard. That is 750$ for the bolt that i paid 15 for.Today went to Hobby lobby and got fringe to match to run entire length of curtains & bottom of valance. Was 6.99$ on clearance for 99 cents a yard., need 30 yards to do curtains. Will be going back to her house next year to see if she has another sale.

[Anon001]

Most anything I buy comes from farm auctions including, material, kitchen goods, tools, farm equipment, etc.....My best deals have been at farm sales.

[Suzy]

You need to also be watchng for stores that are going out of business or moving....about three years ago one of our small town's "department" stores was closing their "annex" store on the corner where they sold one of a kind stuff, some fabric, clothes that didn't quite fit their bigger store, etc.....

They had a whole table of bolts of fabric....husband and his little crew were doing some electrical work in the building where the store was moving out of....husband noted the fabric in the then-closed store and the owner said he'd make me a deal of $1 a yard so husband called me to come and look...

I hopped in my pick up and when I got there the store owner said I could have the ENTIRE TABLE OF BOLTS for $35.00 because he wanted to get the store cleared out.....I then had a long-wheel base truck and the fabric bolts took up the ENTIRE bid of my truck and stuck out the top!!!!!

I have made new curtains for several rooms in my house and I can't count the number of quilts (mainly baby quilts and lap quilts) that I have made and sold in my little farm store AND made drapes and a matching couch quilt and a pillow for my youngest daughter's house....AND STILL have shelves and shelves of fabric!!!!

I've been in the department store's big fabric store since then and have found some fabric that matches some of the bolts I have for several dollars per yard!!!!

This was a buy I probably won't ever match!!!!

[momma_to_seven_chi]

So even if you don't have a lot of money go anyway....you'd be surprised with what you can come home with for less than $5!!!



I love auctions. My husband teases me because I am so competitive. It's hard for me to let a bid go unless it is really high for an object. He can set a limit and never bid one quarter over it. I miss my goal by several dollars. I'm working on that though. I'm much better than I use to be.