Garage Sales

[Mom5farmboys]

I decided to get out of the house for awhile today and go garage saleing. I had a great time and I scored some great deals too! I got a jump start on school clothes for my 14 year old son for next fall. I checked Craigs List for the sales in my area before I left home so I had a general direction to head out in.

I got:

18" x 12" wooden cutting board $1.00
Water bath canner with rack $2.00
Box of canning jars 1 2 quart-24 1 quart (1/2 small mouth- 1/2 widemouth)
14 pint jars and 5 gallon glass jars with lids $4.50
2 Chicago Cutlery paring knives $.25 for both
Fish Skinner $1.00 (I don't know what the heck it is or what it does- but my
14 y/o son really wanted it- he will try it out this
weekend if he catches any fish lol)
2 cheese slicers $ .25 for both
1 pr sz 13 tennis shoes (brand new) $3.00 (for school next fall)
1 pr sz 13 black dress shoes (brand new) $3.00 (for school next fall)
2 brand new heavy flannel shirts sz 2xl for husband one is a Dockers and the
other is St Johns Bay (both still with tags on) $1.50 each
5 sz L tee-shirts $.50 each (good enough for son to wear to school in the fall)
1 sz L hooded zip up grey sweatshirt $1.00 (also for school next fall)
1 large box approx 300 all occasion greeting card in decorator box $1.00 (acutally it had some graduation cards in it and since thats what I
needed anyway - I figured I had nothing to lose because 1 card at
the grocery store would run me a buck)
5 church type cookbooks and 1 ball blue book (from the 70's) $.50 each
2 stackable plastic bins (each bin looks to hold approx 1 bushel) $2.00
2 brand new games (in plastic cellophane still) $2.00 each (one for the older
boys and 1 for the little boys)
2 plastic grocery bags of McDonalds kids meal toys - Free (I squirreled them
away and next time I need a distraction for the little boys I
will pull some out for them to play with)
Assorted cheese slicers, plastic spatulas, wooden spoons etc $.10 each
(cant remember exactly what I got but I spent $.90 there)
1 wire basket- square -freestanding or can hang on a wall for mail $.50

Man I love going to garage sales!!

[Vintagerose]

I love garage sales too Mom.
I keep a list of things I need or want and try to stick to it but it's hard because the main attraction for me is the element of surprise.
There are soooo many neat and cheap things that I never knew I wanted or needed until I see them.:lol:

[momma_to_seven_chi]

Man I love going to garage sales!!

God blessed your family today!
We stopped at 3 tag sales, but I didn't buy anything even though I saw a lot of good bargains. We just have so much "stuff" that unless it is something I really need, I don't buy it any more. I did see some great prices on afghans, but denied myself because we just didn't need them. There was also a lot of nice dishes, but I don't need any more dishes.

[Pokeberry Mary]

that was a very impressive haul!

[jonvee]

What a great haul!! I love when that happens.

A few weeks ago I went crazy at the thrift stores and made a killing (or at least I thought it was a killing).

Got:

Antique watering can w/ huge sprinkler spout - $3.95
Ceramic teapot - $1
assorted finewale corduroy shirts (for a quilt) - $2 each
spindle for making a hat rack - $1
portable BBQ (new) - $8
flour sifter - $1.50
AND
a really cool canvas sportsmans jacket with winter lining - $2.95

It always amazes me what people toss out. Thank goodness they do or else we wouldn't have so much fun getting what we need for cheap:)

[Bondo]

The weather here was really rainy on saturday, so there were only a few yard sales this week. I really love going to them. I find so much stuff that folks just want rid of.

This week I got a Lodge ribbed frying pan and an old Deitz lantern (I tihnk when they were still US made, don't know much about them) for the grand total of $5. we have to go to town on Saturday for a graduation party, so I will be going again this weekend.

[Gracie]

Mom5FarmBoys,

Congrats., you got some really nice things @ super prices! I love garage sales, but maybe is a regional thing, but so many here have gone to; the folks are offering worn out what ever, or hardly working appliances and they want close to the original prices for their stuff.

You hear of ladies in the cities going on shopping sprees, once in a while when in town we'll go to Salvation Army. With a little money in my pocket, I find things we need or would like to have, and not pay an arm and a leg for it. I'm just as happy as the city ladies, and have made purchases for far less!:yes4:

[Mom5farmboys]

It was a blessed day for us! Thank you. I started out at around 10:30 am (it was kind of a lst minute decision to go) and hit my last sale at around 3:45pm.

I covered quite a bit of ground and there were lots of "those" sales with crappy, dirty stuff that they wanted top dollar for. They don't get it from me because I'm too cheap. I just lucked out and got the majority of it at about 6 sales. It also didn't hurt that I went on a Saturday and for most of them it was their 3rd day pen for business and they just wanted to get rid of it and not haul it back in the house.

My biggest pet peeve when garage saleing is when they don't even bother to mark their stuff. You have to ask the price on every single thing, then they assume your interested and it seems like the price goes up. I have started to really low-ball people at sales like this, if its not marked I will nicely say "theres no price on this will you take a quarter for it?" lol sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

[Gracie]

Vintage Rose`~ "There are soooo many neat and cheap things that I never knew I wanted or needed until I see them.":lol: Wheee, sure am glad to know am not the only person who struggles with this. I do try to resist, & can walk away, but every now and then will give in, but that's only if is reasonably priced.

Momma_of_Seven_Chi. ~ Bless your heart. I admire your ability to decide you don't need it, so don't buy it. Good advice, as sometimes @ SA, the 'wants' become 'needs'.

Pokeberry Mary ~ Mom sure did get some nice things.

Jonvee ~ You too, got some really nice things, good for you. Bet those corduroy shirts will make a pretty, super warm quilt.:)

Bondo ~ Your frying pan and lantern for $5.00, what a good buy! Good luck with this week-ends sales.

[BigOBear]

I almost always ask if they'll take X instead of what's marked Mom. If I really want it I'll probably buy it anyways (unless it's ridiculous) but it never hurts to ask.

When I first started taking the girls with me, they'd spend what little money they'd earned at whatever was marked to get some little nic nac or another until they saw me talking folks down. Before you knew it, they were doing the same thing and let me tell you... they could talk some folks down. I've seen the wee-est at about 4 or 5 take some little nicnack marked at a dime to the lady and ask if she'd take a nickle and the lady just give it to her for free. :rolleyes: "Aww... you just go ahead and take that honey... it suits you." Meanwhile I'm standing over in the corner holding a fishing rod trying to make it look like it suits me :tongue:

Now the getting stuff you don't need. Still need to work on that with the girls. Whew. One year, I think everyone wanted to get rid of their '70s style funkadelic tassled throw pillows and the girls wanted all of them. Lordy lordy.

[Bondo]

The thing that I do really dislike is trying to tell my almost three year-old why she can't have all those cool little stuffed animals she sees. I don't take much home in the cloth/plush kind of way (clothes are easier to clean), especially since bedbugs have been becoming since a problem in the city areas near where we live. I always cringe when someone gives the "Here hun you just take this," with those stuffed animals.

[TNDadx4]

Cool finds!

This past weekend, we got a 3 person tent for $2.00 and 2 backpacks in really good shape for .50 each.

[jonvee]

Once again I couldn't resist stopping by a thrift store when I went to the bank. But, I'm glad I did. Got a really cool book on home butchering with great illustrations and ONLY .25.

Good addition to my growing library.

[SKB]

I bought a pair of Keds for $2 and a pair of leather Cherokee tennis shoes for $3 at my local thrift shop. Like new and they fit perfectly.

I bartered at a neighborhood garage sale recently. I traded 2 lamps for a very nice solid wood night stand.

Has anyone ever gone to that garage sale that spans several states? I don't recall the name of it but it goes for something like 400 miles. So many bargains....how to get it all home?

[Mom5farmboys]

I almost always ask if they'll take X instead of what's marked Mom. If I really want it I'll probably buy it anyways (unless it's ridiculous) but it never hurts to ask.

When I first started taking the girls with me, they'd spend what little money they'd earned at whatever was marked to get some little nic nac or another until they saw me talking folks down. Before you knew it, they were doing the same thing and let me tell you... they could talk some folks down. I've seen the wee-est at about 4 or 5 take some little nicnack marked at a dime to the lady and ask if she'd take a nickle and the lady just give it to her for free. :rolleyes: "Aww... you just go ahead and take that honey... it suits you." Meanwhile I'm standing over in the corner holding a fishing rod trying to make it look like it suits me :tongue:

Now the getting stuff you don't need. Still need to work on that with the girls. Whew. One year, I think everyone wanted to get rid of their '70s style funkadelic tassled throw pillows and the girls wanted all of them. Lordy lordy.

Took your advice at an estate sale I went to the other day, they had 2 quart canning jars (8) and were asking $1.00 each. I asked if they would take less and she said if I took them all I could have them for .50 cents each. LOL I was tickled because they run about $2.00 apiece new here. Thanks!

[Gracie]

Mom5FarmBoys ~ Please, where do you find 2 quart canning jars at. Maybe am just not that observant, but honestly, the largest have seen for sale in our area were quart jars. Remember seeing from time to time folk's posts that they use them, but just figured something that used to be made, but not any more. If I could find somewhere that sells them, I'd surely get some and put them to good use.:) Thank You!

[Mom5farmboys]

Gracie,

My husband said he saw them at our local farm store, "Family Farm and Home", and he's the one who told me the price. I have found them online but they are pricey and then add shipping on top of that. Just search 2 quart canning jars.

They do still make them, but I think they are kind of expensive. The Husband said they were $12.00 for 6 jars here, I thought that was kind of a lot and I refuse to pay it. I have found them at thrift stores, garage sales, and estate sales.

[Gracie]

Mom, I sure appreciate your response. We've a Tractor Supply and several other similar stores in our area. Next time we go there will have to check to see if they have 2qt. jars, but not going to buy, that's just too pricey, hmm, wonder if they ever go on sale.... Thank you again:)

[sbemt456]

Half gallon (2 quart) canning jars are still made, but as others have said are quite pricey. There is not a huge demand for them as the good ole USDA dont recommend canning in them anymore. I have a bunch of em because that is what we used to can in when I was at home. However I dont use them for pressure canning but do use them for juice and such. My oldest son Jason can drink a half gallon of tomato juice like it was water and just as quick.

Have a great day!

stella

[Bondo]

I LOVE yard sales. Got an easel for my little girl, a miter box and saw, and a cold chizel, for two bucks! Then, went to a moving sale and got two old braces and about twenty bits, all in great shape, for ten bucks! Haven't really hit gold at all this year on yard sales until this past weekend.

[SKB]

This morning I stopped at a yard sale around the corner and bought a heavy wood dining table and 2 chairs for $15. It feels and looks like alder wood and it's in perfect condition. The chair cushions were stained, but after cleaning them with a can of Resolve Upholstery Cleaner, they look like new now. Happy dance time!!