We LOVE Garage Sales!

*This is a post that I previously wrote for the Quad City Moms Blog. Just thought it was worth sharing again, and since I haven't been feeling good this week, it's an easy post! Enjoy!

It’s About That Time Again!

What time, you ask? Garage sale time! If you know me (and my mom) at all, you know that we are crazy garage-salers!  For as long as I can remember, Thursdays have meant one thing:  driving around town with a newspaper in hand and bargains on the mind.  And now that I have children, we have gotten even crazier…but in a good way! (I think!) Since my first son was born in 2008, I would estimate that at least 80% of their lives they have worn clothes from garage sales.  Nearly all of their toys are from the sales, and many of the things in our home are from there as well.

Now, I know what you may be thinking.  My husband and I both work..why not buy our kids clothes?  To tell the truth, I think that no one would ever know that their clothes are secondhand.  In fact, I’ve had many comments like “oh, that outfit is so cute! Where did you get it?”.  Let’s face it: kids under 5 ruin their clothes.  Dirt, food, vomit, and many other unmentionables…the clothes take a beating.  And when my kids are running around in the backyard full of mud, I’m not the mommy who’s running after them with the Shout stain-stick.  Because their pants didn’t cost $20 dollars…they cost 50₵.  And that’s the truth.  (*NOTE:  My kids do not wear socks, underwear, or pajamas from garage sales.  I do draw the line somewhere! I also don’t let them buy stuffed animals. Gross.)

I understand that some of you may not agree with the idea of your kids wearing clothes that have been worn by others.  However, toys are a different story! Toys are expensive, and if you come to our house, you would guess that we have spent a fortune on our kids.  But you would be wrong.  In today’s blog, I have decided to share with you just a few of the MANY bargains my mom and I have found for my children.  Toys that they love, that they play with (destroy) on a daily basis, and for a fraction (a very SMALL fraction) of the retail prices….

Bouncy Ball Pit

This is the main attraction in our basement these days.  The average retail cost of a ball pit this size is $50-$70.  We paid $4 (with the balls included), and my kids have been enjoying this toy for over a year now!

Legos

What is life (especially for a boy) without legos?  You all know how expensive they are at the store.  We have found so many Legos at garage sales, that I have not only gotten a TON for my own kids, but also for my aunt’s daycare kids as well!  The size of the buckets vary, as do the amount of pieces in each one, but the average bucket size that we’ve found costs between $25 and $50 at the store, and the most I have paid for one bucket is $4.

Power Wheels ATV

This is one of our best buys, and a great story! We saw this in the yard and ran right to it, checking if it worked and how much they wanted.  They had it marked at $60, which is more than we ever pay for anything at a garage sale.   However, there was a little boy who lived at the house, and he automatically started “bargaining” with us. It was hilarious. We told him the most we would pay was $40. After some double checking with his mom, and some scolding on her part (for bargaining with us), they finally agreed to it.  My mom bought it, cleaned it up, and gave it to Sam for his 3^rd birthday.  What a great gift! Retail price for a comparable 4 wheeler online is between $115 and $150.

Finger Skateboards

This was another GREAT buy, and we almost passed it up!  We were leaving a sale and I saw a plastic tote full of toys.  I wasn’t even going to open it, but boy am I glad I did! It was full of those little finger skateboards (my boys love them) and ramps, stairs, etc.  These toys are surprisingly expensive.  The average cost for one skateboard is between $1 and $4, and the ramps (especially the Tony Hawk brand, which is what we got!) go for between $20 and $40 each.  I walked away from that sale with approximately 20 skateboards, 7 ramps, and the tote they came in, for $2!

Why garage sale?

If you have the time, you should definitely try it out at least once.  Even if you don’t find anything, it’s fun to drive around hunting for bargains.  The Quad Cities is really big on garage sales, and it’s no longer only Thursdays, but now Fridays and Saturdays as well.  As a well-seasoned garage-saler, here are my top tips:

1.       Bargain! Don’t be afraid to offer less; the worst they can do is say “no”!

2.       Plug it in! If the item requires electricity, ask them to plug it in and show you that it works.

3.       Bleach it! Throw all the toys in watered-down bleach, rinse, and dry before your kids touch!

4.       Compare prices! Thank goodness for smart phones.  When we are wondering if something is a bargain, I just google the item to find the average retail price.

5.       Hit the neighborhood sales! These are the best, especially if you have little ones with you.  We just pull out the stroller and walk from sale to sale.  You’d be surprised how much your kids will enjoy it! Plus, if they want a toy, there’s usually a Free Box somewhere!

6.       Return the favor! When your own house is bursting at the seams, pull out the price tags and have your own sale. And when you do, be fair.  Our family had one this past summer, and our prices were so low that people were laughing as they piled bags full of 10 cent and 25 cent items. It’s good to pay it forward…we would love to hit a sale where everything was a quarter!

I hope to see some of you out there on Thursday mornings this year!  If you do, make sure to tell me about the deals you find! And if you see my mom and I at the same sale as you, watch out!  We will run you over to get to the bargain!