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Garage sales. Anyone going? (1 Viewer)

ghostguy123

ghostguy123

Footballguy
Gotta love sifting through other people's junk right?

Me and Mrs. Ghost have been to a few this summer for kids clothes and have hit the quality clothes for cheap jackpot. 

However, yesterday, I made a wonderful purchase that was not a clothing item.  Dude had a box of DVDs for 50 cents a pop, and I got "Old School".  Can't beat that for one of the best movies ever. 

It got me thinking.  Even though FBGs don't shop at garage sales, maybe you did before you made your millions.  Any diamond in the rough purchases you made?  Great deals?  Horror stories?

 
I buy board games, find some real quality >_> pieces there.

It's great when you find notes on scorecards from the previous owners.

 
Got a new ceiling fan for $5. New vaccuum sealer for $10. Biggest score was one of those automatic knife sharpeners for $3. 

 
Not really in to shopping them. The real joy is holding one. It's amazing the junk you can unload on people. Why, just the other day, I had one and marked a bunch of useless DVDs for 50 cents a pop. Didn't think any of them would sell and was fully prepared to drop the price to a quarter or even a dime just to get rid of them before they ended up at the curb but a guy actually bought one that I thought there was no way in #### it would sell but it did, and the guy paid FULL PRICE!

 
KingPrawn said:
Not really in to shopping them. The real joy is holding one. It's amazing the junk you can unload on people. Why, just the other day, I had one and marked a bunch of useless DVDs for 50 cents a pop. Didn't think any of them would sell and was fully prepared to drop the price to a quarter or even a dime just to get rid of them before they ended up at the curb but a guy actually bought one that I thought there was no way in #### it would sell but it did, and the guy paid FULL PRICE!
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Someone needs to give you a hug

 
Love garage sales.  I may have found better deals, but the one that immediately comes to mind is a wheel barrow for $5 about ten years ago.  I still have it.

 
msommer said:
Nah, too much hassle. We have recycling centres over here.
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Yeah, we have a local church donation place and a Salvation Army nearby that we donate our stuff too. The wife packs her used clothes for a different church group that will come around and pick it up off your front steps. I've given away a lot on Craigslist too.

I've never gone to a garage sale. Don't want other people's crap. I could see it being a good deal for kids clothes though since they grow out of it so quick and they are probably in good condition.

 
Oh yeah, small piece of advice.  If you go, don't go to the run down shack that looks abandoned.  Go to the nice neighborhoods.  Shark move.  Lot of stuff still has the tags on it.

 
msommer said:
Nah, too much hassle. We have recycling centres over here.
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So you have too much junk, but when I said to have a garage sale you said you have recycling centERs.  Too lazy to have a garage sale (so am I, wife wants to do one, I do not), and too lazy to take stuff to the recycling centER (me too, I just burn stuff). 

 
I don't shop them regularly, but I have hit a few over the years...bought a pretty decent chop saw 7-8 years ago for $25.  It's still going strong.  Bought a circular saw for $5 last summer.  

 
wife goes often, I might occasionally go but most Saturday mornings are reserved for running/cycling. 

Best find I've had was an imperial warship lego set still in its packaging, for $5.  

The thing I've used the most though is a racquetball bag I bought 10 years ago.  I still use it as my gym bag. 

 
ghostguy123 said:
So you have too much junk, but when I said to have a garage sale you said you have recycling centERs.  Too lazy to have a garage sale (so am I, wife wants to do one, I do not), and too lazy to take stuff to the recycling centER (me too, I just burn stuff). 
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This is why we held a fundraiser "garage sale" back in May.  we collected donations from the local neighborhoods and used a school's soccer field.  Three families filled their multiple car garages (seriously, our 3-car garage was packed with ####).  A lot of it was junk but a few people gave furniture, bunk beds, one guy gave a $500 treadmill.  We had hundreds of books, truckloads of clothing, and actually had to turn some people down from their donations - just too much stuff and people wanted to give us old TVs which thrift stores won't even take, neither will the recycling truck or garbage.  The only way to get rid of those is to take them to the recycling center yourself (which explains why they were so willing to donate them).  

We ended up making almost $3,000 for international adoptions. But damn that was a lot of work. 

 
Wife enjoys it, so every few weeks she and I will take a few hours in the morning to go cruise the garage sales. She has an app that maps them out, so we go one to the next. 

Best purchase? About 4 years ago, got an almost new Troybilt gas powered edger, with a spare blade, for $20. Still goin strong.

 
i hate them with a blinding passion.  that being said, around 20 years ago, i was walking to breakfast on morning and this old guy was having a whole house sale and asked us to come in and check it out.  he was a nice old guy and we'd already had a few mimosas, so why not?  i bought a 1950's 4 burner, one stove oven, like this one, for $50.  i jokingly asked how much he wanted, he said $50, :shrug:  couldn't pass it up.   i used it for about 5 years and it's sadly been in my garage for the last 15 because it's too wide for the standard cut out in todays kitchens.  i dimly hold out hope that i'll custom build a kitchen some day and will use it again.  but that's pretty unlikely.  

 
KingPrawn said:
Not really in to shopping them. The real joy is holding one. It's amazing the junk you can unload on people. Why, just the other day, I had one and marked a bunch of useless DVDs for 50 cents a pop. Didn't think any of them would sell and was fully prepared to drop the price to a quarter or even a dime just to get rid of them before they ended up at the curb but a guy actually bought one that I thought there was no way in #### it would sell but it did, and the guy paid FULL PRICE!
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:lmao:

 
Is there a special permit that allows people who go to garage sales to not have to observe parking laws?

 
Not garage sales, but my wife enjoys going to Goodwill stores and re-stores. Lots of great buys. I got like 10 almost new ties at Goodwill myself for like a buck a piece.

 
I haven't done any garage sale shopping for the past 15-20 years--but I probably should.  Working in the jewelry and watch industry I've had several customers bring me items that they have purchased at garage sales for a few bucks that are worth thousands of dollars.  I had one gal bring me a vintage old cut platinum and diamond bracelet that was probably built in the 20's or 30's that she spent $50 bucks on.  It's easily worth $8-9k.  That's just one example. I probably get 1-2 instances per month where people get items at garage sales, flea markets, rummage sales that are worth hundreds/thousands of dollars more than what they paid.   There are deals to be found if you have the time, knowledge and patience to look for them.  

 
i like to tinker on old furnitures in my garage fix them up maybe add some neat theme like using bear traps or an old minnow trap as an interest peice and you can find that type of junk at garage sales or dumpsters mostly so i am in to them is what i am saying take that to the bank bromigos 

 
ghostguy123 said:
Oh yeah, small piece of advice.  If you go, don't go to the run down shack that looks abandoned.  Go to the nice neighborhoods.  Shark move.  Lot of stuff still has the tags on it.
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funny...I don't stop at them often, but when ever i see one, i scope out the quality/cleanliness of the house first before deciding if I want any of their crap in my house. 

 
MindCrime said:
Wife enjoys it, so every few weeks she and I will take a few hours in the morning to go cruise the garage sales. She has an app that maps them out, so we go one to the next. 

Best purchase? About 4 years ago, got an almost new Troybilt gas powered edger, with a spare blade, for $20. Still goin strong.
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wait...wut? 

 
Boston said:
Is there a special permit that allows people who go to garage sales to not have to observe parking laws?
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One of my pet peeves.  I feel there should be a law for them in which people can only park on one side of the road.

 
Cant believe people still do this. I sell anything with actual value on Craigslist and donate the rest. Its much less work and much more profitable.

 
I put on a few recently after we moved and needed to purge a lot of junk. 
Once a year, our street organizes a block garage sale where it's a one stop shop (10+ houses) for bargain hunters.

I don't shop at them though.

 
ClownCausedChaos2 said:
Love garage sales.  I may have found better deals, but the one that immediately comes to mind is a wheel barrow for $5 about ten years ago.  I still have it.
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I just bought one for $7 Saturday at a garage sale.

G***amn inflation.

 
Been to lots of these with my father. He owned a used furniture store and it was on of the ways to stock.  Also been to a lot of auctions.  

Funniest thing was an old lady trying to sell an electrical dildo as a back massage device.  Apparently she found it on her daughter's room after she moved out. In her defense it wasn't anatomically correct,  just a long steel shaft that ended in a point.  Dad was dubious of its purpose as a back massage but the old lady dutifully showed us the method for back massaging with it. Still worth a giggle between us 30 years later

 
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I love them...but I've stopped going recently.

  1. I've got enough junk of my own.  The only thing I'd buy at this point would be tool bargains, and those are hard to find.
  2. I've found that near me, people price stuff ridiculously high for tools or other useful items.
If you want somebody's old glass cat collection, that can be had for $0.50...but if you want a used fishing pole or a pair of pliers, you're gonna pay 50% of retail.  Sorry folks - I'm not paying that much for garage sale items.

 
The last time we held a garage sale, we had a coo coo lady come and try to steal a shirt we were selling for 50 cents.  That is typical of the people I run into holding or going to a garage sale, so I've sworn them off.

 
I gave my wife 200 dollars the last time she wanted to have a garage sale just so she wouldn't do it (and I wouldn't have to help).  She donated the crap

 
E-Z Glider said:
Cant believe people still do this. I sell anything with actual value on Craigslist and donate the rest. Its much less work and much more profitable.
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i dont know man there is a certain great feeling about having someone else pay you to carry your trash away take that to the bank bromigos 

 
Pre kids my wife and I would get up early grab a coffee and cruise the garage sales. It was a good time. The thrill of the hunt was the most fun. We didn't buy much of the crap but once in awhile you would find a gem.

 
My MIL likes to browse estate sales anytime there is one.  Sometimes will do garage sales if she sees its a good one.  I've trained her over the years to keep an eye out for tools/outdoor equipment and she'll call me if there's anything that looks interesting.  Problem around here is that I live in a fairly small town, so when word gets out that "so-and-so is selling tools at this estate sale on Saturday" every Tom **** and Harry is there at the crack of dawn waiting to get their hands on it. 

Did get a $60 drill press at one about 3 yrs ago.  That's been the biggest score so far

 
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My wife and I are regulars. We go almost every Saturday morning for a few hours. Never know what you're going to find. 

ETA... This applies only to association sales and only in the spring/fall when they have association sales in my neck of the woods, so not literally "every" Saturday morning.

 
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stroll by a few each weekend ... happened by one this past Sunday where bras were for sale (25 cents a pop)

:unsure:

:X

 
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ghostguy123 said:
Describe the street and house.  Couldnt have been very upscale...........good deal on bras though:)
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shanty-like three story/six unit gig. 

street is decent enough (it's in my immediate 'hood), but let's just say these tenants aren't so diligent on the upkeep.  ok.  SLOBS. the jernt is an eyesore. 

 a quarter apiece, but ...FIVE FOR A DOLLAR!

they also had a stroller out there that was caked in all manner of foulness. that was going for roughly $4. 

oh, and shoes ... lots and lots of shoes.  some with the pointy/upward toe shtick. 

they blow.  

 
I used to take my kids every Saturday morning when they were little.  Would get us out of mom's hair for a few hours and I'd come home a hero after spending $5 - It was also a good way to fill up the house with furniture.  Now that my kids are older, I don't go much because we have too much stuff and I'm entering the part of my life where I need to purge.

I gave up having yard sales of my own years ago.  Too much of a hassle to price everything, set it out, deal with early birds, haggle, waste a day sitting around, and then still get rid of the stuff that doesn't sell.  I sell the stuff through the paper or Craigslist and just call up the thrift store and they haul it away for a nice tax deduction. 

 
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