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Discussion Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: kjstrukel on June 10, 2012, 03:45:25 pm

Title: NEVER again!
Post by: kjstrukel on June 10, 2012, 03:45:25 pm
Two days to get ready and two days of garage sale later, I figure I made about $.75/hour for my time.

 I think the tax deduction for taking the stuff to Goodwill is better and I won't have to deal with the people who want a "better price" for something already marked $0.50. 

No more garage sale for me.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: falcon9 on June 10, 2012, 03:48:41 pm
Two days to get ready and two days of garage sale later, I figure I made about $.75/hour for my time.

 I think the tax deduction for taking the stuff to Goodwill is better and I won't have to deal with the people who want a "better price" for something already marked $0.50.  

No more garage sale for me.

Such wisdom is an emergent property of experience.  For too many, a garage sale "bargain" seems to mean 'can I have that for free?'
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: catherinedwhite on June 10, 2012, 04:27:03 pm
I get what you are saying-- People want to barter on something marked $.50......I've been there.
I actually enjoy putting on garage sales though.
But, yes, unless you have some big items you are not going to make much money.

I did find that pricing all clothing at .25 I sold a whole lot more.
So, I guess it depends on your goal - Just get rid of the stuff or make a little extra spending money.

Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: banderson5 on June 10, 2012, 05:29:30 pm
GARAGE SALES ARE A GREAT WAY TO GET RID OF THINGS YOU DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR IN YOUR CAR TO TAKE TO THE GOODWILL. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO ACCEPT THAT THE TIME YOU SPEND DOING IT MAY NOT BE WORTH WHAT YOU GET OUT OF IT. I HAVE HAD GOOD LUCK WITH THEM. I MADE ABOUT $800 AT MY LAST SALE LAST YEAR AND IT IS ABOUT TIME FOR ANOTHER ONE.

I ACTUALLY DO SO MUCH BETTER SELLING ON EBAY. I HAVE MADE CLOSE TO $2000 THIS YEAR JUST SELLING MY KIDS CLOTHES THAT THEY OUTGROW. TRY THAT... IT IS GREAT.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: ptfunds on June 11, 2012, 05:42:37 pm
I find that garage sales/flea markets are one of those things that people either love to do or not.  Yes, you don't make much an hour at a yard sale if you have all low end stuff.  However, it can be a fun way to pass the day with friends and make a little pocket change.  More if you have some pricier items to sell.  My son and I did a lot of this when he was younger and had a great time doing it. We went to Flea Markets too. He still enjoys it today.  We were a great match as we have the same philosophy.  Our goal was to sell everything. There wasn't anything we were interested in bringing back inside. So we sold cheap and sold a lot.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: bbazemore on June 11, 2012, 08:39:20 pm
My father passed away and I've been thinking about having a yard sale. The only thing that slows me down is thinking about all my dad's $ 300 - $ 500 suits going for as little as $ 5 - $ 10 possibly.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: cwillard1 on June 11, 2012, 08:48:27 pm
Garage sales are great if you have a good location where people can find you with no problems.   If  they cannot find you even with signs then no good.  Signs are a big part of it and balloons to show the street etc.  Your lucky if you live on a busy street just put out a sign and there you go.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: ljrjess69 on June 12, 2012, 03:44:56 am
i like going to garage sales,,but i do dont like having them  :cat:
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: pkrahmer on June 12, 2012, 04:11:23 am
I'm not crazy about yard or garage sales. They are tons of work to set up. I would rather get rid of my stuff then collect more.
There are lots of organizations local thrift shops, salvation army,homeless shelters etc that can use the items that I prefer to donate. :wave: :peace:
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: jenniferhoder on June 12, 2012, 04:16:00 am
I am sorry to hear that.... I can't have garage sales out by me b/c we are out in the middle of NOWHERE and that means NO ONE would come.... I just donate and I find it less stressful! Again, sorry to hear that!! :BangHead: :BangHead:
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: tigerlilly01 on June 12, 2012, 04:22:21 am
I love GOING to yard sales but not so much having them.   I use to enjoy it but now it just seems like a LOT of work.  I did recently have one for two days.  It was mostly my mother in-law that wanted to have the sale ... at my home because of our location.  She did great !!  made around $400 - $500 but I only managed to get around $68.  But it was $68 more than I had before and I got to get rid of a bunch of junk in my house  ;D
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: kjstrukel on June 12, 2012, 06:47:22 am
My father passed away and I've been thinking about having a yard sale. The only thing that slows me down is thinking about all my dad's $ 300 - $ 500 suits going for as little as $ 5 - $ 10 possibly.

Or worse, someone asking if you will take $.50 for them.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: gaylasue on June 12, 2012, 07:24:50 am
I hate yard sales!  I've had two in my life and want no more.  My niece had one last year to help make money for college expenses and can you believe some old women stopped and stole things from her!  A car full pulled up and when they left, she noticed several things had been taken.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: ssmsurvey on June 12, 2012, 07:47:50 am
They seem to be more fun to shop than to host, however, the sale I had 7 weeks ago went pretty well: $130 for one day. No matter how much I donate to Goodwill it has never been enough to get any type of tax benefit. Garage sales are a hassle but hosting 1 every decade seems okay to me.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: hicaniplay on June 12, 2012, 07:49:16 am
I hate yard sales!  I've had two in my life and want no more.  My niece had one last year to help make money for college expenses and can you believe some old women stopped and stole things from her!  A car full pulled up and when they left, she noticed several things had been taken.

I've had this happen, not with a little old lady though, but with a group where one distracts you asking about price while another takes off with something. Don't realize it's gone till they are.


My mother had one too. I think she said it was a man, wanting to buy a salt and pepper shaker of cats but not pay the price. So he stole one and came back the next day to see if my mom would sell the remaining one for half price! She didn't lol and he bought that one for full price.
So no biggy, but the nerve!



So I'm generally not too keen on hosting them. I do occasionally go to them (almost always with my mom or sister, who both like to catch deals) and who I can leave any negotiating stuff to, as that's really not my thing. :P I'm a browser at heart.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: lvstephanie on June 12, 2012, 09:08:17 am
If you can write off the donations (for some people the amount they'd get for itemizing their deductions from donations won't be over the standard deduction so they'd be better off just taking the standard), then I think it depends on whether you want the money now or can hold off until tax season. It may not be as much by selling at a garage sale, but then the money is immediate. The last sale I had was a disaster. The neighborhood was having their neighborhood sales so we took a part of that. But the weekend that was chosen was cold and rainy all day (just hovering in the low 40s with a constant drizzle), so no one was out buying. Also since I'm living alone (the "we" above is that a friend also put up some of her stuff for sale too) I had to work all day weekdays; I was able to take that Friday off for the sale, but unlike other neighbors I wasn't able to have a sale on that Thursday too. I think after accounting for all of the supplies for tagging the items and making signs for the roads, I took in only about $20.

I also think garage sales are good if you have kids (at least kids that can be entertained for a few hours). I went to one and the kids were busy selling their toys. They were learning how to be a salesperson, how to handle money and give correct change, they got to do some craft work by making signs and other decorations, they learned how to bake (they had cookies for sale as well), and in general learned how to give away their possessions that they no longer used.

I like going to garage sales, esp. for CDs and books, but it sometimes is a waste of a day... Some weekends I'll spend the whole morning on Saturday driving around from garage sale to garage sale coming across all sorts of baby clothes (too bad I'm childless), but nothing for me. Then again, even if I don't buy anything, it's nice to be able to drive around listening to my favorite CD and just enjoying the nice weather.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: reiddb on June 12, 2012, 09:12:25 am
That is EXACTLY how I felt!  It was a ridiculous waste of time and I probably made as much!  Everything is already dirt cheap and many came in asking half price for what was already enormously cheap!  Rotton waste of time and energy!
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: LenoraMinogue on June 12, 2012, 11:28:13 am
Yeah, I prefer donating myself, but sometimes garage sales can be better. My cousin was moving and it was easier for him to just have the garage sale than try to donate all the clutter he had gathered.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: bobes915 on June 12, 2012, 11:33:04 am
Garage sales can be fun if you enjoy doing them or can be good if you are moving.  If you are looking to make a lot of money, you will probably be disappointed.  Donating your items definitely saves time. 
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: blondie71 on June 12, 2012, 11:34:15 am
I use to own a collectable store with new and used clothing and collectables.  I use to run yard sales to get people to come in and I was pretty low on some of the yard sale stuff and I felt they wanted it for nothing, the same with the stuff inside, I ran sales all the time all the way to 50% off I think I got my stuff (Avon) stolen more than I sold I ended up closing the store it I was not making a profit and I would have to get money out of my personal account to pay the bills.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: Skyisbluetoday on June 12, 2012, 11:49:10 am
I love yard sales! Sometime's you can find great deals! The idea of a yard sale is to get rid of stuff for cheap, and yes people don't want to pay a lot for used stuff!
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: maxinmotion on June 12, 2012, 12:26:35 pm
I like going to yard sales more than I like having one. Once we had a yard sale and sold mostly electronics we made a little over $300. We even sold a good working dell computer for only $25.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: Tere2 on June 12, 2012, 04:15:24 pm
I have yard sales two or three times a year. My friends bring me their unwanted stuff or left overs from their sales. It is hard work but I can always use that extra cash.
Title: Re: NEVER again!
Post by: hicaniplay on June 12, 2012, 06:40:57 pm
What a coincidence, this article was on the front page of Yahoo news:

Tips from the Garage Sale Millionaire - http://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-lamp-tips-garage-sale-161539154.html (http://Tips from the Garage Sale Millionaire - http://finance.yahoo.com/news/much-lamp-tips-garage-sale-161539154.html)

As some commented though, dunno how much of that million is really from sales and how much from the book he wrote about garage sales :P