How to Bargain at Yard/garage Sales

Member

By creativewhiz
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (23 Ratings)

Bargain at Yard/garage Sales

Garage/Yard Sale shopping has always been a hobby of mine. It's a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. With today's economy, more people are opting to go exploring on the weekend mornings. The goal of this article is to help you bargain and find the best deals when you go garage/yard sale shopping.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Utilize craigslist (www.craigslist.com), the news paper, or signs stating when, where, how long, and what kind of garage/yard sale people are having. The best ones are moving sale if your looking for furnitures.
Step 2

The time of day you visit is very important. If you are looking for variety, go the first hour (if possible) of the sale. If your looking to get items at their cheapest prices, go toward the last hour of the sale. People are having garage sales to get rid of items that they no longer need or as an alternative way to generate income. Chances are, if you do not buy what they have by the end of the sale, they will end up being donated. So do not be afraid to bargain. Bargaining works the BEST when their sale is almost done, but try it anytime in between the hours of the sale - you just might be surprised how cheap you could get items for!
Step 3

Now for the bargaining. The first trick is to bundle. Gather what you want to buy and head for the "cashier." Ask them what deals they would be wiling to give you if you bought everything you're carrying. They normally will take a couple dollars off the bundle. Another way to approach bundling is to go to the cashier and ASK if you could get everything for $3-$5 dollars off what they're normally asking. Most of the time they'll be hesitant but will oblige. If not, go back when they're almost close and ask for a lower deal or the same deal. They're more likely to oblige if they did not earlier because the unsold items will end up being donated - and putting on a garage/yard sale is very exhausting. Bargaining for single items takes a little bit more charm. Smile and ask the seller how the sale is going, how their day is so far, if you notice toys and you have children, relate to them. Then ask them if they would be so kind as to give you the deal you want. If not, well, you might have just made a neighborhood friend anyways!
Step 4

Always be courteous and charming. Being too meek, over confident, aggressive or rude will lessen the chances of getting the deal you asked for. Remember, not everyone will comply to giving you the deal you want, and it's okay, in the world of bargain shopping, you win some you lose some. You do have to swallow your pride a little by asking for a better deal at a garage/yard sale, but remember that the money you save could be used to pay other bills.
Step 5

HAVE FUN!