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Garage Sales - Love 'Em or Hate 'Em ?


Ann

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I just spent two long days coping with having a garage sale and I don't think I can live through ever having another. The first part of the week was spent pricing, duting things off and deciding what I could sell and what I just couldn't part with. On Friday morning, I got up before daybreak and began preparing myself for the day. When I raised my garage door to set up tables (7:10 am) there were already two men there, asking me if I had tools, guns or old coins for sale. That was a foolish question because if I had guns, I would have used them at that hour of the morning...LOL! The sale was advertised to begin at 8:00 am. Finally, after many such interruptions, I was ready. But...in less than two hours, I was at my wits end and ready to close the garage door. I have a really hard time with all the bargaining and haggleing that goes on at these sales. I love to shop garage sales and if I feel something is worth the persons asking price, I buy. Otherwise, I pass. But... after praying for patience and constantly reminding myse;f that I need to get rid of this stuff and I need any extra money after being laid off for three months, I continued on. This morning, I piled all the leftovers in my car and headed off to Goodwill with a big smile on my face!!!

So...this is why there have been no GTKY questions for the past few days.

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No reason why we can't turn this into a GTKY question. Or was that your plan for tomorrow, Ann?

I don't haggle over prices on anything, including cars. If I like something and the price seems ok, then I'll buy it. This is the kind of shopper Ann needed. I haven't gone to a garage sale in years and years. I've never had one and don't think I ever will.

My mother did years ago and loved it. People really wanted the "jelly glasses." Those decorated, cheap glasses that jelly was sold in. Finally, she ran out and was sad she didn't have more to sell.

One of my aunts loved garage sales so much, she'd organize and run them for anyone - just for the fun of it.

So, do you love them or hate them and have you ever made a really great purchase at one?

Muriel

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I hear ya, Ann.

I love going to garage sales and don't EVER ask to have it for dirt cheap. But everytime I ever had one, people would ask for me to just about pay them to take it.

Plus - always did mine with my sister and I love her to death, but she always came late, left early and then her unsold crap at my house for weeks.

Now I just give my stuff to charity and for household items, we have a great resale shop I bring them to. My garage sale days are OVER!!!

Patti B.

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Muriel...I really love to shop at other people's garage sales but after this weekend, I hate hosting my own.

I have found some nice treasures at sales. You just have to know what to look for ahead of time and do a little bit of homework and you can fing some great little treasures. I was just talking to a friend this morning about the popularity of Pyrex bowls and dishes. I so wish I had kept all of those big, colorful Pyrex bowls of my moms. I found a Pyrex Chip 'n Dip set in perfect condition at a garage sale a coupld of weeks ago for $1.00. It was the blue delphite with the gold grapes on the front of both bowls. I looked on line when I got home and found an average price is about $50.00.

I know everyone loves a bargain but looking is half the fun. I just hate it when something that you paid $20 for is marked 50 cents and then someone wants it for a quarter!!!

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I have one once a year. But this is my last year as I really need the space in the garage. So I promised Joel this was my last.

I usually make around $300.00 Which I think is good, but this is my last.

Maryanne :wink:

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Garage sales are so much work and then they're over so fast. I haven't had one in years, I've been taking my stuff to Goodwill. I have to have one this year though-- there's too much to even haul away. I usually only do it one day, at the end of the day anything not sold is hauled away.

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Got disgusted with ''Garage Sales''

when we went to one in the country

and found out that people were selling

articles that they had ''BEG'' us to

give to them..........

I had a field day telling people

what I was thinking of them.

Mike even wanted to buy back some

of our own stuff.........

We moved happily from there.

Jackie

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Are they a pain in the butt, absolutely. Do they create a ton of space, most definitely. We did one about 2 or three years ago. In my mind if it's in the sale, It's gotta go, so you could offer me just about anything for it and it's your's, because then I don't have to haul it to the goodwill, only to be told they don't take this, and they don't take that. We're talking about doing one this year with a neighbor, to get rid of a lot of the kids stuff. That will be hard, becasue we have millions of baby clothes, usually high quality, that were barely even worn, so I'll have a hard time with that. As for Jack's old toys, take them, take them take them. I want my basement space back.

I don't ever go to them. although, when Jack was first born, I got a high chairs and cribs for my parents and Col's parents houses. So that was good. I can't just wander around looking at stuff if i don't need anything.

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I'm not cut out for running a garage sale, I learned that last summer. My friends and I had one to raise money for the one friend's marathon for the leukemia/lymphoma society. This year we are doing it again to support my ride for the Livestrong Foundation. Last year we raised $520, it was a really great result. However, I found myself going crazy at the people who tried to bargain me down from that 50 cents for a book. IT'S FOR CHARITY, cough up the 50 cents. :) We decided I'm better at being in the background, sort of the muscle of the operation, moving things around when needed.

Years ago my mother had a house sale after my dad died and we were moving from our 6 bedroom house to, well no where actually, moving in with my sister Kelly until we could figure something out. I was not coping well so I slept in. They had the stairs to our 2nd floor blocked with a table and some couple just moved that table and went up and browsed. They told my mum - "you know, there is someone passed out in a bed up there!!!". Poor Mum was like THAT'S MY DAUGHTER, GET OUT OF HER ROOM!. It was quite an experience.

I think I'll need to take a day or two off work to recover from our Livestrong yard sale this May.

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