Yard sales, are they really worth it?

[Butch Ammon]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Garage sales and yard sales are okay. Lord only knows what you'll find in them.<br /><br />I have been to a few, but don't constantly stop at every single one. Neither does the wife. We have enough junk of our own! <br /><br />Anyway, true story: My sister stopped at a yard sale up in NY a few years ago. No biggie, just your common, everyday, yard sale... My sister spotted a used wooden clarinet with hard case up on a table. She used to play clarinet way way back in school. The clarinet looked in good condition and all the parts/pieces were intact. So, my sister picked it up for (get this) $25.00! When she got home, she carefully started cleaning it up a bit and realized that it is made of deep mahogany or whatever the professional clarinet's are made of. Further cleaning revealed the make, model, and serial number. She took it to a music store to inquire more about it, and discovered that it was made in 1947 or 1948 and is estimated to be worth about $3500! My sister flipped out and couldn't believe she paid only $25 bucks for it! <br /><br />So, long story short, you never know what you'll find in a garage sale!<br /><br />Butch A.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Originally posted by gaugeguy:<br />

Originally posted by SBN:<br />Well little buddy, which ones you looking for and I will see if I can locate for you.<br />

1910 T-206. I'm willing to pay upwards of 10 bucks if it is in mint condition <br /><br /> http://www.go-star.com/antiquing/hwagner2.htm

Yea GG, you and me both, but I don't think I will be paying 1 million + for a trading card, but I will let you know if and when I find one so you can.

 

[11 footer]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

We've never had one, and never will.<br /><br />They arn't very popular around here, when I do see one I don't look.<br /><br />When I go to Maine in the summer I see a lot of yard sales, everyone in Maine has them. Sometimes I'll look at them, but only because being on the water they always have boating related stuff.

 

[Roger Rose]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

I quit having them, we donate to the local drop in center now.<br />Yard sale of yard sales in the one called the " Longest Yard Sale in America" It starts in Covinton Ky. on US 27 and follows US 27 all the way to Gasden Alabama. I think its in August this year and lasts for about 9 days now. We did part of it 2 years ago and had a blast. Met a lot of great people, a lot of grills fired up and selling hot dogs and burgers everywhere. Ended up with some real great deals on some antiques. It's unbelievable!!

 

[Bob in Calif.]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

I love garage/yard sales. We had a quite large one some years back. We did really on ggetting rid a lot of decent stuff and we were elated to have our motorhome to one of the "Lookie-Lou's", for our asking price.<br /><br />I am constantly looking for outboard's at these sales. I redue what is needes and turn them over. I make a few tax free $$$ and somebody gets a great deal.<br /><br />My best buy ever at a sale, was my 1985, 18' Grumman aluminum center console boat. It came with an 1989 Evinrude, 75hp "Stinger" engine, that was professionaly converted to a 20" shaft, The engine has less than 30 hours total time, since new. It also has a live well, under the console seat and a depth sounder/fishfinder, etc. It also came on a galvanized trailer, in mid-life condition.<br /><br />The setup was left over from an estate sale and was sold to me by the lawer who was storing the boat, etc., in his barn for about 5 years. The lawyer used it twice, then winterized it, then it sat.<br /><br />The boat and trailer came with Calif. clear titles.<br /><br />To make a long story short, this was the best $500.00 I ever spent in my life!!!!!!! <br /><br /> ...Smilin' Bob in Calif...

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Yard sales work quite well if you advertise. Usually free listings in local papers. Put up signs (please take them down when you are done) around town, that sort of thing. Also, keep a close eye on your ‘junk’. Yard sales are notorious for attracting people with sticky fingers. Losing the stuff doesn’t bother me near as much as the dishonesty of the people and their sticky fingers.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

It time for me to have another blowout everything must go garage sale. My last one netted me about $500 for my crap and the better half raked in about $400 for her crap. We have built up more crap, like extra TVs and stuff like that. The basement is stacked with junk like tables and dining room set and junk like that. Time for it to go. Whatever doesn't sell will go to charity.

 

[rolmops]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Man I love garage sales,other people's that is.I picked up my 1962 ducktwin for 25 dollars and, after cleaning it with water and soap, it turned out to be a beauty<br />I tried doing my own.The early birds arrived around seven in the morning actually ringing my doorbell.Add to that all the good folks who want something for nothing...Still I do like like wondering and rummaging through the neighborhood sales where a whole street is holding a super garage sale.

 

[miloman]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

my wife and I tried a few years back. We moved a massive amount of C&^P outside only to sell about 20% of it. I moved it back into the garage where it sat for 4 months. I hired a bin and threw it all out. Now every 3 years or so we do that. Its so much easier.

 

[one more cast]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

gaugeguy,<br /> I had a bunch of JUNK? to get rid of but didn't want to mess with a sale so I just put 5-10 items at a time out by the road with a FREE sign and 99% of the stuff went. and I live out in the boonies. There is always someone that can use what you don't want. It always seems that when you have a sale that only about 1/2 of the stuff sells.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Where I live we have one day a year in which you can put up to 3 cubic yards of anything out to be picked up (free!) by the garbage company. It’s a lot of fun…like dumpster-diving, but without the dumpster. You can walk around the stuff , look at it, touch it, and take what you want! I take the neighbor’s stuff , they take someone else’s stuff , who took stuff from another pile…it’s a stuff swapping fest and a good time had by all!!!<br /><br />Next year I will put out the stuff I collected this year from my neighbors’ stuff piles. And down the street I will see neighbors putting out the stuff I originally put out in years past. It’s a circle that never goes away…

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

It was more hassle than it was worth. We got rid of a bunch of my stuff, made about $300 which we gave to the kids. But a lot of junk didn't sell (mostly baby items, clothes, toys, cribs and strollers). So I decide to pack it all in the truck and donate it to Good-Will. They wouldn't accept it I could see not accepting the toys, pieces missing or a little weatered. But the cribs and strollers were like brand new, there may have been a scratch--but what the heck do poor people care if a stroller has a scratch <br /><br />So I said the heck with donating the stuff. I brought it to a housing project and unloaded it with the big "FREE--TAKE ME" sign. Before I even had my truck half way unloaded, people were there taking stuff, even helping me unload my truck.<br /><br />Thankfully, the boss didn't think it was worth it either, so hopefully there will be no more of them!

 

[lakelover]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Yeah, real easy to get rid of stuff with the old "FREE" sign. I've never had anything last more than half a day out by the road, your junk is someones else's treasure.<br /><br />Among other things, I've gotten rid of:<br /><br />Old AC that didnt' work=usually you pay to dispose of; Several pieces of furniture, kids' toys, TV, VCR, lawn mower...you name it, some one will take it! And believe me, when I get rid of something....it's well used!

 

[Carphunter]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Well guageguy, what do you expect. I can just see some of the "stuff" you were probably trying to sell, lets see; <br />1 - Very used back hair trimmer.<br />3 - pairs of toenail clippers, (with case), not really made for nails that are 1/2" thick.<br />8 - pairs of "Fruit of the Loom" briefs, (or tighty whiteys.........well, not so white now).<br />1 - pair of broken nose hair clippers, (seems they had seen some heavy usage).<br />1 - PSE Bow, (looks like it had been thrown a lot).<br />24 - Used arrows. (I would assume that these hit rocks after buck fever set in).<br />1 - Brand new deer cart. (Looks as though it was straight out of the box and never used).<br />3 - Pre-ripped Hulk Hogan T-shirts. (Hey, he was popular in the 80's).<br />1 - A-Team lunch box. <br />5 - Pair of parachute pants. ('cause you just bought some new ones).<br />3 - Rod Stewart 8-tracks. (Seems you prefer Barry Manilow(sp) now).<br /><br />........and last but not least, one slightly used Wife. C'mon guageguy, she's priceless.

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

I would never sell my PSE, it's a critter killer <br /><br />Would have been nice to get rid of the Carpy turkey call, but that was the only thing that survived the "free pile" wrestlemania. Some of those old ladies can really fight if they want something bad enough <br /><br />Had a "make offer" sign on the wife, nobody wanted to pay cash, did get a lot of laughs though.

 

[oddjob]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

Where I live we have one day a year in which you can put up to 3 cubic yards of anything out to be picked up (free!) by the garbage company. It’s a lot of fun…like dumpster-diving, but without the dumpster. You can walk around the stuff , look at it, touch it, and take what you want

Down here they call it "Bulk Trash Day". Its scheduled once a month.<br /><br />I stumbled into a neighborhood a week ago and picked up a refigerator for the garage and a nice white leather chair that only needed a good cleaning.<br /><br />I usually take all my clothes to a good will drop on my way to work. A few weeks ago I picked up three twead sport coats for 4 bucks each, one of them 100% silk. This was at a good will store up in Ft. Lauderdale.

 

[tylerin]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

1 - Very used back hair trimmer.<br />

I know Carps interested in those...just in case the head lice goes south

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

wife bought me a brand new stanley 48" level at<br />garbage sale yesterday for $4.00

 

[gaugeguy]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

My wife likes to go to them also, and she has come home with some good scores for me, rods and reels, tree stands, coca-cola collectible bottles, and my favorites...antique tools and antique block and tackles which I decorate the inside of my breezeway with.

 

[tylerin]

Re: Yard sales, are they really worth it?

which I decorate the inside of my breezeway with.

Is there still room