Score big with these tips at your next garage sale

By Noah Forker

When spring cleaning comes around, we all love to go to garage sales. While they may be a great chance to get some sweet deals on used items, they can also be a place of people ripping you off. To avoid getting ripped off and buying stuff you don’t need or buying something not in the condition you want, follow the following tips.

The first tip I would give is, if possible, ask to test a product. Sometimes people put something back in the box to make it look like its new. However, this is a common trick to make you pay a price for something less than its value. So, if you are able to, ask to take it out of the box and test it somehow. If it is not possible, go with your gut.

The second tip I would give is to get something before it’s gone. If you see something you really, really want, get it! If you hesitate for a moment, someone else might buy it. Just make sure you don’t buy just to buy. If you see something you want, but don’t need, don’t buy it. However if you see something you want and you think you’ll use, go for it. Consider both sides of this tip before buying an item.

The final tip I would give is, try to lower the price. Sometimes, though rarely, at a garage sale, the seller is willing to group items together for one price. This is rare, but it’s still worth checking. There is also a chance if it’s the last day that they’ll lower prices to get rid of stuff. Also, if you go on the last day, there is a better chance of grouping prices to be more likely.

When considering what to buy at a garage sale, first consider if you need or want it. Then consider if it’s in the right condition. Finally, consider the price to your budget and discuss if it’s possible to lower it. With these tip summaries and the others listed above, I can guarantee that you will have a fun time at your next garage sale.