besighyawn/Flickr
Today I had the chance to arrive at a great yard sale just as the people were bringing out the boxes. I picked up about 60 dollars of future presents for about 10 bucks. First to arrive is one of the best times to get great deals at a yard sale. But, it isn’t the only time.
There are distinct advantages and disadvantages to shopping at various times during a yard sale. These rules also apply if you are going to an indoor yard sale!
First-to-arrive
Pro – If you are the first person to arrive at a yard sale, you will have the pick of all the best stuff. This can range from unopened gift items to collectibles. Believe me, the people who sell antiques and collectibles are on hand several hours before the noted starting time, looking to snatch up some deals.
Con – Sometimes if you arrive too early, much of the merchandise isn’t even out of the garage yet. It usually takes most people at least an hour to get all of their stuff out. Sometimes they remember items as late as 3 or 4 hours into the sale.
Biggest Con – At the beginning of a sale, people have an inflated idea of what their stuff is worth. You will pay top dollar for items if you arrive early.
Mid-sale
Pro – You arrive during a busy portion of the sale. Most people have their mathematical skills taxed by this time, so they are willing to give you a better price if you buy a lot of items. Also, all of the merchandise is out of the house.
If you arrive during a lull in the middle of the day, everyone is laid back. They have gotten past the big morning rush. Whew! They want a rest and are willing to give you a pretty good price.
Con – If there are still several hours of the sale left, the sellers might still be holding out for a top dollar price. Most of the really good stuff is gone and now you have to pick through what is left. I consider this the worst time to yard sale.
End of Sale
Pro – Everyone is tired and just wants to be done. You can get rock bottom prices on whatever you want. Many times, the seller is willing to give things to you for free just to get rid of the stuff.
Con – The merchandise is picked over. However, I have found wonderful gems during End of Sale shopping.
Whatever time you land at a yard sale, remember to limit yourself to what you intended to spend. Just because it is a yard sale doesn’t mean that you can’t ruin your budget. Determine ahead of time how much you are going to spend during your yard saling and don’t go over that limit. There will always be another day with another sale.
If you get lucky, you may even run into a celebrity at a garage sale. How fun!
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
I’d like to add one more thing based on the experience we had on the one garage sale we held ourselves last year. Whatever time you land at a yard sale, be nice and kind to the people who are holding the sale. We had a few obnoxious visitors which put a dent on an otherwise great experience. We actually met a bunch of nice people from the neighborhood which was an added benefit for holding a garage sale.
I will also add that you should not insult the seller by trying to get them down TOO much on the price. If I were asking $1 for something and someone asks to pay 10 cents for it, I refuse just from principal. But if they offer 75 cents, that’s fair bargaining.
It really depends on how the garage sale is advertised as well. If it’s just a neighborhood thing, sometimes mid-day is an okay time to do things. And you can also negotiate. Always always negotiate. Kinda like pawn shops.
That is so true, barclaymg. Negotiating at garage sales is almost a given. Of course, that means sellers may artificially raise prices so they can lower them in negotiations. Buyers feel they they are getting a deal, and stuff sells!
Great post! My only advice as an antique dealer and flea markets’ treasures hunter is whether to decide to arrive late or early at a garage sale clearly depends on whether you’re shopping for fun or for bucks.
“The future belongs to those who wake up early” – every saturday/sunday I wake up around 4am to get the best finds possible at the flea market. That’s true that most of the time the merchandise isn’t even out of the box yet, but sometimes that’s ok for the seller if you search directly in the boxes. You can be sure you’ll be the first to find THAT great item no one else will have found before.
And that’s no surprise, without boasting, that I regularly pick an average of 5 to 10 really great items every week-end (you can check my latest finds in the section “The Catch Of The Day” of my blog: http://www.fleamarketinsiders.52ndwest.com/?s=catch+of+the+day&x=0&y=0).
Alternatively I really much enjoy sometime showing up late at a flea market or a garage sale just to enjoy from the atmosphere of the place, grab a coffee, and walk between the stands.
So there’s not a better method than an other. It’s just a question of what your motivation is when you decide to go to a garage sale 🙂
If you want to find the best bargain or deal you have to come early in order to compete with the early birds for the most valuable and hard to find items. If you want just any cheapo item at the end of the sale day things are practically given away so its a give and take situation.