I want to begin this series by explaining WHY I shop yard sales (and why YOU should shop yard sales too!)
1. The prices
Yep, the prices get me every time. Picture frames for 50¢ – $1, clothes for $1, milk glass (yes, my glorious milk glass!) for $1-3, jewelry for 75¢ – $1, home décor for $1-5, furniture for $3, toys for 25¢ – $1, and I could go on and on….
Some of my yard sale finds throughout our home…
I shop yard sales because I like the prices! Not only do I like the prices, I can afford the prices. Well, most of the time – sometimes things are overpriced (just like you find some mall stores overpriced) but most of the time, things are dirt cheap. I don’t have an unlimited budget for the “wants” or even the needs in life so being able to find things for the fraction of the price allows me buy things I need and things I want with very little money. Being a good steward of our money is very important to us.
2. The selection
Not only are the prices usually dirt cheap, but the selection of items that you can find at yard sales are ENDLESS! Seriously, you can pretty much buy ANYTHING at a yard sale – clothes, home décor, electronics, kitchen gadgets, baskets, linens, furniture, toys, educational items, exercise equipment, bikes, outdoor décor, holiday items, jewelry, gifts… I am not exactly sure what you CAN’T buy at a yard sale. And remember those dirt cheap prices? Yep, imagine buying pretty much anything and everything that you want or need at dirt cheap prices.
But not only can you pretty much find anything you can buy in stores, you can find things you CAN’T buy in stores. Unusual things, things that are long gone from being sold in stores, things you could never afford at a name brand store. That is another great thing to me – I can’t walk into Wal-mart and buy milk glass but I can find it all the time at yard sales.
3. The fun
Yes, it is FUN! The fun of the search. The fun of imagining the “after” of something I see. The fun of finding something at a dirt cheap price. Being able to shop my heart out and not spend a fortune. Enjoying the spring and summer weather while browsing.
Coffee table I bought for $3 at a yard sale and refinished for our living room.
I love shopping yard sales! It excites my frugal heart and beautifies my home on a dime!
Make sure to come back next Monday as we will talk about when and where to find good sales.
So how about you?
Why do you shop yard sales?
And if you don’t shop yard sales, why not?
{cj}
I TOTALLY love yard sales too! Excited for your new series! You always do such a great job!
me too! thanks! 🙂
I’d love to do a few yard sales this year. We just don’t live in a good area to browse yard sales or host them. I’ve hosted one yard sale in the nearly nine years that we’ve been married. When it was all said and done, we made very little money considering the time we put into it. Since then, we either donate to families in our church/our local mission or we sale items on craigslist/ebay. It has worked much better for us. BUT, I love to see what others are able to find…and try not to be jealous. 🙂 Should be a good series.
hmmm- and I thought my area was not the greatest! I am sure you could find some! I used to think my area wasn’t good till I found my parking lot yard sale and then realized I just needed to look harder 🙂
I’m a big fan of yard sales, too — many of my treasures were found in someone’s “trash” 😉
You have a good selection too, I see; Your coffee table is fabulous — and only $3?! — what a find!!
I would love to find some “trash” on the side of the road and transform it 🙂 I am keeping my eyes peeled 🙂
I am a HUGE fan!!! I very rarely shop Goodwill for clothes. Cannot pay $2.49 for a kids article of clothing when I know I am sure to find it for 25 cents at a yard sale. Purchased all 3 of my kiddos summer wardrobe for this year at yard sales last summer and am looking forward to doing it again this year! Have a couple dates and big subdivision sales already calendered in! Super excited! I love how you put pictures up with the prices you got them for! It really is fun when someone looks around and says, “Wow, where did you get that? How much was it?” And, you can smile and say, “At a yard sale for a $1!” Don’t have much in my home that isn’t from a yard sale!
Love this series you are doing! (:
I am so with you on $2.49 for USED kids clothes!?? I mean maybe a fancy church dress?? but even then, you can sometimes find those for $1 at yard sales. and yes, my home has gone through a transformation in the last 2-3 years since I have started shopping Goodwill and yard sales with a different mindset. My home actually looks BETTER and more expensive but yet, I look around and say that was $1 or $3 from the flea market 🙂 LOVE!
I too love the hunt yard sales, flea markets, estate sales and some thrift stores-Good for you saving moolah that is great!!!!
oh me too! what are some of you fun finds? 🙂
I need a baby sitter on Saturday mornings!! This is my first yard sale season with 2 kids (3 years old & 8 months old). My husband works nights so he needs to sleep on Sat mornings, I’m going through yard sale withdraw!!! Seriously love your finds, I would die to find a topiary like that!! 🙂
🙂 I hear ya! maybe find a friend and trade off Saturdays – one week you go, the next week she goes and you watch each other kids 🙂
I don’t yard sale b/c of the timing! Early Saturday morning just isn’t when I wanna get up early and leave the house! I think I might though if I had your parking lot sale, cuz you’re right the prices compared to thrifting are crazy!
I hear ya! I am DEFINITELY NOT a 7 am yard sale shopper 🙂 thankfully my parking lot yardsale isn’t set up until 8 am or so and I am not usually there until 9 and still find good stuff.
maybe Fri late morning?? if you were brave enough to take the kids 😉
I found a Longaberger basket with all the goodies for $1.00 and I have found lot’s of antique perfume bottles and dresser items, some majolica pottery and some beautiful Charleston SC watercolors-those are the best
oh wow! sounds like some great finds!
I go the same route as Heather as far as having my own sale. Would rather donate. But I don’t have young children’s clothes or toys, and all the etc. that goes with that era of life to sell. But, I LOVE to shop them, it is such a TREASURE hunt!