Saving money requires you to try all possible ways to reduce your expenses through budgeting. To reduce your expenses, however, becomes easier if you can rethink your priorities and buy only what you need at the lowest prices possible. One smart way to pay less is to buy used products at garage sales.
Garage sales take place everywhere regardless of where you live. People are always on the move and they are willing to take what is given to get rid of their products. For this reason, garage sales are the perfect places to shop if you want to reduce your expenses and save money.
In this article, I have put together a list of 10 things you should buy at garage sales in order to save money. Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Furniture
Furniture is some of those things that get passed around to multiple people for many years until they are no longer useful. They last longer and serve the same purpose whether you buy them new or old.
Buying new furniture is never a good idea especially when you want to have a frugal life or simply save money. They (furniture) are expensive and they add no extra value to your place except that you feel good about yourself.
If you want to save money like me, start buying used furniture from garage sales. What I like about garage sales is that most owners buy furniture when they are new and keep them for a long time. When it comes to getting rid of them, they usually sell them at once. This makes it perfect for those who want to furnish their houses.
For example, you can have a complete set of tables, chairs, and couches designed to go together at a fraction of the price.
The next time you want to buy furniture, do not go to your nearest high-end furniture store. Instead, look for garage sales in your area and see what they have to offer.
2. Buy tools from garage sales
Buying new tools is always expensive and probably not a good idea. Stores sell tools at high prices which make it difficult for you to save money.
How can you get around this issue? Buy them from garage sales. There are many people who buy tools and never use them, especially those who purchase on impulse.
There are many times I ended up buying new tools fresh out of the box at a 90% discount. Why? The owners bought tools a while ago, never returned them, and at the same time, never used them.
5 years later, they realize that they no longer need them. So, they decide to sell them. Since they cannot return them or throw them away, they end up selling them at a huge discount just to get rid of them.
That is how I end up buying them at a much lower price compared to what I could have paid If I bought them brand new from the store.
3. Vintage toys and jewerly are cheaper at garage sales
If you are a toy collector or jewelry collector, you know how expensive they can get. At garage sales, you can find vintage toys and pieces of jewelry at much cheaper prices.
The other reason you should consider buying vintage toys and jewelry at garage sales is that they are rare. Some vintage toys and jewelry cannot be found in many stores, and if you find them, they will be too expensive. Some toys have been circulating in one family for generations which makes them impossible to find.
This is why garage sales are great places to look when you are looking for vintage toys and jewelry. Some of the owners cannot even tell the current value of their toys. As a result, you could end up flipping them later and earn a good return on investment (ROI).
4. Flatware and cooking appliances
Flatware is one of those things that you don’t necessarily need to buy new. Old appliances and new ones look the same achieve the same functionalities. That is why I always choose to buy used flatware and cooking appliances at garage sales.
Another good reason you should buy these appliances at garage sales is that you get them in bundles at a huge discount. Hence giving you a chance to own so much for little money.
5. Barware cost less at garage sales
Barware that stays in a family for a while usually has high quality. This is because settled families prefer good-quality items that will last longer. Cups, glasses, and bottles are great items you can buy from a garage sale.
You can tell how important something is by inspecting the emotional attachments from its owners. They usually don’t want to get rid of them due to memories they have with them and their qualities. At the same time, they have to let them go due to downsizing, moving to other locations, or simply raising money.
6. Original artworks
Collecting art can sometimes be a very rewarding hobby. Knowing what to collect, however, is a different story. This is why it is a good idea to take your time and visit many garage sales. The more places you visit, the higher the chances you will come across something valuable.
Original artworks are great as they last longer and their values can go much higher over time. If you want to collect art and save money at the same time, start looking at garage sales. Once you find what you like, you will pay less money for high-quality artwork.
7. Towels and apparels
Towels are one of those things that can last an entire lifetime. The problem with towels is that they are sometimes expensive when you buy them brand-new straight from the store.
The answer is to get them from a garage sale. People who are moving or downsizing choose to sell everything they have in an effort to adapt to a new lifestyle. Usually, people especially old people downsize to smaller houses that require less maintenance, are much cheaper and are convenient.
For this reason, it makes sense for them to get rid of most of their towels and apparel. This is why you should consider shopping at garage sales before you buy overpriced towels and apparel at stores.
8. Buy plants at garage sales
Plants are not friendly for people who are moving or relocating to different places. It is hard to pack them since nothing can go on top of them. In addition, if the plants are bigger they cannot fit in the car.
That is why most people who are moving or downsizing prefer to sell their plants. If you are a person who happens to collect plants, consider buying them at a discount at a garage sale. It is also possible to get the plants you need for free. This is true when a seller is motivated and has no time to wait for a buyer.
9. Books
Books are a great way to increase your mental capacity and improve your life. The downside of books is that they are expensive. Whether you are buying an eBook or a physical book, it will cost you a lot of money especially when you buy many books at once.
What if you can buy many books at a fraction of the cost? The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to buy books from well-knowing websites such as Amazon, eBay, etc. Instead, you can get cheap ones at garage sales.
A great benefit of buying books at garage sales is that you can get a collection of many books on one topic for less money.
For example, you can find someone who is selling a collection of all Game Of Thrones books for like $3. So, they paid a fortune to buy these books, read them multiple times and now they no longer need them. That is the only reason they will be able to give you these books almost for free.
Related: How to save money on books? 10 tips you can use
10. Cleaning supplies
Here comes the one thing that I suggest everyone should buy at a garage sale: Cleaning supplies. These products do not need to be in good-looking packages or unused for you to take them. You can still use them even if they are 50% used.
Why? Because they can still help you achieve the same goal. I like detergent and sprays cleaners more than other cleaning products. They are awesome and functional. You can save a lot of money if you buy most of your cleaning supplies from garage sales.
