Thinking about having a garage sale

**Michelle68** · 07-09-2007, 10:41 PM

I haven't had a garage sale in many years ,though I've been to too many to count . We're considering having one this coming weekend a.)to earn some extra money and b.) so our DD can earn some money for some concert tickets she wants. My DS is also wanting to do a lemonade stand. I'm just not sure if I want to go through all the trouble of pricing, laying out stuff and sitting in the hot sun for 5 hours or so when I'm not sure if we really have enough "stuff" to offer for a proper garage sale, if we have enough tables to display things, or if we'll make enough to even cover the cost of a garage sale permit (required for our city--$16.) So what would you do? Take a chance to earn some extra bucks or blow it all off an donate everything to Goodwill? Maybe I'm just cranky and hormonal this week, but even the idea of making some money is just not doing it for me right now.

--Michelle

**DJ1972** · 07-09-2007, 11:02 PM

I don't like having garage sales, for all the reasons you mentioned lol. I do, however, take our things to a thrift store, where I get 50% of what the item is sold for. I still make money off the items but don't have to do anything but drop them off, and I usually shop while I am there and find great deals...added bonus!

**jamie79** · 07-09-2007, 11:19 PM

I think its worth the work. You said you have not had one in yrs so I bet you do have enough stuff to have one. Yes it can be some work but if you make say $200 or more wouldnt it be worth it?

**Michelle68** · 07-10-2007, 12:21 AM

Jamie, you're probably right. Like I said, I'm just feeling out of sorts this week and lazy. The more I look at all the junk we've piled up in the garage for it, the more I'm believing that we can actually make something off of it all. And it will be nice to clear it all out of there.

DJ, I wish we had a thrift store around here that we could make money from. All the thrift stores that I know of are donation-based.That sounds like a pretty cool deal.

Thanks for the responses, ladies. Hopefully I'll get as excited about this as the rest of the family is before the big day. (DD's even talking about baking cookies to sell along with the lemonade!

)

--Michelle

**Holly** · 07-10-2007, 07:32 AM

Having a garage sale weekend after this comming one.
Hope to make enough to pay of one bill . ( its a small one but driving me nuts )
Any extra will go one another bill and my $5.00 pantry stock up

**annymoll** · 07-10-2007, 11:35 AM

We always wait till city wide garage sale, them set everything out and the g-kids make a sign"Free Store".Everything is free, and everything goes. I love doing it, and the excitement makes it so much fun.

**kaykwilts** · 07-10-2007, 12:55 PM

Let us know how you do on your yard sale. I'm debating myself if I want to go to all the trouble of having a yardsale. I'm sick and tired of all this clutter.

**kittykatstrong** · 07-10-2007, 02:03 PM

I always donate it and do a tax write off at the end of the year. But if I had a place to have a garage sale I would have one.

Katy

**wanderlusting** · 07-10-2007, 05:26 PM

If you decide to have one-Good luck!

**MarshHen** · 07-10-2007, 06:16 PM

It is alot of work, but I bet you would do really good. I say go for it.

**Edna_E** · 07-10-2007, 07:17 PM

I think the "worthwhile-ness" is SOOO dependent on the temperament and mood of the person doing it. If you do decide to have it, a friend of mine who does them with great success does the following:

1. Everything is readied the night before
2. Someone goes after special breakfast food and someone makes juice and coffee for everyone who is "working"
3. They open at 6:30 am (remember it gets very hot in the SW) and close at 3:00
4. They run it both Saturday and Sunday - and close everything in the garage overnight.
5. They invite other families to participate, thus drawing a bigger crowd and having greater variety.

Good luck, and for what it's worth I've never had a garage sale at my house because I detest holding them (in my mind), though I have twice helped with someone else's - and somehow that wasn't too bad (but I had the freedom to leave when I wanted to).

**Michelle68** · 07-10-2007, 09:50 PM

Thanks for all the great advice! In our city, we can't "open" our sale until 9AM, but we're only going until 2 -3PM simply because of the heat. It'll be more of a yard sale than a garage sale because our pop up camper currently resides in the garage and there's not much room for anything else. I'm already making the signs and pricing things, so we should be okay with that by the time Saturday rolls around. I'll let y'all know how it goes.

--Michelle

**frugalnana** · 07-11-2007, 12:36 PM

I used to have yard sales when the kids were growing up but really don't like dealing with pricing, laying out stuff etc. But since you have two kids that want to earn some money it would be an experience for them. Just involve them in getting items ready and who knows maybe all of you will make the extra $ you would like.

Good luck