Get Ready for Garage Sale Season

I don't know about you, but I love garage saling. I get a thrill when I buy items for a fraction of the cost they'd be if I purchased them new. Actually, some of my most treasured items came from garage sales, and I'm looking forward to finding some more this summer. Here are some tips for saving money--and having fun--while you bargain hunt:

Make a list. Instead of running out and buying items at full price, put them on a list and carry it with you while garage saling. I couldn't tell you how many times that I've "wished" for something and found it at a terrific price at garage sales.

Know your sizes. Be sure that you include sizes on your wish list. This way if you run across a good sale on clothing, you'll be prepared. It's a good idea to actually measure your own clothing at home (for example, a good fitting pair of pants, shirt, skirt, etc.). This way you don't have to depend on the sizes marked. Take a tape measure with you to compare the garage sale clothing to your measurements.

Plan your trip. Check your newspaper for garage sale listings a day or two ahead of time. This allows you to plan your best strategy for going from neighborhood to neighborhood. Try to shop at "block" sales too. If you can hit more than one sale in a particular neighborhood, you'll save gas and time.

Go on the first day. If you can, go on the first day of the sale. In my area it's Thursdays, so there isn't as much competition while shopping as there would be on the weekends. You'll have a better selection to choose from. Be aware, though, that sometimes you may not get the best price if you go on the first day. If someone has advertised a three-day sale, they don't want to sell everything on the first day.

Know your prices. Once you've been to a few garage sales, you'll get a feel for the pricing, and you'll know when someone is charging too much. Typically, I don't spend more than 25 cents for a book, a dollar for a movie, or more than a quarter or two for untensils. Use your best judgement, but if the price feels high, it probably is.

Negotiate. If you do run across an item that you want, but the price is too high, just ask for a price reduction. Most often people don't want to have to bring their items back into the house, so they're willing to slash prices. I will generally ask, "Are your prices negotiable?" If they say yes, then I'll ask, "What's the lowest you would go on this item?" The other approach I use is simply offering a certain amount based on what I am willing to pay for an item. This is particularly true of items I find often, or something I could walk away from and not be sorry if I didn’t get.

Bring change and small bills. There's no better bargaining tool than having the correct change. You don't want to pull out a $20 bill to pay for an item that is marked at $5--and you're trying to get it for $3!

Have a garage sale budget. Just as you budget for your other expenses, budget for garage saling. You don't want to overspend and take the fun out of it. Keep any leftover money in an envelope from your most recent trip, and save it for next time.

Have fun!Expect to go to a lot of garage sales where you won’t find good bargains, but have fun anyway. Garage saling is like finding buried treasure. You're not going to hit the jackpot every time.

Do you have any garage saling tips that you'd like to share? What are some of your best "finds"? Share with us in the comments.