Saturday morning saler: advice for yard sale newbies

Yard saling 101

I love the smell of a bargain in the morning

This time of year, a lot of people may spend their Saturday mornings out in the garden or maybe sleeping in. But when you're a die hard yard saler like me, Saturday mornings are time to go saling. Armed with small change and a nose for a bargain, I sort through used CDs, chipped mugs and dog-earred books in search of treasure.

Saying I love yard sales is really an understatement. I LOVE yard sales. In fact, most everything I own is second hand and probably picked up off a card table from someone's lawn. As a result, my house is full of antiques, old trunks and what I affectionately like to call conversation starters.

If you're a yard sale junkie like me, I know you get it. It's the thrill of the hunt, a challenge to get a good deal and a chance to have some really unique pieces in your home all hand picked by you. But there are those that haven't been bitten by the bargaining bug.

My great aunt confessed she'd never have the courage to buy something at a yard sale and I've had people tell me I'm only buying other people's junk. Maybe it is junk to the seller but a new-to-me coffee table could be just the thing for my cabin.

And as for courage? I'm pretty sure no one's ever won a medal for getting a good deal at a yard sale (though maybe they should!) Buying good quality used items is smart, practical and can be a lot of fun.

But whether you're a card-carrying yard saler or more of an occasional weekend twacker, here are some tips to make sure you find those gems and get them at a good price.

Getting ready for Saturday

Most people hold yard sales Saturday mornings and they usually put the tables away by 1. But before you rush out with a wad of twenties in your hand, you need to do some prep work.

Coin is King: Most yard sale items are $5 or under. Abrand new cookie sheet for 10 cents. Nothing is more annoying to a seller than breaking a $20 bill for a $1.50 transaction. It takes up all their change and it impacts your bargaining power more on that later. Basically, if you want to spend small change, carry small change. So go buy a carton of milk and break that twenty before Saturday morning.

What's your treasure?: Sure you can go out and just pursue the sales to see what's out there. But that's an easy way to end up with a house full of old colanders, three copies of the "Life of Pi" and more picture frames than you have wall space for.

There's a fine line between hoarder and collector so think about what you have and what you want before you head out. That means measure your windows before buying $2-curtains. In fact, I suggest taking a little measuring tape with you. It's better to be sure that book shelf will fit in your bedroom instead of finding out the hard way that it doesn't.

List the listings: Before the days of Facebook, I'd start scouting out Corner Brook's busy intersections on Thursdays and Fridays looking for yard sale signs. In Pasadena, there are four specific light poles around town where people pin their signs. And in Stephenville they have a designated public bulletin board for that sort of thing. I like checking these out early because then I have an idea of where sales are happening and what time they start.

No point rushing out the door at 8 a.m. if the first sale doesn't start till 9 (unless you're an early bird but that's a whole other column). Thanks to social media, a lot of yard sale announcements happen on line. Check Facebook for a local classified or forum page in your town. You might find a few listings there that you would otherwise have missed.

'50 cents each or two for a dollar'

I bought cassette tapes at a yard sale one time (actually it was my wedding day did I mention I was a fanatic?) for my 1997 Mazda Protege. I picked out a few and asked about the price. She said '50 cents each or two for a dollar.'

She realized her mistake, we laughed and I got a better price for Madonna's Immaculate Collection and the Indigo Girls self titled album. Everyone was happy. Including my husband who I then met at the church and said "I do."

For some people, yard saling is as much about the bargain as about the item itself but not everyone is comfortable with negotiating a better price. While I've gotten some pretty amazing steals over the years, I believe being rude will get you nowhere.

Most people expect a certain level of haggling when they have a yard sale so as long as you're reasonable and friendly about it, I think it's perfectly acceptable to try to get more bang for your buck. Here are my bargaining basics:

Get a starting point: The obvious first step is to get an initial price. Ask them. Who knows, maybe it's even better than your lowest price and you can just straight up buy it. If it's not, offer a counter price. Ask "would you take $3?" Just remember to be reasonable about it. If they want $10 for a full set of dishes in great shape, offering a nickel is a slap in the face. If you don't want to counter, simply ask if they can offer a better price. Worst case scenario, they say no.

I hate stickers: These days a lot of people like to use those little price stickers from the dollar store. I loathe them. I will still ask for a starting price and sometimes it comes in lower. So it never hurts to ask.

Start a pile: Whether I am buying one thing or a whole bunch, I only ever make one transaction at a yard sale. Instead of dishing out quarters every time you see something you want, admire it, ask the price then keep browsing. If it's something you know you're going to get or if it's a busy sale, keep it in your hand while you look around so someone else doesn't buy it.

Once you've gotten prices on all the things you're interested in, figure out the total with the seller and give them a counter offer. You'll get a lot further if you only bargain with them once instead of trying to haggle over every mug with an ironic saying.

Did I mention coin is king?: They may want $4 for that table lamp but if you hold out a toonie, you might just have yourself a deal. After all, a toonie in the pocket is better than a lamp left on the table. It's probably not going to work if you have a five dollar bill in your hand. And it's especially not going to work when you're talking about less than a dollar. It's insulting to get change for a quarter after you refused to pay 25 cents for tea cup.

So those are the basics. For more serious bargain hunting...stay tuned next week.

Happy Saling.