Best time of the year outside of Christmas! And if you’re *really* smooth you can even start your Christmas shopping early at these yard sales too, haha… Who doesn’t like some old books or 100 year old antiques? Come on now! It’s fun for the whole family! ;)
I’ve actually already began partaking in these sales too, courtesy of our local flea markets which have started up again. Check out all these goodies I got last weekend:
- Handful of old crosses @ $1.50 — I collect all kinds of old and unique ones :)
- Cowboy boots @ $10.00 — Bargained down from $15! I liked them so much that I literally just put them on for the rest of the time I was walking around the market, haha… and had 2 people tell me they were awesome! (And also that they probably run for $150-$200, which I believe considering the only other pair I’ve ever picked up before was around there too)
- “White Fang” book @ 50¢ — From 1914!
- “Little Women” book @ $1.00 — For my wife ;)
- “Principles and Practice of Gynecology” book @ $2.00 — From 1904, which will fit nicely under the “health” section of my library, haha… Right next to the “How to get strong” book! :)
- Cobra cane with sword inside @ $30.00 — Bargained down from $50 for our giveaway site, Take Our Stuff ;) We normally don’t spend too much money on things, but I thought this made for an interesting giveaway so we’ll see if it pans out.
- Old Battleship board game @ $1.50 — Remember that game? Used to be so fun! Will also probably give away on TakeOurStuff down the road – maybe an “old game package” or something.
- Necklace with a coin pendant @ $2.00 — I wasn’t too familiar with this coin (A British penny from the late 1800’s), but I figured it was worth a shot picking up just in case it was worth something… Turns out it was worth exactly $2.00 in it’s condition, haha, I kid you not.
- Broach w/ a coin on it @ $1.50 — From the same place I got that pendant, and of course also picked it up for the same reason – in case it was valuable! This coin was a gold colored one from 1969 (a “Centavo” from the Republica de Columbia) and figured the pay off would be MUCH higher if it were indeed gold ;) But of course it was indeed NOT, haha… Still fun dreaming though!
- An old map @ 50¢ — Already being given away on TakeOurStuff! Haha…
- Set of 4 vintage Gilette metal razors @ $4.00 — This was probably the best bargain of the day considering some of these guys fetch $30+ alone! I don’t know which of the ones I have are worth more than the others, but they’re VERY interesting finds to say the least. And for only a buck a piece you can’t go wrong!
So a total of $22.50 spent on myself, and $32.00 spent on my projects... Not too bad. I reckon there’s at least a couple hundred dollars in value there should I feel all cluttered down the road and want to unload them which is nice. But really it’s all about the thrill of the hunt anyways and seeing what you can find :) Like a modern day treasure hunt, if you will.
I guess that’s the point of today’s bragging sharing – it’s a fun way to enjoy the whether and pick up some goodies on the cheap :) And you meet a ton of interesting people too. It’s not for everyone, of course, but I recommend at least trying it out once to see what you think.
Want to join me this weekend? See who comes out with the biggest deal? :) “Best thing under $10.00 wins a prize!” Haha… That would be fun… here are some tips if you’re going out for the first time in a while – good luck!
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PS: Here were the bargains I found at the start of last year’s season: All my booty. Little did I know it would kick off a new hobby (and obsession) for me: coin collecting :)
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That’s cool so long as you don’t end up with piles of stuff that you never use, but just creates clutter. I think that would be my fear. I’d think ‘Oh, I can use this for something’ or ‘I could flip this on eBay’ and it would just sit there collecting dust.
Yeah, you def. have to watch that for sure. I used to be horrible at it and would pick up anything that was a bargain whether I could use it or not, but over the past year or so I’ve gotten MUCH better. And with our giveaway site I have extra padding since I can always use the old cool stuff for that site if need be ;)
Haha, I feel like you could make a show out of this. Or is there already a show something like this? I can’t recall. I love the old books; perhaps one day they’ll make you a lot of money!
I think there are shows around similar stuff :) It’s def. fun!
Sounds like you found some fun stuff! Do you have a rule when you buy something you have to get rid of something? That’d make things a lot harder.
I used to have a rule like that (it’s a smart one!) but I always ended up forgetting. Now I just really make sure it’s going to add value or serve a good purpose before I pick stuff up. Always knowing there’s an “out” if need be – like selling them online or at a consignment shop/etc. If it’s something I already have though – but better – I’ll then swap it in and get rid of the older one, so it does happen every once and a while.
Handful of old crosses
They could turn out to be collector’s items. I would hang on to them for quite some years.
That’s the plan.. unless I give them away on our site first ;)
You might want to look into your local laws. Some states and cities have laws against concealed or disguised weapons which the sword-cane would fall under.
Ack – hadn’t thought of that actually! Good lookin’ out – will research.
I once got a BEAUTIFUL side table at a yard sale for $35. It’s probably the most stunning piece of furniture I own. So, yep, I’m a huge fan of yard sales.
The one thing I’d warn people about, though, is that if you’re looking for something specific, yard sales aren’t the most time-effective way to shop. They’re more of a tool for just randomly browsing for goods.
True true… unless your specific item is like “antiques” or “coins” or “baby clothes” etc :) Good odds of finding that kinda general stuff!
Wow, those are some awesome finds. Unfortunately it’s still snowing and cold here, so I’ll have to wait another month or so before participating. Hopefully I can get some good deals when the sales finally start up again!
Snowing??? Mannnn – was sweating over here this weekend, crazy.
I love garage sales! I tend to stock up on books at them. It’s crazy to think people pay $7+ for a new book and then sell it for $1 or 50 cents at a garage sale. Sucks for them but lucky me! I went to a garage sale two weeks ago and got a rocking chair for my front porch for a whopping $5. It needs some wood glue but otherwise it’s in great condition for how often I will use it. Plus if someone decides to steal it off my front porch I’m not out a lot of money. I actually enjoy garage sales better than mall shopping because I love to find random things for cheap prices.
haha there you go – well done! big fan of books here too (obviously) – though usually I don’t read them and they just make my library look sexy ;)
Interesting finds! I love that you bought your wife a Little Women book. Are you going to sell the razors on eBay?
Probably my best yard (estate sale) find was a New Orleans cookbook that I bought for $2 and sold for $137 on eBay. I love old cookbooks. It’s fun to have little niches that you know something about, like the razors.
Nice work! Only book I ever got that was worth a lot was on coin collecting (2nd edition of the best coin value book out there) and I picked it up for 17 cents on an online auction :) Was worth anywhere between $200-$400 depending on condition and I still have it as it’s awesome! We’ll see what I end up doing w/ the razors, but yeah – eBay is looking good for them :)
Dude, you found some killer goodies this week… I freakin love yard sales. I would go twice a week if I could find more quality sellers. What are your tips for finding good flea markets? Some of the ones around here suck. They want a fortune for junk!
yeah, hit or miss a lot of the times. the only real tip I have is to use this iPhone app (if you have an iphone?) called Garage Sale Tracker or something like that… I pull it up and use the map on the phone to direct me to them all – it’s awesome. Saves a TON of time and works great on the go.
I should totally look into garage sales. The only thing usually holding me back is that they are normally early morning events and I am a sleep-until-11am sort of girl. :-) Great finds though! I want to win that cobra cane!!!
Well if we end up not being able to give it away due to some weird law, then you can buy it from me! :) And you’re right about yard sales being super early in the morning – it’s the only real con to it all :(
That cane sounds bad@$$. Here’s to hoping I win it on your giveaway site! I like to buy old furniture at garage/yard sales, fix it up, and sell it again.
I wish I had the knowledge/patience to fix up furniture. I just use them as-is whenever I pick up some oldies. Much cheaper at least!
I love love LOVE garage sales! We recently moved from Madison, WI (home of the 7-month-long winter) to the Front Range of Colorado. The best part for me is garage sales in January – I kid you not! Not many, but it is awesome to drive around and see that sign. This weekend is going to be amazing weather, sure to bring out more signs. Plus, the Goodwill has a half off sale.
The best place to find children’s clothes is at a garage sale. $.50 a piece, sometimes you can find $.25 a piece. Check for stains around the leg holes and the chest. And for those little babies who grow so fast, just buy anything you like under size 2. Buy winter coats in all sizes, and sell them at your own garage sale when you are finished with them!
J$, you found some awesome things. Good eye!
Thanks! And I hear you on those crazy winters over in Wisconsin… My biz partner (who lives in Milwaukee) is always making me fly out there and I swear there’s always snow on the ground no matter when it is. I don’t know how y’all do it!
Well, this weekend I am in Vail, where it defintaely is NOT yard sale weather. More like ski weather. Which would be nice if I was here for pleasure instead of work!
Still sounds fun! :)
Oh I love it when someone reports such excellent finds at next-to-nothing prices; you totally rocked it JMoney! That coin from the Republica de Colombia may be worth something more than you think-look at the pic (if there is one) of whoever’s on it and do a tiny bit of research-there were some pretty interesting guys leading Colombia at that time! Having lived there in the 80’s, you’d be surprised at what ends up being “valuable” just because some ugly-a$$ dude got his face on the coin.
I think you ought to have a Monday where every/anyone can post the most excellent find from that week’s yard sale shopping. Perhaps the much-wished-for cane can be the prize???
Still lovin’ and livin’ your blog!!!
PS-How was your 1st beer after Lent? do tell……
HAH! Was just thinking of building a new site one day to showcase all our finds we get over time – would be fun! :)
And if you can believe it, I still have NOT drank my first beer! Half of me wants to keep on extending my record, and the other half is just waiting for me to REALLY be thirsting for one… All the times that have happened so far since Lent though I’ve been driving :( And I’m pretty sure it will affect me much more now!
Awesome booty! How often do you do these garage sales? And have you ever re-sold things for a profit from them?
Yup! I always make profit on stuff when I resell :) Well, not always – sometimes I lose too – but more often than not I make a ton. Really I do it for the adventure and meeting people and just having fun. And the stuff I tend to buy I usually hold on to or use for a project instead of reselling.
I love playing Battleship, great find Jay. It’s definitely not yard sale weather up here in Montreal, we just got 10 cm of snow!
That’s just crazy to me… stay warm! :)
I am in TX and it is garage sale season for sure. Yesterday, I picked up a dining room table w/ chairs, 2 side tables, coffee table, 2 lamps and 2 large wall sconces for $135.00. I couldn’t fit it all in my car so I had to return with a truck. It was a complete win and I love vintage pieces. I am going to upcycle all of the items and resale some of them.
SEXY!!!!! Love me some walls sconces.