Warmer weather is here and for frugal shoppers everywhere that means yard sales! Don’t go into it not prepared. Learn How to shop yard sales like a pro (Finding the Best yard sale deals): tons of tips for finding the best sales, scoring the best finds, and bargaining your way to killer prices!

Warmer weather is here and for frugal shoppers everywhere that means yard sales!

I’m not sure about you, but I love a good yard sale and the deals that I find! While yard sales are excellent for finding good deals, they’re also a great way to get ripped off. Unfortunately, not everyone is honest so if you’re not careful, you can really lose out on big amounts of money. Instead of worrying too much, use these 5 tips to make sure you get the best yard sale deals the next time you head out!

5 Tips To Get the Best Yard Sale Deals

Shop with a Plan

Just like grocery shopping, hitting the yard sales without a plan can cause overspending. Instead of just going to browse, go with a clear plan of what you are looking for and how much money you have to spend.

Yard sale shopping is an art.  Or perhaps it is better described as a competitive sport. You see others walking fast to get to a jammed pack yard sale. You want to get there first to make sure they don’t grab what you want.

Like most things, to have consistently good “luck” with yard sales, you need to plan ahead.

• Make a list of all the sales you plan to shop and figure out the best route so you aren’t wasting a lot of time driving back and forth.
• Narrow it down. Seems contradictive to make a nice list to further narrow it down. Pick the sales that will give you better options, such as estate sales, multi-family sales, and neighborhood sales.  They usually have more stuff which makes them more likely to have good stuff.
• Get up early – yes this is a must.  Most sales start around 7 or 8 am.  It is very important to get there early – if there is really cool stuff for sale you can bet it will be sold first.

Curb the impulse buys

Yard sales are a great way to find the things you need (or want) for less, but they’re also a great way to be tempted by impulse buys. If what you’re looking at isn’t on your list, it’s probably best to skip it.

The impulse exception

I do make exceptions on impulse buys in one situation: If the item is something you 100% absolutely know you will need in the near future and 2. You can pick it up for 75% off or more, it may be in your best interest to purchase it now and store it. I keep the words “near future” to be in the next 6 months or less.

Test, Test, Test

Never buy electronics or appliances (even small ones) used without being able to test them. You run the risk of taking your purchase home only to find out it doesn’t work. If you’re purchasing a toy or game that has many pieces, be sure you count them as well before you buy. The last thing any of us want is a broken-hearted kid on top of a loss in money.

Learn the Art of Negotiating

Yard sales are the perfect arena to practice your skills of negotiation.  If you’re not happy with the price that an item is marked, don’t let your fear stop you from asking if they’ll take less. Most people who hold yard sales expect people to try and talk them down on price so they’re not going to “jump down your throat.” By negotiating your price, you’re making sure that you’re getting the absolute best deal possible!

Do you have any yard sale shopping tips? I’d love to hear any that I may have missed!

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