It’s Yard Sale Season – Here’s How to Make the Most of Your Money

Warmer weather in Central New York means the start of yard sale season. Of course the items you find during these sales are usually already discounted, but we have some tips and tricks to help you save even more.

Who doesn't like saving money?! Dumb question, we know. Besides finding some unique treasures and interesting items at yard sales, you might as well get these things for cheap. Here's a few ways you can stretch your dollar even further while shopping:

 1 - Don't Be Afraid to Negotiate Prices

It seems like a no-brainer, but a lot of people feel weird about asking for a lower price on something. This isn't Walmart... The price you see isn't necessarily the price you pay. REMEMBER: With all negotiations, chew the price down lower than you originally plan on paying. This gives the seller a chance to counter your price so you can meet in the "middle." Although, that middle ground will probably be right where you wanted to be at.

2 - Bundle Items You Plan on Buying

Negotiations are great for a few items, but if you're at a yard sale and you want quite a few things, save some money by bundling them together. Tell the seller you'll give "x" amount of money for all these items, then let them decide whether to get rid of the items for that price. If you're buying more than one or two items, you have a better chance of being able to talk down the price of all the items combined. Just remember to bring up all the items at once, so they know how much you're actually interested in getting.

3 - Certain Items Will Give You the Biggest Deals

Whether it's because everyone already has this item, or someone is just trying to get rid of it, there are a few items that are always huge bargains on their own. Items like candles, decorations for your home (whether it's holiday themed or just vases, picture frames, and such), power tools, exercise equipment, and toys for kids. These items are usually sold at a cheaper price than they originally cost.

 4 - Go Shopping on Popular Days

Sure, it's always fun to stop at garage sales when you see the signs, but if you plan in advance, you could find some better deals. Wait until your area holds a city-wide yard sale, or look for multiple yard sales in a row. A little friendly competition between sellers always benefits the customer.

5 - Do a Little Research

Who does homework for a yard sale? Well, if you're looking for specific items, you should. Find out how much the items are actually worth and compare prices. Maybe look it up on eBay and see how much other people are selling the same item for. You can even show that to the seller if you're trying to talk them down in price. It might not work all the time, but it's worth a shot. Plus, when people are just trying to get of things, they might not know how much it's really worth - It could just be a guess. If you can show them that their price is a little high, they may come down a bit.

And speaking of yard sales and getting the best deals, you can find some awesome steals at this year's "World's Largest Yard Sale" at the Herkimer County Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 16th. Here's all the details on the event, and what to do if you would like to sell some stuff:

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