Yard Sale Tips!

Ah, summer. 'Tis the season for heat waves and yard sales. If you are an avid yard sale shopper, or you just like to find a good bargain, you may find yourself picking through tables of clothes and other odds and ends that people are looking to get rid of this summer. But to be a good yard sale consumer this summer, there are five helpful tips to help you get what you're looking for and save you some money.

Yard Sale Tip 1 - Use a newspaper to plan your route. If you plan on going yard sales on Saturday, it would be wise to pick up a newspaper on Friday and see where all of the yard sales are at. To save time (time equals money, and in this case, good deals), plan which ones you want to hit, and go in order by location. Often times, the yard sales listed in the paper will give a few key words that describe what they are selling, such as baby clothes, toys, furniture, books, or plus-sized clothing.

Yard Sale Tip 2 - Get there early. Avid yard sale shoppers start as early as 6:00 in the morning. The early bird gets the worm, as they say. The avid shoppers are going to find the best stuff early in the morning. If you plan to hit some yard sales in the afternoon, be aware that it will probably be slim pickings.

Yard Sale Tip 3 - Know what you're looking for specifically, if anything. If you're only looking for furniture, you can generally tell, just by driving by, if a yard sale has what you're looking for. If you're looking around for other things as well, but if you want nothing but furniture, it would be a waste of time to stop at a yard sale that is not selling that.

Yard Sale Tip 4 - Finagle. Don't be afraid to talk people down on prices. You don't have to do it for every single thing. But occasionally you might think you can get a lower price on something. And if they want to get rid of it as much as you want to buy it, then they'll work with you on a suitable price. This is your money, after all. And you can save some of it just by asking the seller to go down a dollar or two.

Yard Sale Tip 5- Dress comfortably and drink a lot of water. Since the best yard sales happen in the summer months, you can generally guess that it's going to be hot and humid - unless you're fortunate enough to live in a climate that stays cool and dry year round. Dressing comfortably is important, because you will not be as readily into the shopping experience if you are hot and uncomfortable. Water is also a must as the day goes on and the temperatures get warmer. Keep yourself hydrated and comfortable for the optimum yard sale shopping experience.