Are Yard Sales worth it???

[liznboys]

Inspired by MeanLaureen's thread...

We've never had one. Our neighborhood has one once or twice every year, and lots of people come. One of them made $400 last year. We have always donated our stuff to Goodwill or Purple Heart (and claim it on our taxes), we just never felt like dealing with a yard sale. We are back to having a load of stuff to get rid of, and I'm tempted to try one. Even if you make some good money, is it worth it??

 

[katerkat]

I've had more success with eBay. Our first one, it rained and we made $32. Then last year, we had one as a class fundraiser, with stuff from about ten people, and still only made $150.

Meanwhile, I've been infrequently putting stuff on eBay and making double that, easy.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Depends, I suppose. Some people I talk to hate selling their things so "cheap". Honestly you are practically giving it away.
DH thinks it is FUN to haggle with these people. He is a salesman & is in his "element". He enjoys the conversation and making some money too, of course.

The thing is you can have the sale, make some money & donate the rest. That way you get both.

 

[mum4jenn]

I keep saying we should do a yard sale but to me it is not worth the hassle. The last time I had one I had people stealing stuff right in front of me. Normally we just give to Goodwill but last week after going through my dd's closet we gave the stuff to our next door neighbor who works for Dept of Children and Family services for them to give to kids that get sent into the foster care programs.She said that there are lots of kids that get sent off that never have a chance to take anything from home with them.

 

[powellrj]

I use to have them every year for about 10 years, but it's now been 8 since my last one. If you have a lot of stuff that people want, then yes its worth it, but when you factor in the time spent, the hassle of it all plus the storage of the stuff waiting to have the sale. My answer is no. We just keep a goodwill bag and when it gets full, we take it to goodwill and get a recipt. Around here, if you have a lot of decorating items and childrens items thats what people really want. I don't have much of either, so I really don't bother.

 

[Virgo10]

I had one yesterday. Today I'm very tired and VERY sore. Old age is definitely setting in! I also had one 5 weeks ago.

I made over $1100 from both sales so even with the fatigue and the pain, I'd say it was certainly worth it. I've got my fingers crossed that it rains today. Our town will only let you do 2 a year. I got the license for yesterday and today and if it rains, I can have another one next Saturday.

Although a few of the people you get are real pains, most are very nice. I usually have at least one sale a year and I get the same people back here over and over.

Roberta

 

[Barb D]

No! When you count the time and energy you put into getting ready for it, running it, and cleaning up after it, I honestly don't think it is worth it. And frankly, I don't really enjoy going to them, either. We went to several last Saturday because I was looking for cheap dress-up clothes and china for a preschool tea party, and saw very little that I liked. I did get a set of China for $15 and a flower girl dress for $5, so I guess I shouldn't complain...but that was after spending all morning looking at junk I didn't want or need. Then I went to Amvets (in Laurel, Liz...farther south on 1 than Salvation Army) and hit pay dirt there. TONS of China, cheap, and lots of fancy dresses, too. BTW, Liz, the Amvets has WAY more good stuff and better prices than Salvation Army.

 

[vald1977]

Originally posted by Virgo10


I made over $1100 from both sales so even with the fatigue and the pain, I'd say it was certainly worth it. I've got my fingers crossed that it rains today. Our town will only let you do 2 a year. I got the license for yesterday and today and if it rains, I can have another one next Saturday.

Roberta

Wow, that's a lot of money, though! Can I ask what types of items you sold to make so much?

We just had a yard sale yesterday and made $135 or so. It is definately a lot of work.

 

[cynsaun]

I can't stand having yard sales! I just want to shake the people and ask them what's wrong with them! I know that's a bit extreme, but when I am selling a brand new whatever that was originally $50, and they want it for a dollar!!! UGH!!

So, I'm with you Liz, we donate it and write it off on taxes. Or, for the our things that are in good condition and sell for decent prices on ebay, we sell it there. No haggling, that's the way to go!

 

[laurie31]

I had one last year and it was so much work and I only made about $100. This year I'm giving stuff to charity and selling the nicer things on eBay. I sold three things on ebay and made $100. Hmmm..which will I choose - setting up all those tables, hauling stuff out at the crack of dawn (because someone rang the bell and woke us up, even though the signs said 8am), sitting out in the hot sun all day, etc....vs. making a few digital pics, posting a description, and then taking a few boxes to the post office. Yep, it's eBay for me

Laurie

 

[Toby'sFriend]

It depends on what you have to sell. If you have some old furniture and stuff then it can be worthwhile. Old movies, video games and electronic stuff are usually snatched up by Flea Market booth owner's who then resell them the next Saturday. We had one about a month ago and sold an old set of bunk beds and an old kitchen table so we did well. We usually only have a sale about every 5 or 6 years, we just don't accumulate enough stuff to sell more often than that.

Used boy's clothing doesn't sell as well on EBAY as girl's clothes. I have gotten to the point where I keep careful records of what I send off to the Salvation Army etc and I use the software program It's Deductible to claim the amount on our taxes. The tax write off for us is pretty close to what I would make at a garage sale or EBAY and much easier. Most of my used baby items goes to a Battered Women's shelter here that I like to support.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

If it is going to stress you out to have to deal with annoying yard sale groupies, then I would say no. The public can be annoying.


I like ebay too. I attend yard sales, but I've never had one. I do donate old clothes to Goodwill though.

 

[MeanLaureen]

Well, we made $800 in the rain so I'm going to have to say...

YES!

Thinking about it though, I really think the success of a yard sale is based on a few things like the area of the country you live in plus the area of town you live in.

I live in the middle of a subdivision in the middle of the biggest 'burb of Richmond. In a zipcode the paper once called "yard sale central" - so I had that in my favor

Plus it also depends on how you price your items - if you are consistantly high, people turn around and don't even bother.

A lot also depends on getting the word out that you are having the sale. Did you advertise? Are your signs just little 81/2 X 11 pieces of paper written in ball point pen stuck on a telephone poll or did you really hit all the intersections and major roads leading to your house and have a sign that can be read from 100 ft away?

I know it's great to donate things and help out the needy but sometimes the money for your old stuff can come in handy. For us it's going to be used for a combination of home improvements plus my medical bills as I add another 2 prescriptions for an ulcer to all the others I take for AOSD.

The idea of a tax write off sounds good too but you really aren't recouping *that* much money with a write off. You donate $400 worth of clothes you probably only see a couple of dollar difference in your refund (or what you owe)

Once we are done with the yard sale I fully expect to donate what is left over though.

Stuff that we felt we could make more money on eBay with we held out. Although with both of us working and only being home and awake together between 7:30 pm and 11pm (well most of the time I'm asleep by 8:30), having one of us on the computer listing eBay sales takes a lot of time away from us being together. Maybe if one of us was SAH it would be different.

It was a lot of work but in a way it was good for us. We took a couple of vac days from work (but then again we both get plenty of vacation time so we had spare) and the time spent working together was good. We had fun going through old stuff and thinking of the memories, the dogs had a blast having us home with them for 3 days straight, we ordered pizza for lunch a couple of times and probably had more quality time together as a couple than we have had in a long time due to our jobs and my illness.

Yeah, you could say we could use those vac days to do something like - take a vacation somewhere..lol But right now money is tight and I am very limited as to what I am able to do.

Anyway, I'm rambling.. it was a win/win experience for me. PROS: Clean basement, Time with my husband and dogs, $800!
CONS: Sore as the dickens but nothing a good Vicodin can't handle

If you are interested in the "rest of the story" as Paul Harvey would say, I'm going to be posting out yard sale story later - the good the bad and the rainy

 

[Toby'sFriend]

sounds like you had a great sale ML!

 

[MeanLaureen]

yep TF... it was a good week

 

[barbeml]

I think it's worth it...we are getting ready for a community-wide sale at my brother's house next weekend.

1. Some stuff is not ebayable and I am happy to get a few bucks for it. I separate accordingly.

2. Yep, it is physical work, but anything that gets my butt moving up and down the stairs is time well spent.

3. I have made between $200 and $600 with modest inventory.

4. I replace a bunch of dust-collecting stuff with cold hard cash.

5. Whatever is left that is appropriate goes to AmVets or Purple Heart (I give to both regularly all year long).

 

[liznboys]

Originally posted by Virgo10
I had one yesterday. Today I'm very tired and VERY sore. Old age is definitely setting in! I also had one 5 weeks ago.

I made over $1100 from both sales so even with the fatigue and the pain, I'd say it was certainly worth it. I've got my fingers crossed that it rains today. Our town will only let you do 2 a year. I got the license for yesterday and today and if it rains, I can have another one next Saturday.

Although a few of the people you get are real pains, most are very nice. I usually have at least one sale a year and I get the same people back here over and over.

Roberta

You made A LOT of money!!!! If I knew I'd make THAT much I'd certainly have one! LOL!!

 

[liznboys]

Originally posted by Barb D
No! When you count the time and energy you put into getting ready for it, running it, and cleaning up after it, I honestly don't think it is worth it. And frankly, I don't really enjoy going to them, either. We went to several last Saturday because I was looking for cheap dress-up clothes and china for a preschool tea party, and saw very little that I liked. I did get a set of China for $15 and a flower girl dress for $5, so I guess I shouldn't complain...but that was after spending all morning looking at junk I didn't want or need. Then I went to Amvets (in Laurel, Liz...farther south on 1 than Salvation Army) and hit pay dirt there. TONS of China, cheap, and lots of fancy dresses, too. BTW, Liz, the Amvets has WAY more good stuff and better prices than Salvation Army.

Thanks for the tip!! (Hey, did you get my PM?)

 

[Disney Doll]

I can't stand the hassle of them either. I'd rather donate my stuff. I usually goive clothing to a local church's thrift store, or to the church that gives it away to the really needy, homeless people in our area. Households goods go to the battered women's shelter in our area. The rest goes to the dump. If it's recyclable, I do recycle it appropriately.

 

[liznboys]

MeanLaureen-WOW, you did quite well yesterday!! Good for you!

I'm still undecided about it...and you guys didn't help! LOL! I really don't want to deal with it, but trading our uneeded stuff for cold hard cash is sooooooooooo tempting!! What to do...