garage / yard sale finds.

[darby24]

What did you get for a steal?

Only this board would understand my happiness over my recent finding. :-) Two perfect brand new Vilac toy cars. One police car that sells for $9.50 that I got for $0.25! And a larger car that has Babar for only $1.00! (similar sized car is $24) Woohoo! http://www.oompa.com/mas_assets/thumb/VI2266B.jpg

And boy do these suckers roll good on hardwood floors! :D

I remember someone getting a real amazing deal on a Kinderzeat awhile back. What have you found?

[elliput]

Wow! Those are great finds! I love the Vilac cars. :-)

No good finds here, I never remember to go out to the sales. :-(

[tarahsolazy]

Cozy Coupe for $3

Co-sleeper for $20

Those are my best two. Gotta do some more yard saling in the next few weeks! you've inspired me.

[vdrake71]

I went to a school sale last week and bought hanna beach pants for .50. They also had a slide for $5 and a picnic table $2 and a teeter totter for $2.

[Corie]

That is so awesome!!

I would love to go to garage sales but I don't have anyone to
go with me. None of my friends are really into garage sales!

How do you find the best garage sales?? Do you only go to certain
areas?? Do you read the paper and plan your route??
Give me some pointers!! :)

Love those Vilac cars!! You did a great job!! Were your hands
like totally shaking when you picked them up?? :)

[ett]

Wow! Great finds. DS has 2 Vilac cars and they are excellent quality.

[kcimato]

Best deal I got was off Craigslist. I got a set of hardwood maple unit blocks for $25.00. The were in beautiful condition. Not a mark, scratch ,or dent on them. There were over 200 blocks in the set.

[LBW]

I love finding deals at yard sales! Here are my favorites:

-cozy coupe and easel for $10
-a $200 under the tree train set for $10

[brittone2]

Those were a great score!!!! I'm sure your little one will love the cars!

I went yard sale shopping last year with the intention of finding a baby/toddler swing and there was one for $3 at my first stop :) That's the best...when it is something you actually were going to shell out much more money for in the first place!

Last summer right after our move to NC a local Waldorf school held a rummage sale to benefit Katrina. It was awesome. I woke up super early to get there at the start and I'm so glad I did. I got a wooden cash register (German made) for $7 which isn't cheap, but way cheaper than the $60 it retails for. I also got 2 wooden booster seats (like the plastic ones in restaurant but wooden and they looked brand new) for $5 each. We have one here that we use when we travel and one we keep at my parents' house. I stumbled upon a random box that had a 60 piece marble maze for $1, and a bunch of wooden vehicles (Montgomery Schoolhouse) for $1 each.

We went back at the end of the day and they had fill a bag for $1...I found some Talbot's Kids and Gap boys clothes that were in great shape, a Hanna kids turtleneck that was in fabulous shape, and some books and board games (Snail's Pace Race, etc.) that we shoved into our bag for $1.

I haven't seen any mention of whether it is being held this year or not. Last year was the first year...I hope it wasn't a one time thing for Katrina...I'd like to see them do it again this year for another charity :) No other sale will ever be the same after that!

After that sale, I was totally and utterly spoiled. I'm so crossing my fingers they have it again this year...Holli (Holliam) and I are going to have to stalk it together :)

[KrisM]

My best finds are:
a Tonka firetruck that retails for $40 for $8,
a basically brand-new Cozy Coupe for $10,
an infant sled for $1,
tons of clothes - I found someone in the neighborhood with a boy 1 year older than DS and they were the same birth weight. When DS was a month old, I totally stocked up from her for that first year!


I also go to a lot of Mom 2 Mom sales and those are fantastic for clothes. I can go looking for something specific and usually find it. This past weekend, I bought 4 pairs of 3T lightweight pjs for $2 each. I went to find pjs and I did. Love it.

[Momof3Labs]

Got this set of six Montgomery Schoolhouse vehicles for $2 at a multiples sale, they are like new:

http://www.maplelandmark.net/action.lasso?-database=mlwproducts1&-table=web&sku=77010&-response=detail.lasso&-search

At the same sale, we got a set of two mini Huggy Buggys for $1. They were brand new.

There have been other bargains along the way, but those were our most recent!

[Melanie]

I don't really garage sale, it's too early in the AM for me. I got a NWT Zutano top for $2 at a consignment sale. Also a Jean Bourget bubble for $4 at a consignment shop.

That's about as good as it gets for me. LOL.

[vdrake71]

I don't have a lot of time to garage sale so I plan my time around community wide garage sales (usually listed in the paper) or group sales (church, mother or twins, school). I find that instead of driving all of the place and spending many weekends searching, I can focus on these events and get great deals. The one thing is that it is best to go early and try to volunteer for the group sales so you can shop early.

I typically find out about sales through friends, signs on the road, and the paper.

[Jen841]

Last year...
Bike Trailer $40
Medula Pump In Style- used 3 days, milk never came in $15 (I already had the 'touching' parts)
LT Swing $3
LT Slide $5
3 bags of ball pit balls and a FP trike $10

I love bargains!

[oneplustwo]

What a great find! I don't go to yard sales frequently, but our town dump has a great swap area. I've gotten a Lil Tikes wagon in good shape there, and even a Mac Quest stroller which I LOVE!! I think a lot has to do with karma -- a week or so after I've left lots of things there for others, I seem to come across a great find to bring home.

Anyone else have a local swap place like this?

Anne

[Dcclerk]

For reasons that are not entirely clear to me, it seems that few people in my neighborhood do garage sales. But, it appears that lots of people like to donate. So, I don't have any garage sale finds, but I've had good luck at Goodwill.

My best is the Target wooden kitchen that I scored NIB for $18. It's one of my favorite wooden kitchens, and you can't beat the price. (I've looked and compared and compared, and I swear that it is made by the same people that make the PBK metro kitchen.)

I also have gotten probably 1/4 of my kids' wardrobe at Goodwill. All of their ski wardrobe, and almost every waterskiing vest is from Goodwill. I just got a brandnew Little Bell Shell helmet. I regularly end up with Hanna Andersson, Janie & Jack, Gymboree, Gap, Mad Sky, Milk & Honey and all kinds of other boutique brands. I love the bargains, I must admit... :)

[brittone2]

I haven't hit it up yet, but apparently Chapel Hill has a shed where people can leave things/take things as they wish. There are a few restrictions on things that cannot be left like certain used/non working electronics, etc.

I only read about it recently and have no idea if there's actual good stuff to be found, but your local one sounds fabulous!

[oneplustwo]

Definitely check out that one in your area. Ours has similar restrictions and it helps ensure that items left are useable or in salvageable condition. And you never know what you might find, which is part of the fun. Our local swap area is especially good for children's items (books, games, toys, and equipment but not clothes). I love the idea that I am helping recycle this way, whether I am taking or leaving something!

Anne
mom to DD, 8/01 and twin DSs, 11/03

[trumansmom]

Hmmm... I was excited about my find until I read about everybody elses! A few years ago I had a Little Tykes score. I got a Cozy Coupe, an easel and a big climbing thingy/slide for the backyard for $100. Basically, I viewed it as getting the car and easel for free, since it's virtually impossible to find any of the back yard Little Tykes things around here for under $100.

I also got a used twice double stroller for $50. I figure I can probably sell it for that much at least after I used it all summer last summer.

Jeanne
Mom to Truman 11/01 and Eleanor 4/04

[VenusElon]

Today was my best day ever! I got 100 pieces of Gymbo for $100. All in matching lots-20 pieces of Rocky Mountain, 20 pieces of Teacher's Pet, 20 pieces of Prima Ballerina, 20 pieces of My Best Friend , and 10 each of Sugar and Spice and Romantic Garden. I only got about 1/4 of it! Another lady was scooping it up as fast am me, and two other ladies were making quick work of the little boys stuff. I spent all afternoon looking it up on Gymbohaven and it is almost $2500 of original retail value! It was so much fun!!! And my hubby was fussing at me for spending so much-he just doesn't understand.

I go every Saturday, but the first 3 weekends in May are the best around here. I keep a calendar of when the big communities have their sales, and I check the paper and plan out a route on mapquest the night before. I also right down the address of the best sales to keep an eye out next year-like the one today.

My older finds include: Little Tikes 8-in-1 playground for $45, comforter/bedroom set of everything including lamp for $60, PBK tractor bedding set for $45, and FREE wood swingset.

My rules are I try not to pay more than 1/10 retail, and never more than $1 per kids video (got 10 Dinsey ones today for $1 each and Winnie the Pooh and Scooby for .50 each)

Venus

[brittone2]

What a happy day!! :) It sounds like you got some great deals!

[hudsonam]

I just bought a Little Tikes toy chest for $18 on craigslist.com, and my sis-in-law called me today to tell me she found 4 different kitchen sets for $25 each and she was picking one up for us for DS! Yay! :)

[AngelaS]

Garage sales are off to a slow start here. So far my big buys are a $20 never used Kelty backpack carrier and a $10 Hanna Andersson coat.

Last summer I came home w/more than 20 Gymboree outfits for under $60, Brio train bridges for $.25 and lots more. My girls wear LOTS of garage sale found clothes. You'd never know it tho! :D

[ett]

What a great find! I'm so jealous. I went to a consignment sale organized by a moms group today and came back with nothing. Prices were not good at all.

[darby24]

I have heard of something like this before. Not close enough to where I live to go look for stuff though.

Karma rules! :-)

[darby24]

>Give me some pointers!! :)

Like Veronica I find the group sales the easiest to find things. Most of the times it's just luck!

>Love those Vilac cars!! You did a great job!! Were your
>hands
>like totally shaking when you picked them up?? :)

I just snatched them up in a second. My sister thought they were cool and thought the boys would love them but didn't realize the "bargain" I had got until later. I didn't want to tell the lady selling them what expensive items she had! :P

[darby24]

Wow, I want to hit your Goodwill! :-)

[winterwonderland]

I really don't like going to any Mom 2 Mom sales or many large group sales as the prices seem so much higher than if I drove around wealthy developments. Also what is up with people buying a shirt at Target for $4 and then trying to sell it for $2 or $3 dollars when I can get it for less at end of season sales at Target. It will be new and not washed and worn out. I understand pricing name brand clothing at a higher price but not Target. Oh, and another complaint of mine is that Target clothing is not name brand. I hate it when a sale is advertised as "tons of name brand clothing" and when you get there it's all Target. Name brand to me is Gymbo, Talbots, Sweat Potatoes, Kitestrings, Hartstrings, Gap etc.

I really LOVE garage sale shopping. My two boys are almost totally dressed in garage sale clothing. I am getting to the stage where finiding 4T and 5T clothing is harder to come by. Boys are so hard on their clothing at these ages. With gas prices going higher and higher I doubt that I will just take off on a Thursday morning and drive around looking for garage sales. I will probably look at the newspaper and only go to ones which list items I am looking for. I love that in the MN/WI area that they start sales on Thurs. I then have 4 days to go out shopping!!!

[jeniferrlynne]

Fun Thread-
Garage Sales
--Charlie Rocket camo clam diggers and matching tie dye shirt $1
--Charlie Rocket Airplane long sleeve T and matching gymbo hoodie $1
--Fisher Price Wagon for $2
--Fisher Price Tricycle for $5

consignment sale
Sassy crib mirror for $3
NIB Tiny love Crib mobile for $10
NIB Sassy inflatable travel tub $2

Goodwill
Sterilite Plastic Toy bin organizer 12$


I do love to garage sale and am hoping to score some more stuff now that I actually have a little one and know what I am looking for. Our local Goodwill started carrying never used nib Target clearance items as well. I guess Target must donate and get a better write-off than trying to clearance these items for any lower.

[BellaGirl]

Some of my best purchases have come from group sales (community or church sales). Just last week I came home with a Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic jacket for $3. I had bought one for DS's christening when he was just a babe for $49!!

[boys2enough]

Nice! You are right: people here would definitely understand your joy. :)

My greatest find (still not as good as yours) at a garage sale: a boxful of Brio train tracks etc for $10. DH told me that it's against the "code" to pay more than $5 for anything found at a garage sale. LOL


Cheers, Lin
Mom to 2 wild boys
D 3/98
G 11/02

http://smilies.vidahost.com/kao/otn/pcomputer.gif