Today, I’m going to talk about a fun way to save money. That fun way is to buy stuff at garage sales (also known as yard sales). After all, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. You can find some really cool things in places where you least expect them. And the prices are very low because people are just looking to clear unused stuff from their houses. Or they might be downsizing and moving to a smaller living space.
On occasion, I will find unexpected treasures at garage sales/yard sales/rummage sales. One time, I bought a food processor at a garage sale. I asked the person selling it to plug it in to make sure that it actually worked. Sure enough, it did. The food processor looks like a relatively old model. But it is in very good condition and I have prepared all sorts of food in it, including hummus, pesto, and even smoothies. I make smoothies in a food processor because I don’t have a blender! And about a year ago, I found a little food chopper at a garage sale. Sort of like a baby food processor. It didn’t cost much, either. I use it mostly for chopping garlic.
This past Friday, I went to River Lea, the home of the Grand Island Historical Society for its garage sale. It was the historical society’s only fundraiser for the entire year.
And there were some cool things there. I bought a wooden box that was called the “magic tea box.” It was once full of teabags. I gave it more days of glory by filling it with a selection of teas.
Another thing that I bought at the garage sale was a Vera Bradley purse in a Java Blue style. It is a retired style but it still looks stylish to me. Especially for four dollars. I think that was a bar-goon!
Below are some pictures of other things that I’ve purchased at garage sales. They include bone china tea cups and saucers (which I truly love to place in still lifes), beads for jewelry making or to sew into embroidery projects, bears, and a four-volume set of encyclopedias that gives descriptions of the characters of classical literature.
I have been to ONE garage sale since March! ONE! I am definitely having withdrawal symptoms, but I garage sales are actually on a list of the middle of the road risk of COVID-19 in my state, so I still stay away. I haven't even been to a thrift store! Of course, the last time I went, in March, the cashier was coughing up a storm, so I stopped even before things were shut down!
I once got a bread maker, still in the box at a garage sale!
Now my son and I drive around on Sunday to see the "free" piles of leftovers on curbs! Or, we did before our air quality got so poor due to wildfire smoke. We'll be able to again!
Neat finds, Alice!! I am impressed with the $4 purse, especially. And the chopper, because I could sure use one of those. In the past, I have gotten living room furniture, patio chairs, a vacuum cleaner and other things from yard sales. The interesting thing – I didn't go to any them, myself. A friend did, and saw each thing I needed and got it for me. I saw that one of your commenters mentioned finding free things that have been discarded. I have done this as well. I found a TV stand someone was throwing away and kept it for over ten years.
Wow that food processor looks great! Our subdivision has a sale in April a s another in October but this year both have been cancelled. I have a garage loaded with things that were going in the sale so I've been selling quite a few through online garage sales in my area. Not getting Rich bit getting rid of things that others can use plus making room in the garage to store more unused things. LOL
While all of them are great finds, my favorites are the encyclopedias (of course) and that teabox..
I love going to Garage Sales or Rummage Sales and I have been blessed as my mother in law and also my best friend enjoy going and we get together at least once a month on a Friday and head out because like you said we never know what we might find.