Yard Sale regrets (what I didn't get...)

20 years ago

I hit the mother load of garage sales last Friday - a woman w/2 sons slightly older than my 3. Prices were great, I bought TONS of really nice clothes for my older 2 boys. I had to stop because I ran out of money.

I wanted to go back on Saturday but DS had a baseball game. Once it was over, I drove by and she was all packed in.

I was too chicken to knock on her door and ask to look over the leftovers, but I wanted to really badly!

My biggest regrets: a denim coat for middle DS that was $3, and really nice rollerblades for same son that were $3. I should have gone to the ATM and gone back! To think I missed such great bargains because I didn't have $6 more!

Today is DS's b-day. I ended up spending $22 on rollerblades for his b-day. HE would have been just as thrilled w/$3 garage sale ones - he just wanted rollerblades.

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Comments (9)

jamie_mt
20 years ago
Maybe with things like this, some advanced thinking about priorities might have helped. Generally if I'm on a limited budget (whether that just means I don't have enough cash or if I truely don't have any more $4), I try to get the stuff I know is going to be *much* more expensive somewhere else first. Like the rollerblades - it may have been better to get one less item of clothing for the older kiddos and bought the rollerblades right then, since $3 is such a steal - same with the denim jacket. Those are both big ticket-type items where the actual value is much more than the price (the difference between the clothes might have been good, but the difference between new and used for those two items was *better* than the clothes difference, if you know what I mean). Then spent the rest on the other clothes up to the cash you had in your pocket. That way, if for some reason you didn't make it back, it wouldn't be a "regret" situation. :-)

I never count on making it back anywhere (store, rummage sale, whatever), because "life" has a tendancy to change my plans a lot (and I hate to shop). LOL So I try to get the things I'll regret not getting the most first, and then move on to other stuff.
phyllis_philodendron
20 years ago
Momma, I did this a few weeks ago. It was incredible - nice baby clothes from the Gap, etc. that were clean and in good condition. I think we still didn't know what it was yet and it was still "early," so I was afraid to buy anything. Lately I haven't been in the mood for sales but I think I'm going to go back out next week now that I'm off. The ones I went to earlier this summer were just no good.
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joyfulguy
20 years ago
The important thing is to make such events a learning experience.

As someone said on another post, "maturity".

Learning one's lessons.

Better luck (rather, smarter setting of priorities) next time.

Good wishes for a great bargain at the next one.

jes joyful
luv4pets
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Came home from work on a Sat. morning after working a 7-7am night shift and saw the neighbours holding a yard sale across the street. In it was a beautiful country screen door, one I had previously priced at $200.00 unfinished. Didn't go over right away but sent my husband an hour later to check it out and it had just been sold for $20.00.
Still haunts me!
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mid_tn_mama
20 years ago
Momma Bird: It's not to late. Go over and introduce yourself. Let her know that the next time she wants to have a yard sale to call you first. She may be dreading the trip to the thrift store with the coat you want anyway! I know several people with kids a little smaller than mine and I always call them first!
kathy_
20 years ago
I saw a kit for installing doors in a nice case. Different hole saws and tools. $10 but I thought I did not need it. Well guess who's hubby is hunting a hole saw now to put a deadbolt in a door? I could have had a whole kit for a few more dollars than he will spend on one saw. Kathy_PA
eliza_ann
20 years ago
dd and I stopped at a yard sale earlier this summer where prices were fantastic.At the time they had a french door,bevelled glass,brass hardware and it was brand new...15.00.Didn't buy it right away,but after driving around awhile I thought it was much too good a bargain to pass up(even though I had no use for it right away.Guess what...IT WAS GONE!)Four months we decided to do some renovating in the family room and decided we needed a french door.You're not going to believe this,but the same dood was 170,00 at HD.I could just cry when I think about it.Lesson learned..If it's a fantastic bargain,BUY IT!...You can always resell it if you really have no use for it later!
joyfulguy
20 years ago
Anybody figured in the cost of building a barn, shed, addition on the home, etc. to store all of the stuff?

And a computer to catalogue where to find that beautiful stuff WHEN one needs one/some of them - not a month or two later?

How does one a set up a three-dimensional catalogue?

How does one build the habit of ALWAYS returning the item to the place where the computer says that it is to be found?

Sounds like fun.

old joyful

P.S. When at my most recent church, I attended an auction where a previously-used gas stove sold for $10.00 and the replacement one bought a couple of years ago for about $25.00. I almost bought one, thinking that I could surely find a home for it later.

Within a few months the women's group (United Church Women) bought a (used) stove from the propane dealer to use when putting on the annual fowl supper and other occasions.

I was sad.

oj

Yard Sale regrets (what I didn't get...)

Comments (9)

jamie_mt

phyllis_philodendron

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