What the hell was I thinking? This was the question I pondered for much (if not most) of this, the first day of my mini-vacation. Tomorrow will be the day of my first annual yard sale while today was spent in preparation for the huge event. Nearly all the items I priced today for tomorrow’s yard sale were acquired at other yard sales. I do that. I buy things at yard sales and sell those items on eBay. It’s a great hobby. Sometimes though, I misfire. Those misfires will be displayed at my yard sale tomorrow.
What the hell was I thinking when I drug home those Dean Martin albums? It matters not, for I’m sure that some local old blue-haired lady will be pleased to find them at my yard sale. Soon she will swoon as Dino croons (that’s assonance). And I will be freed from the space-taking, dust-collecting mistake souvenirs (and that’s amore).
The day will be spent mostly selling items for a price less than I paid. It’s unreasonable for me to expect to sell every item (that’s how I got here in the first place) and so I’ll end the day by dropping off as a donation to St. Vincent De Paul what items remain.
Tomorrow will be, for me, a day of correction. There are those who would insist that selling items for a loss is a mistake. I believe, however, that I’ve evolved beyond that reasoning. Certainly if there is loss, there was a mistake. But I’ve come to realize that the mistake was made in acquiring the item – not in getting rid of it. I have a similar philosophy when it comes to women, but that’ll have wait for another time. I have a sale to prepare for.
Copy & paste to friend: (Click inside box; Ctrl + C to copy; Ctrl + V to paste)
|
|
read more blogs!
|
luvshorses644
|
May 20 @ 8:46PM
|
|
I see nothing wrong with selling at a loss if it unclutters some space.. we have all made those impulse buys..
However, I will be waiting for the sequel on the woman philosophy with baited breath.
|
|
RainSongSpirit
|
May 20 @ 8:50PM
|
|
hey 'll take those records off your hands 
|
|
ColdinWisconsin
|
May 20 @ 9:17PM
|
|
|
But I’ve come to realize that the mistake was made in acquiring the item – not in getting rid of it. I have a similar philosophy when it comes to women
Right there....that's a kudo.
Yup...you hit that nail on the head baby.
~*~
|
|
oceanlover734
|
May 20 @ 9:24PM
|
|
|
But I’ve come to realize that the mistake was made in acquiring the item – not in getting rid of it. Best quote I've read in a long time. Love it and it sure applies in many areas. ~*~
|
|
RavinLunatic
|
May 20 @ 9:43PM
|
|
Have you tried using freecycle? Here are two places maybe close to you you could post to to get rid of things. Might even be able to get some goodies from as well. http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=freecycle+Owensboro%2C+Kentucky
I took the liberty of looking up your location and posted it into yahoo groups. Hope ya don mind. Like ya name. :)
|
|
PsychoMagnet
|
May 20 @ 9:49PM
|
|
|
Hope ya don mind.
Not at all. I was thinking that there's just not enough spam these days . . .
|
|
ragtopcookie
|
May 20 @ 9:52PM
|
|
Most of my really cool things came from rummage and garage sales......heck ....half the fun is to try and get a better price....or throw in some more for a few dollars more.....one time...i got a whole box of playboys and penthouse magazines for free....from some upset wife.....put them in my closet under the stares in my room.....about a month later......a few copies were found in my sons room.....under his bed matress.......  ......cookie
|
|
missliss78
|
May 20 @ 11:10PM
|
|
I'm a firm believer in "cutting your losses" no matter what the situation.
Good luck!
|
|
lovestobake
|
May 21 @ 12:43AM
|
|
Good idea, I will drop off my ex girl at St. Vincent's, thanks. Do they have a night drop off that is air tight! I enjoyed your blog. 
|
|
RavinLunatic
|
May 21 @ 12:57AM
|
|
|
Oh, sorry, I meant that I searched for if there was a freecycle group near you. But I think you may mean you get more spam if you participate in a freecycle group? Hm, maybe so. Seems I get muchas mas spam from those yahoo groups. Yuck.
|
|
Fender
|
May 21 @ 7:25AM
|
|
|
When is my lamp arriving?
|
|
EternalFlame
|
May 21 @ 8:55AM
|
|
My huge garage sale is set for May 30, the day before we leave on our family vacation...one day at Magic Mountain and then 5 days at Disneyland. The money we make at the sale will be spending money for the trip.
I've got an entire 1 car garage that's full of boxes marked 'Garage Sale'. I've been collecting the stuff for a couple of years now. "Throw that out, I don't want it anymore" says one of my kids...and I reply, "Hell no! That's perfectly good and somebody will want it at a garage sale." The collecting has gone on long enough! LOL
I'm also selling that beautiful, brand new Schwinn I bought last year. I rode it twice. I let the guy talk me into buying it even tho I felt it was too big for me...it scares me. I paid $250 for it. I'm going to ask $175 and let somebody talk me down.
Good luck with your sale, and I hope you make heaps of cash!
|
|
ttomtarr
|
May 21 @ 9:46AM
|
|
There are lots of things I have always wanted. I can buy them for a low price at a yard sale, enjoy them till they lose the fascination, and sell them again.
Sweet Thang and I are avid gardeners. Most yard salers with beautiful yards are proud gardeners too. We find if we ask for a cutting of a particular plant, they are almost always willing to give us one. Some of my best finds have been free plant cuttings.
I use freecycle, and have gotten zero spam from them. We also give, usually to salvation army, excess goods. They give you a tax donation reciept that decreases your encome tax. The salvation army is one of the last few charities that actually help people, unlike others that are run as a franchised businesses. Some others have long lost their good will.
My big downfall is backup and multiples. If I have something I really like, I tend to buy addditional ones. Like coleman lanterns and svea stoves. In hurricane blackouts, I light up the house brighter than when the electricity is on, just to let 'em know I can.
Bargaining is indeed a lot of the fun. Having lived several years in South America, I have it developed to an art. If you know prices, and know quality and value, you can get some great value, at very low price. Most of what I own is from yard sales.
I buy broken things, for almost nothing. I look at them as mechanical puzzles, and get a lot of fun out of figuring how they work, and rebuilding them. Those "puzzles" usually cost less than a sixpack, and give me way more emtertainment than the brew. Sewing machines are one of my favorites. I have a standing offer to give any friend a free sewing machine.
I long ago gave up trying to aquire and repair damaged women.
But when floor space starts narrowing to trails, and the attic beams begin moaning too loud in storms, I know it is time to have a yard sale. I too am sorting for one today.
|
|
ttomtarr
|
May 21 @ 10:19AM
|
|
PS
When selling, I try not to lower my prices, I just throw more stuff into the deal. It clears the decks a lot faster. After eleven oclock, say yes to any offer on something you want to get rid of. A freebie table will also recycle some some stuff that would have fattened the landfill.
I also paint my signs on big cardboard boxes, and set them where they will be most visable. You can put your message on all four sides, and a stone keeps them in place, even where there is no pole or structure to tack a sign to. Print huge! Most people do NOT know where your street is. Put encourager signs if there are drives of over a mile between turns.
It is also a good idea to get an avid yard saler to check your prices if this is your first try. Often, market price and real value have little relation, some things always going high, and other nice things of very little price.
And when small children really, really like something, I get more pleasure from giving it to them than I would from the selling price.
|
|
Tunes4u
|
May 21 @ 3:02PM
|
|
Got any musical instruments....besides the typewriter I mean...
I was gonna make a comment on the line too, but SHE beat me to it.
~*~
|
|
|