Happy Frugal Friday! Today is officially the first day of summer. Summer is the best time to spend time outdoors, preferably doing enjoyable activities that cost next to nothing. Check out my previous post on Fun and Free Things To Do This Summer.
Another way to spend a great summer day outdoors plus make some extra money is to have a yard sale! This accomplishes many things for me... I get to purge stuff I don't need or use any more, I get to work on my tan and I make some extra bucks!
Our neighborhood in Adams Hill is having a huge garage sale Saturday, June 22. If you are in the area, come check our sale.
Here are some tips and tricks for a fun and profitable yard sale.
Timing Is Everything - pick Saturdays and/or Sundays for your sale, most people do yard sale shopping on the weekends. Open early starting at 7:00 am or 8:00 am and be prepared for early bird shoppers.
Advertise For Free - don't spend a dime promoting your upcoming yard sale. I often post ads on Craigslist a 3 days before and the day before the sale. If possible, include photos of larger ticket items in your ad to entice shoppers to check out your sale. Spread the word about your sale on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. You can also post flyers on bulletin boards at neighborhood markets or coffee shops.
Have Refreshments - offer complementary drinks, such as water or lemonade in small cups. This is a nice treat for shoppers especially during the summer.
Organize Your Stuff - instead of just tossing items in a big heaping pile, organize them by like items or category. Make it easy for shoppers to see every item you have for sale. Try to avoid making anyone have to dig through a pile of stuff.
Display Best Items In Front - you want to put your best stuff out near the street when you have "drive-bys" checking out whether it's worth their time to stop. Display items out front such as furniture and other attractive merchandise.
No Need To Price Everything - unless it's one of your big ticket item that your price is firm on, avoid pricing every little item. Your prices should be priced low or negotiable. Let shoppers know if they buy more, you'll give them a great deal.
Have Small Bills - make sure you have enough change and small bills, go to the bank ahead of time and get change for larger bills. Most shoppers have exact change, but there are some that only have larger bills.
Everything Must Go - if you truly want most every item to sell, at the end of the day you can let shoppers know that anything they can stuff in a bag is only $5 (or whatever amount you decide). If there are still items left over at the end of your successful yard sale, pack it all up and donate it to your local thrift store, the items you donate are tax deductible.