This is a RUMMAGE SALE not a THRIFT STORE!

I am a "vet" yard saler! I have them and go to them! But I do know what you mean about them being higher prices. I know they need to make money to, but at the same time...it is used stuff and if you want a higher price you put in in the local paper freebie or something like that, not at a yard sale as everyone that goes to a YS is looking for cheap. That is what they are all about! I just look, if I find anything I want and the price is to high, I make them an offer and if they don't take it, I put the item back. I had noticed last few summers tho...lot of things still there and lot of people walking away with nothing in their hands! Either they had next to nothing or their prices were to high. The point of a YS is to get rid of stuff and make a few extra bucks. I don't know why they think they can do either if their prices are high! When I had them...(in an apt now!) I'd have things priced properly. Low or not very high. I wanted to get rid of the stuff and make a few bucks. Always did well. My daughter got in on it and she'd sell kids stuff like crazy..especially clothes. But what really got to me... I am a nice person and always there to help someone out. I'd have something for a dollar...totally fair and cheap and well worth it for the item. Some one would ask me if I'd take 50 cents for it. I'd look at them, they looked sincere and maybe low on money, so I'd say okay....being nice and helpful....then they'd take out a $20 bill to pay me for it! At first, I thought, okay, they need to stretch their $10. But the last several sales I had before I moved here...the first one...they'd offer me a quarter on a dollar item or a dollar on a $5 item. At first, I'd take it just to get rid of the item, then when they'd give me a large bill to pay for it and it'd take all my change I started to think about this and realize...they are playing me for a fool and all I am doing is trying to be nice! So, I decided to make things firm. Some things I'd accept offer on, (the higher priced items) and others (lower priced especially a dollar or less) I wouldn't come down. I'd just say no to their offer. SOmetimes they'd take it anyway, other times they wouldn't...but someone else did. I also saw the "system" and noticed that the first 2-3 hours in the morning were when the horders would arrive...and then lesser the rest of the day...so what I'd do is stay firm on alot of things, and then lower prices after 12:00. THat way I got the best I could for most and as much as I could for the rest. What didn't sell I'd box up for the next one. Worked out really great. But I found that being nice is not something you can when you have a yard sale as they will just take advantage of you. I mean, a dollar is a fair price on most anything and they offer me half that? And then pay with a large bill? I"d also tell them I cant change a $20 for a total under $5...and they'd always pull out a $5 of exact change. YS is a game on both sides...you just have to know how to play it where you are!

Strange - maybe some of these people just hadn't been to garage sales? I went to one the other day where I found some good toys for a good price. $4 for a set of wooden puzzles. Around here, these would have cost $10 at a thrift store or a swapmeet. (or $28 new!) I guess it's getting harder to find good deals though.

some people who are holding yard sales do it to make money. others do it to get rid of stuff so they sell stuff cheap. those are the ones you want to go to. they generally say moving sale, that sort of thing.

I have been to sales like this too and I find that it is just best to leave and go somewhere else. Some of the better neighborhoods here will have nice name brand clothes that have hardly been worn but they will want the price I could pay retail for. I was at one a year ago or so and they had Coach purses that had been used and they were asking $100 for them. I do not know what they cost in the stores, but I would never pay that kind of money at a yard sale for one. I really didn't like them anyway, but still that is too much money for a used purse.

I don't go to rummage sales, yard sales, etc much anymore. When my kids were smaller I used to. I did go to one a while back because they had a chair I wanted. Of course it was overpriced! I asked if she would come down any and she looked at me like I was crazy. Of course not! Well I walked away. She can keep her chair! I bet if she got it sold that she had to come down on the price. Evidently people don't want to get rid of their stuff very badly or they wouldn't price things so high! If it were me I would rather get rid of it rather than carry it back into the house.

We hit a few good one's a few weeks ago. We actually got quite a bit of stuff for $25! One lady was having a moving sale and she had lots of decorations/curtains/table clothes and such for sale. We struck a great deal on several items that match my home decor. The new place she was moving to had different carpeting and paint so all of her drapes, decorations did not match. I was so happy! Sorry you did not have any luck.

If I go to the bother of putting stuff in a sale it is to get rid of it, without having to cart it out myself. I hate it when stuff is overpriced. Thrift stores are even beginning to up their prices a lot as well.

That doesnt sound like a very fun time. I too do not buy anything that is over a dollar unless I really like it. I dont go garage selling to spend a ton of money. I go to get a good deal. If I wanted to spend a ton of money I would go to a department store in the local mall. I would be upset with this too but I think it is because of the economy.

Things are tough all over, aren't they? I've noticed some of the yard sales near my house have much higher prices than I'm used to. One was selling purses for $10 each! It's pretty bad when a person can't even afford to shop at a yard sale.

I do not go to rummage sales, though I have been considering it. I frequent salvation army and goodwill a lot more. When it comes to stuff though, if I were to go to a yard / rummage sale I'd expect things to be no more then fifty cents to one dollar when it comes to clothes UNLESS the things are still nice / barely worn, but then I'd also expect them to have sold it to a plato's closet or something like that.

It's been a while since I've gone to any yard/garage/rummage sales. I haven't been to any at all since my boyfriend and I moved to Florida, so I don't know if that's the case here or not in terms of pricing. I do know, though, that there are some thrift shops with decent stuff at good prices, so I know where to head if I need anything in particular. However, my closet is overflowing with clothes, so I really haven't any need to go shopping--not even yardsaling or thrifting.

Hi SnuggleBunnies. Sounds like they need to look at what they have and realize it isn't made of Gold. I won't buy anything from a garage sale that is more then fifty cents. I don't usually find anything really more then that anyway here in my home town. Good luck hope you find more bargains next time you go out.

That is pretty sad that she would not lower the price. My thinking is that if I was holding a rummage sale and someone asked me to lower the price, I certainly would. Though I understand she was trying to make a few bucks but what if she does not sell them all. My thoughts always with any rummage sale is that if we can get anything out of the selling items I would jump at it. What else would we do with the stuff after the sale is over. That would also encourage customers to come back in the event that I had another one. Not everyone is the same but she at least could have taken into consideration that you were interested. No I would not go back because then I would be wasting more gas to return therefore unless there was something I absolutely had to have I would not return.

I love garage sales and have gone for many years - and I mean for many years. I know what you mean. I have gone to many garage sales where they try to charge thrift store prices. And thrift store prices are high these days. I refuse to pay thrift store prices for garage sales. I also do not like to bargain so I do not offer a lower price. Usually the persons who put on these type of garage sales do not have very successful ones. They often have long faces and are in bad moods. I do not drive and I do not care to take a bus to garage sales so I only stick to ones in my neighborhood. This does limit me. As for church sales and rummage sales, many groups have good ones but often they are unrealistic in pricing. And the pricing is uneven. Some items are priced too low and others are priced too high. Clothes are one item that seem to be priced too high. Remember, there will always be another garage sale. I go to sales with an open mind. I almost never find what I am looking for but often find something I was not expecting. I am open to possibilities.