The following is a guest post by William B. West:
Hey, Cool Collectors! It’s your old pal, Will, here to give you a few tips to help in your thrifting endeavors. If you’re not familiar with me, I write a segment called Thrift Justice over at williambrucewest.com, where I showcase the goodies I’ve found at thrift stores and yard sales. Since I’ve been at this a while, I thought I’d teach you 5 tips so that you, too, can become a thrift ninja!
Dress appropriately
This might sound somewhat obvious, but it’s so important one might forget it. Now, when I say “appropriately,” that can mean different things to different people. For example, when I go to yard sales on a cold morning, I actually dress like it’s warm. I know it’s crazy, but bear with me here. Time is of the essence on an early Saturday morning, and you don’t necessarily need to waste it slowly browsing through a sale that may turn up fruitless. So, when I’m dressed for warmth, the cold drives me to assess the situation *quickly*. No wasted time strolling and chatting. In and out, and on to the next one!
Check yard sale signs dates
I can’t emphasize this enough! People tend to be pretty lazy about removing their signs once their sale is over. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve followed a trail of signs while “freestyling,” only to find that the sale was the previous week. Generally, if there’s no date on the sign, keep moving.
INSPECT!
In the fervor of grabbing stuff before someone else sees it, it’s possible that you may not have fully inspected the item before paying for it. Yard sales and thrift stores aren’t Walmart, so all sales are pretty much final. I used to be a sucker for Transformers. Generation 1 bots are pretty easy to deal with, but the newer, movie bots are a nightmare. Why is this? It’s because the toys moved to a ball joint system, where parts can just pop off. You may see a Transformer that looks complete, only to get home and find the exposed ball joint where an arm or even a head used to be. Even though you’re on a schedule, you’ve always got time to inspect before you buy.
Bundle
I learned this from American Pickers. If you don’t like the price of something, try to combine a lot of items to get a better deal. I’m not a big haggler, as it’s just not my nature. Bundling, though, gets your desired outcome without really taking you out of your comfort zone. This tip can be a lifesaver for an introvert.
Bring a debit/credit card
This might be the antithesis of what you’ve been told, as everyone always says to bring cash to these things. That’s true, but with the advent of apps like Square, people can process credit card transactions with their smartphones just as securely as if the transaction had happened in a store. It can be a lifesaver if you find you didn’t bring enough money with you.
Welp, these are the tips that have helped me along. Can you think of any I’ve missed? If so, leave ’em in the comments!
Awesome advice! Thanks Will! I’m a huge fan of bundling. It always amazes me how people at yard sales will basically give their stuff away if you offer to take a lot of it. A single item will usually make back what you spent and the rest is just profit.
I would add to check Craigslist for garage sales and yard sales the night before you hit the streets. I usually determine which one or two sales to hit first thing and then “freestyle” the rest of the morning.
Oh man, I got some tips that aren’t included in this list. I should write them down… but then I’ll be giving my competition my secrets!
I know how it sounds, but when going to sales find the ones where kids are running a table. Kids and moms who are selling alone usually sell stuff super cheap, either from ignorance of worth, they don’t care about the item anymore, or they want to get it out of their house ASAP. I pick up action figures and other toys this way all the time. Everyone is usually a winner (mostly me if I get it and can flip it).
Great post! This seems like the kind of thing Yahoo would pick up..
I usually browse Craig’s list and then make a battle plan using google maps and the start times to maximize the driving route.
Great tips. I agree about the Transformers. I am a sucker for a G1 bot too, but I really hate the newer ones. I have picked up newer ones thinking they were complete only to be missing legs. now I don’t bother with them
Like others said here, checking Craigslist, yardsaletreasure map, and other tools is helpful. I looked up “mid century modern” yesterday and saw I missed out on a yard sale that had low priced mid century modern furniture in perfect condition because they’d bought an older house with contents included, d’oh! I’d have been first in line for that one.
I’d also add bringing not only cash but lots of small change so you don’t have to break ones on 15 cent score and hunting in neighborhoods where you think your quarry lies, if you’re hunting for vintage, try older neighborhoods and retirement communities. If you’re hunting for toys, try neighborhoods with families.
INSPECT is so important, I get excited when I see something I like for a low price and sometimes won’t noticed irreparable damage until I get home. It’s so easy to get intoxicated by that “I’ve found it, must buy!” moment!
I dress like I’m nearly homeless, so people are more willing to give me deal/want to get me off their property.
Sometimes I also bring a necklace made out of human teeth.
Works like a charm!
I’ve begun teaching the art to my son and his girlfriend (both collectors). My number one rule (mostly applied at flea markets), before you engage in any negotiations have the following in your head: Your “buy it without hesitation price”, your “maybe… if I don’t find anything else price” and your “walk away price”. You have to be willing to walk away. 9 times out of 10, the seller will stop you and renegotiate the deal.
By the way, where are you guys still finding G1 Transformers!?! That well dried up a long time ago in my parts.
The G1’s are hard to find but I have found some on Craigslist, and every now and then one will turn up at the bottom of a box of toys at a yard sale–definitely not a common occurrence though.
I have had a lot of luck surprisingly at my local Goodwill with G1 Transformers.
Very useful tips. Everyone should inspect all stuff before buying it at yard sale and should make a list of things that they are looking for as it will make their buying process more easier and comfortable.