Tag Archives: garage sales

Pitfalls of Yard Sale Shopping

Yard sales, garage sales, tag sales, whatever you call them, they are in full swing during the early summer and a lot of fun to shop. Through yard sales, you can pick up some great deals, and since you never know what you are going to find, yard sale shopping can be a real treasure hunt. You do have to be careful when shopping at yard sales. There is buyer’s remorse, of course, when you pay too much for an item or get home and realize it isn’t what you wanted. There really is no return policy. If you aren’t … Continue reading →

How to Use Garage Sales to Get Out of Debt

Garage sales can help you get out of debt in at least two major ways. Learn how you can use this staple of American culture to your advantage, as you pay down your bills and obtain financial freedom. Dave Ramsey, financial guru, once said to get out of debt he held a garage sale, selling so much that his kids thought they were going to be next. While this may seem like an extreme thing to do, the fact is that it is a good strategy to use in your arsenal of tools that will get you out of debt. … Continue reading →

No More Baby Gear

Posted on by

Part of me is happy that if I have a third baby, I won’t need to buy much baby gear. And, most likely, my third will be my last. For almost 5 years now I’ve been storing boxes and boxes of clothes from both kids as they outgrow them. My garage has boxes in it full of infant toys, beds, and walkers “just in case” we have another one. Sometimes I feel like half my life is taken up by baby gear, clothes, and other accessories. Getting rid of that baby gear will be a fun occasion although it will … Continue reading →

Summer Savings Goals

Do you have your summer savings goals in place? If not, you might want to consider doing this. Having clear goals for savings will help you anticipate expenses, take advantage of bargains and keep your budget on track and give you one less thing to worry about in the summer, your money. Garage Sales Last year we didn’t do to well hitting the garage sales, and our budget paid for it. We actually had to pay retail for things such as kids clothing and school supplies. Ouch. Other things we did without, such as a new supply of books or … Continue reading →

Furnishing on a Budget

Posted on by

We have always struggled with finding the cash to furnish our home. My husband and I don’t use credit cards, for various reasons, and furniture tends to be quite expensive! It can be difficult to come up with the cash up front for such large purchases. Some ways we have managed to furnish in the past include garage sales, estate sales, hand-me-downs from family and friends, newspaper ads, Craigslist… these are all commonly used, and commonly known and understood, ways of obtaining furniture at an affordable price. And you can get by fine using these options most of the time. … Continue reading →

Cleaning Old Treasures

One man’s trash is another’s treasure. Or so say avid garage sale fans. I’m not good at finding treasures in trash, but my neighbor is a yard sale-aholic, and often comes home with mountains of odds and ends that she snatches up for practically nothing. Every so often I see her unloading her van. She hauls everything inside her kitchen and I know what comes next—cleaning. The woman wipes down everything she purchases with a warm soapy cloth, except for old bottles. My neighbor collects unique bottles in a variety of shapes and sizes. I’ve chatted with her while she … Continue reading →

Taming the Rec Room

The recreation room or rec room in any home tends more to the other spelling of its name: it should be called the Wreck Room. It’s the place where you put all of the toys that the kids don’t use all that often. It’s the parking area for unfinished craft projects. It’s the place where the children play in the winter time and the place where you can close the door when guests come over. Often, it is the favourite room in the house. If your rec room is living up to its name, what can you do? First, determine … Continue reading →

Paying for (next) Christmas

Yes, this could be the blog of great depression. After all, it’s only just past Boxing Day and I’m talking about what? Paying for Christmas? Christmas 2011? Well, yes. And you can close your eyes and plug your ears now if you wish. I won’t tell. However, as Tristi mentioned in her recent blog, paying for Christmas with cash just feels good. It does not feel good to wake up on December 26th with a load of squeaking toys and a big, big balance on the credit card. How can you avoid that morning after the day before budget? Reduce … Continue reading →

Rock N Learn: Money and Making Change

So far it’s three for three. Not only is this the third awesome DVD from Rock N Learn I have reviewed but I have three children who loved learning about money while in Kindergarten. My kids have always enjoyed using play money and playing store. At the same time all disliked money worksheets. So Rock N Learn to the rescue with Money and Making Change. Penny and Bill just made both mom and student very happy. Penny and Bill are faced with a dilemma. They need to repair a broken speaker before their concert. However, now they need to learn … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: October 6th Through October 12th

Are you worried about the economy? Who isn’t right? Well, one way to cope is by practicing frugal living. Check out last week’s articles, and be sure to check out the archives, too. Just click on one of the frugal categories, from Conservation to Shopping, for a wealth of information. October 6th Frugal Living Week in Review: September 29th Through October 5th How is your grocery bill these days? I have been sharing some trick and tips this past week that will allow you to save. Still, prices can be steep. Remember when chicken was cheap? Not anymore. Five Little … Continue reading →