by Angel Sharum

Created on: August 06, 2009

I love yard sales! I've been known to spend whole days going through others cast offs, looking for that special something I want, need or could make a profit from at resale. You never know what you'll find because one person's trash really is another's treasure!

One of my best yard sale buys was a white, hobnail candy dish made by the Fenton glassware company. I found the treasure in an affluent neighborhood in which all the residents were holding their annual community sale. I was just casually browsing through the wonderful array of items when the white dish caught my eye. When I flipped it over and saw the one-dollar sticker beside the embossed Fenton logo I couldn't believe the luck. I made a nice fourteen-dollar profit off that little yard sale find.

I guess the very best yard sale buy I've come across from a practical standpoint are the end tables in our livingroom. My dad actually found them and bought them for resale, and then I snapped them up. I've definitely got my twenty-dollars worth out of the tables since we've been using them for almost ten years now.

My husband isn't one for going to yard sales very often. One day when he did go with me, we found a woman selling her entire candleholder collection. Some of the holders still had the original price tags on them. We bought the entire collection for ten-dollars. My husband liked two of the candleholders so we kept those for personal use and then I put the others up for resale. I made back my ten dollars plus a nice little profit.

Another of my best yard sale buys is the microwave stand we are currently using in our kitchen. We like our little kitchen, but it doesn't have a lot of counter space and we were using some of it to hold the microwave. The arrangement wasn't working. While heading home from the store one day we spotted a white microwave stand at a yard sale. When told it was only fifteen dollars, we quickly made the purchase. It sure is nice having the extra counter space to chop vegetables, set plates or whatever.

You never know what kind of great items you'll find at yard sales that will actually improve your life. Don't discount yard sales when looking for decorative items, appliances, or even clothes for the kids. Some people get rid of stuff just because they are tired of it, even items they have never actually used! Always check the local yard sales before spending outrageous prices at department stores. You just might find your own great yard sale buy!

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