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I am a stay at home mom who finds little snippets of time to craft and create.
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Saturday, May 8, 2010

How garage sales save my life

Growing up my mom would buy everything for us kids at garage sales. We lived in the mecca for garage sales, so it was smart and cheap to do. I loved going when I was a teenager. It was the thrill of the hunt. I loved to get deals on clothes and shoes in particular.

Now that I am a mother, and on a strict budget, I find garage sales fit the mold. I have never bought Benjamin an outfit at the store. I have never paid more than a dollar for a shirt, shorts, pants, or shoes. I do splurge and buy the occasional church outfit for $3, but that is as far as it goes for Ben. Now that I am having another boy, I don't have to buy any clothes or toys. I will have to buy a stroller for two and a swing that plugs into an outlet, but because I use garages sales, I can afford to buy one or two nice things I really need or want.

I have been praying and wishing for a grill for Daniel for Fathers day this year. I start looking ofr gifts early, so I am not rushed and have time to find another gift if I can't get the first one. So, back to the grill, I have been searching at garage sales for a while and knew that I probably would have to break down and tell Daniel what I wanted to get him and if we had a little left over that month, we could maybe buy the cheapest thing at wallmart. So I was at this sale and asked about this great looking grill, even though in my heart I knew it would be way to much. The guy said $20 and I thought that was fantastic, so I started to ask some other questions ad by the end He sold it to me for $10!!!!!! We would have to buy a propane tank and ask my step-dad to come pick it up for us, but it all worked out great! Daniel was thrilled and I think we have used it almost every day since then. Thank goodness for prayers being answered, and way before Fathers day!

I also put in a garden this year hoping to can a lot more for this coming winter. My mom has a pressure cooker and I would just can with her and eventually afford to get one for myself. I found one at a garage sale for $15!!! This is cheap even for garages sales. I am so excited now to learn how to do it myself and can, can ,can!!!

So my big find this week was clothes. Benjamin has been in the same size for at least six months now, so It was that time he was ready for the next size. I had been looking at garages sales for a while kind of liek the grill and hoping that I would find some summer and winter things, because yo uhave to stock up for the winter when there aren't sales. Today I bought a whole years worth of clothes for him, both winter and summer for $20. That is ONE outfit at the store. I am just so excited about saving so much money and we don't have to worry about clothes or shoes for a whole year for him!

My indulgence this week was a new purse. I have quite a few purses, but they get dirty really quick, because I use them as a diaper bag too. So it was time for a new one and I found this huge and gorgeouse purse for $7!!! I love it!

I will always shop at garage sales no matter how much money I have, because it is just common sense for me when you have kids. It helps me stay on budget and get more for my money. I bought this lawn mower that shoots bubbles out for $2. It is originally over $35. I am able to give my child a better quality of life that normally I can't afford. Have I said yet how much I love them? Don't get me wrong, you have to go to a lot of crummy sales, but you will always find that one that made the whole day worth it.

How do you all feel about garage sales?

5 comments:

Lynette said...

All the garage sales around us look junky. Sounds like I should be taking a second look!

{Steve and Amanda} said...

Those are some awesome finds! That pressure cooker is an awesome deal.

Unfortunately, I was traumatized at a young age with garage sales when we lived in Warroad. My mom bought a pair of gym shorts for me at a garage sale and so I wore them to P.E. the next week. My friend in gym saw the shorts and said, "hey I used to have shorts like those", then she took a closer look, "wait...those were my shorts" I was so embarrassed and I never wore them again.. I am still a little weary of garage sales in our area or even Goodwill. I'm afraid of showing up at church with a skirt/dress that used to be someone's. Even though I now live in a huge city, it still worries me.

Anonymous said...

What great finds! That is so fun to know you are having another boy:) SOOO happy for you guys!

ALYN said...

That's alot of clothes of $20. Great find!

I love consignment sales. I don't want to spend all my Saturday mornings searching yard sales hoping to find someone with clothes the right size. But Yard Sale-ing is a great way to save money. A very smart hobby. (As long as you don't buy more than fits in your house, right?) : )

Michelle C said...

Brittany that is SOOO awesome about all the deals. I never went to garage sales much, but being around you and all your good deals, i started to go. Well this season with garage sales I haven't had a lot of luck and there's been a lot of discouragement with seeing them on craigslist and I wasted my time and went and then there's junk. So it's discouraging and it's really hard to get out with both boys if I go on Fridays and then Saturday mornings it has seemed to be raining. This past weekend I missed some really awesome garage sales becasue our neighborhood and the neighborhood across the street were having their bi-annual sales. Bummer!! But the temple is more important. I'm so glad you've found some great stuff!!