Garage Sale Haggling

I don't think that if you are a push-over, you should be allowed to have garage sales.  I have had them in the past and I know that the early birds show up as you are setting up (still in the dark) and that those very people are the ones that will offer you pennies for that treasure you spent hundreds of dollars on years ago...

Today was our "multi-family garage sale" that I had spent days advertising on craigslist.org.  I had enlisted several of my friends to come and bring their stuff and experience this garage sale phenomenon.

It's scary.

I wasn't selling all that much.  What I was planning to sell, wasn't anything I was in any hurry to get rid of, so I figured that if I didn't get close to the price I was asking, that it was no love-loss and that I would hold onto it until the next time.

Well, for something I had tagged for $75, I had someone offer me $30.  I thought he was joking. I quickly said no.  To which he then said, $35.  Joke again.  I told him the lowest I would go was $50.  He offered me $40 and I told him there was no way I would go any lower and that I would rather keep it in my closet than give it to him for that price.  I had already gone as low as I was willing.  He later agreed, but not without more pressure.

Much of the day went the same way.  I had people offering me nothing for things I wasn't willing to budge on.  I know, garage sale...you gotta be willing to give.  BUT, most of the stuff I practically did give away...it was the stuff I wasn't going to settle for that gave me the most grief!

Anyway, the garage sale ended up being a success for most of us.  A few friends that dropped off their stuff made some money and those of us that manned the tables couldn't complain.  For the time of just chatting with girlfriends and laughing at the ridiculous offers we received, it was worth the work...

Until next time!