Strategies for shopping yard sales

Now that spring has arrived and temperatures are rising, yard and garage sales and outdoor flea market will begin cropping up. Spring cleaning always generates lots of stuff to paw through, and there are bound to be more pickings with the unfortunate reality that lots of folk will be selling off stuff to survive in this merciless economy.

As you troll the sales, here are 12 tips for maximizing the experience:

• Make an itinerary after checking the local daily and Sunday papers, those little throwaway community publications, and Internet billboards for sale announcements.
• Dress for comfort. Check the forecasts the evening before and wear comfortable shoes. Don’t wear clothes so loose that they can catch on objects.
• Start early. Literally. Show up `15 or 20 minutes before the advertised start of a sale, when you’re most likely to have first dibs.
• Equip your vehicle with some old newspapers, bubble wrap and a few boxes in case you need them to transport your loot without fear of anything breaking.
• Take cash, mainly in small denominations such as 1’s and 5’s. It will save you and the seller a lot of time and trouble.
• Dicker. On every purchase. It’s expected. Give yourself an extra advantage by arriving at “checkout” with multiple items and asking for a bulk discount.
• If you oversleep or get started very late, just wait and go about an hour before a sale is over. Sellers will be more likely to make a great deal to avoid having to haul all their stuff back to where it came from — especially if they had a slow day.
• Before buying, inspect all clothing for tears, stains, holes, defects, etc.
• Make sure underwear and lingerie purchases are new with original tags, or new in their original packaging. Don’t buy used. Ever.
• Be extremely careful with used shoes. If you find a pair you must have, disinfect them before wearing and add disposable sole inserts.
• Wash all clothing, or get it dry cleaned, before wearing.
• Take a friend, an extra set of eyes and hands devoted to helping you find your treasures and move along expeditiously.