Monday, June 11, 2012

Yard Schmale

I'll admit it. I hate yard sales. I don't know why--the piles of junk, the driving of hard bargains. I guess I have never experienced the "high" that comes from finding that special something and paying almost nothing for it. So why on earth did we have one this weekend? I blame Dave Ramsey. His financial wizardry is casting a spell on me that makes me do crazy things--like emptying my house out onto my driveway.

It turned out not to be as dreadful as I thought it would be.  In fact it was rather rewarding. I wanted to hug those good souls who hauled off my junk by the armfuls.  The girls sold some feather earrings that they made. Adrie set up shop selling stuffed animals. I don't know if it was her cute face or the 25 cent pricetag but she sold more of her inventory than the rest of us. We made about $100 bucks off our junk and took whatever was left to goodwill. We also got some funny stories from the experience.

One guy who looked like he was ready for the apocalypse, or maybe he just rolled out from living under a bridge, asked if I had any ammunition for sale, specifically rifles or pistols.   Just TRY imagining me or my social worker husband dealing with weapons without laughing.  It was hard but I was able to tell him sorry while maintaining composure. Is that even legal?!!

Another guy, asked how much for the half-filled box of carpet tack we had out there.  I told him he could just take it. "That's not fair?!" he said with surprise so I told him  fine "$3."  He never ended up taking it or buying it.

A young boy came up to ask if he could borrow my phone. He appeared to be on the verge of tears. Apparently, his parents had taken off and left him there. He was soon reclaimed after the phonecall.


Do you have any trains?  Nope
How about gardening supplies?
Just kids stuff?! groan

My Spanish came in reeeeal handy.

But here's the killer.  We had this wooden coffee table that had sidetables that folded out. We bought it at a garage sale for $10 when we were first married and it served us well until we couldn't find a use for it in our new house.  It suffered at our hands a few dings and some water damage.    It sold rather quickly. The couple paid me but said they would have to come back shortly to pick it up and then they made sure it was tucked to the side with a sold sign on it.      In the time they were gone I had a few other people want to buy it. One lady, at seeing that it was already sold, was sick with regret.  She explained that she was an antique dealer and that item was a beautiful find.  " How much did you sell it for?" she cringed with the anticipation of bad news.
 It was worse than bad.
 "$5."
I thought she'd committ sepiku right then and there.   SHE would have sold it for $250 and would have gotten at least $195 at her posh boutique.  Sheesh Leweesh. I guess after trying to be a financial smarty pants I let Dave Ramsay down afterall.

Well, the funds we did make will go toward our city trip later this month.
Next on the dockett and for the nicer junk still lurking in the closets? eBAY!!!!








2 comments:

Sherie Christensen said...

Oh Wow. Those are some good stories! I'm impressed that you did a yard sale. My kids wish I were that brave but I REALLY wouldn't know what price to put on anything and would end up letting people have stuff too. I doubt I have anything that an antique dealer would think was a great find though!

Megan Goates said...

I could listen to your tales all day long, Laura. You're a breath of fresh air.