Yard Sale Bargains!

On Saturday morning, I was working away on my bathroom makeover while Grampy ran to WalMart to pick up our weekly grocery order. When he returned, he said, “They’re having that big yard sale at the Fairgounds.”

Each year, our local humane society has a big yard sale. It actually started on Wednesday and went through Saturday, but we were busy chasing daycare kids during the week. When we got there, everything was half price and clothing was a dollar a bag.

I found some useful things, and some things just for fun. There were still a lot of things left. I can’t imagine how much they must have had when they started on Wednesday. People were still loading up bags and boxes. I love that the proceeds went to a good cause.

We spent a total of $18.50. Here’s what I found!

The Haul!

I think this is a stocking holder. It is going to be so cute repainted! It will be perfect on our enclosed front porch next to our Christmas tree and our little carved snowman. I’ll have Grampy check the cord and light socket to make sure it’s safe. If it’s not, he can easily replace it. I’m hoping to find a lightbulb that flickers like a candle flame, so it looks like an old-fashioned lantern. I kept watching to see if anyone picked it up the whole time I was shopping. Apparently no one else saw its potential! So, I brought it home for $3.50. If it turns out that I can’t use it on my porch, my daughter will use it on hers.

Next, I found this beautiful cross-stitch. It must have taken many, many hours of work to finish it! This was another thing I walked by several times. I didn’t really need it, but I thought it was so pretty! It was still there when I finished shopping, so I picked it up as I headed up to the front to pay for our stuff. I’m going to frame it and hang it up around Valentine’s Day and through the spring. It was $1.00. I like to change out the pictures in our living room for the seasons.

The children’s clothing was pretty empty, but I found four things for my granddaughter and one for my grandson. Grampy also had a bag of clothing (some shorts and a shirt). So all of that cost $2.00. My granddaughter will love the dresses.

Here’s my miscellaneous stuff. I had a 5-month-old start at my daycare last week. I have a few baby toys, but of course, the toddlers want them because they are new and different. I found a few little toys so there are plenty to share around. I’ll run them through the dishwasher to sanitize them. I think the bunny is from the children’s book “Guess How Much I Love You.” It’s one of my favorites.

I’ll use the gift tags at Christmas. I thought they were cute and old-fashioned looking, and I’ve finally used up most of my gift tags. I was thinking of storing some special ornaments in the little fabric box. The book and kitty tray were just because. Grampy also had a bag of miscellaneous, so the lady just kind of peered at the stuff and rounded our total, $1.00 for each of us.

These coasters were part of my miscellaneous collection. They were brand-new and still in the package. I’ve been looking for some big coasters like these. I don’t know what kind of wood they are, but I think they are really pretty. We can’t really keep coasters on the table in the living room. We tried that once and the daycare babies kept disappearing them. But we can use them in the dining room.

I picked up these chairs for my daughter. She’s been looking for some sturdy chairs without fabric seats. She has kids and cats and wants chairs that are indestructible and easy to clean. Since things were half price, these chairs were $5.00 each. They will need a little cosmetic work, but they are solid, and I think they will survive the kids and the cats. 🙂

Grampy and I had a great time browsing through the many tables of items. I feel like I found some pretty neat things. This was a nice way to add a few fun and useful things to our home (and our daughter’s home) without spending a lot of money. When I lived near Hobby Lobby, Target and TJ Maxx, I found myself stopping in pretty often. That can quickly get expensive! Since we moved, I find I don’t miss that. I’m happier spending a few dollars at a yard sale or the thrift store once in a while. Living in a small town without a lot of shopping options has been good for our budget!

I do try to limit my stops at yard sales and thrift stores, because even though the prices are usually low, it can still add up. And, I don’t need to be bringing in too much extra stuff. I try to have an idea of what I’m looking for before I go, and that helps.

Do you shop at yard sales or thrift stores? Have you found any amazing bargains? Share in the comments!

See you later!