Ellen PhillipsPerhaps some readers used last week's hints to score buys at a local flea market, estate sale or antique mall. If you're like me, you also enjoy garage or yard sales.
* Newspapers, Craig's List, freebie papers, email sign ups, roadside signs provide advance notice so you can make plans.
* If you arrive early (a good idea, since most yard sales begin in advance of the posted start time), be courteous. Ask if they're ready for browsing, unless other customers already have the jump on you.
* Most sales are pretty picked over within a couple of hours, so grab first and decide later. A big tote bag will come in handy.
* Know what you're looking for. If you read only on a Kindle, don't waste time going through paperback books. If you're looking for toddler clothes, grab all in sight. Go through them before purchase, and put back what you don't want. The idea is to prevent other shoppers from getting the choicest pieces before you. (I know, gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins; however, I also believe "heaven helps those who help themselves.")
* Be polite. Remember the flies, honey, and vinegar? In this case, courtesy is the honey, bargains are the flies and rudeness is the vinegar.
* Haggling is expected, but be reasonable. If the seller priced high-end shoes at $2 a pair, she's being very fair, so don't insult her by offering 50 cents. With this said, though, it wouldn't hurt to make a pile and ask if the seller would consider 25 percent less than the marked price. Some experts recommend the bargain shopper include some really cheap items he or she doesn't really want just to make a more inviting deal.
* Check the condition of clothes. Some folks put out items fit only for rags, others offer unbelievable bargains. My sister-in-law bought a sleeveless mink jacket in great condition a couple of years ago for $30. Following the garage sale, the jacket appraised for several hundred dollars. I've found designer shoes and purses, over the years, as well as other high-end buys. It's definitely worth your time to plow through the clothing and accessories.
* If you're a reseller -- in other words, you sell on eBay or the like -- you can pick up true bargains and make some money of your own. Several years ago, I bought a big box of costume jewelry and sold the pieces individually online. It took a couple of re-listings but, eventually, I sold everything and made a decent profit. After all, one man's trash ...
Contact Ellen Phillips at consumerwatch@times freepress.com.