YARD SALE BARGAINS

Yard sale is another place I like to go to hunt for deals.  A few years ago I was an avid yard sales hunter but then I stopped for awhile because I realized I was gathering too much junk.  I renewed my strategy and now I am back to finding great deals.

A week ago I went to a yard sale and saw a plate; I was hesistant to buy but the plate reminded me of some my Aunt and Grandmother had many years ago so I purchased it.  

I looked at the back of the plate and saw "Belmont Nasco" but didn't recognize the brand.  I bought the plater for $1.00 and when I got home I looked up the brand and found out that this was a vintage china piece.  The platter is probably worth about $10.00.

Here a few rules based on my yard sale experience over the years:

1.  Check out yard sale locations the night before.  You can find yard sale information on Craigslist in your area.

2.  Decide how much you are willing to spend and stick to that unless you have found an extremely good bargain.

3.  Start out early; that is when you get the deals.  Others are on the hunt too.

4. Know what you are going to use the item for.  This way, you find yourself buying things aimlessly.

5. Of course, examine the items carefully before you buy.  If you don't, you will be mad with yourself when you realize the items are damaged.

6.  As always, trust your instinct on whether or not to buy an item.

7.  Never settle for the listed price; sellers are always willing to make a deal.

8.  Don't just buy an item because being sold for cheap.

Happy Hunting!  Would love to hear about your finds.

What was your best find from a yard sale?  Would love to hear from you!

SIMPLE DIY - WEEKEND PROJECT II

Last month I showed you a simple DIY using plates,bowl and toilet paper roll for your cosmetics. There are many versions on Pinterest;here is a my copycat verison for the kitchen.


Items needed:

2 plates (Dollar Store or ones you already have)

1 bowl (Dollar Store or one you already have)
2 candle stands (use ones lying around the house; you could even use drinking glasses instead).

Gorilla Glue

Clean the surfaces.

With your first plate on the bottom, glue one of the candle holder onto the plate. Let this dry.

Glue the next plate onto the top of the candle stand.  Let this dry.  Be careful when using gorilla glue; use sparingly as when it dries it becomes white and frothy.

Glue the next candle stand onto the second plate.  Let it dry.

Lastly, glue the bowl onto the candle stand.

With only $3.00 dollar spent; you now have a beautiful serving piece. You could even use plates you already have and this project could cost you $0. 

This serving plate is perfect for parties; you can have your dip in the bowl and the chips and other food on the plates below.

Plates from Dollar Store & Candle Holders from Hobby Lobby

Plates and Glasess that I have (cost $0)

Anyone can do this. Enjoy!!!

I would love to see your version.  Send them to me and I will share.

Bargain for this week - Mirror

Mirror, Mirror on the wall!

My kids crowned me the "Queen of Bargain/Coupon."  Well, here is my bargain for this week.

Went to Lowes to pick up paint and came home with this mirror.  I have been looking at this mirror for sometime and couldn't bring myself to buying it for $69.99.

The yellow tag showed that the markdown was $41.99 and I was kind of happy about the deal. When I went to the cashier, I got it for $20.00.  There was an additional markdown.  Even the cashier couldn't believe the deal I got.


Wow! I felt good walking out the store.  Another
bargain!

This mirror has found a comfortable spot in my hallway.  I think I will still retain my crown.

The mirror in my hallway.  My hallway is now complete, renewed chest and new mirror!!

What do you think?  Always keep an eye out for good bargains. 

What bargains have you found lately?  I would love to hear about them!

Looking for Deals - Craigslist

Craigslist is one of my favorite places to hunt for deals.  We live in a student town so at certain time of the year when students are graduating and leaving town, I can get some real good deals.  They are usually anxious to get rid of furniture because they don't want to transport them of out town.

I love to find bargains but when I look for these I do so with a few pointers in mind:

1.  Decide on what you type of furniture or deals you are looking for.

2.  Decide on how much you are willing to pay.

3.  You can search through Craigslist by selecting to view only the item(s) you are looking for.  Even though I might be looking for a dresser, I usually choose not to sort as sometimes I stumble on other deals.

4. Do your search early in the mornings. Remember the saying "Early bird catches the worm."  Many sellers will post their items late at nights.

5.  Act quickly when you find a deal, remember there are others looking for deals too.

6.  A few months ago I was looking for a dresser and stumble upon some bars stools for $10.00 each. I wasn't really looking for stools that day but I knew that I intended to set up a "man space" for my hubby and that those would be ideal.  These stools are in good condition.  Now I need a table to go with these!

7.  When you go to purchase the item, make sure that the item(s) are in reasonable good condition: 
       a.  If you are buying items with drawers, check them to make sure that they all work.
       b.  Check legs to make sure they are not broken.
       c.  Check to see if the item is real wood or compressed wood.  This will determine how much work you have to put in to restore the item.

8.  Don't be afraid to negotiate.  Even if the seller lists the item for a certain price, he/she might be willing to part with it for less.

9.  If you are purchasing a furniture piece for your personal use, make sure the item will fit in your space. 

10.  Trust your instinct.  If you feel that you should forego what seem to be a deal; don't be afraid to walk away.

Happy hunting!!