Garage and yard sale treasures
If you haven’t discovered the treasures that lie waiting for discovery on the ground and on makeshift tables every Friday or Saturday morning at garage and yard sales, it’s time you did, for, in my experience, they’re well worth the early morning sojourns. They remind me of the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas – the jewels are there for the taking – you just have to dig through a lot of rocks to find them. My own treasure discoveries include German WWII helmets, collectible ammo boxes, rare records, photographs, toys, and books, depression glass, crystal, antique furniture, and an endless variety of other types of collectibles. Many years ago I began buying the best examples of popular toys that I could find during the sales. The explosion in the numbers of people who collect toys caused the prices to sharply escalate, and I was able to make a good return on my “investments.” That was no fluke. With the inflationary environment which exists in this country, collectibles, even those bought at yard sales for pennies, can be a much better way to invest your money than savings accounts or CDs. Once I bought a box of books from a lady who was cleaning out her attic. I found that one of the books dated back to the eighteenth century, and was highly collectible. Rather than keep it as an “investment,” I sold it. And regret it to this day. The point is, whether you want to make a quick profit, buy an “investment,” or just purchase toys for the grandkids, garage and yard sales are a surprisingly simple and inexpensive way to go about it. Should you buy items that you eventually want to dispose of, you can find some good tips for organizing your own sale on the internet, e.g., Organized Home and Yard Sale Queen.