by Bruce Horovitz, AARP, Updated September 16, 2021
AARP asked the experts. We reached out to three thrift specialists who have each written books about garage sales and savvy spending on used items, and they shared their thoughts on the 10 used items you should never — under any circumstances — purchase.
- Medicine
- Anything for a newborn
- Food
- Helmets for bikers, skiers, boarders or motorcycle riders
Read the entire list HERE.
Ten Best Things to Buy at an Estate Sale
5 tips for successful estate sale shopping
Knowing the rules will help you get good deals — and keep you out of trouble with the sellers.
- Go early. “Usually, in every city, there’s a crowd of regular people who are very serious about getting there early,” says Kentin Waits, a writer for MoneyTalksNews.com. Don’t let them beat you to the best items.
- Bring cash. Lots of smaller bills helps make the transactions go more smoothly.
- Haggle within reason. Most estate sellers expect to bargain, and if you bid $75 for a $100 item, you’ll probably get it. But bid $10 for a $100 item, and you won’t get it.
- Go online. Many estate sale companies now let you bid online. Remember, you’ll probably pay for shipping, and a teak desk you buy in Ohio is going to cost a lot to ship to Oregon.
- Bide your time. Yes, everything will be picked over by the end of an estate sale, but what’s left will be marked down. If you saw something that was $50 on the first day, it could well be discounted to $25 the next day.
Total Page Visits: 1035 - Today Page Visits: 1