Bargain Hunting Treasure Seeker: Cooler Temps, Lower Humidity, and Good Times!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Cooler Temps, Lower Humidity, and Good Times!

Today was a fun day-filled with LOTS of laughs and LOTS of driving! Auntie and I headed off early to check out a bunch of estate sales. I think my jaw is sore from talking and laughing so much!

The first one we stopped at wasn't even open. It was the last day, so maybe they sold everything they wanted to sell and decided to not open today-bummer!

The second place we stopped at was the home of a 103 year old woman-who is still alive and well, but now living in Arizona! It was almost like 2 sales in one. Inside the house were the items the family deemed "worth something" and were priced accordingly. Outside in the garage, were items they didn't value as much and they were priced accordingly.

One of the ladies asked Auntie if we were looking for anything in particular (or something like that), and she said old ornaments and linens. She said there was tons of stuff in the basement and she'd go down and bring up the box. So while we shopped in the garage, the box came up. Another relative (a brother I think) sorted through the box with us. He pulled out the best ones and then said we could pick through them or buy the whole box. We each picked out a few and were happy with the price.

I think we must have stopped at 5 or 6 estate sales after the one that never opened and a couple of garage sales too. My GPS kept winding us down side roads and all over the place. We even checked it to be sure it didn't get accidentally set to avoid freeways-but it wasn't. It just decided we needed to chat and giggle and laugh more so it picked the scenic route!

One of the last sales we stopped at was in a very interesting older home with a wrought iron fence and gate, a tennis court, 4 car garage, separate garage, lots of acreage, a pond and storage shed by the pond. The front porch was slate as well as the floors in several of the rooms. Boy did they have the STUFF!!! It was pretty packed in every room. I did find a few purple bottles and the base to the Fostoria American punch bowl-that they were displaying as a bowl.

It was another situation of none of my finds being marked...I just hate that! I gathered up all the goodies I was interested in and took them to the cashier and asked for a price. It ended up being wayyyy more than I was interested in paying so I didn't get anything.

So, here's my gripe/advice to the estate sale company...I know it was a LOT of stuff to sell throughout the house, but c'mon...put clear prices on the stuff!!! Don't look at the items, and the person wanting to buy them and throw out a price you think they could/would pay!!! ANDDD when someone asks for a price and you give them a group price and they want a per item price (in case they only want to purchase some of the items)-don't make it double the group price-geesh!

Here are my (purchased) treasures from today -I wish I could find a picture to represent all the laughs, and good times with a good friend en route to all these sales-that is what's priceless!