Saturdays

Saturdays.  Easily one of my top ten favorite things in life.

My Saturday mornings follow a wonderful routine.

First, I go to garage sales.  Today's haul:

• A vase for $5.  Before you judge me, understand that his vase is awesome.  And very possibly manly.    Earthhued and etched with grapes, it resembles something a Roman farmer would have stored wine in the ancient days of the Roman Republic. I put an iris in it.  Epic.  Manly.  Vase. 
• A pair of white shorts for $1.  I needed a pair.  I paid $30 for my last pair.  I saved $29!  ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  ARE YOU NOT AMAZED?!
• A ball of twine for 25 cents.  This was a mistake I regretted immediately.  My friend asked me if I used twine for my garden (I do).  But this twine is much too delicate for my garden.

Next, Farmer's Market.  This time of year you find lots of greens, potatoes, and beets.  I buy kale because I heard it's good for me.  I have not yet independently verified this, but still I buy it every week.  Blindly.  For some odd reason, Kale seems to be water resistant.  Serious.  Water beads up on it and runs off.  Try it out for yourself and see.  You can wear kale in a windstorm.

I then blend it, with an apple, some yogurt, blueberries, and this week, strawberries.  The resulting drink is very green and somewhat chunky.  It makes my teeth look like I just made out with the Seaweed Monster, but I feel my life expectancy growing as I drink it.

This week I also splurged.  Artisan bread from the local baker for $6.  3.5 lbs of free range chicken for $14.   The bread is spendy.  The chicken competitive with what you can find in the grocery stores.  

An added bonus, the money I spend each Saturday--about $30-$50 a week--goes out of my pocket and right into my neighbors.  I'd rather them have it than anyone else.  No big box or grocery store middleman.

Garage sales and farmers market.  All very fun.  All very social in my small town.  I save a ridiculous amount at garage sales.  I spend just a little more than I would at the grocery market, often less for some items, and good food that I know is quality, local and fresh.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

 Picture Above: Manly Vase

Garage Sales: Descent into the Unknown.

Garage sales are the Cracker Jack Boxes of America.  Inside each is a prize.  A musty old sweater of cats for 25 cents.  The surprisingly classy coffee table I'm resting my feet on for $5.  Or a pair of detached baby doll heads, price not listed.


The one on the left kept blinking.  


You will never find better deals than at garage sales.  Not on Craigslist, not in the classifieds, not anywhere. My couches, my coffee table, my driver, and my fishing pole I all got at garage sales.  All are high quality, all are in good condition.  The combined price total?  $137 bucks.  70-90% off retail is common.  Every dollar saved at garage sales is a dollar I can invest elsewhere.

On top of it all, garage sales are fun.  My friends and I hit five different sales last Saturday morning.  Sure, there's loads of junk. Sifting through people's undesirables is its own odd delight.  You will uncover some gems.  Last weekend I found not only those baby heads, I also test drove an electric scooter.

And nothing beats the feeling of finding something you need a great price.  Jackpot.  If you really like to save money, or screw your neighbor, bartering is a totally accepted part of the experience.

If you've never been, it's easy to get started.  Some simple tips:

1. Bring Cash:  No, the sweet old lady down the street will not take your credit card.
2. Scout out the sales on Thursday and Friday:  Check the local newspaper, Craigslist, grocery store bulletin boards, and/or that street corner where everyone posts stuff.
3. Arrive Early:  The best stuff goes fast.  I'm fairly certain this is a top-ten favorite old person activity, and they get up before you do.  But if you can find away to rise and shine early on Saturday morning, sharpen your elbows so you can beat granny to that blender.
4. Don't Be Afraid To Barter:  Garage sales happen because people want to get rid of stuff.  Most people are willing to take 10-20% off the price listed.  That number goes up the later it is in the day.  Nobody wants to pull their junk back into their garage.
5. Make It An Outing:  Make it a guys (or girls) day out.  The next date you go on?  Mix it up, take her to a garage sale.  You'll never lack for topics to talk about, and plus you can show of your witty, zany side by trying on the sweater with cats.  Or show her what a tough guy you are by negotiating the price of that remote control truck down to $8 from $12.  The romantic possibilities are endless.

Let me know about your own experiences and tips.  Happy hunting!