Yard-sales to get rid of stuff not real profitable.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the motivations and experiences of participants regarding yard sales and garage sales. It explores the balance between clearing out unwanted items and the financial returns from such sales, with a focus on personal anecdotes and philosophies rather than profitability.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience of selling tires and golf clubs, noting that while they lost money, it was preferable to keeping the items.
  • Another participant expresses that their goal in having yard sales is not to make money but to clear out unwanted items, likening it to paying someone to take things away.
  • A similar sentiment is echoed by another participant, emphasizing the importance of decluttering over financial gain.
  • One participant mentions alternative methods of disposal, such as donating to Goodwill or using local transfer stations, highlighting the time constraints that prevent them from dedicating weekends to yard sales.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the primary motivation for holding yard sales is to declutter rather than to make a profit. However, there are varying degrees of emphasis on the financial aspect versus the emotional satisfaction of getting rid of items.

Contextual Notes

Participants express differing views on the value of time spent on yard sales versus the benefits of decluttering, with some noting the challenges of dedicating time to the process.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in decluttering, those considering yard sales as a means of disposal, or anyone looking for alternative methods to manage unwanted items may find this discussion relevant.

turbo
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My wife and a neighbor are having a garage sale this weekend to clear out some excess stuff. I have gotten a bit proactive and have sold the the tires from her old Legacy for $50 (they are like new and probably cost over $200 for the set). I gave her a printed well-reasoned description of my forged Hogan Edge golf clubs and extras, and she just sold those for $75 today. We lost a lot of money on both deals, but it's better than holding on to stuff hoping to get a fair return - especially when you live out in the boonies. The tires were a no-brainer. How many lawn-sale addicts can look at a stack of new tires and determine if they will fit their vehicles? I called a neighbor who has a car that the tires would fit - he rode up on his golf cart and asked what I wanted for them - I asked if he had $50 in his pocket. That bill could have caught on fire, as fast as it came out his pants.
 
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Some people have yard sales with the goal of making money. I'm not one of those people. For me, it's more like "I'll give you $1 to take that printer away from here!"

Just saving me landfill fees, that's all.
 
lisab said:
Some people have yard sales with the goal of making money. I'm not one of those people. For me, it's more like "I'll give you $1 to take that printer away from here!"

Just saving me landfill fees, that's all.
That's my philosophy. If anything turns out positive, it's likely not to be on the cash side, but on the "Get rid of that crap!" side.
 
turbo said:
That's my philosophy. If anything turns out positive, it's likely not to be on the cash side, but on the "Get rid of that crap!" side.
That's what the "give and take" at the local transfer station is for. If I clean it up a bit, or if I need a receipt, I take it to Goodwill. The St. Vinnie dumpsters are good if I don't feel like driving all the way to Goodwill.

"And that makes me feel good about myself! I'm a good person for giving away my $#!+ "

Biggest reason is the the time consumption. There has never been a single weekend since the first kid was born that we could have devoted to sitting in our driveway watching strangers look at our history. Life is short. Every weekend is precious.
 

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