Price everything or at least know that all men’s pants, for instance, are the same price. Proper pricing methods can make the difference between a well ordered sale and chaos. If prices are set, you won’t have to make spur-of-the-moment pricing decisions during the rush of the sale. Use a marker of unusual color so prices can’t be changed. Attend other garage sales to get an idea of what to charge. People who come to garage sales are looking for bargains … period. They aren’t going to buy anything used that they could pay close to same price for and get brand-new. When pricing your items, look at each thing and ask yourself what you would be willing to pay for something like it. To get an idea of the going rate of used items, shop around at thrift and consignment stores and price your items at 60 to 70% of what those types of stores charge for similar things (or you can hit up a few garage sales in your town to see what everybody else is charging). You don’t want to be out of line from the norm. Be honest: price a broken toaster lower than a like-new one, and if an item is broken, say so on the price tag.

Many people have found that masking tape or peel off stickers work well for most items from clothing to appliances, or staple prices to items when possible. If you are having a multi-family sale, you can use different-colored price stickers. When someone buys
an item, peel off the sticker and put it on a sheet of notebook paper designated for that family. Be sure to indicate if the price was changed. At the end of the sale, stickers should reflect the sales made by each family. Make sure everyone understands the system ahead of time. Some shoppers will try to barter. Before the sale begins, you should decide whether you will take less than the marked prices. You may want to stick to your prices the first two hours or so of the sale, and then come down a little when traffic thins.

Haggling is a big part of any sale. If your prices are firm and non-negotiable, don’t forget to put up a sign clearly stating so. If you’re unwilling to bargain, however, you may be cheating yourself out of potential customers. Some people frequent yard sales simply for the thrill of negotiating the best deal. Price your items on the high side of what they’re worth and let your customers know you’re open to bargaining. That way, they’ll get the satisfaction of talking you down and feel like they’re getting a great deal, and you’ll feel like you’re still getting a price you’re entitled to.

If your sale is going to include items that belong to other people besides you, make sure that you have an efficient system of keeping track of whose is what. Putting the prices on different-colored tags – red for you, blue for your sister and green for your neighbor – can help eliminate confusion as to how much money someone is owed.

Money Handling and Cash Box

It’s a good idea never to price items below a quarter. You can group small items so they total at least a quarter; that way it is easy to make change. Get a cash box with a lid. Don’t carry money on your person. NEVER LEAVE THE CASH BOX UNATTENDED.

As the day progresses, don’t let the money build up in the cash box. Take proceeds into
the house and keep only $30–$40 in the box. You can improvise a cash box from a shoe box, cigar box, or tackle box if necessary. Have a calculator, pencils, scratch pad, and record-keeping materials on hand. Do not leave your house unlocked during a garage sale unless a friend or family member is inside at all times.

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