This takes place on July 19th
Did I mention I wanted to have a yard sale? We had all this stuff I was getting rid of, and I wanted SOMETHING for it. It didn't have to be a lot just something would be nice
Michael and Laura came over the night before to help me price things. I decided on a color set up. Red dots = $1, Green dots = $5, Yellow dots = $10, and Blue dots = $20. This way I only had to make a sign with the codes on it instead of pricing each individual item. Several items got bundled together to be a $1, or $5, or whatever. A few items received specialty prices.
The day before I also went to two different banks to try to get change made so I would have smaller bills if needed. The banks refused to make change if I did not have an account with them. Grocery stores and gas stations, however, were perfectly happy to make change if they were able. It seems odd to me that the money establishments won't make change without an account. The amount of money they possess is not changing. Their purpose is to handle money and monetary exchanges. Why all the snobbery?
I got up early this morning (6:45) so I could mow my lawn, so we could have the yard sale. I'm not sure what your thoughts on lawn activities and at what hours they are acceptable, but I asked the internet and then decided I didn't care. I did wait until 7:30 at least. I had some other things to do first.
My friend Jacob came to help me get things out onto the yard and then Michael and his friend Sam arrived. I set up music and then the check out table.
We met some interesting folks, including an older lady who really didn't want to spend any money. She kept trying to haggle over things that were already only a dollar. There was the woman who purchased a kayak at another yard/garage sale earlier that morning. She was quit enjoyable to talk to.
Laura, not being a morning person, came by to make lunch for us and hang out. She made BLTS, which caused the yard to smell like bacon. I think this helped sales.
At some point in the afternoon Michael plugged in the treadmill so that it would moving (proof of working he said). Later, he tied the seed spreader to it so we could have a "moving display". It intrigued many people and amused him.
The yard sale did well considering I forgot to advertise it until the night before (craigslist) or the morning of (signs on street posts). Between it and some other sales I had done before I was up 500 some dollars that I didn't have before. As I said, I probably could have done better, had I advertised a bit more and more in advance, but any money I made was money I didn't have in hand before the sale. Money, money, mo-ney!........money!
We packed everything up that didn't sell, shoved it into the Camry and I drove it off to a CHKD thrift store to be donated. I was not bringing things back into the house if I could help it.
It turns out I did not need change and I now have a foolish amount of small bills. I guess off to the strip clubs? Oh wait, Virginia doesn't allow those. We already know the banks won't make change, so I doubt they'd do the reverse. Cash out? I'm not sure what the opposite of "make change" is. Let me know if you know.
Some of the more high dollar items that didn't sell are now attempting to be sold on Craig's List. I am a little wary of this, but I guess it can't hurt to try (as long as I don't get murdered or scammed). Maybe I should rethink this Craig's List thing...
Side Quest Completed! - Yard Sale Completed!
