successful saling

I've been garage saling since I was about 13 - hunting, bargaining and being thrifty is second nature for me. Here's my best tips to have a great time searching for garage sale deals.

Beg, borrow or steal to get cash. (Raiding hubby's wallet works too.)

Wear layers because you will be cold, then hot, then cold, then colder, then hot again. Especially in Minnesota. The weather can range from 70 degrees to rain to snow (like today - grrr.)

Keep your cash in a jacket pocket or pants pocket so you don't have to worry about hanging on to a wallet or purse. Two reasons for this - you'll have your hands free to rummage through piles and you won't risk setting it down and forgetting it somewhere.

If at all possible, go saling by yourself. Kids will slow you down. So will sale dawdlers who have to inspect every single item on every single table. A seasoned shopper can tell before getting out of the vehicle is a sale is worth shopping at. The only thing she can't tell are the prices.

Make a list of what you need - winter boots, size six jeans, sandals, etc. and have it handy.

If you like it, pick it up. You can hesitate later and set it back down, but you can't really pull a great pair of capris from someone else's arms.

Bring along lots of snacks. And water. Or coffee to get you revved up. (Not that you'll need that - adrenaline alone should keep you supercharged until about 2 p.m.)

Pee before you leave. Or at the very least, know where a gas station is with public facilities.

Buy a van or truck for saling - nothing's worse than trying to fit a dresser or a table into a four-door car. (Speaking from experience.)

Have a sale yourself to raise funds for feeding the addiction.

Never pay more than $2 for anything but jackets or coats. No pair of jeans is ever worth $5 at a garage sale. (That's my humble, cheap, honest opinion.)

Prayer works. Big or little needs can be met - like sandals for a toddler or everyday jeans for a six-year-old.

If you must bring the kids along, have plenty of distractions for them - Adventures in Odyssey or Jonathan Park cds, snacks, drinks and cheap toys purchased at the first sale you find.

Never be afraid to bargain. Most people will reduce a price, especially if you're buying lots of things. I've often got a couple bucks knocked off a $10 purchase.

Think creatively - a cruddy looking end table could be a beauty with a coat of paint. Or a pair of pants too big for you but made of great fabric could be repurposed into a cool tote bag (if you sew).

Keep your eyes open in the classified for neighborhood or all-city sales. It's well worth the effort to drive to neighboring towns for multiple sales, sometimes close enough that you can walk from garage to garage. More sales in a smaller area means more deals, more bargains (but also usually more shoppers.)

Get out early. The best deals are out there by 8 a.m.

Don't forget to look under tables - you might find a treasure or a cool pair of shoes.

Call all your friends AFTER you're done shopping to share where the best sales are. Yes, that's mean. Yes, that's how you keep yourself and your kids clothed on one income.

Enjoy yourself - the thrill of the hunt is worth rain, sleet or snow and all the laundry you'll have to do when you get home.

Accept compliments on your wardrobe of second-hand clothes and all the great home decor you found. No one needs to know where it came from.