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A Step-By-Step Guide to Shopping at Garage Sales, Tag Sales, and Flea Markets

by John Fischer
for About.com

8 of 8

What Not to Buy at Yard Sales

Avoid buying used kitchen utensils or used pots and pans that look rusted or worn. It's not worth the money. Be careful to inspect all children's items carefully, especially items for the new baby like a car seat, crib, high chair or playpen. You can often find great buys on these items, but make sure that you'll feel completely comfortable having your newborn use it.

Avoid personal hygiene items and even such things as used sheets and pillows. Carefully examine any item that you eat or drink with, i.e. baby bottles, cups, dinnerware or silverware.

Garage sales, tag sales, yard sales and flea markets are a great way to spend a Saturday morning. Over the course of a spring to fall season you can find many useful items for yourself, for gifts or for resale. You can save lots of money over shopping at the mall and even make a profit. Some folks make thousands of dollars a year simply by going to these sales and reselling items on eBay.

I'll see you on the streets.

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