Getting Ready to Shop Yard Sales

I am anxious to visit my first garage sales of the Spring, look through other people’s stuff and get some shopping done. I usually look for children’s clothing and small househol d items, but sometimes our hunt includes other things, such as a snowblower or particular toy wants from the kids. Since I have all of this downtime before anyone around here has the confidence of hosting a yard sale without cold or snow, I’m going to be using that time to get my yard sale list together. The list will have any wants or needs on it, including the clothing … Continue reading

Seven Ways to Save $1,000 for Your Emergency Fund

Dave Ramsey, financial guru who has helped so many families get out of debt, recommends that most of us start on the path to financial solvency by first saving up $1,000 toward an emergency fund. By having a solid emergency fund, we are less likely to go into debt, should the unexpected happen, such as the home furnace needing to be replaced, the car needing to be repaired, or the experience of a medical crisis. Saving that $1,000 is the first step of Ramsey’s overall get-out-of-debt plan. How can you save that much when there doesn’t seem to be any … Continue reading

How to Use Garage Sales to Get Out of Debt

Garage sales can help you get out of debt in at least two major ways. Learn how you can use this staple of American culture to your advantage, as you pay down your bills and obtain financial freedom. Dave Ramsey, financial guru, once said to get out of debt he held a garage sale, selling so much that his kids thought they were going to be next. While this may seem like an extreme thing to do, the fact is that it is a good strategy to use in your arsenal of tools that will get you out of debt. … Continue reading

Getting Rid of Kid’s Stuff

If you’re feeling a little swamped by the idea of sorting your child’s stuff, or your child is suffering mental burnout looking at all of those toys, it’s time to get rid of things! Of course, the best way to get rid of items is to avoid getting them in the first place. But if you’re swamped with stuff, follow these suggestions to help it find a new home where it will be valued. Give things to a friend. The other day, a friend came over to visit and left with a bag of clothes. Only do this after you … Continue reading

How Your Teen Can Earn Money This Summer

With the summer job market being tight this year, your teens may have to come up with some unconventional ways to earn some money this summer. Here are some ideas for them to try. Host a Camp I know a couple of teens who created a thriving business hosting a camp in conjunction with the local ice rink. Parents can drop their kids off for fun and games with the hosts when they aren’t on the ice skating. Teens can check with local gymnastics programs, pools, bowling alleys and other places where a little extra child care would be welcome. … Continue reading

Two Cost Free Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

My real estate friends tell me that it is not impossible to sell a home in a short period of time, it just depends on the home. Still, with the housing market the way that it is, you don’t want to spend a lot of money getting your home ready for the market, but you don’t want it to sit out there forever being passed over for other houses that are also for sale. Use some smarts and a little elbow grease to make your home stand out among all the rest of the housing inventory, and do it for … Continue reading

Getting Ready For A Yard Sale

Have you been spring cleaning? Are you finding a houseful of things that you no longer need? Now is the perfect time to start planning that spring yard sale. Every year my subdivision has a community yard sale, it’s a great time to get rid of things I don’t need and make a little extra money. A little preparation now will make sure you are ready when the time comes for the big sale. As you are cleaning closets and dresser drawers, take out anything that is too small, out of style, or you just don’t like anymore. This goes … Continue reading

Getting Organized for a Yard Sale

Having your own yard sale is a great way to de-clutter your home and earn a little extra spending money besides. But getting everything ready for a yard sale can be a daunting task. Here are some tips on how to get everything organized. Make a Staging Area Pick an out of the way area of your home where you can store, price and organize your yard sale inventory. Most people use the garage or a spare bedroom. Our neighbor makes use of a camper on their property. Having a place to go to drop things off as you find … Continue reading

Outgrown Sales Report

Do you like going to outgrown sales? Also called clothing turnabouts, they are a great way to provide clothes and toys for your children for very little money. Today I spent about $50 for three overlarge bags of clothing for my three children. Each item was between 50 cents and $2. If you have never been to an outgrown clothing sale, you might feel a bit overwhelmed at first. The largest ones have clothing and toys everywhere to sort through, although usually they are separated in different room. Clothing is usually placed by gender and size, and they all have … Continue reading

Helpful Household Tips 2

Are you ready for more tips? I’ve been dusting off my magazine archive to pick out the best household tips I’ve seen in print as well as some of my own that have worked well for me over the years. Isn’t it amazing how little helpful hints can make a big difference in a task? If you missed the first collection of tips, you can click here: Helpful Household Tips. Saving Cut Flowers When your bouquet of flowers it looking pretty sad, you can still make use of whatever remaining blooms are left. Snip off any flowers that still look … Continue reading