Is having a yard sale really worth it?

**dawnwes** · 05-28-2016, 02:19 PM

I have rarely found it worth it, unless it is for a cause, or an opportunity for my kids to work.

They have worked yard sales to raise money for boy scout activities, etc....all in all, they "earn" between $3-$5 an hour, usually on the lower end of that, but since I also want them to have a sense of having worked for things, it is worth it. And it isn't our stuff. It is donated stuff, my boys just work the sorting days, the tagging days, and the sale itself.

Otherwise I prefer to sell online on our local sales' site and I prefer to find ways to save money and/or earn in other ways.

**TexasHusker** · 05-28-2016, 03:06 PM

You said you enjoy it, so that probably makes it worth it.

I would rather watch a fresh coat of enamel paint dry, than have a couple hundred people rummaging through my discarded stuff.

I just donate it to Salvation Army - I don't even ask for a receipt.

**disneysteve** · 05-28-2016, 05:30 PM

Originally posted by TexasHusker View Post

You said you enjoy it, so that probably makes it worth it.

Pretty much. I've been doing sales stuff like this for much of my life. I grew up going to yard sales, flea markets, and auctions with my parents. As a teen, I worked at a yard sale with my cousin on the weekends. I used to buy and sell record albums. And from 1986 on, I've had a side business selling collectibles. We used to set up at antique/toy/collectibles shows from NY to VA. I like getting out and selling stuff to people.

I don't want to sound like I'm complaining about doing it. Just from a strictly financial standpoint, it doesn't really make sense. If I earned $20/hour at work, it would be different, but I earn several times that amount.

I guess we do it more for the experience and the sense of accomplishment. The clutter would be gone just the same if we just dropped it all off at Goodwill but there's a certain satisfaction that comes from actually getting out there and selling it ourselves. It's kind of like the difference between writing a check to a charity and actually going and volunteering your time to work for the charity. The end result may be the same but what you get out of it is different.

**kork13** · 05-28-2016, 06:35 PM

My wife enjoys doing them, but I can't really stomach a yard sale. I'd rather just load it all to goodwill, or the dump. But for my wife, that's unconscionable to just waste something & throw it away (clearly, we grew up in families with totally different mindsets).

Over the last few months, my wife has done a series of 3 years sales. Each time, she carried over things that didn't sell in the previous one, and added other stuff that we cleared out. After the last one, I declared "I'm done" and finally brought most of the rest to goodwill. It was nice to get my garage back. Anyway, we only ever made about $400-$450. I mean, the money is nice to have, and I do like that other people come and take away my junk, but personally, it wasn't worth the time, effort, and heartache spent in preparing for & running the things.... I think I'll leave the yard sales to my wife....

**disneysteve** · 05-28-2016, 06:41 PM

Originally posted by kork13 View Post

After the last one, I declared "I'm done" and finally brought most of the rest to goodwill. It was nice to get my garage back.

Last year and this year we took the hybrid approach. We had our yard sale but whatever didn't sell didn't come back into the garage. It went straight to Goodwill. Last year, 10 cartons plus some loose stuff went there. Today, 8 cartons and a couple of loose items went.

As soon as it cools off a bit (it's been unseasonably hot here), I'll go out and straighten up the garage and break down the empty boxes that we don't need. Considering about 20 cartons of stuff plus unboxed stuff left the house today, there should be a very noticeable difference in there.

**TexasHusker** · 05-28-2016, 07:31 PM

Originally posted by disneysteve View Post

Just from a strictly financial standpoint, it doesn't really make sense.

I could say that for about 80% of my expenditures. 🙊🙈🙉

**Singuy** · 05-29-2016, 04:52 AM

I probabaly end up doing so many things in life that is probably not worth my time if I sit down and do the calculation. Currently I am trying to clear about 3000 square ft of bushes and trees by hand with a electric saw just to have a an improved view of the lake in the back yard. I have spent 8 days of 2 hours/day so far and I have 60 percent done. So far I am conjuring up as "this is good exercise" and perhaps eventually have a good amount of satisfaction after its done.

Hiring someone may cost up to 500 bucks(non professionals..people looking for work outside of Home Depot) or 5k if I get professionals.

**Like2Plan** · 05-29-2016, 04:55 AM

I'm thinking how perfect is that--someone is paying you to haul away your junk.

(Though, I know it is a lot of work to get it all ready and to sell it).

**Singuy** · 05-29-2016, 05:49 AM

I think at the end of the day, if you get just an ounce of enjoyment out of doing things that contradicts opportunity cost, you do it because it's part of living life.

Having a calculative mind is really a double edge sword. Sometimes it really sucks the enjoyment out of everything.

Vacations for example. If my wife and I were to take 2 weeks off for a European trip. The cost of us going all out may be in the ballpark of 10k. Our opportunity cost however, blows the actual cost of the trip out of the water. To have us take 10 working days off per person, it would cost us 15k. So all said and done, the trip would cost us 25k instead of 10k. Now 25k will throw all sorts of future calculations off. If you compound what 25k would cost in 20 years @7% interest, the trip would of cost us 100k worth of retirement money..... and this is where I hyperventilate.... but you got to take time off right? It's always worth more to stay at work than to do anything else in life when you make a certain income.

**disneysteve** · 05-29-2016, 05:57 AM

Well said, Singuy!

**dawnwes** · 05-29-2016, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by Singuy View Post

I think at the end of the day, if you get just an ounce of enjoyment out of doing things that contradicts opportunity cost, you do it because it's part of living life.

Having a calculative mind is really a double edge sword. Sometimes it really sucks the enjoyment out of everything.

Vacations for example. If my wife and I were to take 2 weeks off for a European trip. The cost of us going all out may be in the ballpark of 10k. Our opportunity cost however, blows the actual cost of the trip out of the water. To have us take 10 working days off per person, it would cost us 15k. So all said and done, the trip would cost us 25k instead of 10k. Now 25k will throw all sorts of future calculations off. If you compound what 25k would cost in 20 years @7% interest, the trip would of cost us 100k worth of retirement money..... and this is where I hyperventilate.... but you got to take time off right? It's always worth more to stay at work than to do anything else in life when you make a certain income.

Do you not get any paid vacation days? DH gets 25 per year, although he can't even take them all because there is simply too much work to do.

So, losing money by not working really isn't a factor. He is salaried. When I work, I am salaried as well

But for those who aren't salaried, and particularly in your line of work, couldn't you work extra to make up the difference either before or after? So, in essence, not losing any additional monies.

But all told, not counting days you need to take off (which is $0 for us), I can do a much cheaper European vacation. I haven't gone to Europe just to go. I normally throw in a week or so in Europe on my way to and from other places. The air travel cost isn't any more to stay a while than to go straight, so that helps.

**Singuy** · 05-29-2016, 08:02 AM

Well my work place cash out paid time off if I don't use them. So technically I am getting paid to go on vacation..but not really. If it's on a "you use it or lose it" system then I don't really have to worry about opportunity costs.

My wife needs to HIRE contractors to step in for her, which nowadays cost 600/day. So she is definitely losing 500-700/day for not working. Now we end up making money for her not to work on top of the hiring cost..but she could of made that PLUS the expense of hiring a contractor if she stayed at work.

Most of my co-workers and my wife plus her friends doesn't think of opportunity costs and do all these calculations in their head. Only me and this other guy does it. This also means we basically take very little vacations and if we do end up taking days off, it will be worth it. We never take "staycations". I can't justify "spending" or not making 600 dollars/day for me to sit at home and watch tv/play video games. My wife on the other hand is perfectly fine with that..lol

**disneysteve** · 05-29-2016, 09:41 AM

Originally posted by dawnwes View Post

DH gets 25 per year, although he can't even take them all because there is simply too much work to do.

I'll never understand this. What's the point of giving people vacation time and then essentially telling them they can't actually use it? This is a huge problem in the US. It affects worker morale. It affects productivity. It affects stress level and ultimately health of the workforce.

I also have many patients who simply get zero paid time off. If they need to come to the doctor, they have to skip work without pay and risk losing their job in the process. The employers don't care because as soon as one person leaves, there are a dozen people waiting to fill their position. It has a huge negative impact on their health. They go months and even years without getting treatment for serious illnesses like hypertension and diabetes because they're afraid to lose their job if they take off to come see me.

**TexasHusker** · 05-29-2016, 10:47 AM

When I first began my job search after college, I thought the term PAID VACATION meant the the company actually paid for your vacation.

How disappointed I was...

Is having a yard sale really worth it?