Save money, time with a plan of attack before checking out garage sales
...Create a wish list
The Fire Finance team maintains a list of items needed around their home.
"We keep a simple notebook and pen on our kitchen counter," they said in an online interview. "When we need something, we write it in this notebook."
Establish priorities
Not every item on their wish list falls into the must-have/must-buy category. After a one-week cooling-off period, they evaluate each item based on need vs. want.
"We wait and see if we can really do without it," they said.
Get out the maps
After sorting through the weekly list of yard sales, the husband-and-wife team spends time mapping out the shortest route, with the help of Google, Yahoo! and AAA.com. This step saves time and gas, they say. They use the mileage estimate provided by the online trip-planning services to eliminate sales that are too far. (They will, however, travel 50 to 75 miles if a garage sale advertises a big-ticket item from their wish list.)
Pack your bags
The duo packs power tools, a rope, paper towels and a measuring tape. These items are used for disassembling, cleaning up, carting away or measuring purchases.
And you might want to pack food: Well-fed shoppers make smarter decisions.