Mortgage Blog

Choose a day and time to start your garage sale. Decide if you want to go solo with your sale or recruit other families in your neighborhood. Many times a neighborhood sale will draw more people. Avoid holiday weekends, unless you know there is increased traffic in your area. Be prepared for early birds. You may want to consider stating in your ad whether you accept early birds or not.

Choose what you want to sell. You should try to have a big variety of items. Many collectors and dealers frequent garage sales, so don't be afraid to include one of a kind type items. (Ex: one single glass or one individual dish)

Displaying your items can make the difference in sales. Neat displays and groupings are recommended. Be certain all your items are clean and dust free. Long narrow portable tables work great too. Every item should be priced and easy to read. I recommend using easy to remove price tags. There is nothing more disappointing than finding an item you would like to purchase at a sale and the seller has added the price directly on the item in black marker.

Display some good merchandise towards the road. Items such as men's things like tools, lawn equipment, weights, electronics etc are good to encourage the men to stop when the wife may want to stop as they are driving by. Also, add some good stuff visible from roadside. It needs to look worthy of stopping. I know when I drive by a sale and peek from the car, if it looks like a pile of clothes or junk from the road, I won't even bother stopping.

Be sure to place breakables towards the back of tables or higher for protection against breakage. You need to think about parents that bring children with them.

Adult clothing can be tough to sell. You should arrange them neatly and according to size. You can also try a "filling a bag for $1.00" to get rid of them faster. You can also try box lots. This box for $5.00 or everything on this table $1.00. You can also try grab bags of small toys.

It is sometimes beneficial to have current ads of items and what they cost new. This can serve as a comparison to how good your deal is for the buyer. If you don't have an ad, a simple index card stating retail value is a good addition.

You need to advertise your sale. Be sure to check your area's ordinances. You may be required to obtain a permit for your garage sale. You can advertise your sale in community papers, signs, local newspaper, Laundromats, and grocery stores, etc. Adding balloons at your house is a colorful way to show where your sale is located. Your garage sale sign should have arrows. If you live on a side street, a few signs leading to your sale is helpful. Remember to take your signs down after your sale. The best day to post your ad is Thursday, for a Fri-Sun garage sale or previous weekend for upcoming weekend sale. Adding balloons at your house is a colorful way to show where your sale is located.

Be sure to have lots of change for your sale. Don't forget lots of coins, dollars, and a calculator. Also, think of how to wrap things. (Like newspaper for breakables, couple spare boxes, and grocery bags) If you don't have a portable cash box, a fanny pack is a good way to keep money safe. Have receipt book for those who request a receipt.

Don't accept any checks. That is too much of a risk.

Be sure to have an electrical source. This is for people to test any electrical items you have for sale. Maybe consider having these items plugged in already.
Pricing can be set at about 1/3 the retail brand new cost to you. Obviously, some items will not yield 1/3, such as clothes or books.

Be prepared to haggle, so set your prices accordingly. Don't allow anyone to intimidate you. Be firm and don't reply in an uneasy or uncertain tone. If they ask you for something for a quarter and it's clearly worth more than that, just say nicely my price is firm on that item, I feel it is worth what I am charging or counter offer them and say I am willing to accept this for it.

Don't be a high-pressure salesperson. Give your buyers some freedom to look items over, but be ready to answer questions if they ask.

Plan some activities. This will make the time go by for you nicely. Consider a good book and some nice music.

Consider selling some refreshments. Many people are going from sale to sale and it gets hot. I have been to several block sales where neighbors have had even hotdogs and chips.

Be sure to have a notice that all sales are final. This will protect you later.

Do not have your pet with you during your sale. Many people are pet phobic or allergic.

Looking for a higher credit score? There's good reason to do so -- a higher score can give you a greater array of financial options and more favorable credit offers. Even if you already have a good score, there's always room for improvement. Keep in mind, however, that your credit score is based on your history of borrowing and repaying money, so there's no way to instantly boost it. But here are the most effective ways to strengthen your credit score over time.

Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Score

10. Learn what your current FICO® Credit Score is and what appears on your credit report.

9. Don't open new credit cards that you don't need just to increase your available credit. This approach could backfire and actually lower your score.

8. Try to keep your total account balances as low as possible. High outstanding debt may negatively affect your score, as you have a greater chance of missing payments.

7. Correct any incorrect information that might appear on your credit report.

6. If your credit is severely damaged, or you have a very short credit history, there are still ways to improve your credit over time. Consider opening new accounts responsibly and paying them off on time.

5. If you fall behind on paying a bill because of illness, unemployment, or family issues, write a short explanation to the credit reporting agencies. They will add it to your credit report. Also, call your creditor to explain the circumstances and, if possible, work out a payment schedule you can meet.

4. If you need help managing your credit, contact a reliable nonprofit agency.

3. To minimize the number of inquiries on your credit report, don't apply for multiple credit cards over a short period of time, or for a card you're not likely to get. Apply for new credit accounts only as needed.

2. Make all of your payments on time. If forced to miss a payment, be sure to pay the following month. Accounts more than 60 days past due will be indicated on your credit report.

And the number one way…?

1. Continue to check your credit report regularly, correcting errors and inaccuracies that can damage your credit score.

Identity theft victimizes one in four households, so you need to know how to protect against the nation's fastest-growing crime. The Federal Trade Commission reports that 25% of identity theft cases involve a stolen credit card, wallet or Social Security card. Here's how to deter thieves:

• Only print your first initial and last name on your personal checks. A thief will not know if you sign your checks with your initials or your first name, but your bank will know your signature.
• Don't write your complete credit card account number on the "For" line of your check when paying a credit card bill. Instead, use the last four numbers to avoid a theft as it passes through the check-handling process.
• Protect your identity by putting your work telephone number on your checks instead of your home telephone number. Use a P.O. Box or a work address instead of your home address.
• Photocopy your wallet's contents, including your credit cards' toll-free numbers.
• Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or display the number so it can be copied.

If your credit cards are lost or stolen, immediately cancel them by calling the toll-free numbers you copied. If you know your card was stolen, it is recommended to file a police report in the jurisdiction where the card was taken. Call the national credit-reporting organizations to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

Experian: 1-888-397-3742;

TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289;

Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271.