What time do you start?

Beachkid23 · Mar 12, 2014

I'm just wondering what time you guys start going out yard sailing in the morning. On average if it's like 8 o'clock 9 o'clock 6 o'clock just curious to see when you all start? On Fridays I normally don't start until about 8 o'clock because I have to get my kids on the bus first. I have the option of taking them to school but their school doesn't start until 845 it's in the middle of nowhere so that really screws the morning. As for Saturday's I normally start at about 715 sometimes I leave the house at 6:45 and get coffee.

cyberdan · Mar 12, 2014

up at 5:30 hit the gas pumps at 6:45 then first sale at 7:00 then drive, drive drive.
I try to hit at least 30 sales or more and I put on about 50-60 miles. only on saturdays.

I get a kick out of seeing yardsale ads starting at 11AM, my day is almost over.

Tallone · Mar 12, 2014

It depends... I select, based on Craigslist ads, what I believe to be the best opportunity of the day. Then I plan on being at that site 20 - 30 minutes before the posted start time. Yup, that makes me one of the dreaded "early birds". So, if what I think is the best sale of the day starts at 7:00 AM, I'm there no later than 6:40. Unless there is another great looking sale elsewhere in town, the rest of the morning is spent hitting sales close to that first one. I'm usually done by 10 AM, sometimes a little later.

There aren't a lot of Friday sales here (or any other day besides Saturday for that matter). Do you get a lot of those where you are, Beachkid? I really like those as there usually isn't as much competition.

Beachkid23 · Mar 12, 2014

Tallone said:
It depends... I select, based on Craigslist ads, what I believe to be the best opportunity of the day. Then I plan on being at that site 20 - 30 minutes before the posted start time. Yup, that makes me one of the dreaded "early birds". So, if what I think is the best sale of the day starts at 7:00 AM, I'm there no later than 6:40. Unless there is another great looking sale elsewhere in town, the rest of the morning is spent hitting sales close to that first one. I'm usually done by 10 AM, sometimes a little later.

There aren't a lot of Friday sales here (or any other day besides Saturday for that matter). Do you get a lot of those where you are, Beachkid? I really like those as there usually isn't as much competition.

There is alot of seasonal people here in the winter. Plus several towns. Cape Coral, Lehigh acres, fort myers, estero, Bonita springs then naples. Some Fridays there will be 25 sales. From dec-may. Once it gets hot, there will be 5. I have one route I run on Fridays that goes past 8 thrift stores and through 4 of the more populated areas that I'm near and takes about 3-4 hrs depending on the amount of sales. Saturday is anouther route that heads south. Got to get it in now. Not so much fun when it's 100 out everyday! I have gone the same two routes for 4 months and it has been great! More fun now I have my mom here so we jet to go junkin together!

Tallone · Mar 13, 2014

Wow... sounds like you put in a lot of miles. I suppose the snow birds are less concerned with getting the maximum number of people to their sale.

My Precious · Mar 13, 2014

Tallone said:
It depends... I select, based on Craigslist ads, what I believe to be the best opportunity of the day. Then I plan on being at that site 20 - 30 minutes before the posted start time. Yup, that makes me one of the dreaded "early birds". So, if what I think is the best sale of the day starts at 7:00 AM, I'm there no later than 6:40. Unless there is another great looking sale elsewhere in town, the rest of the morning is spent hitting sales close to that first one. I'm usually done by 10 AM, sometimes a little later. There aren't a lot of Friday sales here (or any other day besides Saturday for that matter). Do you get a lot of those where you are, Beachkid? I really like those as there usually isn't as much competition.

I try that too but seem to pick the wrong sale to start the day about 75% of the time. I can't stand those great looking adds with a sale that doesn't match.

insontis · Mar 13, 2014

I wish I could hit the amount of sales in a week that you guys do in a day, lol. I don't live in the most populated of areas and I only hit the sales I can walk to. Generally speaking, 1-3 sales on a good week. That being said I get up according to when the first/only sale starts and throw on my sneakers.

Tallone · Mar 13, 2014

My Precious said:
I try that too but seem to pick the wrong sale to start the day about 75% of the time. I can't stand those great looking adds with a sale that doesn't match.

I take it as a given the everybody is going to over-hype their sale but it is still disappointing when I go to a place that seemed like a great opportunity only to find out it was anything but. My selection of the "best" sale certainly doesn't guarantee a winner. There have been plenty of sales that made the top spot on my list turn out to be total duds. Either they didn't have anything I was interested in, or they were asking too much for their stuff, or (in a few cases) there was no sale going on. Most Saturdays there are way too many sales going on to hit all of them and I have to start somewhere so pick one that seems like the best bet. I would guess my success rate in picking a sale to visit first is about 50% but I don't keep track of such things. By success, I mean I find at least one item that I think is worth buying.

Sometimes, none of the CL ads intrigue me so I will just start with the sale closest to home and go from there. Or, if there are no really intriguing ads, I will go to the area that has the highest density of sales so I can get to a bunch of them quickly.

clovis97 · Mar 13, 2014

I am rarely out before 8:00 am.

The early bird has the best chances, but even if I can't get out until noon, I will still go. I have found some of my best scores after 12:00 pm.

Grundestoun · Mar 13, 2014

A couple of the guys I know around here will get up at six and drive around the places just checking out the lay of the neighborhood especially when there is a community sale. That's just crazy! I wouldn't be out driving around for hours before a sale even starts someone might think that you are up to no good and call the cops. I usually pick one that has what I am looking for and try to get there a little early. Then just drive around from there.

Tallone · Mar 13, 2014

The neighborhood is a factor in deciding my target area. The yard sale ad may look great but if it is in a crappy neighborhood it isn't likely to get on my list. I know this city and all its neighborhoods really well so I don't need to drive around to check it out.

diggummup · Mar 13, 2014

Around here I have no choice but to arrive at least an hour early to my first stop if I want to have a chance at getting anything good. At least when it comes to a good estate sale or someone who lists gold and/or silver for sale. I just sit in my car until they are ready. By then there are usually several others sitting and waiting also. The competition is fierce around here. I missed out on the broken gold jewelry last week because I arrived at 7:05 to a sale that started at 8 am. I caught up with the guy that bought it all at the next sale, a friend of mine. I make my list of where to go first based on several factors. The type of sale it is, whether estate, moving, neighborhood, church or regular garage sale. The neighborhood it is in and whether it is in an upscale neighborhood or not. The amount of other sales in that area. Last but not least is the items described in the ad for sale. Estate sales are number one priority for me because this is where I have the best chance to find multiple items in one location since the entire estate is being cleared out. The earliest I have left my house is somewhere around 4:30 am for a sale that started at 6. It was about 1/2 hour away though and we weren't the first ones there. Normally when we leave, it's around 6-6:30.

Rodbuster209 · Mar 13, 2014

It is the same here,the competition is fierce, I usually try to be at the sale at least an hour early,especially in the summer months. Some of my competition has been known to roll by the day before, stop if they see the people setting up and then say sorry ,I must have read the ad wrong! I have found out the hard way that it worked for them also! Here if I do not go early I will not find anything that I am looking for! Good luck!.........Scott.