Garage Sale Pricing - 5 Secrets To A Successful Garage Sale

So, you've been going through your basement or garage and can't believe how much stuff you have just sitting around. That can mean only one thing's it's time for a garage sale!
Today, garage and yard sales are more popular than ever, but the secret to your success will be in garage sale pricing.

How many times have you been to a garage sale and just shook your head at some of the ridiculous prices you've seen for some items? Too many I'm sure! Pricing is why you can find several different yard sales going on in the same neighborhood, but one house may not sell much of anything, while another can't keep up with the cash drawer.
How to set garage sale pricing.

1. What is your purpose in having the garage sale?

If you simply want to clear out the basement or get rid of old clothes you no longer wear, then price the items accordingly.
Sell the clothes for $.50 or $1.00 if they are in good shape. Toys can go for $.50 and if a family is buying several items, throw in a couple for free.

2. Garage sale pricing for valuables

When selling big ticket items you'll need to consider if the value is a personal judgment or whether it is monetary. In other words, take your personal connection to the item out of your pricing strategy.

3. Visit other garage sales

If you are stuck on what you think prices should be, visit some other sales and observe their prices and whether things are selling or not. You can learn a lot from just watching what is going on around you.

4. Put it on eBay

You may have some items which would be better to list online at eBay than it would be to put them in a yard sale. Higher ticket items that are over $250 - $500 are a good example.
Most people are buying from a garage sale to find useful items at cheap prices. They usually don't spend over $100, although there are certainly exceptions.

5. Negotiate

This is an important tip. Leave your items that are a little more costly some room for negotiation.
Many folks love to haggle and bargain down the price. It makes them feel great and they buy every time. Use this to your advantage by leaving some extra room in the price. So, you have a $20 price and someone offers $14. They don't know it, but $15 is what you really wanted anyway. It's a win-win situation.

Take your time and carefully consider your garage sale pricing strategy. It will make all the difference in having a successful sale.

By the way, you can learn more about Garage Sale Pricing as well as much more information on garage sales at http://www.TheInfoDrawer.com

Toys That Work For Both Boys and Girls

Okay, girls love Dora the Explorer, and boys love action figures. But, there's something to be said for toys that brothers can share with their sisters and vice versa. The way kids spend most of their free time is playing, and if you can give your children some toys based on a common interest, you can encourage sharing, and playing together, which can strengthen the sibling bond and make for a more harmonious household.

One of the real hurdles for brothers and sisters playing together is that most girls really don't care about Batman, and most boys wouldn't be caught dead playing with Barbie dolls. So, more often than not, you'll need to provide your kids with some "gender neutral" toys if you're hoping to see them getting along and learning to share.

In the 1980's, we had He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He-Man had initially been marketed to boys, but because of the generous number of strong female heroes and fantasy elements, as well as a female animation director taking on a lot of episodes, the show actually wound up having a lot of crossover appeal, hence the spin-off series and toy line, She-Ra Princess of Power, starring He-Man's sister. The whole He-Man/She-Ra family of toys was nothing if not an excellent way to get brothers and sisters playing together and enjoying the same shows. Unfortunately, children's entertainment today has very little in the way of popular franchises with equal appeal for boys and girls.

But then we do have Dora and Diego... while Dora the Explorer may have limited appeal for boys, the spin-off series, Go Diego Go, is definitely a boy's show. Each show shares a number of characters with the other, and the overlap can help bring brothers and sisters together, meaning less fighting over the remote when one show or the other comes on TV, and playing together to create adventures for both Dora and Diego to conquer.

Then there are completely gender neutral toys, like Legos. Legos usually tries to cater more towards boys, licensing properties like Batman and Indiana Jones, but the basic premise of this toy has a lot of appeal for boys and girls: Build whatever you want to build. Challenging your daughter and son to build a castle together may yield interesting results, like a palace with a ballroom and an armada of cannons and archers along the outer wall.

While space adventure is primarily a boy-focused genre, Star Wars actually tends to appeal to both boys and girls as well. By providing the audience with a strong male lead in Luke Skywalker, and a strong female lead in Princess Leia, every kid watching the movie has someone to root for.

Most recently, we've seen electronic toys for both boys and girls drop considerably in price thanks to the very nature of technology getting cheaper every day. You can actually buy a kid a digital camera, toy laptop, or even a camcorder for the price of dinner for one at the Olive Garden. By their nature, these are non-gender specific toys, but bear in mind that most boys wouldn't dare touch a pink and purple camera, whereas girls rarely have a problem with blue.

That's something to remember, by the way. A lot of gender-neutral toys are coloured blue for boys and pink for girls. Boys oftentimes hate pink, but girls don't have to worry about being called a sissy at school if they show up with a blue backpack.

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Gifts & Toys With Great Savings

Yes, it's nearly that time again. Happy Christmas spending time. We complain every year that it is all too expensive, trudging around the shops, mile after mile of city centre walking always looking for the special bargain.

Trying to come up with gift ideas for him and something special for her. Let's face it. It's a nightmare! But as sure as eggs are eggs, we will all be Christmas shopping come the day. Is this not why the internet was born? Yes of course it is.

So that we could all sit at home, or in the office or wherever we want to with the laptop and shop online! How lucky am I? I found this fantastic website that not only sells just about every gift and toy in the land, but it is full of great ideas too.

I just sit back and use the search button and up come the ideas. Thousands of them; but one at a time thankfully! No more driving in the traffic, queues for the car park. They should wear masks the amount they charge for 2 hours.

It's a disgrace. Bumping into people, queuing in the till section. Struggling with heavy bags. Not much yo ho ho here is there? Why not join me in shopping online? Take the misery out of Christmas shopping and ban the high street and bin the bags! Get great gifts to your door, bargains and discount prices abound. Often, I have found free delivery too. That'll do for me!

I was lucky and found [http://www.onlineshoppa.co.uk] very early on in my search for a one stop shop with every gift imaginable. I have bought gifts for new born babies thru to grand parents. The very best gifts from some of the best known high street retailers. And always at the price I want to pay. There is always a price discount and often with free delivery, what more can you ask? If I need to buy gifts and need ideas, then this website has 000's of ideas too! It's just a fabulous website. Take a look!

Top Christmas Toys 2009

Every Christmas all people are worried which gifts to buy for their beloved ones. There are those who enjoy this process and can spend whole days in the shops looking for the best gift. However, there is a quite large number of people who detest going to the shops, waiting in queues or being with hundred other people in a small shop. No matter which one is your type of shopping you should buy some Christmas presents so why not make your life easier? We give you the top Christmas toys for 2009 to be sure that what you get will be accepted warmly.

What toys you can get for your boys

You are lucky because you don't have to start looking all over to find something good for a young boy. Remember the dinosaurs we used to play with? They were plastic and didn't have many details. The years have passed and the technologies have developed greatly. Now dinosaurs are mostly robots; you hear them roar, they come to life and they are very detailed. They vary in prices and you can find some that are very expensive but you can find many of them that are hi-tech and rather cheap. Now you can see that these robots, along with many other toys they can actually interact with children and respond back. They are included in the top Christmas toys for 2009 and your boys will love them.

The best Christmas gifts for girls

All girls like stuffed animals and teddy bears and their rooms are filled with them. We usually expect that these kinds of toys aren't very technological but lately we see that this changes. Now there are many toys that can actually interact with the little girls. For example, there is 'Biscuit My Lovin' Pup' that can give you a clear picture of what we are talking about. It looks like a little puppy but if you play with it for a while you will see that it is a very interactive and high tech toy. If you want to buy for your girl one of the top Christmas toys for 2009 then trust Biscuit. He will definitely bring joy to all girls this Christmas season.

What toys will be adored this Christmas

Usually at Christmas everyone enjoys to get a computer. It is a device that has multiple uses and everyone has something to do with it. Also, among the top Christmas toys for 2009 are the video games. There are so many games that you really won't be able to choose just one. There are even family games and most of them can be played on the computer. For the Christmas of 2009 find a game and get your loved ones hooked up.

There are more than enough toys for children but it is helpful to know which of them are considered the top Christmas presents for 2009.Make the most out of this holiday by finding the top Christmas toys at our website and make your children happy

A Bunny Plush Toy Can Be Better Than the Real Rabbit

Bugs Bunny is undoubtedly the most famous rabbit in the world and as is the case, bunny plush toys are in high demand.

Bugs was "born" in 1940 and is most famous for the phrase "what's up doc?" He is known as a free and easy personality prone to getting himself out of one scrape after another. Bugs is also known for his ongoing feuds with other Looney Toon characters including, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, and Daffy Duck. Bugs Bunny has appeared in multiple television shows and movies over the years and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1997, Bugs was immortalized on a United States postal stamp and is listed as the number seven most popular stamp on the U.S. postal services list of top 10 [most popular stamps].

Despite Bugs Bunny's iconic stature and the love both children and adults have for him, contrary to popular belief, keeping a real rabbit as a pet is not without its challenges. It is for precisely this reason that bunny plush toys are a wonderful alternative to the real thing. Rabbits require as much care and work as a cat or dog; they need fresh food and water on a daily basis; their cages and litter boxes need daily cleaning; they also require daily exercise outside the confines of their cage or they will become both bored and depressed. To think that rabbits are low maintenance and a better alternative to a dog or cat as a first-time pet, is simply a myth.

Luckily, with rabbit plush toys, a child can experience the love of a rabbit without all of the responsibility of having to care for the real thing. Bunny plush toys come in every imaginable color and size and are extremely soft to the touch. In place of a teddy bear, a bunny plush toy is an exquisite alternative for hugging and cuddling.

Children's books are often known for portraying rabbits as very cuddly and docile. The truth is, rabbits don't really like to be held or carried around. While some like to spend time with their owners, it can be stressful for them to find themselves in situations (like being held) in which they have no control; they have been known to bite or scratch to try and free themselves from an uncomfortable situation. With a bunny plush toy, a child will never have to worry about being physically harmed by the animal or how often they pick it up and carry it around - they may even want to sleep on it like a pillow which a bunny plush toy will not mind in the least.

Angeline Hope is a collector of bunny plush toy collectibles. You can view a huge selection of quality bunny plush toy collectibles at MyBigPlush.

Toy Story 3 Toys - The Best Toys to Encourage Imagination

Pixar have another hit on their hands with their latest release for 2010, Toy Story 3. Kids will love the film and will also love to bring a small part of the adventures home with them. Luckily there are a variety of Toy Story 3 toys for kids of all ages from trusted toy companies like Mattel, Fisher Price, Lego and Thinkway. Kids love to explore their own stories and use their favourite characters in new and imaginative ways. We take a look at the Toy Story 3 toys on the market most likely to inspire your child's creativity.

Following on from the critically acclaimed and hugely successful first two films, the third Toy Story film brings the main cast of the films into a different environment. With Andy off to college, the toys are accidentally thrown away, ending up at Sunnyside Daycare center. Woody, Buzz, Jesse and the gang scheme to get back to Andy's house but some of their new friends are reluctant to let them go. The following toys explore scenes from the film but allow your child to create their own stories as well.

Toy Story Lego
Without a doubt the biggest news in Toy Story 3 toys has to be the teaming up of Lego and Pixar to create both Duplo and regular Lego sets based around the Toy Story characters and scenes. If you are unfamiliar with Lego, they are the leader in construction building toys for boys and girls.

While the price point for Lego can be high these toys are made of hard plastic and so will last longer than most other plastic toys. In addition Lego is a creative toy that actively encourages children to imagine their own creations with the pieces at hand. A car can become a house or a spaceship, depending on the child's vision and the pieces can adapt to any number of combinations.

Duplo is their junior line and, with age recommendations from ages 2-6, the Duplo range features larger bricks and fewer pieces per set. The regular Lego sets feature smaller and more varied pieces in larger sets for ages six and above.

Lego has released four Duplo sets to coincide with the release of Toy Story 3 and all feature 2 inch movable figures of some of the cast. Jesse's Round Up (Set 5657 for $19.99) is a small set at 18 pieces and comes with Jesse, Bullseye and a small sheriff house structure. The iconic Pizza Planet Truck (Set 5658 for $19.99) is another small set with 13 pieces and comes with the truck, a fuelling station, Buzz Lightyear and a Little Green Alien.

Larger sets include the Great Train Chase with 39 pieces (set 5659 for $39.50) including a train engine, carriage and tunnel structure and the figures of Buzz, Woody and Jesse. This is a very fun set that recreates an exciting scene from the film and knowing how much kids love trains this is sure to be a popular set. The final Duplo set is Alien Space Crane (set 5691 for $39.99) and includes Woody, Buzz, a Little Green Alien, a crane and a garbage truck.

In the regular Lego range there are a number of highly playable sets for older Toy Story 3 fans. From smallest to largest the sets are:
Set 7789 Lotso's Dump Truck ($19.99): A yellow dump truck, Lotso, Chunk and Stretch
Set 7598 Pizza Planet Truck Rescue ($39.99): Yellow delivery truck with Buzz, Rex, Hamm and a Little Green Alien
Set 7596 Trash Compactor Escape ($49.99): Conveyer Belt, Crane, Compactor, Lotso, Woody, Hamm and two Little Green Aliens
Set 7599 Garbage Truck Getaway ($49.99): A large garbage truck, Buzz, Jesse, Lotso and Twitch
Set 7597 Western Train Chase $79.99: Train Engine with Caboose, Passenger Car and Money car with Woody, Buzz, Rex, Bullseye, Hamm and Jessie.

Lego is one of the best educational toys on the market, encouraging not only the ability to concentrate and follow intricate instructions but also creativity with sets able to be taken apart and made into anything the child can imagine. If your child doesn't have any Lego yet Toy Story 3 sets are a great place to start. You can find the sets at online suppliers like Amazon.

Toy Story 3 Mattel Toys
Mattel have made figures and play sets for all of the Toy Story films and this year they have integrated them into their Action Links series of interactive play sets which come with figures known as Buddy figures.

The small play sets all join together and interact with each other so your child can create a chain reaction of events in the order of their choosing. The small play sets retail for from $10.99 to $14.99 and include scenes such as Buzz Saves The Train, Jessie Saves The Day, Woody's Train and more. There are also larger play sets including Sunnyside Breakout for $24.99 and Junkyard Escape play set which retails at $39.99 both of which can connect to the smaller sets.

The Buddy figures that accompany these sets are also sold in 3 packs for $11.99 so you needn't purchase all the sets to get all the figures. The play sets are fun but may have a limited life for younger kids with a short attention span.

Mattel also make larger figures of Buzz, Woody, Jessie and Bullseye that have various interactive and action elements. The figures are approximately 12 inches tall while their Deluxe range of figures comes in at 7 inches.

Toy Story 3 Fisher Price Toys
Fisher Price have a whole range of Toy Story 3 toys available but some of the most exiting are part of their Imaginext range which incorporates action figures with vehicles and play sets, always fertile ground for imaginative kids. The play sets and vehicles include Tri-City Junkyard (which is cooler than it sounds!), Tri City Garbage Truck, a Buzz Lightyear spaceship and the Evil Dr. Porkchop's Spaceship.

All feature the standard sized imaginext figures so can interact with other sets your child may have and are recommended for ages 3+. Their compatibility with other sets is a major boon, as figures from Toy Story 3 can interact with other Imaginext Fisher price figures like knights, dinosaurs and explorers.

Other Toy Story 3 Toys
Various other manufacturers have produced toys around the Toy Story 3 theme and the variety is endless. From ride on cars to dress up costumes there are is something for every fan. Hopefully though, this article has been able to show you a few of the best toys to let your child's imagination soar.

Inger loves stories and loves to write. As a librarian in a previous life she also has an insatiable thirst for general knowledge. You can visit her latest website which takes a look at the best shawls and wraps to add a touch of warmth and elegance to all occasions including beautiful evening shawl options.

Walmart Free Samples Great Giveaway

Are you the kind of person that is tired of seeing prices always on the rise? Does it become exhausting to you to find out that gas prices have inched up another 10 or 20 cents over night? And then to follow is the price of everything else we buy since it obviously needs to be transported from place to place and that takes fuel. It sure does bother me. What we need to do is find ways of saving money on products we need every day. One way we can do that is by taking advantage of opportunities of free.

The mega giant department store Walmart that sells just about everything at low, low prices has a small program in place that you can take advantage of. If you visit their web site and do a search for free samples you'll find their tucked away free program. What they have is a very small selection of products that you can give your name, address and phone number for. They will ship it to you. Now don't expect to see your freebie overnight. Usually it takes 6-8 weeks for them to ship out. That has at least been my experience with this program.

What kinds of things will you find for free with this program? Mostly very low priced and cheap items are available. For instance cleaning supplies like Cascade and other detergents are always available. Beauty products like Ban, which is a cheap deodorant stick, are usually available at all times to get for free. Some baby products like Pampers are also available.

Most of the times you'll find the products available are just released ideas that may not be selling all that well. The one downfall of this program is it is very limited in what is available. You'll only find several things offered as free samples. You have to keep in mind that Walmart is not in the business of giving things away for free. Ultimately they want you to buy something and not get it for free. Also I'm not sure if they will let you get one item again after you have already ordered it once before.

Overall it's a nice program but as to be expected it's not very robust.

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