How to price things for a yard sale?

16 years ago

I'm going through everything and getting rid of most stuff I haven't used in years. This includes a sewing machine and cabinet. The sewing machine is probably 8 or 9 years old but barely used. It cost about $150 brand new all those years ago. How much would you price it at and would you sell both the machine and cabinet together at one price? I can't even remember what I paid for the cabinet but it isn't solid wood or that expensive. I was thinking $50 for both. Is that too little? Too much? Both are in like new condition.

I also have a bunch of board games that the kids no longer play, one puzzle that has all the pieces. The games that are in really good shape I wanted to sell for $1 each, too much?

Then there is my mom's old Brother semi-antique sewing machine. It's REAL metal! Imagine that! lol. It's in it's own case too and I'm on the fence about whether or not to keep it. I'm afraid it will get destroyed sitting in the garage for years and years. If I keep it I'll bring it back into the house and stick in a closet, but Lauren is completely uninterested in sewing so she won't be interested when she grows up. I hate to see it sit there being unused. My mom sewed most of our clothes on that machine when we were growing up. It's a shame that it's just sitting there.

Then there is tons of Tupperware that have been sitting in boxes for years in near perfect condition. I kept thinking I would use it but I haven't. I only have so much cabinet space for stuff like that. What do you sell old Tupperware for? Is $1 a piece too much or too little for big pieces?

I don't know how I managed to accumulate so much junk over the years.

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Comments (9)

nodakgal
16 years ago
Your prices sound good to me. I know I sold a sewing machine for $20 in the plastic portable case.
Whatever you price, be prepared for hagglers!
I positively hate people that won't pay garage sale prices!
For petes sake, if you can't afford it stay home! I have never offered less, I either pay it or pass it up.
One gal gathered up both arms full of my patriotic stuff and set it on the table and said this is $11 worth what will you take? I was dumbfounded! I think after I sat there awhile I said $8? It was like 3 bags of stuff.
It was early in the sale too! Now I have a sign "half price after noon" or else I say "fill a bag for $3 after whatever time" I am getting smarter! LOL I love it when someone offers me less and I say ummm sorry, if you want to come back later and its still here I will be happy to take that price, but not right now! Its always sold if they come back.
angela_nor_calif
16 years ago
Kath - I think you could ask more for your Tupperware especially if it's in like new condition. People know what that stuff costs new and I would pay more. I'm not saying $5 but maybe $2 to $3.

That's a really good price on your board games as well. You could probably ask a couple of dollars for those too - especially if they are like new and have all the pieces. I can't believe the price of board games in the stores these days.

Good luck! I'm having a yard sale this weekend.
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That size reminds me of every 12 volt car battery 'keeper upper' I've ever seen. They output about 100ma in full sun and about 15 volts. When you put them on your 13.4 volt car battery they still output about 100ma and actually that just overcomes the degredation a car battery experiences. So they work. I would measure the output in full sunlight. Use any voltmeter and see that it's 15 volts. If it's less then that size will still output the wattage equal of 15 x 100 ma or 1500 mwatts = 1.5 watts. I won't do the math for 3 volts or 6. But each cell in the device puts out about 1.2 volts or 1.5 volts and they are put in series or parallel or both to make a complete product. What you have is unknown until you measure it. But I'll guess what I said above. They won't run much. 1.5 watts won't run much of a motor pumping water. If you get a dribble I'd be suprised. The best thing to do to make them work to the best effect is to 1. measure the voltages of each in full sun 2. see what voltage the pump requires. 3. match the cells to the pump voltage. That will tell you if you can connect them directly or if you have to put them in series to increase the voltage. If you put a 12 volt one on a 4 volt motor there's so little energy the motor nor the cell will be damaged. You can short the cells and they won't be damaged. Obviously there's no way, nor reason, to reduce the voltage of the cell.. there is but it requires a circuit to switch the voltage at 20,000 hz or higher up or down. It's beyond what I would take my time to do. Lastly to measure the current output you'll use an ammeter. Your voltmeter has that setting. That cell will not output more than 100 to 400 ma. Less than 1/2 amp in full sunlight. To be safe set the meter on the highest setting , even 10Amp setting and measure it. Then reduce the setting as you put the meter, set on amps, across the cell in full sunlight. You can also vary the sunlight on the cell if you perceive that the meter is overloaded. 1/2 the cell covered is 1/2 the current. Well that's the $1.00 tour. Enjoy and why not let us know what you ended up with. Andre
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FlamingO in AR
16 years ago
Kath, is Craigslist an option for the sewing machines? Or find a local fabric and leave a notice there, there are women who sew or young women who would love to sew, if they only had a machine and I hate to see you "give it away" for next to nothing at a yard sale.

I price things at about 10-20% of retail, generally, but a sewing machine in a cabinet should fetch some decent money and an older, good Brother should be worth something, too. Those metal machines are hard to find. You might even be able to sell it to a sewing machine place.
Kathsgrdn
Original Author
16 years ago
Flamingo, the last time I used Craigslist, people either didn't show up or came when I wasn't home for a swingset. I haven't used them since. Maybe I'll try the fabric store, there's one in Frankfort that's not too far from me. Thanks for the replies everyone!
sheilajoyce_gw
16 years ago
I would save the Brother sewing machine for your daughter when she marries. I like a sewing machine best for mending certain things, and though I no longer make clothes, I like having a machine for when I need it.
nanny98
16 years ago
You might take a look at your Goodwill/Salvation Army....I don't know where really poor folks shop anymore...at least where I live. Nice stuff nowdays. but certainally not cheap. And, yes I would save the sewing machine for daughter. Necessity being the mother of invention....you would be amazed at the # of young marrieds who "sew their own curtains" and first baby's rooms.Mine did. Oh, and "stripes" on hubby's uniforms. Good luck. Nanny
cynic
16 years ago
It's hard to price things since some will pay more than new price and some won't pay more than pennies. Your prices sound good and the stuff should go. Hard to say on the Tupperware since we don't know what the pieces actually are, but $1-$3 is probably a decent price, small things less. Another thing is to bundle it. $5 for a box? But the big question is how badly you want to get rid of the stuff. At my one sale I just decided I had to get rid of this junk. I didn't want to drag it back in so I put it at super cheap prices. Of course people haggle, that's part of the sale thing, but some I just said if I couldn't get that pittance for it, I'd donate it or throw it in the trash! I also said they could come back tomorrow and if it's still here we could talk. But by pricing it cheap, it moved quickly and I ended the sale early, put the furniture out to the curb with a sign "Free to a good home" and it went that day too. I lucked out in a way because it was "moving day" (last day of the month so people were moving and a lot of people went down my street that day with trailers, trucks, etc) so that made me quite happy.

Too bad you aren't close by! I could use some Tupperware! LOL Would you take 10Â¢ for all of it and deliver it to me???? ;)

BTW, have you spread the word around to everyone you know about the sewing machines? I often hear people talk that they'd like to have a sewing machine if they could find a deal on one. You might find someone in need and it's nice to see something go to a good home.
sue_va
16 years ago
As for the sewing machines, do you have time to check out eBay to see how similar machines are priced? Or would you consider keeping your mother's and using it as a decorative accent piece in your house?

One thing that I think is important is to have a price sticker or tag on everything, so people don't have to ask.

I think I have finally down-sized to where I won't be having any more yard sales, but I always enjoyed having them.

Good luck.

Sue
User
16 years ago
Tupperware is very expensive. If it's in new condition price it higher. It has a lifetime warranty and I know as a past TW lady that some folks buy it at garage sales just to turn it in for that reason. If that item is no longer available they'll be given a certain amount to "spend" on whatever they want that's currently available. My sister in law used to break her TW just to turn it in. Check the link below and see if you can find the items you'd like to sell to help you price them. Personally I'd pay twenty five to thirty percent of the going price for new for used TW that's in near perfect condition. I'd also think about putting some aside for your daughter's hope chest. If it doesn't sell I'd offer it to other family members that you know would use it. Why sell it cheaply to strangers if you don't need the money when you could give to family or even a close friend.
Like me! ha ha ha

Here is a link that might be useful: Tupperware.com

How to price things for a yard sale?

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nodakgal

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How to price things for a yard sale?

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