Making Sales - One Dollar at a Time

I should have seen it coming.  It all started with getting the Christmas decorations out of their properly stored areas. You know, the back of the master closet, the guest room, the garage and the linen closet.   Basically, anywhere we could stuff them.  Well anyway, after his decorating chore, I guess my husband really liked seeing empty shelves and areas he could actually walk through because the next thing I knew he was going through boxes and cupboards throughout the house and  garage asking, "Do you use this?  How much do you think this is worth?  Do you know anyone who could use this?  Do you think anyone would be interested in buying this?"

I obliged my husband's zeal by going through my closet and removing all of my "optimistic clothing".  You know, the ones that I'm sure I'll be able to fit into again someday.  Quite a haul, I must say.  Going through the pantry, I found an old soup tureen, a smoothie blender and crock pot I'll never use. 

Today I have been lucky enough to have a front row seat to one of my husband's favorite past times - the garage sale.   Me?  Not a fan.  So I indulged myself in my favorite pastime - watching my husband and the yard salers.  My home office faces the street so I must say it's been a real hoot to watch. 

Here's the types of "buyers" I've noticed so far today:

• Lurkers - They drive by v-e-r-y slowly so they can scope out the wares first.  You know, to see if it's worth actually stopping for.
• Sniffers - These upper crusts pick everything up, look it over and with their noses in the air ask, "Do you have this in red?"  "Don't you have any crystal?"  It's a garage sale, lady. Not Macy's.
• Squeakers - You know the ones.  If you're asking 50 cents for something, they want to know if you'll take a quarter.  Really?  50 cents gonna make a real change in your lifestyle?

Ya really gotta love a guy who gets excited about selling a $300 tool for 15 bucks.  A few minutes later, he's running in to tell me he's up to $54.  Yippee!  Big smile,  thumbs up, knuckle bump!  "You know that dress you spent over $200 on and wore once?  Well, I just got rid of it for you - $5.  That lady was soooo happy."  Now he's even giving showings of our motorhome.  I didn't even know it was for sale.

It's at this point that I feel the need  to call after  my husband as he heads back out to the garage, "Honey, if someone offers you $20 for your new truck, please don't take it".