Mutt Mitt Dog Waste Bags vs Plastic Bags: What is the Best Way to Pick Up Dog Waste?

Mutt Mitt Dog Waste Bags

Mutt Mitt- The Easy Way To Pick Up Dog Waste
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

I first encountered Mutt Mitts when walking in a city park.  There was a sign encouraging dog owners to pick up after their pets.  Next to this sign, there was a dispenser for dog waste bags.  The type of dog waste bag being dispensed was Mutt Mitt.  I didn't have a dog with me, but this sounded interesting enough that I took a Mutt Mitt to try out later.

Mutt Mitt Dispenser at City Park
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Mutt Mitts are made of biodegradable materials and break down within a year, unlike regular plastic bags.  The shape of Mutt Mitts is much better than a rectangular plastic bag for picking dog waste.  The Mutt Mitt is shaped so that your hand can easily pick up the dog waste by grabbing it from both sides.  You then turn the Mutt Mitt inside-out so that the dog poop is contained neatly inside for easy disposal.

How to Use a Mutt Mitt- Wear the Mutt Mitt like a Mitten
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Use a Mutt Mitt to Pick up Dog Waste
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The Mutt Mitt I picked up at the park was constructed with 1-ply plastic.  You can also get 2-ply Mutt Mitts that provide more isolation than thin single ply plastic bags.  This means that it feels less like you are touching dog poop, which can be a good thing.

How Much Do Mutt Mitts Cost?

Of course the Mutt Mitt I picked up at the park was free.  If you want your own supply of Mutt Mitts, they cost about 10 to 20 cents each, depending on the quantity you order.  You can get less expensive single ply Mutt Mitts (called Singles).  Organizations like cities and park departments, dog parks, and campgrounds can order dispensers, signs, and bulk supplies of Mutt Mitts.

Mutt Mitts vs. Plastic Bags

The most popular option for picking up dog waste seems to be rolls of small plastic bags.  The plain ones cost about 3 cents per bag.  I find the bags that come on rolls are difficult to dispense and open, especially in really cold weather.  I can remember a number of times standing in a snow storm trying to get a dog poop bag open.  The sides stick together, and when the bags and your hands are cold, it is sometimes almost impossible to open the bag.  Sometimes I rip the bag a little bit to get it started- and sometimes this ruins the bag.

Roll of Plastic Dog Waste Bags- Bags can be hard to open in cold weather
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

You can get biodegradable dog waste bags on rolls for about 5 cents per bag.  Greenbone Biobase Pet Waste Bags come on rolls like the cheap plastic bags, but they are much easier to open and are thicker.  High quality biodegradable dog waste bags are better choice all around than the cheap plastic dog waste bags that come on rolls.  They work better than the cheap plastic bags, and they are biodegradable just like your dog's waste.

Greenbone biodegradable dog waste bags- much easier to open than cheap plastic bags, and biodegradable too
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincer

Using Recycled Plastic Bags for Dog Waste

Another option for plastic bags for dog waste disposal is reusing plastic bags that you get for other purposes.  I find that Subway sandwich bags work great- they are the right size and the plastic is strong enough for the job.  Newspaper bags also work well.  Our newspaper comes in a small plastic bag on rainy days- I always save these for dog duty.

You can also use plastic shopping bags to pick up dog waste.  I don’t like to use shopping bags- they are too big.  They take up a lot of room in your pocket, and there is a lot of wasted plastic since the bag is much larger than necessary.  Also, the cheaper shopping bags tend to have small rips and holes- this is not desirable for a dog waste bag!

Recommended Reading:
Dog Sunglasses Buying Guide
Pet Food: Why is dog food and cat food so expensive?

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Dishwasher Detergent Options- Best Automatic Dishwasher Tablets

Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Options

Automatic dishwasher detergent tablets contain soap and other cleaning chemicals and are placed in your dishwasher soap compartment.  The dishwasher tablets, also known as dishwasher tabs, gel pacs, or capsules, are more convenient and less messy than filling the detergent compartment with liquid dishwasher detergent or powdered dishwasher detergent.  How much does dishwasher detergent cost, and which dishwasher tablets are the best at getting dishes clean in your dishwasher?

Dishwasher Tablets and Gel Pacs

Dishwasher tabs and gel pacs are a convenient way to load your dishwasher with soap.  Dishwasher tablets are made of a solid detergent material that dissolves during the dishwasher cycle.  Dishwasher gel pacs have a soft wall containing liquid soap that dissolves during the dishwasher cycle, releasing the soap.  Some gel pacs contain multiple compartments of cleaning products that are released at different times during the dishwashing cycle.

Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Gel Pac- You can see gel and powder inside the pac
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Dishwasher Tablet Cost

Dishwasher tablets and gel pacs cost about 25 cents each depending on the brand and quantity that you buy.  Since a load of dishes takes one tablet or pac, the cost of detergent for a load of dishes is about 25 cents per load for tablets or gel pacs.

Dishwasher Liquid Cost

Dishwasher liquid or gel comes in jugs and is poured into the detergent dispenser of your dishwasher.  The cost is about 9 cents per ounce depending on the brand and size of container.  Dishwasher detergent capacity is typically 2.5 fluid ounces.   This brings the cost for running the dishwasher to about 22 cents per load.

Powdered Dishwasher Soap Cost

Powdered detergent costs slightly less than dishwasher liquid or gel, about 7% less by some estimates.  The cost of powdered dishwasher detergent is about 20 cents per load depending on the brand and size of container that you buy.  Dishwasher powder detergent is the lowest cost automatic dishwasher detergent solution.  However, dishwasher powder is messier and more difficult to pour into the detergent dispenser.  Also, the solids in the powder may not dissolve as well as gel, resulting in less effective cleaning of your dishes.

Cost of Hand Washing Dishes

The cheapest way to wash dishes is in the sink, washing them manually.  The cost of dish soap is only a few cents per load.  You can buy a 24 oz bottle of name brand dish soap for about $6 that will wash many loads of dishes.  If you use 1/2 oz of dish soap, your cost is about 12 cents per load, where a load in this case is the capacity of an automatic dishwasher which is several sinks worth of hand wash dishes.  If you wash dishes like me, you can use the 1/2 oz of dish soap to wash a few sink fulls before adding more.

Another cost of doing dishes in the sink by hand is time and effort.  Washing dishes by hand is labor intensive and time intensive.  Using an automatic dishwasher is much more convenient.  A dishwasher is a robot that washes dishes for you so you can do other things.  This is worth spending a few extra cents on soap if you have an automatic dishwasher available.

The Best Dishwasher Tablets: Finish Powerball vs Cascade Platinum

I prefer the tablet or gel pac format- this is very convenient and seems to do the best job at getting dishes clean.  We normally use Quantum Finish Powerballs.  We ran out of Finish Powerballs and bought the only gel pacs that our neighborhood grocery store had to offer- Cascade Platinum.  Which is the better dishwasher detergent product: Finish Powerball or Cascade Platinum?

Quantum Finish Powerball vs Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Gel Pac
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

The best dishwasher tablet:  Finish Powerball produced noticeably cleaner dishes.  Cascade Platinum left flecks on glasses and silverware. The water at our house goes through a water softener, but the water is still hard water with high mineral content, which may have affected the cleaning performance.  Finish Powerball was much more effective than Cascade Platinum- we will give away the rest of the bag of Cascade gel pacs since we like Finish Powerball so much better!

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 by Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Dog Sunglasses Buying Guide- Find the Best Doggles and other brands

Can You Really Buy Dog Sunglasses?

Yes, you can buy high quality sunglasses for your dog for under $25.  These sunglasses are designed especially for dogs and typically have two adjustable straps- one that goes under the chin and another that goes around the back of the head under the ears.

Dog Sunglasses protect your dog's eyes from UV light and debris
Image Source: Sgt. Jason Brace

UV Protection with Dog Sunglasses

Dog sunglasses provide UV protection for dog's eyes similar to the protection provided by sunglasses for people.  This can be important for dogs that spend a lot of time outside, especially in environments where your dog is exposed to lots of reflected light:  boating on the water, on the beach, or in snow on a sunny day.  This style of dog sunglasses looks like human sunglasses with straps added.

Sunglasses style dog sunglasses: Doggles K9 Optix

Dog Goggles: Protection from Blowing Debris

Some styles of dog sunglasses are more like goggles than glasses.  They remind me of swim goggles with an extra strap.  The goggle style dog sunglasses provide protection from blowing sand, dust, and other debris in addition to UV protection.  Military dogs use the goggle style of dog sunglasses when working in environments with eye irritants.  Some dog owners put dog goggles on their dog during car rides so the dog can put his head out the window.  The goggles protect the dog's eyes from drying out and from blowing debris.

Goggle style dog sunglasses: Doggles ILS and Doggles Originalz

Dog Sunglasses for Medical Conditions 

Some dogs have medical conditions that make their eyes more sensitive to sunlight.  German Shepherds and some other breeds are susceptible to an eye condition called Pannus which is caused by UV light exposure. Dog sunglasses are helpful for dogs with Pannus that will spend a lot of time outdoors. As dogs age, their iris muscle may become weaker, which reduces the ability to constrict and reduce the amount of light entering the eye.  Dog sunglasses are useful for older dogs that have sensitivity to bright light.  Dog sunglasses may help prevent cataracts in dogs.

Dog Sunglasses Buying Guide

Sunglasses or Goggles Style

Do you prefer goggle style or sunglasses style?  Goggle style dog sunglasses provide excellent UV protection as well as protection from blowing debris.  The sunglasses style looks like human sunglasses and may be more fashionable while still providing UV protection for you dog.  Doggles K9 Optix is a sunglasses style while Doggles ILS and Doggles Originalz are the goggles style of sunglasses.

This dog seems to enjoy wearing sunglasses!
Image Courtesy of ktylerconk CC-BY-2.0

Interchangeable Lenses

Some models of dog sunglasses, such as Doggles ILS (interchangeable lens system) allow you to change the lenses to a different color of tint, or even clear lenses for nighttime use.  You can also get black lenses that block 100% of light for blind dogs.

Military dog wearing Doggles ILS
Image Source: Spc. Daniel Bear

Lens Features to Look for in Dog Sunglasses

• UV protection- This is the main function of sunglasses!
• Shatter-proof lenses- You don't want the lens to break and injure your dog's eye.
• Anti-scratch Lenses- Dogs may put a lot of wear and tear on lenses during normal use.
• Anti-Fog lenses- Especially important for goggle style.
• Lens spacing from eye- The sunglasses lens should have space for your dog's eye.  Some breeds have protruding eyes that bulge out.  My Malshi (Maltese - Shih-Tzu hybrid) has eyes like this.  You'll want to choose a style that has enough room so that the sunglasses will not contact the dog's eye.

Dog Sunglasses Brands

Doggles
Doggles is the leading brand of dog sunglasses.  Styles include both sunglasses style (Doggles K9 Optix) and goggles styles (Doggles ILS and Doggles Originalz).  The U.S. military uses Doggles for their service dogs.

Doggie Shades
Doggie Shades sells the sunglasses style of dog sunglasses.  This company has been in the dog sunglasses business 18 years.  They have a sizing chart on their website where you can print out a paper template to check sizes.

Fashion Pet canine goggles / Cool Pet Goggles
Available wholesale and from sellers on eBay.  These look to be an inexpensive goggle style of dog sunglasses.

How to Put Dog Sunglasses on a Dog

With some practice, it takes about 15 seconds to put dog sunglasses on your dog.  The first time, you'll need to adjust the straps to the correct fit.  It is recommended to put the sunglasses on your dog outside, especially the first few times.  If you put sunglasses on inside, you dog may be confused by darkness since there will not be enough light to see well.

The video below shows how to put dog sunglasses on your dog in 15 seconds.

Dog Sunglasses Sizes

Find the Right Size Sunglasses for Your Dog

How to measure size for Doggles:
To determine ideal back strap and frame length, measure the entire head circumference, across the eyes and around under the ears. To size chin strap, start just under one ear, under the chin, and back up to under the other ear (like a helmet strap).

Doggles Sizing Chart with Breed Examples:

Doggles Size	Dog Size	Breed Examples	Back Strap and Frame	Chin Strap Length	Actual Lens Size
Extra Small	1-10 lbs	Chihuahua, Pom	5-13"	3-7"	1"h x 1-1/4"w
Small	9-25 lbs	Beagle, Westie	12-20"	4-8"	1-1/2"h x 2"w
Medium	20-60 lbs	Dalmatian, Collie	15-25"	5-11"	1-1/2"h x 2-1/4"w
Large	50-100 lbs	German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever	18-30"	6-15"	1-1/2"h x 2-1/2"w
Extra Large	100+ lbs	Lg. Rottweiler, St. Bernard	22-45"	11-26"	2"h x 3"w

Order Doggles from Amazon.com

Recommended Reading:
Malshi: Cross of Maltese and Shih-Tzu Dog Breeds

Pet Food: Why is dog food and cat food so expensive? Would it be cheaper to feed my pet meat?

Penny Pincher Journal

Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

How to Change the Oil in your Lawn Mower

Lawn Mower Oil Changes

Changing the oil frequently in your lawn mower engine is your best chance to extend the life of your lawn mower, saving you money.  Small engines such as those on push lawn mowers need effective motor oil to provide lubrication and distribute heat to protect the engine from damage.  Old motor oil breaks down over time and will no longer protect the engine properly.  Motor oil also gets dirty with wear particles from the engine and from dust and contaminants that are introduced into the motor with air intake during use, causing increased wear on the engine when running with dirty oil.

How often do you need to change the motor oil in your lawn mower?

The manual for your walk behind lawn mower will provide recommended oil change intervals.  The minimum oil change interval for a lawn mower should be at least one oil change per year.  Oil changes more than once a year may be needed depending  on amount of use.

How much does it cost to change the oil in a lawn mower?

The cost for a lawn mower oil change at a service shop ranges from about $15 to $30.  The cost of a lawn mower oil change will depend on if the shop transports your mower, or if you bring it to the shop yourself.  They may also recommend replacing the spark plug and sharpening or replacing the mower blade when you get the oil changed.

You can change your own lawn mower motor oil for a few dollars.  A quart of oil costs about $3- and you can get up to 4 lawn mower oil changes from one quart.  If you need to buy a siphon pump, this will cost about $25, but the pump should last for many oil changes.  A pan to collect used motor oil is free if you can find recycled materials around your house or garage, otherwise you can buy a small plastic bin for about $3. You can transfer used oil from your pan to other containers, such as empty oil bottles, allowing you to re-use the pan.

How do you get the old oil out of the lawn mower to change lawn mower oil?

Remove oil through the oil drain plug
If you’re lucky, your push mower will have an oil drain plug.  This makes oil changes really easy.  The picture below shows the location of the oil drain plug on a lawn mower.  You may need to clean grass and debris away from the base of your lawn mower engine to see the drain plug.  A small socket wrench is the tool you'll need to remove the oil drain plug from your lawn mower.

Lawn Mower Oil Drain Plug, Dipstick Tube, and Oil Sticker Locations
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Remove oil through the dipstick tube
Some small engines do not have an oil drain plug.  If your engine doesn’t have an oil drain plug, you will either need to tip the lawn mower on its side to drain oil out of the dipstick tube or use a siphon pump.  The dipstick cover can be unscrewed and removed to drain oil.

Remove oil with a siphon pump
You can use a suction pump or siphon pump to draw the old oil out of the engine.  This allows oil to be removed from the lawn mower engine without tipping the mower on its side.  Siphon pumps can be purchased at auto parts stores or on the internet for under $25.  Siphon pumps can be used to transfer oil, gas, and other fluids as well as air inflation.  The dipstick cover can be unscrewed and removed to allow the siphon pump tube to be put in place to remove oil.

What are the steps to change lawn mower oil?

Step 1.  Make sure you have new oil available before you drain the old oil.  Most lawn mowers take SAE 30 or 10W30.  You mower may have a sticker that indicates the type of oil.  If not, check the manual for the correct type of motor oil.  Most lawn mowers require about 8 oz of motor oil.  If your lawn mower has an oil filter, obtain a replacement oil filter.  You may need to order one from a parts dealer.

Step 2. Run the lawn mower for about 5 minutes to get the oil warm.  This will make it much easier to remove more of the old oil.

Step 3. Drain the old oil from your mower.  You’ll need a pan to catch the used motor oil.  
If your lawn mower has a drain plug, position a plastic cup under the drain plug and use a wrench to remove the plug.  A small socket wrench is the best tool to use to remove the oil drain plug.  Also remove the dipstick to allow the oil to drain quickly.

If your lawn mower does not have a oil drain plug, place a pan on the same side of the lawn mower as your dipstick tube, remove the dipstick cover (unscrew), and tip the mower on its side to drain the old oil into the pan.  You’ll need to tip the mower more than 90 degrees to get the oil out.  This will work best if you have a low profile pan so you have enough room to tip your mower.

If you are using a suction pump, insert one end of the tube into oil dipstick tube and place the other end in the pan you are using to collect the used motor oil.  Squeeze the pump bulb, or operate the piston, to pump the old oil out of your lawn mower.

Step 4. If your lawn mower has an oil filter, replace the old oil filter with a new one.  Unscrew and remove the old oil filter and discard.  Apply some oil to coat the seal around the new oil filter to prevent oil leakage.  Then tighten the new oil filter in place.

Step 5. Fill your lawn mower with new oil.  Replace your drain plug (if you have one) and tighten using a wrench or socket driver.  Tighten firmly, but not too tight or it will be hard to remove next time.  Place your lawn mower on a level surface and use your dipstick to check the level as you fill the oil reservoir through the dipstick tube.  You may need a funnel if your dipstick tube has a small opening.  Over filling or under filling your engine with oil can cause damage to your engine, so use the correct fill level.

Check your lawn mower oil level with a dipstick
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Step 6. Dispose of your used motor oil properly.  In some areas you will need to place the used motor oil in a container with a lid and take it to a recycling center for disposal.  Auto supply shops may also accept used motor oil for recycling.

Safety when changing oil in a lawn mower

• Use caution to avoid starting a grass fire.  Hot parts of your engine can cause grass to ignite when tipping your mower to drain oil.  You want the engine warm to help oil drain, but not too hot.
• Use caution with fuel.  You can drain the fuel from your tank, or wait until your fuel tank is empty to avoid spilling any gas if you need to tip your mower to drain the oil.  Gas can leak out the fuel cap when you tip your mower.
• You can disconnect the spark plug cap to avoid the mower accidently starting while you are working on it.

If you never want to change oil in your lawn mower again, check out electric lawn mowers!

Recommended reading:

How to check your gas mileage: Step-by-step instructions

Can You Save Money Driving a Car with Manual Transmission?

Penny Pincher Journal
Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

How to Sell your Old Cell Phone and Get Cash

How to Get Cash for your Used Cell Phone

If you have an old cell phone that you are not using, you can quickly and easily get cash for it.  It is easier than ever to sell a used cell phone, with more businesses buying used cell phones to sell in secondary markets.  Prices offered by phone buyback companies are competitive since they want to buy your cell phone and resell it for a profit.

There are four ways to get cash for your old cell phone.  The best method for selling your cell phone will depend on how quickly you want to get your cash .  Also, the condition of your phone and the local demand for your phone are factors to consider.  If your phone is in excellent condition, you may get more selling it yourself to an individual buyer through craigslist or eBay.  If your cell phone is in average or worse condition, you may be better off selling it to a buying company rather than an individual.  If your phone is a few years old, you may have trouble finding a local buyer unless it is a very popular model such as an iPhone.

Sell your used cell phone and get cash!
Image Source: Dr. Penny Piincher

How to Sell A Cell Phone

Get Money for your Cell Phone from ecoATM

This is an interesting way to get money for your cell phone.  ecoATM machines are artificial intelligence kiosks that use automatic image analysis to examine the condition of your cell phone.  ecoATM uses electrical diagnostics to make determine whether it is in good working order- you are offered a connector so you can plug your phone into the ecoATM for evaluation.  ecoATM will offer you a price for your phone and you can decide whether or not to sell it.  As you might expect from the ATM part of the name, you can get instant cash for your cell phone.

ecoATM does use a remote human operator to compare the photo on your ID with the video feed from the ecoATM.  The identity of sellers is tracked carefully to allow investigation if stolen cell phones are cashed in at ecoATM.

  

ecoATM: an intelligent kiosk that buys cell phones
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Sell your Phone at an Electronics Store

Electronics stores such as Best Buy and GameStop will buy your used cell phone at the store.  Best Buy calls their program a trade in, but you don’t need to buy a new phone in order to sell your old phone.  At the service counter, they will look up your phone in a database by make, model, and condition and offer you a price.  They will also power up your phone and check that it is good working order.  You can get instant cash for your phone by selling it at an electronics store.

Electronics stores such as Best Buy will buy used cell phones for cash
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Ship your Cell Phone to a Buyback Service

There are a number of buyback services that will buy your used cell phone by mail.  Here’s how it works:

1. On the website, enter the make, model, and condition of you phone to get an estimate.
2. If you are satisfied with the estimated price for your phone, ship your phone to the buyback service
3. The buyback service receives your phone and evaluates it
4. You payment is issued

Many cell phone buyback services offer free shipping if your phone value is over a certain amount.

Some popular cell phone buyback services to consider:

Gazelle: http://www.gazelle.com/

Best Buy mail service: http://www.bestbuytradein.com

usell: http://www.usell.com/

recellular: http://www.recellular.com/

buymytronics (part of GameStop network): http://www.buymytronics.com/Sell-Cell-Phone

casholdphone: http://www.casholdphone.com/

An advantage of using buyback services is that you can quickly check offers for your phone on websites and pick the best offer.  However, it may take a couple weeks to ship your phone, have it evaluated, and receive your payment.  If you are looking for fast cash, you'll want to consider another method.

I checked out the value of my 2 year old BlackBerry Torch 9800 (AT&T).  I expected the value to be around $100.  The phone is in good working condition and has no water damage.  Here are the offers I received to buy my used cell phone:

• Gazelle: $40
• Best buy trade-in: $70
• uSell: $27
• recellular: $61
• buymytronics: $50
• casholdphone: $85

As you can see, there is a big difference in the value of a used cell phone depending on which buyback service you get an offer from- it pays to look at multiple offers and pick one of the best offers.  

I took my phone to the ecoATM at the local shopping mall.  ecoATM examined the BlackBerry and gave me a generous offer of.... $36.  I declined the offer from ecoATM since I should be able to get $70 at the Best Buy store if the offer at the store is the same as from the Best Buy on-line service.  However, I learned that the offer from Best Buy is for store credit at Best Buy- not cash.

I checked out the highest cash offer from casholdphone again.  I found that Casholdphone received an F rating from BBB and has complaints listed.  Maybe a $70 gift card at Best Buy is the best of these deals after all... 

After considering my offers, I decided to sell my BlackBerry myself on eBay.  This brings us to another way to get cash for your phone.

Sell you old cell phone yourself on craigslist, eBay, etc. and get cash

You might be able to get the most money for your cell phone if you’re willing to sell it yourself.  However, selling your phone yourself is a lot more work than selling it to a buyback service.  You'll want to check the market price for your cell phone on a couple of the buyback service websites above.  For it to be worth the effort, you'll want to set the asking price higher that the offers from buyback services.

One drawback of selling the phone yourself is that there is no way to predict how long it will take to sell.  It could sell in a day, or it may take one week, or it may take longer.  

If you sell on a eBay auction, you will know when the auction ends, but you will not know if you will get any bids.  If you offer a Buy It Now option, your phone could sell at any time.  Check some listings for phones of the same model and condition that you are selling to get an idea of the market price.  You will be able to see how high the bidding has gone on auctions that are near the ending time.

I ended up listing my BlackBerry with wall charger and USB cable on eBay with a starting price of $51 and Buy It Now price of $100.  The phone sold within 2 hours for $100.  eBay turned out to be a good way to sell the phone myself.  The payment was received through PayPal and was very easy- the money just showed up in my account.  I printed my own shipping labels through eBay and dropped the package off at the post office.

Penny Pinching Tips:

• Get at least a couple offers for your used cell phone to consider.  Check offers from mail-in buyback services on their websites so you can compare offers.
• The convenience of getting instant payment makes selling your cell phone at a local store or ecoATM kiosk appealing.
• If you have a relatively new phone, or a popular model, you may be able to sell it yourself on craigslist or eBay and get the most money for your phone.  But it will take some work to advertise your phone.  With craigslist you'll need to meet with buyers to close the deal.  With eBay, you'll need to pack and ship your phone.
• My pick if you're getting a new phone: get a Droid RAZR M free

Recommended reading:

Cell Phone Plans for Existing Cell Phones

Penny Pincher Journal
Copyright © 2013 Dr. Penny Pincher.  All Rights Reserved.  Privacy Policy

Garage Sale Tips- Buying Bargains and Selling Secrets

Learn how to find garage sale bargains as a buyer, and how to have a successful garage sale as a seller.  How to make effective garage sale signs.

Garage Sale Bargains- Buying at Garage Sales

Garage sale sign shows address,days of sale, and directional indicator
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Garage Sales

Garage sales are an opportunity for the seller to get rid of unneeded items and pick up some money.  The seller doesn’t need to transport any of the items- people will buy them and take them away.  For buyers, garage sales provide an opportunity to get useful items at a very low price.  For some sellers, the primary purpose of holding a garage sale it to get rid of items, so the prices can be very low.  Many garage sales have tables of items that are priced at a few dollars, or boxes of items for a few dollars.  Some garage sales even have free items available for anyone to take.

Yard Sales, Tag Sales, Moving Sales, Estate Sales, and Auctions

Related types of sales that provide opportunities for bargain hunting are yard sales, tag sales, moving sales, estate sales, and auctions.

A yard sale is simply a garage sale without the garage.  Items for sale may be displayed on someone’s yard rather than in a garage and on the driveway.

A tag sale usually includes higher quality items such as furniture, antiques and collectibles that are individually marked with prices.

A moving sale is similar to a garage sale, but is specifically triggered by someone moving and wanting or needing to sell items to avoid moving or storing them.  A moving sale signals some desperation on the part of the seller since time is limited.  Buyers may be able to have more bargaining power at moving sales.

Estate sales indicate that someone’s household items are being sold due to death, retirement, etc.  Items for sale at an estate sale typically include most if not all belongings of the owner.  The quality of items at an estate sale varies, but is often similar to a tag sale with many valuable items for sale.

An auction is a means of selling where none of the items for sale are priced.   The auctioneer takes bids for items individually by calling out prices.  When someone bids on an item, the auctioneer increases the price and continues taking bids.  When no more bids are forthcoming, the auction announces “sold!” and moves on to the next item.  Thus each item is sold to the highest bidder.  An auction can be held on the seller’s property or at an auction house.

How to find great deals at garage sales

What Bargain Items are Sold at Garage Sales

There are two categories of bargain items you can find at garage sales:

1. Things you need and will use and can get for a very low price
2. Things you can resell for more on craigslist, eBay or at your own garage sale

Top Bargain items to look for at garage sales:

• Bikes: especially name brand, kids or adult
• Tools: hand tools or power tools
• Tricycles for kids
• Leather clothes: especially leather jackets
• Antiques
• Musical instruments
• Unique art items for decorating
• Used hardcover books, a good price is $2 or less- if not moldy
• Used CDs, DVDs and video game discs, a good price is $2 or less- if not scratched
• Working video game systems, a good price is $30
• High quality kids toys
• Wagons
• Collectibles/collections
• Sporting goods: golf clubs, exercise equipment in good working order

Watch out for:

• Outdated electronics
• Broken items or items in need of repair
• Things you don't really need and can’t sell for a profit

Finding Good Garage Sales and Getting the Good Items

Garage sales that are selling high quality or valuable items are not usually a well kept secret.  These will be advertised on craigslist, in the local newspaper classifieds, or both.  Saturday is the prime day for garage sales, and Saturday morning is the peak time.  You can drive through neighborhoods on most Saturdays during garage sale season and find garage sale signs to follow.

Some sale advertisements and signs indicate that early birds are welcome or that early birds are not welcome.  Early birds are shoppers that arrive at a sale before it officially opens and attempt to snap up the best bargains.  It pays to be one of the first to arrive at a garage sale to have the best chance to find great deals.  If the ad doesn't say that early birds are not welcome and there is an item you are interested in, it can’t hurt to show up a bit early to check it out.

Negotiating the Price

Prices at garage sales are usually flexible, especially as the end time of the garage sale approaches.  Getting 10% to 20% off of the listed prices is pretty common for most items.  Offering to take multiple items can help obtain discounts from the seller, since one goal of the seller is to get rid of items they don’t want anymore.


Here's a guide to finding buying bargains at garage sales and selling them for a profit on eBay...

How to Have a Successful Garage Sale- Tips to Sell Your Items and Make Money

When to Schedule Your Garage Sale

The prime season for garage sales is May through September, with spring and early summer being the most active times.  Saturday is the prime day, with Saturday morning the busiest hours.  Some people start their garage sale on Friday afternoon or even on sell on Thursday afternoon, Friday afternoon, and then all day Saturday.  I prefer to focus my effort on a single day rather than spreading the sale out over multiple days.

How to Advertise Your Garage Sale

You’ll want your advertising for your garage sale to appear starting at least one day before your sale to give potential buyers a chance to take note and make plans to attend.  Some people study garage sale ads carefully and plan their weekends around hitting the best ones.   You want to make sure you get on their list.

More casual garage sale shoppers will check the newspaper classified ads or look on craigslist the morning of the sale.  If you advertise on craigslist, you’ll want to make sure your listing appears on the day of the sale, you can renew it and get it posted on the top of the list.

Another highly effective advertising technique is to mention your sale to neighbors starting a couple weeks ahead of time.  Some of your neighbors may be interested in your items, and they’ll spread the word to others as well.

When advertising your garage sale, it helps to be able to mention a few headline items.  If you say you are selling old clothes, paperback books, and VHS tapes, you probably won’t draw a big crowd.  It can bring people to check out your sale if you have a few interesting things to list such as antiques, vintage items, collectables, tools, etc.  Your goal in writing the ad is to make your sale sound promising enough to merit a trip.

Effective Garage Sale Signs

Many garage sale shoppers simply see garage sale signs while driving and spontaneously decide to stop.  You’ll want to place signs the day before- this will also cause some people to make plans to attend your sale.  Effective garage sale signs provide a date, address, and a directional cue and are posted along main roadways.  Signage with this information will have the best chance of convincing someone driving along that your sale is for real and that they can find it.  Some people use balloons or large signs to draw attention.

Buy a Garage Sale Kit- or Make Your Own

You can buy a garage sale kit that includes garage sale signs and price stickers (both blank and with printed with popular price amounts) at discount stores, hardware stores, and home improvement stores for less than $10.  If you want to save a few bucks, you can make your own cardboard garage sale signs for free and get blank stickers at an office store or dollar store for about $2.  Another option: get a cheap garage sale kit on eBay

Homemade Garage Sale Directional Sign
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

Organizing Your Garage Sale

Prices

You’ll need to decide prices for your items.  This is sometimes easier said than done.  How much is a set of old golf clubs worth?  Some items may take a bit of research on eBay to set reasonable market prices.  You’ll want to mark the items with price stickers.    Consignment shops often do not accept items with garage sale price tags, so you may want to use boxes labeled with a common price for multiple items, or have a $5 table where any item on the table is $5.  This will save you the trouble of removing price stickers if you end up selling items at a consignment shop.

If you have fairly expensive items, such as over $100, it is useful to print out listings from eBay for similar items to help buyers accept your price.  Of course they won’t have to pay shipping if they buy it from you rather than on eBay.

Firm Prices or Negotiate Prices?

Are you willing to bargain on prices?  Many garage sale shoppers expect to get items for lower than asking price.  Expect offers 10 to 20% lower than asking price.  It is a good idea to set prices with a bit of room to negotiate- this will make it easier for you to close the deal with buyers.

Let’s say you have an item marked $4.50, someone offers you $4.00 and you decline and say that prices are firm.  That potential buyer may very well walk away.

Now let’s consider this transaction again with slightly different pricing that facilitates negotiation.  This time let's say you mark the same item at $5, someone offers you $4.00 and then you then suggest $4.50.  You’ll probably sell the item for $4.50 just like you wanted.  Everyone’s happy.  Leaving some room in the price to negotiate can help you reach a deal with buyers.

Garage Sale Preparation and Setup

Use display tables to arrange your small items, and arrange your larger items in your driveway or garage.  Displaying your items in a neat and organized fashion serves two purposes:

1. It will attract buyers to your sale.  People often drive buy before stopping to decide if a garage sale is worth stopping for or not.  You’ll want people driving by to see that you have some quality items for sale and that they will be able to easily look through what you have if they stop.
2. It will help you sell more.  If buyers can quickly see what you have, you’ll sell more

Cash or Checks?

You’ll need to decide whether or not to accept personal checks.  The risk of accepting a personal check is that it might bounce and you may never get the money.  The risk of not accepting personal checks is you may loose a few sales if a potential buyer has checks with them but not cash.  Also, it would be awkward to refuse a personal check from a neighbor.  Whether you are taking checks or not, some people will buy with cash.  Don’t forget to have some change on hand for cash transactions- small bills and coins.

Early Birds Welcome or Not?

You’ll need to decide whether to welcome early birds or not.  At my first garage sale a number of years ago, the doorbell rang an hour before starting time.  An early bird wanted to look at my coke machine that was for sale.  I was asking $125 and he offered $100 which I accepted.  At starting time, another buyer asked about the coke machine.  He was upset when I told him that it was already sold.

My advice would be to add “no early birds, please” to your garage sale advertisements.  This makes it clear to everyone what to expect.  Also, I think I could have sold the coke machine for the full $125 asking price if I would have waited…

How to Handle Rain on Garage Sale Day?

Since you don’t want your items to get wet, you have two options:   move the sale inside or take down your signs and postpone your garage sale to a different date.  If you have room in your garage or in your basement, you can proceed with your sale inside.  If the forecast is for rain all day, I would postpone since many buyers will stay home and you’ll sell more if you postpone.

This garage sale was forced inside due to rain- displaying items outside would attract more traffic
Image Source: Dr. Penny Pincher

What to Do with Items That Don’t Sell

It’s likely that not everything you want to sell at your garage sale will be sold.  Depending on what is left over, you could take the items to Goodwill for donation or take the items to a consignment store to sell.  If you have enough items left, you could plan to hold another garage sale.  You could sell some of the items on eBay- this will present your items to a larger audience.  Another options is to take unsold items to a local auction house to be sold.  After considering all of these options, there may be some items that you’ll need to throw away if you want to get rid of them.

How Much Money Can You Make at a Garage Sale?

Of course the amount of money you can make at a garage sale depends on what you have to sell and how many buyers turn out.  I have made hundreds of dollars at a 4 hour garage sale, and know people who have made over $1000 at a garage sale.  You can’t really control what items you have available to sell, but you can influence how many buyers show up through your advertising and preparation.  You have some influence over selling price as well though how you set the asking prices and how you negotiate.  Focus on the things you can control to have a successful garage sale!

Recommended Reading:

How to Sell Used Items at a Consignment Shop and Get Cash

How to Sell on Craigslist

Amazon offer: The Garage Sale Millionaire: Make Money with Hidden Finds from Garage Sales to Storage Unit Auctions and Everything in Between

Penny Pincher Journal

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