Well, last weeks garage sales netted me a working 8 channel Radio Shack police scanner(older) for $3 which I will trade for $20 worth prep items at the next weeks garage sales. I got a complete CPAP machine which sells for $250 USED (with an extra, optional $80 humidifier thrown in) for only $10 which I will try to realize a profit to put against a Kimber 45 I have been oogling. I got a LEAD COATED kid's TOY(but real, working) Karoke machine for ONE DOLLAR that had been recalled by Wal-Mart and the Consumer Product Safety and got $32 back for it from Wal-Mart so they could take it out of circulation. I got an unopened, brand new navy blue poncho for 50 cents and an almost brand new, complete, size large, yellow rain suit with hood for $1. I got a wonderful, medium size(12inch tall) working kerosene lamp with frosted glass shade and WOOD base IN THE FREE PILE. I got bags and bags of small other prep type stuff (Heavy ropes, candle lamp candles, cotton balls, like new leather gloves, 2 chamois,etc)for free or next to nothing. I got approx 40 VHS movies for fifty cents apiece and a new complete German Course with two 90 min cassetes, a Conversation manual and a German-English dictionary for fifty cents for the whole thing. Plus, a mountain of really nice "Just-My-Size" brand, hard to find(at garage sales) clothes for 50 cents a garmet. I got 2 yr old Granddaughter a pair of new "tigger" head slippers, a neat pair of sandals, a complete, wooden "A,B, C" puzzle and a huge talking, singing Kermit the frog for a total of $2.50. I got older grandkids 2 Avon gold rings with semi-precious stones and a goldbraid bracelet for $1.50 total. Daughter got half my clothes haul and a new bottle of "Jovan musk" perfume that cost me 25 cents. That is only a brief summary of some of the bargains I found.
You CAN afford "Preps" if you SAVE mony on ordinary things you would buy anyway in the stores OR RESELL THE BETTER BARGAINS YOU FIND AT THE GARAGE SALES TO EARN THE MONEY TO BUY DEHYDRATED OR LONG TERM FOOD OR OTHER PREPS YOU DONT FIND USED.
There is ONE OTHER WAY to PROFIT from a garage sale excepional bargain- TAKE WHAT YOU FIND AND BUY(BUT DONT NEED) AT ONE SALE AT A FANTASTIC PRICE and TRADE IT, USING IT LIKE MONEY AT THE NEXT GARAGE SALE!!! It WORKS, I have done it with things I think would work. The police scanner, for instance. I paid $3 and will trade it for $20 worth of stuff at another garage sale next week. I got one (police scanner) one time for $1 and traded it for $20 worth of stuff at the very next garage sale on the SAME street last summer!
AND, DON'T FORGET TO LISTEN TO GOD'S "LITTLE VOICE" THAT WILL TELL YOU WHEN TO "BUY SOMETHING, ANYTHING, THEY NEED THE MONEY", AND BE READY TO JUST HAND THEM $20 OR MORE, EVEN FOR A DIRTY, ARTIFICIAL FLOWER ARRANGEMENT YOU REALLY DON'T WANT (Just tell them, "Here, I'll just give you what it is worth to me." Let them assume you are referring to the item.)JUST BECAUSE YOU WERE "TOLD" TO. Believe me, God won't let you lose the dough at all, you will see, later. (see above...I gave $20 away,plus paid a dollar and got back $32 realizing a $11 reward for obedience,I believe.) The same kind of thing has happened to my husband and me COUNTLESS TIMES. I don't think some of the fantastic luck and bargains I find would be there if I wasn't as ready to give it all away if called to.