There’s something hard-wired in our DNA as Americans to want a bargain. Somewhere between dumping tea into the Boston Harbor and burning Confederate flags, we decided that we are too cool to pay full price. It’s why we can’t resist yard sales and why we’re willing to trample our fellow man on Black Friday.
Thrifting is Uplifting
Not only are we addicted to bargains, but we’re also addicted to telling people about those bargains. We’re proud of being cheap.
Being thrifty can be uplifting. It saves you a bit of money. It gives you something that others don’t have because it’s not sold in stores anymore. It even gives you a great conversation starter.
Have you ever received a compliment on something you bought at a thrift store? Rather than thanking them and moving on, you feel the need to tell them that you bought it at the thrift store and how much you paid. It’s as if you want to induct them into the cheap hall of fame with you. Perhaps you can find a fellow vintage soul to shop with next time.
The answers may not be at the flea market, but shouldn’t we at least check?
We need all the happiness that we can get. With a downturned economy, high-interest rates, and rising prices on everything we buy, bargains are a necessity. It doesn’t matter if we don’t need it. The reality is that when you start shopping at garage sales and thrift stores, girl math kicks in.
You know what girl math is, right? Girl math is all about looking at how much you saved, not about how much you spent or whether it was actually needed or not.
- If something is on sale and you don’t buy it, you lose money.
- You keep spending until you get free shipping because then you save even more.
- If I don’t spend any money today, I get even more money to spend tomorrow.
- If I return something I don’t like, that means I have more to spend on the next thing I do like.
See how that works? Now, it’s time to keep that in mind so that you can live a more uplifted life.
The answers may not be at the flea market, but shouldn’t we at least check?
Classy Crap, This Way
We might as well be honest if we have a yard sale in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, or anywhere for that matter. “Our crap can be your crap.”
The problem is that some of our crap is high-quality. We don’t really want to let it go, but it’s a necessity to make room for newer crap.
Dealing with the people at yard sales or garage sales (what is the politically correct term these days? We’re neither selling our yard nor our garage) can be full of adventures. We have people who want bargains that are so ridiculous that we’d rather throw our prized crap out before selling it to them.
It’s a game for them. They don’t want to buy anything. They have four quarters rattling around in their pocket when they get up in the morning, so they decide to wander through a few people’s garage sales to see what kinds of bargains they can find. Since they don’t need any of what you’re selling, their goal is to get as much as possible for as little as possible.
I wonder if there is a glorious pile of junk out there, thinking of me too?
Yes, they’ll offer you a quarter for something that you’re selling for $20. They don’t care that you’ve already dropped your price 10 times. They don’t care that you paid $100 (or more) for the item. They simply want to see if they can walk away with something under their arm for about a quarter (maybe two, if you’re lucky).
When you think about it, it’s kind of shocking that we don’t hear more about violent crimes happening because of garage sales. Florida Man, at the very least, should have made the paper about a garage sale gone wrong by now, don’t you think?
We hear all sorts of crazy stories about people losing their minds over hot coffee, long waits for cheeseburgers, and traffic barricades. Yet, when the old guy down the road offers a quarter for our classy crap, we’re supposed to maintain our dignity and smile politely.
Don’t they know just how classy our stuff is? Whatever we quote is already a deal. There’s really no need to ask for lower prices. It’ll happen, though. It’s the American way.
Might as Well Face It, I’m Addicted to Junk
There is no such thing as too much junk, but there is such a thing as not enough room. That’s why it’s all the more reason to have a pole barn. Think about the kind of space you could create. With more space comes the need to visit more yard sales.
Nothing haunts us like the things we didn’t buy at the yard sale. We saw it. We even liked the price. But something caused us not to approach the person and make an offer. And now, it creates massive pangs of regret.
There is no such thing as too much junk, but there is such a thing as not enough room.
When you have a large pole barn on your property in Kansas or anywhere else, you’ll be less likely to have those pangs. Why? You can buy with confidence knowing that you have the space.
I don’t know how you feel, but going junking with your husband in Minnesota or Wisconsin is like hunting with the game warden. It’s a game of 20 questions about what I’m doing, what I need it for, and what my future plans are with it. Somehow, the response of, “I don’t know, but it’s coming home with me,” doesn’t put a smile on his face.
Here’s what I can tell you. It isn’t really hoarding if your stuff is cool. And my stuff is the coolest.
Since you’re reading this, I already know that your stuff is cool, too. It’s why you need a quality erection in your life. At Sherman Pole Buildings, we’ll provide you with the steel erection of your dreams. What you fill with is entirely up to you.
