The hunt is on...

My palms are sweaty and my heart is starting to race. We are in the Jeep slowly cruising around the corners as we drive up and down the streets in the neighborhood. I must hurry or I might be too late, but if I go too fast I'll miss the perfect opportunity. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot it. It's big. It's beautiful. It's just what I've been hunting for.... a garage sale.
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My adreneline is racing as I quickly park the Jeep on the curbside. I grab Grace and rush up the driveway. Luck is on our side. We're the first customer of the day. It's a success. The bounty is plentiful. We spend an hour scrupulously inspecting and selecting from the harvest before we leave.
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Then we make our way home to enjoy our spoils. Once at home, I breathe a sigh of contentment. I am satisfied and relaxed but still slightly exhilerated. Our hunt was more successful than I could have possibly hoped or expected.

1 Ty pink monkey (Grace is a sucker for monkeys)
9 dresses

6 pairs of shorts

2 pairs of jeans

24 shirts/blouses

31 outfits that include a top and bottom

2 bikinis

3 sets of pajamas

2 pairs of shoes

2 sets of books

1 set contains 8 "Dear God..." books that help answer kids questions about life and God

1 set contains 3 touch and feel counting books like "5 Silly Monkeys"
1 Strawberry Shortcake counting puzzle

and 1 Fisher Price tea cart and tea set

Now guess how much we spent for everything?

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Wait for it.

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Fifty-two dollars and fifty cents.

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Amazing, isn't it?

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I found the majority of the clothes at one garage sale where the poor lady told me that it was her first garage sale ever and she spent hours pricing each item. Yesterday was the first day of the sale and she said that just about every shopper wanted to haggle over the prices before she finally got fed up with it and decided to sell everything, I repeat everything, for fifty cents each. That included outfits or individual items. Since I was the first customer of the day, I was able to get a great many things for Grace. The clothes range in size from 2T to 4T with name brands like Gymboree, Carters, and Children's Place. I hate that she had such a bad experience, but at the same time, I am so thankful I was able to find such nice clothes for Grace by hardly spending anything. Normally, I wouldn't have bought anything larger than 3T (for next year) but at .50 per item, well, it would have been crazy NOT to buy stuff, right? And the Fisher Price tea cart (with cups, saucers, serving tray, tea pot, and creamer) only set me back $5.
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Garage sale shopping has become one of my favorite past times. I eagerly anticipate the hunt and the excitement it brings when I find great items at great prices. But most of all I enjoy the sense of accomplishment and resulting satisfaction of saving my family a lot of money in the long run.