Saturday, April 27, 2013

It's Yard Sale Season ! (sarcasm included)

Now that the weather is getting warm locally, it's that time again. It's yard sale season (others rejoice - I cringe). People who in previous years bought stuff they thought they wanted, now realize they want sell that stuff to other people, people who may or may not need it.

Neighborhood roads become clogged as bargain hunters move caterpillar-like from one subdivision to the next. Pedestrians cross roads without looking first just to have first choice of the bric-a-brac out in someone's driveway. As a driver, it makes me very nervous.

I'll freely admit, to me it seems quite cheesy. In some cases, a family's used-up stuff is put out on display with the hope that the family "can get something for it". If there is still some value, why let it go? If you found out you didn't need it, why buy it in the first place?

I'll also admit, if it's a case of a death in the family, a difficult divorce or another scenario where someone is trying to move on from the past, selling off stuff makes sense. I sold my wedding band after my divorce (and yeah, I did buy cheeseburgers with some of the proceeds). Of course, I don't know every back-story of every yard sale. Some times, I'm sure they make sense.

To me, if I'm done with a certain item but there is still some use to it, I prefer to give it away. If I'd gotten all the use out of it that I plan to get, to expect proceeds seems a bit absurd. The item has depreciated. The remaining value is negligible at best. If I feel that I can still get use out of it, then why not keep it?

So many neighborhoods try to sell the idea of "refuge from the hubub and danger of city life". To me, the bustle of yard sales isn't very peaceful. But, I'm a curmudgeon at times...

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