Got garage sales?
What a $15 Garage Sale Taught Me About Money…
I spent 1,400% more than I planned.
On paper, that looks terrible.
But let’s look closer.
Item prices:
Mug for coffee (online $5, garage sale $1)
Book for Christmas (online $159, garage sale $2)
Bag of stamps and pads (approx. $50, garage sale $10)
Pink flower fly swatter (online $1.50, garage sale $1)
Winnie the Pooh mug (online $15, garage sale $1)
Retail value: $230.50
Actual cost at garage sale: $15
Savings: $215.50
I don’t usually shop garage sales. In fact, I can count maybe five purchases in the last nine years. And yet, I could still recall almost every one! Some board games that lost their pieces, a china cabinet eventually replaced, and outside truck toys that broke in the yard. Most didn’t last long.
But that’s the point.
So much of what we buy is meant to serve a season, not a lifetime.
We cycle through things just like we recycle paper, plastic, or glass.
When we learn to buy only what we need in the moment, we save money, reduce clutter, and protect the ecosystem. I’m not waving an environmentalist banner, but I do believe in stewardship. In a world consumed with consumption, there’s wisdom in pausing before we swipe the card.
This time, I overspent my $1 goal, but I came home with items we would use right away. The mug I wanted was waiting for me. Not just any mug—one I actually looked forward to using.
That’s something I’ve learned in the adulting world. It really is better to wait for what you really want than to settle. Cost matters less when the value feels right.
Sure, I had two tumblers at home, but my favorite mug had broken. This wasn’t a desperate need—it was more of a patient want. And sometimes, don’t we all confuse those two?
There was an extra bonus with this mug! Brewing coffee at home already saves my family over $1,000 a year compared to café runs. This $1 mug made me want to keep drinking at home. That was a positive investment, right?
Then there was the vintage Disney book, a nostalgic treat for my family’s Christmas tradition. And the stamp set—easily the surprise winner. Not only will my kids enjoy it for crafts, but I also realized I may never need to buy another greeting card again. With stamps and ink, I can make a card for any occasion, saving hundreds over time. And honestly? Handmade always feels more special at our family birthday parties anyways.
Every item I bought was used the same day. Nothing sat around waiting for a purpose. It was seasonal, practical, and enough. Eventually, mugs will chip, ink will dry, and fly swatters will break, but for now, these purchases meet real needs (or at least real wants).
And it got me thinking… as many of those moments in real, mundane life do.
What is something in your life you could buy second hand instead of new? Or flip the question: how much did you once pay for an item, only to later sell it for pennies at a garage sale?
That’s sobering…and uncomfortable sometimes.
We often value things by what we paid, not by what they’re worth today.
Rarely do the two line up.
Take my $1 china cup.
Once upon a time, it was cabinet-worthy, saved for guests, and chosen with pride.
Today?
It’s just simply my morning cup of joe.
Stuff doesn’t carry the same value forever. One day, it all fades.
We believe the lie that more money and more things will make us happier, when in reality, it just puts us on the hamster wheel of earning and spending.
But will it really make us happier?
Statistics show the average American family spends about $1,800 a year on impulse purchases, while garage sale shoppers save 70–90% of retail value.
Minimalism isn’t about owning nothing—it’s about being thoughtful with what we do end up bringing into our homes.
For me, that perspective helps me stay focused on continuing to grow and do this thing we call life better in every way.
So maybe the best question today really is…
How much more financially sound would we be if we simply thought before we swiped?
As Proverbs reminds us, “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down” (Proverbs 21:20 NIV)
Wisdom in spending is more than saving money. It’s also about choosing well what we allow into our lives. This little garage sale made me ask more questions and continue to learn about money, value, and stewardship. Even when (strangely) our culture today seems to never stop telling all of us they already know everything about life.
It’s a lie.
Keep learning and challenging yourself, girl!
You’re smarter than you’ve been told, brighter than the world knows, and wiser than you can imagine—all because the Holy Spirit lives in you.
And all that wisdom from a silly morning garage sale!
Always,
Rach
Rachel Redlin is a columnist, author, journalist, and award-winning radio host. She lives in Northwest Kansas with her husband and five children, where she writes about faith, food, and the simple everyday life. Want to read more or contact us? You can subscribe to the FREE newsletter at www.simplybloominggrace.com
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