Garage Sale Finds That Might Be Worth More Money Than You Think

While you can easily boost your home library with some new additions, you might just stumble upon a rare or first edition, hardcover classic or university textbook — there's value there and it can end up helping you save in the long run. Either way, it's a win-win.

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You never know what you might find. It could be a classic priced for a couple bucks — it's just a matter of finding one that isn't dinged up.

Collectors will happily hand over a lot of money for anything from old baseball cards to old-timey sleds and vintage snowboards.

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What might seem like a painting of a vase of flowers, bowl of fruit, or something else could be a hidden gem from a local artist or well-known photographer — or something that's been in a family for so long and its value is off the charts. Or, in some cases, the art itself is worthless — or not worth a ton — but the frame is expensive.

The seller might just think it's one of granny's old baubles when it fact it's a vintage piece that could fetch quite a bit.

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For the most part, garage sale gems are typically costume jewellery — or if they are genuine, the stones are missing, or the metal is tarnished or filthy. You need to look beyond what's in front of you and see the possibilities once it's cleaned or polished. If there's gold there that's salvageable, it can always be melted down to create something new and perfect for you.

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A seller who inherited some old china might not know what they've got on their hands — and you might find yourself in possession of some vintage place settings that would otherwise cost a lot. Then there things like random bowls that may have seemed more decorative than functional but upon closer inspection, said item could be hundreds, maybe thousands of years old and worth a fortune.

Silverware isn't exactly cheap at a big box store so chances are you can pick up a sweet set from someone's garage sale. That being said, what is clutter to them could be actual silver silverware and not the silver-plated stuff. Let's just say if you can casually look for and uncover any markings like the brand name, product number or electroplate impressions, snap that set up.

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Quality cast-iron at retail price are basically a small fortune so why not go with one that was well-loved? Plus, they last forever and the more used, the better.

Sometimes people get stuff off the wedding registry and many of those times, they're kitchen appliances. Mixers, blenders, sandwich presses, steamers, slow cookers, ice cream makers, toaster ovens, juicers — the list can go on and on. While sellers may have forgotten about them, come garage sale time, they are front and centre. Sometimes unused, most times in still-sealed boxes, these will fetch a nice chunk of change.

Record players, transistor radios, phones shaped like footballs or Garfield heads, can still have decent price tags put on them — as long as they work. But there are times they also don't need to be functioning and are used as decorative pieces. Either way, people love a classic.

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Nowadays, electronics get turned over quickly so quality working speakers from back in the day, specifically ones that you can plug into, are fabulous finds since the tech has pretty much gone unchanged.

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Thanks to nostalgia and all things retro, those old Super Nintendo games or Game Boy consoles can still be found at garage sales for a few bucks but resell for significantly more.

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Those dusty board games and classic toys and dolls that are no longer in production — or simply originals that are far superior than the remakes nowadays (like original Star Wars or Transformers figures, a Lite Brite or Cabbage Patch Kid), have a higher resale value now, depending on the shape it's in. Obviously, the better the condition, the more money it can make.

Fitness trends come and go, and if you're selling it (think treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes), the trend probably didn't last long which means you can easily find someone to buy equipment that is in excellent, lightly used condition. No one really wants to invest in those big ticket items in case, like the seller, it's just a passing fancy. And if it's marked right, you can still make a decent profit.

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For some, a fishing rod is just a fishing rod. Basically, nothing special. But for collectors, they can be valuable items thanks to the reels or the materials it's made from, making them antique-y and in demand.

Many people don't want to pay full price for hockey gear, skis and snowboards, kayaks, or a set of golf clubs if they're not certain they're ready to commit to a sport so used equipment and gear is just the thing.

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The amount a person can save on someone's secondhand equipment people versus how much they would spend at a store is significantly less, which makes them hot-ticket items at garage sales. Sometimes the older, the better as things were made with better care back in the day. And if there's minor damage, that's OK too. Parts or handles can be replaced for cheap — basically a drop in the bucket for what they would spend on something new.

For the seller, all they want to do is get rid of a bulky piece that's taking up a lot of space. For the buyer, it could potentially be a vintage treasure as is. Or has good bones and all it needs is to be reupholstered or painted into something stunning that someone else would pay a pretty penny for.

Read on if you want to earn extra money without ever having to leave the comforts of your couch.