Only in York County

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Two Cents on Yard Sales and Books

Note from Joan: As I mentioned earlier, I’m trying to get some guest-bloggers to offer their perspectives on York County. Today’s post comes from my absolute favorite person in the county… my husband! He went yard-sale shopping with me yesterday, and here are his thoughts.

If you want your books to sell – and I’m guessing you do, considering you put them out for your yard sale – price them at 25 cents apiece, regardless of whether they’re paperback or hardcover.

Or if you absolutely must make them 50 cents apiece, encourage sales with a “three for $1” incentive, or something like that.

I saw way, way too many overpriced books while out at the yard sales Saturday.

Worn paperbacks for 50 cents, used hardcovers with no dust jackets for $1, and even some books priced as high as $5 or $10 apiece.

At prices like that, I suspect all those Tom Clancys, Stephen Kings, romance novels, diet books and cookbooks got hauled right back inside. And then what have you accomplished? Wouldn’t you rather get a few quarters and be rid of that “stuff” you already decided to part with?

Finally, a tip for buyers. If you need a copy of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” hit a community yard sale. I saw no fewer than five copies for sale Saturday – it was at about 50 percent of the places we shopped.

Is it perhaps the “Most Yard-Saled Book Of The Past 25 Years?” Nobody ever holds onto it after they’re done, right? What would be ranked ahead of it?

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