NORTH AUGUSTA, SC (WFXG) -
Forget
long lines and jam-packed malls. The lagging economy is leading holiday
shoppers to thriftier places to grab their gifts. And for some, it's making
their Christmas shopping less stressful.
"Other
than yard sales, I'm not a Christmas shopper but it's going great," said Robert Cope, a bargain shopper.
According
to the American Research Group's 27th annual survey on holiday
spending, shoppers around the U.S. are planning to spend an average of $854 for
presents this season.
But not Cope, who calls himself a garage sale
guru. Buying a few of his Christmas gifts from the yard sales around town, Cope
bought his 16-year-old granddaughter, this year-old laptop. Valued around $300,
he paid only $40 bucks! But Cope says it's not luck that gets him these great
finds.
"You
gotta get out there. You gotta be aggressive," Cope advised. "Don't be late. Be early. If the
sale starts at 7 o'clock and you're there a quarter to 7, you're too late."
Garage
and yard sales aren't just a payoff for the bargain shoppers, but also for the
sellers getting rid of the goods.
Airing out baby clothes and dusting off
television sets, Erika Alford and her husband decided to have a garage sale two
weeks before Christmas. Starting this Thursday and running through Sunday, the
Alfords hope to attract some holiday shoppers.
"It's
a lot better than buying brand new sometimes. You know, you get people who,
they've bought stuff brand new, they've modified it or done something else to
it; they've made it better, and then they realize they don't need it and they
sell it."
And
for thrifty shoppers like Cope…
"You
can't find the things at garage sales anywhere today," Cope said.
…he certainly believes one man's trash could be another man's treasure.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WFXG, a Raycom Media Station.
