September 28th Edition: Garage Sale Season is Upon Us!

With the weather cooling off a bit, we had a sudden influx of garage sale ads in this week's paper. Considering having a garage sale sometime soon? It's a great way to earn a little extra money for Christmas shopping (Or shoe shopping. You know. Whichever.), and also an excellent excuse to finally get rid of... er, accidentally sell... that shirt of your spouse's that you really, really hate. We stole a few tips from garagesalesource.com to give you some ideas for your next sale.

1. Even though many people choose to hold garage sales in the spring, fall is another excellent option! Besides the cooler weather and extra revenue for Christmas that we mentioned above, you'll also have less competition than you might in the spring, which equals more money for you.

2. Advertise! Getting the word out beyond a sign at the end of your street can be very beneficial, since many enthusiasts scan local papers each week to plot a weekend attack on every garage sale in their area. Plus, if you run an ad in the Shopper, we throw in signs for free, anyway.

3. Keep the sale short. Although it may seem as though you will make more if you sit outside all day, anyone who has ever held a garage sale will tell you that you'll get the most traffic in the morning and early afternoon. Plus, restricting the sale to a finite block of time will instill a sense of urgency in the buyer, and create the impression of lots of activity, as well.

4. Consider giving some of the proceeds to a charity - say 10 or 20%. Not only will you be doing a good deed, but the extra amount you earn by attracting buyers to a good cause might just make up what you lost in the donation.

5. Stay positive about your sale items. You may not want this stuff anymore, but, well, you know what they say about one person's trash.

6. Don't overprice - while you may be expecting buyers to try and talk you down, many will simply walk away from a price they think is too high.

7. Pool your resources with neighbors to have a multi-family or even neighborhood-wide sale - sales draw a bigger crowd when they're advertised like this, because buyers know that more homes equals more stuff. It's not a bad way to get to know your neighbors, either.

8. Invite a few of your friends to help with the sale - not only will this make it easier and more enjoyable for you, it creates the impression of a crowd, which makes potential shoppers think that you might have some good stuff!

9. Keep records of which items you sold, and for how much. This will eliminate confusion, especially if you're selling items from multiple sources.

10. Don't attempt to sell something if you think it might be very valuable, but aren't sure. For example, if you have an antique that you think may be worth something, get it appraised before you price it for the sale, and avoid catching a severe case of sellers' remorse.

September 21st Edition Highlights

This week, our front page story contains an overview of the attractions at Commerce's Bois D'Arc Bash, which will run from Friday through Sunday, this weekend. The street festival will have food, fun and entertainment for the whole family, with activities as varied as a 5k run, car show and Miss Bois D'Arc Pageant. Admission is free, so consider checking out this local event this weekend! For a complete Bash schedule, see page 13 of this week's paper.

While you're in Commerce, you might want to check out Commerce Chevrolet's grand opening celebration, which also takes place from Friday through Sunday. There will be live radio broadcast on Friday, free hot dogs and drinks and giveaways for the public. Better yet, if you purchase a vehicle at Commerce Chevrolet between now and September 24th, you'll receive a free 32" flat screen TV!

This week's paper also contains a sponsor page for DrugFree Greenville's Red Ribbon celebration, which will take place during the entire month of October. For more information on the specific events that aim to keep kids and the community off drugs, visit DrugFree Greenville online.

We hope all of our local readers made it through Sunday night's storm unscathed (Several of our office staff lost power that night, but we're not sure if that really qualifies as a traumatic experience.) - but there's no rain forecasted for the near future, so, per usual, stay cool, Hunt County!

September 14th Edition In Focus

We'd like to begin this post by extending a massive "Thank you!" to everyone who has donated items for our Support Our Troops project - as you can see in the picture below, we've had a great response, and we're looking forward to being able to send even more goodies to more deployed servicemembers as time goes on.

Now that fall is just around the corner and the weather is becoming a bit more tolerable, weekend activities are becoming more abundant in Hunt County. This weekend, check out, Rally 'Round Greenville, which runs from Friday to Sunday, and features live entertainment, dancing, food, kids' activities and more! For a full schedule of events, check out the two-page spread in this week's edition of the shopper, or visit the Greenville Chamber's website.

Next weekend, Commerce will be celebrating its annual Bois D'Arc Bash, with plenty of food, fun and live entertainment for the whole family. Admission is free, and the Bash will be held from Friday 'til Sunday. For more information and a full schedule of events, check out page 8 of this week's shopper, or visit the Bash's website.

September 7th Edition Highlights

Can you believe it's September? We can't, either. After enjoying the long weekend, we're back on track, enjoying the cooler weather, putting away our white pants and getting ready to distribute this week's paper. 

In this week's edition: if you weren't shocked enough that Labor Day has already come and gone, allow us to kill your buzz a little more by mentioning Christmas. Don't worry, it's for a good cause: The Salvation Army is accepting applications for Christmas gift assistance from September 13-16. If you are a family in need, with members 12 and under or 65 and older, The Salvation Army may be able to help you provide gifts this holiday season. Simply visit their office in Greenville, at 461 King Street, on September 13-15, from10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm, or September 16, from 10am-2pm & 1pm-5pm. ID, proof of income, expenses and documentation of children living with you will be required - see this week's edition of the Shopper for all the information.

We're also looking forward to Rally 'Round Greenville, with our front page dedicated to Hunt Regional Medical Center's booth, which will feature jump rope and coloring contests for the kids, free BMI screenings and Passport to Health cards, and a chance to win an iPod Touch. On the inside cover, the Greenville Chamber of Commerce gives more details about Rally 'Round Greenville's coming attractions, including live music, sidewalk sales, arts & crafts and more! Check out the Chamber's website for more information about Rally 'Round Greenville, taking place next weekend, from September 16-18.