Warm weather and sunshine not only mean spring is here, but garage sale season, as well. Whether you call them garage sales, yard sales or tag sales, they offer some great bargains. But make sure you know sale etiquette:

• Check Your Local Pennysaver, Newspaper And Craigslist For Sales - These places are usually the first spots a seller would list his garage sales. On your local Craigslist, you can find the posting under the “For Sale” heading, second column. Map out where you want to go, and write down the times. Many sellers get annoyed if you show up too early or start picking through things as they’re trying to pack up for the day.
• Don’t Be An Early Bird If Not Invited - You’ll find that many listings will say “No Early Birds.” You know the old saying, “The early bird catches the worm.” Well, many buyers do this - they’ll go the seller’s house before the yard sale starts, and try to get the best picks of the lot. This can be stressful for a seller trying to set up his sale, so if he requests that you don’t come early, do not come early.
• Carry Small Denominations Of Bills With You - Tip Diva usually carries bills no higher than $10, and carries plenty of singles and coins. Garage sale items are usually priced cheaply, and the seller will probably be annoyed if you try paying for a $1 DVD with a $50 bill.
• Check Out Items Before Buying - Check that the items are worth their price, and make sure what you’re buying is broken (unless you want to fix it), cracked, scratched or stained. Once you buy it, it’s all yours.
• Make Sure You Really Need The Item - One of the pitfalls of walking into a place with lots of cheap items is that you buy what you don’t need, just because it’s cheap. Before buying an entire box of 25-cent mason jars, ask yourself if you really need all those items. If you’re going to wind up selling them at your next garage sale, don’t bother.
• Bargain With The Seller - The price on the item’s sticker is usually not set in stone. Many sellers are willing haggle. A good trick is not to say, “I’ll pay $2 for this.” Instead, ask, “Would you accept $2 for this?” And be nice to the seller - if you’re a pain in the butt, he’ll likely not be accommodating. And don’t expect as many bargains in the morning, when he has all day to sell that item for possibly more than $2. Bargains are best found towards the end of the sale, even though the pickings are much more slim.
• Put Things Back Where You Find Them - If you pick up an item, don’t carry it around and then leave it elsewhere when you decide that you don’t want it. Put things back where you find it - you’ll save the seller a lot of headache.
• Don’t Expect An Item To Be There Later - If you pass by a garage sale and see something you want, yet don’t have the money, don’t expect it to be there when you come back. If you can come back immediately with the money, sellers will usually hold it aside for you. When Tip Diva hosts a garage sale, she will only hold the item for 20 minutes. If someone else wants to buy it, it’s a guaranteed sale, but the potential buyer may never come back.
• Prepare Your Car - If you’re going around to garage sales, prepare your car. Empty it if you think you’ll bring any big items home. Carry tarps and bungee cords if you have to tie something to the top, or have to lay something inside of the car that might damage the seat. Also carry around a few different screwdrivers if you have to take an item apart.
• Leave Unruly Kids And Pets At Home - If you have kids that touch everything, leave them home with a sitter. Sellers get annoyed by kids who whine or tear through the sale like the Tazmanian Devil. Also, they probably don’t want yapping dogs that leave presents behind on their lawns or life a leg on the armoire they’re trying to sell.

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