TULSA, Okla. — Spring is in the air and that means pennies on the dollar at your nearest neighborhood garage sale.
Garage sales can be a treasure trove of fantastic items for a fraction of the usual cost. But not every deal is worth it.
Take battery powered lawn tools. The product should come with the charger, the manual and maybe an extra battery.
For mowers, most riding mowers have an hour meter. So you’ll know exactly how many hours it has been on the job. Don’t just examine the mower, size up the yard.
Consumer Reports’ Paul Hope says, if you're buying a mower from someone who has a ton of trees and not much lawn. You might get a great deal, because that mower might not have been used all that much.
If you have kids, you know that yard sales can be a great way to get what you need without breaking the bank –but no matter the deal there are a few things you should never buy. Starting with bike helmets.
Consumer Reports says you should never reuse a helmet that’s been in a crash because that could impact the performance of the helmet in case of another crash. Even if there’s no sign of damage, you still don’t know its history. It’s not worth it.
If you’re shopping for a baby, be careful. It’s not uncommon to find recalled infant sleepers and other baby products at yard sales.
Cribs with drop-down sides are another dangerous item to never buy. These have been linked to dozens of infant deaths and were banned more than a decade ago.
It’s illegal to sell recalled products, but people might not be aware of the law or even realize they’re selling a recalled product.
Finally, walk away from car seats. Consumer Reports says that buying used car seats is not a good idea because there’s a lot you won’t reliably know about the seat, including its crash history!
If you’re still considering a used car seat that has no broken or missing parts and you know hasn’t been in a crash, you’ll want to check the seat’s expiration date, on the label and in the owner’s manual, as well as search for any open recalls on the model. You can find the model number on the seat's manufacturer label.
If you need a crib or child car seat, check with nonprofits in your area. Many sell them at a discounted price.
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