Should i charge for refreshment at a garage sale??>>(fundraising)?

Question

i'm fundraising and i don't wanna just give free cookies when i can make money off of them--but i also want to attract customers. how would i do this, and what kind of treats should i sell (buy, then sell)??

Answer 1

Say "Donations Welcome"
Let them know where their money is going.

Answer 2

I'm glad you asked this question, because I actually have a pretty good answer for it.

When I was little and my mom had garage sales, I would have my own stand at the back of the garage where I would sell coffee. It was only, like, twenty five cents per cup, so it was cheap, but I would make a lot of money off of it. Later on, I would sell other things, too.

Coffee: 25 cents
Lemonade: 25 cents
Two Off-Brand Oreos: 25 cents

If you are having the garage sale early in the morning, you'll do great with the coffee and cookies. Lemonade sells better during the day time, but coffee is still the way to go. You can also throw in some other things, too. Go make some muffins and sell them for 50 cents each (or a price that depends on how much they cost to make), or get some sugar cookies with icing and sprinkles for about 50 cents each.

Have these, really:
Coffee
Creamer
Sugar
Suger-Free Sweetner
Stiring Sticks
Lemonade
Ice
Cups that will hold things warm and cool (syrofoam works the best)
Change in a box that closes well
Sharpie (you never know when you're going to need it)
Cookies, etc.

Be creative, too. Make the stand in the front of the garage (it works best), and make a big sign. For a sign, remember to make it simple, and make it out of cardboard not posterboard.

Here's an example of the sign I had:

_________________________________


Missi's
Coffee!
Coffee: 25c
Lemonade: 25c
2 Cookies: 25c

Add sugar and creamer
to your coffee at the table!
_________________________________

Keeping it simple works the best, just put your sign infront of the table, get some change (because people can and will use large bills), get all of your stuff together, and put on a smile. Looking happy will always encourage customers.

I hope that it goes well for you, and I'm sure that you'll raise a lot for the fundraiser!

-Lella^_^

Answer 3

My neighbors do a big garage sale every year. Their young kids sell lemonade for 25 cents a cup, they also sell the otter pops for 25 cents (the popcicles in a clear plastic tube- you can buy a huge box of them really cheap) They also sell a hot dog & pop for $1.50.

I think cookies or brownies would sell good for 25 cents too.

Put up a sign to let people know what the fundraiser is and I'm sure you will get a big response.

Answer 4

People don't go to a garage sale to get treats. And nobody is going to leave and tell lots of other people to go to your sale because you had free cookies. I wouldn't bother with any refreshments except to have water available in case anyone really needs a drink. Now, if you want to sell baked goods and drinks to add to your proceeds, that would be all right. But don't BUY stuff; get homemade cookies, cupcakes, etc.

Answer 5

There is no reason why you shouldn't try to make a buck selling food and drink. Your customers sure aren't going to come to your garage sale because of free cookies. If your sale is in the morning offer coffee, milk and doughnuts (people will pay for krispy kreme if available), if it is in the afternoon offer ice cold lemonade and and popcorn. But more importantly, have the kids sell the food and drink to get the "sympathetic sale" (aka the "isn't that so cute" sale).

Answer 6

I would put them in packages of 3 or so, and charge 25-50 cents each depending on how big they are. For refreshments, I wouldn't sell water, but i'd sell lemonade, etc. for very cheap as well. People go to buy furniture and stuff, not food at garage sales, esp. since you are a stranger, they won't know what is in the things you have made. =)

Answer 7

Well, what i used to do is have the garage sale but on the side, have someone else( like a business partner er something)sell little snacks like water-$.50, candy_$.25, and just little snacks... but of corse youre gunna have to make or buy them first so i think that you should buy the good quality food but sell it for about 5% profit for the fundraiser:)

Answer 8

Sell cookies and coke and sell the coke for 50 cents and sell two cookies for 50 cents. That what a lot of people do. Buy those cookies where the dough is already in squares and just stick them in the oven the night before and put the coke in a cooler

Answer 9

Put up a sign saying ALL PROCEEDS GO TO _____________(you fill in the blank)
Sell packages of homemade cookies...like 3 for $1.
Sell sodas and water....$1.25
In all the years I've done yard sales, the thing that draws people is location, music, and other people. So invite your all your friends to stop by and brouse. If you want, you can ask them to bring along things they'd donate to the sale.
At the end of the day, everything that doesn't sell gets put in the car and taken to my local thrift shop.
Get a receipt and write it off on your taxes.

Answer 10

Actually, you can ask for donations (I would place a sign saying "suggested donation $1) -- but I would have something that has a nice aroma to it. That sells at a garage sale. If they can smell it they won't be able to avoid buying it.

Coffee or tea; warm cookies that are freshly baked. Even grill hot dogs or hamburgers. You will sell out whatever you make.

I've done that many times.

Answer 11

Sell brownies, cookies, and lemonade. Buy some Kool-Aid and have fun! This is an excellent was to earn a buck for fundraising. Make sure you put that on your stand. Ppl are more likely to buy it that way.