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Prepping doesn't have to cost a lot of money if you know how to look for bargains. Garage sales and yard sales are great places to scoop up cheap survival items you might need for an emergency. The old saying that one man's junk is another man's treasure certainly applies here.
Many people holding garage sales don't know the true value of what they're selling, or they simply don't see items for how useful they are and end up selling them for next to nothing. Yard sale season is here, so now is the time to get out there and start hunting down the things you need.
Make a list and take it with you. Don't assume you will remember because there are quite a few prepper items to look for. Here are 25 of them…
1. Bicycles
If an EMP attack were to knock out most vehicles, or if gasoline were to become scarce and expensive, bicycles would become a decent option for transportation. And while you can purchase bicycles at virtually any grocery store with a sports aisle, you will spend significantly less money buying used bikes in good condition from a garage sale.
When inspecting a used bike, check the tire condition, brake pads, chain wear, and whether the frame has any cracks or serious rust. A little bit of surface rust on metal parts is usually fine, but if there's deep rust on the frame then don't bother. Also look for bike pumps, helmets, repair kits, and spare inner tubes.
2. Board Games and Puzzles
You need something to do during the long hours without electricity and all of those gadgets we've come to depend on. Good old-fashioned board games and puzzles will be an ideal way to pass the time. You can find these for under a dollar in most cases. The more you have on hand, the less you will be dealing with bored family members.
Don't overlook card games, dice games, and chess sets either. These take up almost no space and can provide hours of entertainment. Books of crossword puzzles or Sudoku are another great find. During a prolonged grid-down situation, keeping morale up is a real concern.
3. Bug Out Bag Gear
You are sure to find things like lighters, matches, rain ponchos, knives, and other things you can put into your bug out bag. You could also look for small tarps and even backpacks that can be used to make a bug out bag.
When evaluating backpacks, look for ones with padded shoulder straps, a hip belt, and multiple compartments. Frame packs and military-style MOLLE bags are ideal if you can find them. Test zippers, check for torn seams, and make sure the bag can hold real weight without the straps pulling away from the fabric.
Related Article: 5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Bug Out Bag
4. Camping Gear
Anything that has to do with camping, i.e. cookstoves, tents, lanterns, sleeping bags, and so on can all be major assets to your emergency stash. When the power is out or you are forced to bug out, camping will be the way of life and any gear you can bring along will make life easier.
Pay special attention to camp stoves and their fuel compatibility. Propane, butane, and white gas stoves all use different fuel, so make sure you can actually source fuel for whatever stove you pick up. When buying used tents, set them up in the driveway when you get home and check for broken poles, torn mesh, or a compromised rainfly before relying on it in an emergency.
Related Article: 15 Camping Essentials for Beginners
5. Canning Supplies
There are plenty of people who don't want grandma's old canning jars, canner, and all the tools that go with it. Home preservation is something preppers need to do in order to store up enough food to last them for several months. Jars can also be used to store water.
When buying used canning jars, inspect every jar carefully for chips or cracks along the rim. Even a small nick can prevent a proper seal and lead to spoilage. Avoid reusing old lids; new lids are cheap and the seal is critical for food safety. Look for jar lifters, funnel sets, bubble removers, and lid wands as well, since these tools make the canning process much easier and safer.
6. Cast Iron Cookware
This stuff tends to be pretty pricey when buying brand new, but you can get it for about half the price at a garage sale. Cast iron pans are exactly what you need for cooking over an open fire, which is going to take the place of your kitchen stove when the power is out.
Keep in mind that if you buy used cast iron cookware, it will probably be very old and in need of restoration and seasoning. Here's how to do that.
7. Emergency Supplies
Look for things like candles, lighters, flashlights, radios, first aid kits, and so on. Even the half-used candles can be bought for cheap and melted down to make larger candles.
When it comes to flashlights, check whether they still work and note what batteries they take. Ideally, you want everything standardized to one or two sizes (AA and AAA are most common) so you're not managing a dozen battery types. For radios, look specifically for hand-crank or solar-powered models, which don't depend on batteries at all.
Related Article: 50 Survival Supplies You Can Never Have Enough Of
8. Firearms and Ammunition
These are extremely difficult to find at garage sales for real steals, but you can always look. Consider saving up some cash and setting it aside so you can make a purchase when you do happen to come across a really good deal. Look for reloading equipment as well.
If you do find a firearm at a garage sale, research your state and local laws beforehand. Private sales are legal in many states but not all, and some require background checks even for private transactions. If you're unfamiliar with a particular firearm, pass on it unless you can have it inspected by a gunsmith before purchase. A cheap gun that misfires is worse than no gun at all.
9. Food Dehydrator
You may have to look extra hard for this one at garage sales, but old food dehydrators in good condition will be available for only a fraction of the cost than if you were to purchase them new. A food dehydrator is essential to have because it removes moisture from food (meats, fruits, vegetables, etc.) in order to preserve them so they last significantly longer for storage purposes.
When inspecting a used dehydrator, plug it in and make sure the heating element actually works and that the fan runs evenly. Check that all the trays are present and intact. Missing or cracked trays significantly reduce the unit's usefulness. Stackable circular models are the most common at garage sales; box-style dehydrators with horizontal airflow tend to dry food more evenly and are worth prioritizing if you find one.
10. Gardening Tools
Buy extra hoes, rakes, shovels and other gardening equipment. Your prepper garden will need tending and you will likely not have gasoline to run your equipment. These tools tend to break after time so you want to have backups. You also want to have plenty of tools so more than one person can tackle a big job at the same time.
Beyond the basics, look for hand trowels, cultivators, and kneeling pads. Seed storage containers and old seed packets are also worth picking up. If you spot a manual push-plow or wheel hoe, grab it. These are invaluable for working larger garden plots without power equipment and can be hard to find new at a reasonable price.
11. Hunting Gear
When there are no grocery stores, you may have to hunt for your food. Buying new hunting gear at a big box store can be very expensive. Fortunately, there are plenty of hunters who grow tired of the sport and prefer to rely on the market for their meat. Look for bows, ammunition, trapping supplies, and camouflage gear.
Field dressing kits, game bags, and skinning knives are often sold alongside hunting gear. Binoculars are another excellent find. They're useful for hunting, scouting, and general situational awareness. If you spot fishing gear, grab that too. Fishing rods, tackle boxes, and nets can all be lifesaving if you're near water and need a reliable protein source.
12. Lawn Mowers
You may be surprised by how many people decide to sell off their old lawnmowers, and for a significantly discounted price than if you were to purchase one new. While keeping your lawn in good condition may not be high on your list of needs after a disaster happens, you also most likely won’t want your lawn turning into a jungle either.
In addition to lawnmowers, you can also look for other pieces of equipment such as weed eaters, leaf blowers, hedge clippers, and so forth.
13. Manual Kitchen Tools
Visit garage sales where older people have lived. You are sure to find old hand grinders and a variety of other hand kitchen tools that will come in handy when you don't have electricity. Look for can openers, meat grinders, graters, manual hand mixers, and so forth.
A hand-crank grain mill is one of the best finds you can stumble across. It lets you grind whole wheat berries or corn into flour, which dramatically extends your food options if you're storing bulk grains. Mortar and pestle sets, manual juicers, and old-fashioned butter churns are also worth picking up if the price is right.
14. Medical Supplies
Garage sales that are held following someone passing away who had a long illness are great places to find unused medical supplies. You can often find crutches, splints, slings, and bandages that are all unopened.
Look for boxes of gloves, face masks, and unopened packages of alcohol wipes and syringes. People will typically sell these items for very cheap just to get rid of the evidence of a loved one's illness and passing.
Check expiration dates on anything consumable like antiseptics, medications, or sterile dressings. Some items like sealed bandages are fine well past their date, while others like certain medications are not. Durable medical equipment like crutches, blood pressure cuffs, and stethoscopes don't expire and are worth grabbing in any condition.
Related Article: 11 First Aid Supplies You Can't Have Too Much Of
15. Outdoor Furniture
Patio sets and other outdoor furniture could provide extra seating and surface area, not to mention potential materials for other projects. Look for pieces made of sturdy materials like wood or metal, as these will stand up better to the elements.
16. Quality Knives
It’s no secret that quality knives can be very expensive. But again, it’s possible to find quality blades for discounted prices when you go to garage sales. Even if the blades have become rather dull (hence why people may be selling them), you can still easily sharpen them yourself if you know or learn how to do so.
Look for a whetstone or sharpening steel while you're there. These often get sold separately from the knives themselves and are just as valuable. When evaluating a used knife, check for a solid handle (no cracks or loose rivets), a full tang if possible, and a blade that's not chipped or warped. A dull edge is easily fixed; a damaged blade usually isn't worth the effort.
17. Sewing Supplies
While stocking up on spare clothing is essential, just as critical is purchasing sewing supplies so you can repair clothing, blankets, towels, and anything else made out of fabric. Look for old sewing machines in good condition, needles, canvas, fabric, and so on.
Remember, when disaster strikes, your clothing will inevitably become torn and dirty, and there won’t be any resupply from online or physical department stores. Learning how to repair your clothing, and having the necessary supplies to do so is not something to overlook.
18. Silver and Gold Jewelry
If the dollar fails, silver and gold will be the only currency that has any value. You wouldn't want to exchange a silver dollar for something like a pack of toilet paper, which is why you want those bits and pieces of old jewelry.
Handing over an earring or a broken silver necklace makes much more sense. You could also melt down the broken silver and gold jewelry and make your own bars.
19. Solar Panels and Generators
Old solar panels or generators could be worth their weight in gold in a long-term power outage situation. You might need to learn a little bit about refurbishing solar panels or fixing generators, but the potential benefits far outweigh the initial time investment.
For generators, check the oil level, pull the starter cord, and try to run it briefly (if they let you, of course). A generator that hasn't been started in years may need a carburetor cleaning or new spark plugs, but that's usually a straightforward fix. For solar panels, look for visible damage like cracked glass or delamination (bubbling beneath the surface), which can significantly reduce output. Even a partially functional panel may still be worth the price if you can wire multiple panels together.
20. Storage Buckets
Storage buckets of varying sizes are among the most useful items a prepper can have. They can be used for storing literally anything (food, water, coffee, flour, herbs, soil, etc.) while keeping them protected from the elements. You’re also likely to spend significantly less money per bucket when you go through a garage sale as well.
Prioritize food-grade buckets (look for the recycling symbol with a “2” or “5” on the bottom, or HDPE labeling) if you plan to store food or water. Gamma-seal lids, the kind with a spin-off center, are far more practical than standard snap lids for items you access frequently. If you find buckets with lids already attached, that's a bonus, as lids are often sold or discarded separately.
Related Article: 15 Brilliant Uses for Buckets
21. Tools
After a major storm, you will need to take care of any repairs around your house. You may even need to build a shelter. Pick up extra screws, nails, hammers, wrenches, axes, screwdrivers and so on. Keep in mind that you can never have too many tools. If you have six hammers, you could always use one to barter with to get something else you need.
Hand tools are always worth picking up. Manual saws, levels, tape measures, and chisels don't wear out quickly and are universally useful. If you spot a hand drill, brace and bit, or any other non-electric tool, grab it. Power tools are useful now, but in a grid-down situation, hand tools become the backbone of any repair or building project.
22. Used Books
From wilderness survival guides to edible plant identification, there's a plethora of information to be gleaned from books. Don't overlook old cookbooks either – learning to cook without modern conveniences is a skill unto itself. There's also a good chance you'll find a wealth of DIY and home repair manuals, perfect for when you have to handle repairs on your own.
Medical and herbal medicine references are especially valuable. Look for field guides to medicinal plants, wilderness first aid manuals, and veterinary guides (useful if you have livestock). Old military field manuals like the FM 21-76 Survival Manual are gold if you find them. Don't overlook amateur radio (ham radio) handbooks either, as getting licensed and setting up communications is an underrated prep.
23. Water Collection Supplies
Rain barrels, buckets, or even kiddie pools can be used for collecting rainwater, a potentially invaluable resource if public water supplies are compromised. Tarps and other large, waterproof materials can also be rigged up to funnel rainwater into your collection containers. Remember to have a plan for purifying any collected water before consumption.
At garage sales, also look for water filtration equipment like old camping filters (Katadyn and Sawyer models hold up well used), ceramic filter housings, and even simple pitcher-style filters. Colloidal silver generators, iodine tablets, and pool shock (calcium hypochlorite) are occasionally found as well and can be used to treat large quantities of water. The more purification methods you have, the better.
24. Winter Clothing
Old flannel shirts, coats, gloves, and hats are very inexpensive at garage sales. Stock up on these things when you can. Buy several in varying sizes, especially if you have children that are going to be growing like weeds. Having plenty of coats ensures you will always have something dry to put on if you have to go out and chop wood, hunt, or look for water.
Wool clothing is particularly worth seeking out. It retains warmth even when wet, unlike cotton, which loses nearly all insulating value when soaked. Wool sweaters, wool socks, and wool blankets are all excellent finds. Also look for base layer thermals, waterproof rain pants, and rubber boots. Buying a range of sizes means you're covered as kids grow or if you need to outfit someone who shows up to your group unprepared.
25. Wood Burning Stove
Though not as common, a wood-burning stove is a fabulous find at a yard sale. When the power goes out and you're in need of a warm meal, a wood-burning stove is a wonderful asset. Make sure to pick up a chimney cleaning kit, too. You'll need it for proper maintenance.
When evaluating a used wood-burning stove, inspect the firebox for cracks, check that all door gaskets are intact and sealing properly, and make sure the damper operates smoothly. If it's a cast iron model, surface rust can be cleaned and re-seasoned with stove paint or paste wax. Keep in mind you'll also need proper stovepipe, a thimble, and a heat shield depending on your installation.
We hope you found this list helpful. If you're a homesteader, check out these 17 Homestead Items to Look For at Yard Sales.
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