Garage Sale and Car Boot Sale Planner

Who this is for

Plan the sale, price it, then count what it made. Jobs before the day each have a name and a tick, a price list keeps helpers consistent, and the day sheet records takings and costs, checks the cash against the float and shows the net taken.

Households holding a garage, yard or driveway sale, people booking a pitch at a car boot sale, and friends or neighbours selling together who want the day's money kept straight.

What this helps you track

• The jobs before the day, from booking a pitch to the plan for leftovers
• A price list by group so every helper charges the same
• Takings by the hour or by seller, cash and card
• The costs of the day, from pitch fee to bags
• Cash counted against the float, and the net taken

How to use it

1. Fix the date and place, book the pitch or check any local rules on signs and selling, then work through the jobs before the day.
2. Agree prices for each group of items with your helpers and write them in the price list, with the lowest you will take.
3. On the day, write the float you started with, then record takings by the hour or by seller as you go.
4. Add the day's costs, count the cash at the close and write the figure at the top.
5. Net taken and the cash check are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, add the takings and take off the costs.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How does the cash check work?

The cash you should have is the float plus the cash takings. The sheet takes that from the cash you counted at the close, so a figure above zero means you are over and below zero means you are short.

Do I need a permit for a garage sale?

It depends on where you live. Some places have rules on signs, street trading or how often you can hold a sale; check with your council or local authority before you advertise.

Do I have to declare car boot takings?

It depends on where you live and how often you sell. Selling your own unwanted things now and then can be treated differently from trading; check your tax authority's guidance. The sheet just records the day.

What about the things that do not sell?

Decide before the day: a charity shop run, a free box at the end, a collection, or back into storage for the next sale. The donation and charity shop log records what goes where.