You have listened to your 10 CD’s too many times and you need a change. Add music to your collection without spending a fortune from auctions, garage sales, and library sales.

Begin looking by calling auctions and ask if they received music this week. Visit one day before each auction that said yes to receiving music. If you do not see titles you want, forget this auction and visit another one. Once you see great titles, check each CD. Do you see a ton of scratches that will affect the sound? Are there CD’s inside the jewel boxes?

After finding titles at auctions, determine the maximum amount of money you will bid on each item. Auctions sell boxes filled with music CD’s. Only bid up to your maximum amount. This prevents, “How-could-I-spend-so-much-on-CD’s-in-one-day” remorse when it is time to pay. Some collectors bid prices to the moon. Other times prices are low. This is when you bid. If you have never been to an auction observe how people bid. This will give you pointers on how to bid.

Garage sales move at a slower pace. You have all day to inspect the merchandise. Although arriving at 8AM provides the best selection, in the afternoon you may find gems. Prices drop later in the day, too. Spend the day searching at garage sales. If you do not see any music, ask the owners, “Do you have any CD’s?” Garage sale sellers lack time to sift through every box before the sale. Give the owners your phone number to call you after the garage sale is over. Occasionally you get lucky and the owners immediately bring out the CD’s.

You can also find music at rummage sales held at churches. Call in advance asking if they received CD’s and inquire, “Where do you hide the CD’s?” If the rummage sale has music, arrive early. Skim the first box quickly. If you see jazz CD’s but you enjoy rap look through a second box immediately. The competition is fierce at rummage sales so you need to move fast.

If you join the local friend of the library, you see the CD’s first at the Book Sale preview night. This is similar to rummage sales. Arrive early, head for the CD’s and skim the titles quickly. Your chances of adding titles are great since no one else has looked through the music.

Use these techniques and enhance your music collection. Grab a newspaper, circle auctions and make calls today.