Every week your Sunday paper will likely list a number of local auctions in your immediate and surrounding area. Scan the listings for items of interest. If you attend auctions on a regular basis, you’ll quickly learn which auctioneers are a little on the crooked side (take ghost bids (i.e. no real bidder bidding against you)) and which can be trusted to behave themselves.
Business Auctions provide you with opportunity to acquire items from businesses that are closing their doors. Everything from restaurant supplies to computer and office equipment can be found weekly in your larger cities.
Storage auctions generally happen once or twice a month and are the result of abandoned goods or unpaid storage facility fees. Come prepared to transport the complete contents of a storage facility as you will generally be required to buy the container complete, and many times, site unseen. You will not want to leave the items in the storage facility once purchased as there are occasions where the owners of the facilities will take items out after the sale and before you have opportunity to remove them, even though they have been left for only 30 minutes to an hour. If you have to leave to get a truck after the purchase, make sure to leave someone behind to ensure your purchase is not carried off.