Yard Sales and Flea Markets

Nothing feels better then finding that perfect item to complete your collection or give that final look to a rooms decor. When searching for a particular item you will need to do a little research into where you will want to bargain hunt. Your local paper should have listings of yard sales weekly, although some papers only list addresses, detailed listings are ideal. Once you find your listings take a highlighter and mark ones that have either the item you are looking for or similar items. To help with this try to group like things together. If you are looking for toddler toys, and they list toddler clothes, there is a high chance they will have what you are looking for. Yard sales vary, but with a entire town to discover, you have a greater chance of finding what you need. Depending on the size of the town you plan to bargain hunt in, it may take you only a few hours to up to several. Yard sales can begin as early as 5am, and be open as late as eight or nine at night. So you will want to prioritize your list based on three things, the items for sale, the hours open, and location. Once you have a few sales you have decided you must hit, then look through your list and see what the hours are for each, the earlier you hit a yard sale the better you are at getting what you want. Also keep in mind that hitting the end of a yard sale isn't a bad thing at all, usually that's when the seller is eager to get rid of left over merchandise at lower prices. Often if you buy some thing they will even give away items. This can be great if you are just out and about to discover a new treasure. Now if you have a variety of sales to hit that are open for longer hours, then try to divide up your shopping area into sections, and make a loop out of your trip. If you save on gas that's a extra couple of dollars you can spend on something fun. Flea markets usually run in two different types. There is the type that is like a yard sale, and you can often find a variety of bargains, but you never really know what you will find. The other type is more of a location where vender's come together and sell products they got cheaply at whole sale price. These kinds you will find quality items but at a decent price. Once again, unless it has some sort of theme, you never really know what you will find. Some flea markets do charge a entrance fee, which usually isn't much. Depending on how nice the place is that the flea market is located really helps you determine what price range of items you are looking for, and the reason behind that is booth rent. Some places many only charge a tiny rent, while others can be outrageous. So you have to keep in mind that the vendor is trying to earn back that rent, and make a profit. Outdoor markets are usually on the less expensive side, while indoor markets are more of a high end. So when choosing a market to shop, review your budget, and shop wisely. Whether you chose a day at local yard sales, or a trip to a quaint flea market, I can almost guarantee you will find something you just can't live without.