Flea markets, also called pulga markets for Spanish speakers, are an awesome way to shop cheaply as well as scoring a deal on something worth more than the asking price. Some people make their income by thrift shopping, others take on “no buy” challenges to only buy used items to prevent waste that ends up in landfills. No matter the reason for choosing to shop at a flea or pulga market, there are some tips and tricks to follow to help one find the best pre-loved items to bring to a new home.
The first tip is on how to get the best price. It helps to know what kind of things to look for, such as vintage designer brands, toys that aren’t made anymore, or other collectibles that people want their hands on. If someone doesn’t know what these items are worth, then it’s difficult to get a worthwhile price; sometimes the seller doesn’t understand the actual worth of the items either, so it’s best to be in the know.
Haggling will be the best way to get the most worthwhile price, and there are a few tips to help make the case to the seller. First, it’s always best not to show one’s own worth. If someone goes to the flea market wearing name-brand and high-end clothing, the sellers will expect more out of them than the average-looking person wearing jeans and a T-shirt.
The next pointer that relates to haggling is to always have cash. A lot of stores have switched to card-readers; however, some people would rather just stick to cash. This can also help with haggling, as sometimes people are more willing to take cash in hand immediately over a card payment, even if the cash is a lower amount.
Oftentimes the best items are grabbed quickly, so it’s best to get to the market early. Some thrift shopping experts are at the store or market as soon as it’s open to customers just to get the best deals on cool items before anyone else, so being ahead of the game increases those chances. Of course, sometimes there just aren’t any great items, but being early is usually best to be able to look over everything available before the crowd flocks to gobble up the best stuff.
Don’t be afraid to bring a friend or colleague! They might know what some things are worth, and two people with knowledge of two different product specialties increase the chance of getting an awesome deal. Some people will bring their entire families to block everyone else’s view and contact the seller, so it’s a one-on-one haggle session between the customer and the seller without interruption. A lot of people really do like to go thrift shopping, and it’s fun to look at all the cool things even if they’re not worth much money. Worst-case scenario, nothing interesting was found, but some memories with a friend have been made.
When looking to sell, items that can be refurbished or re-purposed easily are actually great finds. Vintage items that need a paint touch-up, a little cleaning or even stained fabrics with cute design can be saved and sewn into a cute pillow. If there isn’t anything old and collectible, sometimes the most interesting items are given new life with a little hard work and creativity.
To summarize, these are the best tips for finding interesting items at a worthwhile price at flea or pulga markets. Remember to be in the know, perfect the haggling skills, and work in teams
