How about giving your house an update without breaking the bank? Home furnishing projects can be expensive if you do not know how and where to find the cheapest deals on new furniture, home accessories, rugs, or home design equipment. How does a flea market trip sound?
Don't get intimidated by the wave of bargain-hungry shoppers scrambling their way to find the best deals; it's all about having the will! And remember, there is no other venue where you can find fabulous and useful items for your home furnishing project for a price way less than what you would pay at an antiques or retail shop.
Make the most out of your flea market trip by following these pro tips by Trulia:
Bring a bigger car
Save money, time, and effort by bringing a car big enough to carry all your potential purchases instead of getting a delivery service. These flea markets would usually have inexpensive furniture like beds, sofa sets, cabinets and if you are buying all that, you will need a car that can transport all of those to your house.
Don't forget to bring old blankets and bungee cables to protect and secure the furniture during transport.
Go very early, or very late
Be sure to be there when the market opens so you get a chance to land the best items. But if you are concerned about finding a good deal, go just before the market closes when the vendors are starting to pack up. You are likely to get the items at a lower price since they would like to get rid of all their items before the market closes.
Bring snacks, emergency kit
There could be some serious competition especially if others are also there to buy items for their home furnishing. Don't miss out on certain items while lining up for food. Bring your own food that you can munch on while checking out stalls. And, don't forget to bring things like wet wipes, water, headache medication, and lip balm if you need one. That's flea market shopping in comfort! Don't forget your measuring tape too.
Start from the inside out
Expensive spots at big-time flea markets are usually located at the outside borders where there is higher traffic. Expect these stalls to also have more expensive items. So, start from the inside where items are likely to cost less since vendors don't need to put a high price tag to go after their rental cost.
Cash is king
Always, always, bring cash, plenty of it, especially smaller bills. You will save time having to wait for change plus you will have more leverage when negotiating on a price. The seller might just also give you a discount for not making her look for a change for $100 like the previous 5 people who came in.
Know the rules of haggling
When the price is already reasonably low, just take the deal. The best timing to haggle is when the item is damaged, if it has a bigger price tag, or if you bought more than one item from the same vendor.
