HOW TO SURVIVE A DAY AT THE FLEA MARKET

The serious flea market shopper just doesn't show up and start buying stuff. They come prepared and ready for anything. The real pros take along a water bottle, wear comfortable shoes and carry enough cash to buy anything they're likely to find that they like. Cash, the true experts say, is green and green is one of the most hypnotic colors when it comes to buying stuff. It works better than platinum, the color of some credit cards and outdraws check ten-to-one. You can often buy something that selling for $100 if you offer $80 cash and stand there with four, crisp $20 bills in your hand. Keep saying: "How much will you take for that in cash?"

Here's some other survival tips:

If it's your first trip to this destination, call and get directions. You can usually find a phone number in the advertisement announcing the event. Check the hours. You can get the best buy about an hour before everybody shuts down on the last day. The worst deals are made an hour or two after they open the doors although that's the time you'll find the best selections.  Don't limit yourself to only flea markets in your area. You might find some great markets within a short driving distance. Check web sites for markets all around the country. At http://members.aol.com/fleamktusa/ you'll find information on all major flea markets, swap meets, days open, number of dealers, directions, phone numbers, etc. There's an online flea market directory listing 3,500 locations at http://www.bargains-deals.com/fleamarkets/fleamarketdirectory.html. If you're driving through an unfamiliar town and interested in checking out the markets, stop and ask someone where the best (or only) markets are.

Wear comfortable clothes and shoes with the understanding you're going to be on your feet for what could be hours and walking miles if it's a big market. Carry a jacket with big pockets (to hold stuff) in case it gets cold and wear a hat that will shield you from the sun if it's outside. Apply sunscreen if you're wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts. On second thought, wear sunscreen whenever you're out in the sun.

Carry a big shoulder bag instead of a purse. Put your cash, driver's license and credit cards in an inside jacket pocket or waist/shoulder money belt. Leave your library card and other purse/wallet junk at home. If purse snatchers or pickpockets are lurking around, they usually go for the outside pockets and purses. 

If you're shopping for a piece of furniture, take along the measurements so you don't bring home a table or sofa that's three inches longer than the space you want to put it in. Carry a tape measure, a pencil and pad so you can jot down phone numbers, measurements, booth numbers, names, etc. If color is important and it has to match something you already have, take along a swatch. You can clip off a piece of fabric from the underside of a chair or sofa, the hem of a drape, etc. or a paint chip from the bottom of a door or cabinet. Pick up business cards from people offering things you might be interested in buying at another time.

If you're shopping for big, heavy stuff, take a rolling cart along and some bungee cords. You can buy a cart like that at Wal-Mark and K-Mart for about $25 and you can use it for other non-flea market things like hauling groceries from your car to your pantry. Add some grocery bags or tote bags to hold stuff and act as cushions. If it's really big stuff and you plan on buying it on the spot, see if you can't find a friend with a pickup or SUV to come along. Offer to pay for the gas and buy them lunch. Tell them they'll have a great time and they might find something they like. You can always ask the seller if the price includes delivery. You never know: they might have a truck (how do they get the stuff there?) and some idle time.

If you're an antique hunter, take along a guidebook, so you check values, authenticity, etc. You can buy books like this at any bookstore. Ask questions if you're interested. People selling antiques love to talk about the subject. But listen with an open ear. They're looking for buyers and might say anything to make a sale. In the world of antiques and collectibles, reproductions have become a real problem. You might think you're buying an original and all you're getting is a good copy. Honest dealers will tell you if an item is a reproduction. If you are not sure you can always ask and believe them or not. It is perfectly acceptable at a flea market to try to negotiate a lower price on an item up for sale. All dealers expect you to haggle and have built bargaining room into their price. Here are some bargaining tips that may improve your results.

If you don't know how to haggle over a price, walk around and try to listen in on other people haggling. Everybody's doing it and some have some great techniques you can use. If they succeed, do what they do. Watch the transactin carefully and see how the seller reacts. Then find something you want and think you can't afford and try it out yourself. Of course, you have to make a reasonable offer. You're not going to buy something with a $50 price tag on it for $5 - although it has probably happened at one time or another. Keep haggling. If you offer $10 and they won't take it, move up to $12. You and the seller will bounce back and forth and eventually you'll either give up or buy it at the final price. If the seller spends the time dealing with you and your offers, you have a certain obligation to buy it if the price is reasonable. Otherwise you're wasting their time. Understand the cardinal rule of flea marketing: bargaining is part of the process.