Bargain seeking mom

The Hunt for a Bargain

In these rough economic times the interest for second hand shopping has had a massive increase. Especially in the summer, the boot sale craze explodes. Saturday and Sunday mornings people pilgrimage to these places to get themselves a bargain.

Boot sales has many advantages. You never need to throw anything away, do you feel you want a change and get rid of some clothes, furniture or old china? Sell it in a boot sale to someone else that needs it and will make good use of it and at the same time you will get a couple of quids for it. From the money you have made you can buy your self something else. And why not at the boot sale? Buy someone else’s drawer or plates. This way you are being both economical and considerate of the environment and you will bring home things that has a history and soul as well as passing on our cultural heritage.

Going to a boot sale is a bit like going to an exhibitions of someone’s life. You wander around on a field somewhere with tables, stools and cars filled with things from peoples life’s. And its very fascinating seeing other peoples ‘junk’ and pieces of their life’s, these old workout videos, cookbooks, 90′s CD’s, platform boots etc has played a part of someone else’s life and now its time for someone else to be the main character.

When I go to a boot sale I always hope (me and everyone else there) to find that bargain that will change my life. It don’t necessary have to be a Ming vase that will make me a millionaire (although I wouldn’t mind that) but a vintage hand bag or camel coat sold by the old lady that is unaware of its value, or a retro designer item that is impossible to get your hands on any more. Unfortunately that doesn’t happen any more. With the Antique road show and other antique, decorating and bargain shows that is surrounding us now a days everyone wants to find that bargain and probably thinks that most things they have in their attic is worth a fortune. We all want to be standing in front of the camera on the Antique Road Show lying and smiling, saying ‘oh no I don’t care about the price of this painting’ and then to hear its worth £100,000.

If you are on the hunt for a bargain next time you go to a boot sale you need to be prepared so here are some tips for you. – If you’re buying something expensive, you should read up on these items in newspapers and books to find out what price is worth paying otherwise there is a risk of you paying too much. Also make sure you examine the item you are buying looking for damages and flaws. Other tips for a comfortable and successful day at the boot sale are;

Comfortable clothing and comfortable shoes are a must. A garage sale may take place in a muddy field or on wet grass so nice shoes is a no no. Try to remember to bring your own bags, it is not always there are plastic bags to get, and you do not want to walk around with all your Bargains in your hands. Make sure you bring plenty of cash, more than you think you may need, for cash points are rarely available at boot sales.

An other good idea is to divide the money in different compartments of you wallet so the seller can’t see all the money that you have and you you can tell them you can only afford this much and makes it easier to haggle. Be polite, smile and greet dealers before you even know if they have anything you want. It can go a long way to get good prices. If you see something you want that are marked with a price, hold your poker face and calmly ask about the price. If you get very excited about the item the chances are the seller raises the price. If you are really interested in something, keep it in your hand (or lay your hand on it if it’s a piece of furniture) so no one else will grab it while you are considering or discussing the price.

Now, I hope these tips will get you closer to finding that bargain you have always dreamed of. And if you don’t feel like walking around looking at other people’s stuff at boot sales why don’t you have a big house clearance and sell the things you don’t need any more at a boot sale.

Good Luck!

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Las Vegas Clark County Bargain Home Real Estate

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