Saturday, October 9, 2010

47 Minutes at the Flea Market.

According to Grandma's memoir I'm part Scottish. Maybe that's why I love flea markets and haggling...

I don't care enough about a good deal to hunt out yard sales. Feels like I'm wasting $40 worth of time and $5 worth of gas. But on Saturday mornings when I don't have 5,000 things I should've done yesterday, I like to visit the flea market.

It's entirely different from the Sweetwater Flea Market where the booths never change year around, the sellers buy inventory quarterly, and have employees who are required to fill out tax forms.

I go to Midway Drive-In Theater where on Saturday mornings sellers pay $2 to spread blankets on the gravel. It's a yard sale style flea market with lots of people selling years worth of used and unused cast-offs accumulated from our wasteful American lifestyle.

(Also people who have probably been dumpster diving...)

I'm told, "To get the good deals you need to get there early." I scoff at that. Unlike yard sales this flea market rarely lasts till noon, around 9:30 buyers thin out and sellers want to go home. Most plan to donate their unsold items to Goodwill, so drop their prices. Plus I like to sleep in.

But about the dumpster diving guy... (Btw I have just now named him Blake, and shall hereafter refer to him thus when convenient.)

"$5 I’ll sell you this whole box for $5! What a deal!” He called out as I stopped at his table.

“I don’t need all this stuff.” I said before I shifted through the cardboard box of phone jacks and chargers, ear buds and headphones—all new and in their plastic boxes--before pulling out a package labeled wireless earbuds.

“I’ll give you $1 for this.” I told him.

“Only a dollar!” He griped, “ Three dollars, two fifty at least.”

“Oh whatever. You offered me the whole box for $5 we both know I could’ve bought this for fifty-cents.” I grinned and shook my head.

“Ohhhh, ok a dollar then,” Blake said. Then noting the $5 price he had written on the package sighed dramatically dropped his shoulders and shaking his head said, “The things I do for pretty girls.”

Just then a man came by and asked the price of two chairs.

“I’ve got to get rid of this stuff. Tell you what I’ll sell them for $20 apiece, but you’ve got to buy them both.”

The man nodded and reached for his wallet, but was interrupted by Blake’s wife who was sitting a few yards away. “$5 each for the chairs she yelled”

“Well $5 I guess then.” Blake said and grimaced in her direction.
---

Pictures of all the things I bought today [Edit: this was written in June, so like most of my posts "today" is not really today] after the jump

I try to give the niece & nephews things often because children's love CAN be bought. ($1.50 total for 3 balls and 2 toy cars.)

 Bought this tree pendant for a friend who is forever talking about her love of trees and drawing them. It was $0.50. The flower pin laying next to it caught my eye, so I spent $0.25 on it. I'll probably never use it... (Also this was the only seller who I didn't ask to lower their price.)

 $10 for both camping chairs together

$1 for a milkglass bowl that did wash clean (I love decorative milk glass containers and use them to store my dressor top things.)

$1 for the earbuds (But they are to be used with a cell phone, and mine doesn't have a jack, so it was a wasted dollar...)

Simple tin, but I love it for holding my smallest hair clippies ($0.25)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

this is cute.

Anonymous said...

I want to take you with me next time I go to the flea market. That "pretty" thing just don't work on me.

chris said...

give u a quarter 4 the earbud

SharriBeth said...

Flea Markets are fun, I've not been to one in awhile next time you go, you should pick me up first :)