8 Great Things about Flea Markets ...

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Flea markets can turn up all kinds of treasures, if not in the strictly valuable sense. You just never know what you’re going to come across. Maybe it’ll be something you never thought you’d want but that appeals to you, something you just love, or the perfect gift. Whatever, the nature of flea markets is that the goods on offer are totally random, and as they say, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

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Flea markets can provide some amazing bargains, especially in the more informal ones. Often people just want to get rid of their excess clothes, for example, and make a bit of money from them, so they sell them at a fraction of their retail price. I’ve picked up some great dresses in perfect condition for €5 ($8), for example.

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Another interesting factor about flea markets is that you find all sorts of strange objects. It’s sometimes difficult to even work out what they’re for! If you’re involved in theatre, you might find the perfect costume or props amongthe weird and wonderful objects on display.

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Even if you’re a regular visitor to a flea market, you never know what you’re going to find. The same seller won’t have the same stock two weeks running. There are also different sellersevery week, so it’s a great option if you don’t like the ‘sameness’ of most stores.

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I love to while away an hour or two at flea markets, especially if I gowith a friend. It’s fun to wander around, examine the goods, try things on, and laugh aboutwhat you find. When one of my friends visits, she always wants to visit the largest flea market in town rather than follow the tourist trail!

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As I’ve already mentioned, the stalls at flea markets contain some totally random treasures. Sometimes I wonder aboutthe history of the goods on sale – who read that book? Who wore that hat? How many walls has that painting hung on? Everything has its story …

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If you buy something from a flea market, you can be absolutely sure that it will be a one-off. You won’t see the same item in someone else’s house, or have that embarrassing experience where you pass a stranger in the street wearing the same topor pantsand have to pretend that you didn’t notice.

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If you are a collector, flea markets are a great place to hunt for pieces for your collection. It may involve a lot of fruitless visits, but as every dedicated flea addict knows, you have to keep looking before you find what you’re after. Patience is very necessary …

Do you love to frequent flea markets as well? Or does the mere thought of buying something second-hand make you cringe? What’s thebest bargain you’ve ever found?

Top Photo Credit: manlio_k