The Flea Market...

    • 9 posts
    April 30, 2012 12:24 AM PDT

    Did ya ever wonder why they call it a "Flea Market"?  I did.  There's two versions of the origin of the name.  One, you got fleas from the furniture purchased at an "open market", or two, from stuff bought from "fleeing" settlers, who couldn't pay the rent any longer.  In either case, it gives me the heebs...I CAN tell you, none of the stuff I sold last weekend, had fleas.  But I wasn't so sure about some of the other stuff I saw for sale there.  LMAO... 
    It was my first experience at being a "vendor".  And I did pretty well, considering I was samwiched between an "electronics" guy, and a Boost phone guy.  Both very nice, by the way. 
    What I had was basically extra stuff, I didn't need or want.  Some, clients gave to me, some I found on CL, and some I found, by the side of the road.  Some would pass this stuff by, for sure.  But there are those for whom that sayin'...you know the one: "one man's trash, is another man's treasure", is absolutely true.  I made enough, to make me wanna go back and do it again! 
    So, starting today, my new job (til I get more business clients) is a Flea Muskateer. 
    It is my new crusade, and as long as it helps me keep gas in the van, and a little jang-a-lang in the pocket...why not? 

    Any of you had any experience with the FLEA MARKET?  Hot sellin' items, or tips you'd care to share?  Hmmmm? 

    Ride Free 
    Tweek

    • 2 posts
    April 30, 2012 12:40 AM PDT
    Must get to my tasks but a quick one just for Tweek
    One of my sisters did fairly well for a time by going to places where they had held a hi end estate sale the day previous & "Dumpster Diving" for the unsold remnants, then putting the stuff on e-bay.
    She stopped because e-bay eventually proved a PITA but she did quite well while she was doing it.
    • Moderator
    • 19067 posts
    April 30, 2012 1:14 AM PDT
    Some of my family has done this and failed. But they were trying to sell the same stuff as every other vendor. That is they would buy crap from catalog companies and then attempt to resell. I would think if you can keep your costs down, IE finds and throw-aways, you can make some profit. People go to flea markets because they want things for next to nothing.
  • April 30, 2012 1:23 AM PDT
    Congratulations Tweet, I think there is a great way to make extra and in time do well at it. Somethings ya might look for are those house hold items, the things that can be cleaned up to be used. some times bicycles are big ones espically in the beach areas, lets face it we at the beaches are all looking for that cheap bike to ride that the salt can eat the crap out of and we don't care. But Keep it simple make notes, and this you to shall be able to figure out. Heck on trash nights hit the richer neighborhoods, there are plenty of folks out there that do, you get there first it be yours.............."T"
  • April 30, 2012 2:33 AM PDT
    We used to be into race cars me and my son. We would go to swap meets and sell our stuff for pennys on the dollar. Then we would come home with more stuff than we went with most of the time. But it was a blast most of the time
    • 5420 posts
    April 30, 2012 2:49 AM PDT
    Glad yo made some money and had a fun day! I go to the Swap Meet all the time (what they call Flea Markets out here). They have two sections, one for vendors selling new products and one for vendors and just anyone selling used stuff (like a traditional flea market).

    I have met a few of the people there in the used section that make a decent amount of money going to garage sales and buying stuff and than taking it to the swap meet and selling at a profit.

    I have always seen the people selling unusual stuff for the house (nic-nacs and such), and tools doing the best.
    • Moderator
    • 16870 posts
    April 30, 2012 4:24 AM PDT
    "one man's trash, is another man's treasure"


    That's my Modus operandi (mode of operation).
  • April 30, 2012 11:49 AM PDT
    Glad you added some gingle to your step.I usually donate my goods to a resale shop whos proceeds go to a faith based drug and alcohol treatment center.I live in a college town where the kids throw out near brand new stuff at the end of the year....mom and dads money and the kids to lazy to pack it to storage until next fall.....lots of folks dumpster dive and sell it for bunches of cash.BTW, if you find a m/c battery side cover beside the road....I lost it last week-end.......LOL