For Back-to-School Items, Shop the Local Flea Market

The Back-to-School shopping season is upon us. Superstores are advertising pencils for pennies and teens are wiggling free their parents' plastic for a day at the mall. Thrifty shoppers, however, might find that department stores and malls are necessarily the only places to shop for student must-haves. While the weather's hot, check out your local flea market to find surprising items ranging from backpacks to clothes. You'll be shocked at the low prices and amazed by the amount of new goods available.

Merchants know that school is starting back and are taking advantage of the season. Flea markets are full of new and used items, most of which have been purchased by the box load at auctions. Merchants are left with large amounts of one type of item, and they are able to sell their goods back to the public for ridiculously low prices. So why aren't they sold out of their low-priced wares? Buyers simply aren't aware of what the flea market has to offer.

Electronics at a Flea Market?

Does your teen have a cell phone? A laptop? Then it sounds like the flea market has something to offer. As electronics become a must-have, merchant are adapting. At the local market, you'll find stands of merchants who only deal in specific goods or brands. You'll find every cell phone accessory imaginable, from covers to holders to chargers. Computer sales are a big deal in most markets these days. You'll find plenty of computers available, but you'll also find merchants willing to upgrade your old laptops with new programs or repair your personal computer for a low price.

Accessorize this Season

We can't forget backpacks and purses for the new year, much less belts, jewelry, and great shoes. All of this is available for lower prices than the department stores offer. Purses can be seen down nearly every isle of a flea market, and almost every one of them are brand new. Instead of opening their own boutiques, most sellers prefer to keep their money out of rent and bills and in their wallets, so they depend upon flea market stands for their sales. The latest trends, lower prices, and good manufacturing, are all provided at these stands. Aside from those selling new purses and bags, there are also the craftier merchants out there who make their own goods, including one of a kind purses and gym bags. What's great about these hand-made items? Aside from being trend-starters, these original bags are usually very well made, and merchants often are able to personalize your bag with initials or ribbons.

A tip for those in search of backpacks and materials: don't just look at the purse sellers' stands. Often times you'll be able to spot merchants who purchase from auctions regularly because they'll have pharmaceuticals and food in large quantities. These merchants are also likely to have backpacks and school materials such as highlighters, erasers, pens, pencils, and notebooks.

In Search of a Good Read?

Want your student to get ahead of the reading curve without having to dish out the cash? Parents who can't afford the bookstore prices will be pleased to find that the flea market is brim-full of used and new booksellers willing to sell or trade for every book on student reading lists. Some merchants even set these books aside to advertise them during the school season. If your student is going to be reading classics such as The Scarlet Letter or The Canterbury Tales this school year, a very affordable version is almost guaranteed to be available.

Clothes and Shoes

This is probably a given, but the same auctions that provide backpacks and materials, often sell clothing of all sizes. I recently bought several pairs of Route66 jeans with their tags still on them for only three dollars a pair at my local market. Often times, however, new clothes from auctions aren't hanging up, they're folded and still in crates, so you might have to dig for your size. The trouble is worth it when the purchase is at up to a seventy-five percent discount.

The goods are available; you only have to look for them! This season, find treasures at the local flea market for your Back-to-School student.