13 Things You Definitely Want to Buy at the Swap Meet
Flea markets and swap meets are perfect opportunities to get out in the sunshine, do some walking, and uncover some awesome buried treasure
Flea markets and swap meets are perfect opportunities to get out in the sunshine, do some walking, and uncover some awesome buried treasure. There will be things you will specifically be looking for each time, and super random finds that you weren’t expecting. Throw in yummy food, and some beer and you got yourself a day filled with fun. Wondering what are good buys at the flea market and/or swap meet? Read on and get ready to do some shopping! Oh, and you might want to bring some cash!
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Vintage Clothing and Accessories
Flea markets and swap meets are great places to find vintage clothing and accessories. Some vendors have a specific era or type of clothing (and may also have a brick and mortar store), while others have a complete mish-mash of items you’ll have to sort through.
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San Marcos Blankets
https://www.instagram.com/p/kFNBcvnDr9/
If you don’t love these velvety, Mexican blankets, I don’t know about you. There’s a good chance that your local flea market will carry these gems, complete with images of eagles, tigers, and Precious Moments characters.
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Furniture
Flea markets are great places to get vintage, upcycled, reworked, and new furniture. The new furniture is way cheaper than what you would find at a traditional store, and the vintage/reworked/upcycled pieces are truly unique.
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Produce
Grab some fresh, delicious produce, spices, and other food at the flea market. It’s a great way to buy directly from local vendors, and chances are, like at farmer’s markets, you’ll find fruits, veggies, and more goods you won’t see at your usual supermarket.
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New Clothing and Accessories
Swap meets also have great new clothing. Fun T-shirts, cool belts, hats, dresses, and more. You never know what you’re going to find, but chances are, they’ll be something different and cool there. At the San Jose Flea Market, they even have an airbrush artist making custom shirts, hats, and hoodies.
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Gold Jewelry
If you know how to identify real gold, silver, and gemstones, buying jewelry at the flea market could save you a lot of money. You can also find some great vintage and antique finds.
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Toys
Flea markets and swap meets are overflowing with vintage, used, and new toys. Just make sure to check everything for safety, i.e. loose parts kids can choke on, toxic materials, flammable items, etc.
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Music
Love digging for vinyl, CDs, and tapes? The flea market will have vendors selling just music, and others that have a few selections among their other offerings. You never know what you’ll find, but you just might score that old record you were looking for.
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Collectibles
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcr_sCoDWl-/
Looking for an original Nintendo — with games? Baseball cards? That collection of She-Ra figurines? Hit up flea markets and swap meets.
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Car Accessories
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh-7Vt4g30g/
Flea markets and swap meets often have vendors who sell parts and accessories for cars, from new stereos to custom-embroidered mats, to tires. Just make sure to check that everything is safe and up-to-standard (bring someone who knows cars if you don’t), and that things work well.
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Books
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bm6ChFSAxLh/
Swap meets and the flea are great places to find cool, old books. You’ll find all kinds of titles, and may just happen upon a rare first edition, or a specific book (or subject) you have been looking for. Grab a great coffee table book, before someone else snatches it and overprices it online!
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Art
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Food
Girl, you’re going to need fuel for all that walking, bargaining, and shopping. Flea markets and swap meets have vendors selling all kinds of good stuff, from simple bites and drinks, to ornate extravaganzas like this one in Santa Fe Springs.
