Flea Market Shopping 101

With money being tight, a flea market can be an excellent place to search for items you need. If you've never been to a flea market, you don't know what you're missing. There are so many treasures to be found! Don't let the rows and rows of tables intimidate you! You'll surely find some great deals but it does require a little effort and planning before you head out the door in search of treasure. Read on for some tips on how to shop at a flea market.

1) Do your homework. Find the right flea market depending on what you're looking for. Are you wanting to spruce up your living room on the cheap? Looking for kids clothes? Trying to find collectibles to resell? Sometimes different flea markets offer different items. Some have collectibles and antiques others offer newer items, clothing, electronics and whatnot, and then there are the ones that have a combination. Do an online search of "flea market and your state", ask friends and family and check local newspapers for flea market listings. There are also a lot of groups on Facebook for local yard sales and flea markets in your area. If you don't know how to get to a location, be sure to print out driving directions online.


2) Dress properly and be prepared for any kind of weather. Wear comfortable clothes. Jeans or shorts and a t-shirt will do nicely but make sure you have pockets for your cash. Comfortable shoes are a must as you'll be on your feet for long periods of time. If there's a chance of rain bring a raincoat with hood and if it's cooler bring a jacket. Leave the purse and umbrella behind because flea marketing is a hands on sport. Sunblock is very important as well so make sure you apply it and keep some in the car. Having a pair of sunglasses isn't a bad idea either.


3) Eat before going because flea market food is usually expensive, greasy and may give you the runs (sorry, it's true). Porta-potties aren't so great at flea markets either and some flea markets have no restrooms at all. You might want to pack a lunch because some flea markets have no concessions. Pack your cooler with sandwiches and drinks then leave it in your car. Consider a canteen style drinking container that attaches to your jeans or belt so your hands will be free to dig for treasures.

4) Arrive early if you're worried you'll miss out on the good stuff. It is common sense that being first in line will give you first pick at items. Don't discount arriving later in the day though. Many times you'll get a better deal toward the end of the day. A lot of sellers would rather let something go for cheap than pack it back up and lug it away.

5) Cash is king. Carry plenty of cash in all denominations. Most vendors won't accept personal checks or credit cards. Get a receipt when you buy a high ticket item to help you keep track of money spent.

6) Be careful who you take with you. You'll want as little distraction while you're bargain hunting as possible so if you do take someone, make sure they'll leave you alone and let you "snoop".

7) Learn to haggle. Don't be afraid to offer less for an item. Most flea market vendors expect it and usually mark items up just a bit for that reason. If something is already priced fairly, don't ask for too much off because it's insulting to the seller. Consider buying more than one item from a vendor and they will be more likely give you a discount. Don't feel bad about walking away if they won't deal with you. It's all part of playing the game.

8) Don't buy something just because it's cheap. Make sure you actually have a use for an item before handing over the cash. It's a shame to waste money on something that will end up in the attic or on a shelf at Goodwill. Ask yourself "Who will use this or where will it go?" If you can't answer, don't purchase.

9) Know what you're looking for and research it. If you're buying antiques and collectibles, have some idea of the value and condition. Consider making yourself a cheat sheet as a quick reference about the items you seek. I like to carry a running list of things that I want and need so I can keep my eyes open for those items.

10) If you're shopping to resell,use your cell phone to check completed listings on eBay.

11) Take a tape measure if you'll be buying clothing or trying to find a piece of furniture to fit in a specific space. Speaking of furniture, make sure you have a way to transport any larger pieces you may find.

What are your flea market shopping tips? Do you have any awesome finds to share? Tell us! =)

No dental insurance - BIG mistake, HUGE!

I've never really given much thought to having a dental plan until this past week. Of course, I make sure the kids have their check-ups and routine dental care but I've put off having things done and now I'm paying for it (figuratively and literally).

Last week I started having some pains in my jaw. I dealt with it until the pain got so intense I could barely open my eyes. On Saturday, I had to go to the ER. I had a fever and was really scared of getting sepsis from an infection. They told me I had an abscess under my teeth, in the roots, and gave me a prescription for antibiotics and a painkiller, Tramadol (which doesn't work, by the way).

I won't be able to get this completely taken care of for about 10 days. I saw the dentist, they told me to keep taking the antibiotics and the infection should clear up. Today is the first time I've really felt any relief so obviously, the Amoxicillin has kicked in. Too bad it took about 98 hours. I can honestly say, the pain I was having rivaled labor and delivery.. and I've had seven kids so I know what I'm talking about.

Now, for the dental plan that I don't have... I know we need dental insurance. I'm looking into it. It seems pretty affordable for the most part. Any savings is welcome because dental visits can get pricey. Did you know for preventive care it only costs an average of $150 a year and that's without insurance? I just regret letting it get to the point where I need such extensive work.

If you have any suggestions for dental plans or ideas on how to save money on dental care, please feel free to share!

Life is insane but so am I

The past couple weeks have been crazy! Jason had his surgery on the 5th and all went well. He had more of a hernia than a hydrocele. Some fatty tissue from his abdomen had slipped down through the opening. Dr Vaughan took care of it and he's perfect now!

Hannah (2 year old) broke out into hives all over her body on the 8th so I spent a few hours in the ER trying to find out what was wrong with her. I hate that since her doctor's office is directly linked to the hospital her health plan won't allow her to be seen anywhere else but the ER. I guess we'll be changing doctors soon anyway so it really doesn't matter.

We got home from the hospital around 2 am and by 6 am, Joshua (1 year old) was throwing up. He caught a really fun stomach bug and proceeded to pass it along to everyone in the house. My past week has been nothing but puke and poo, I'm tellin' ya. That's one of the joys of having lots of children - chain illnesses. Just when one is getting better, another is sure to come down with the ailment. Fun, fun, fun!

The weather today was beautiful so we just had to get out of the house! Being cooped up for over a week with a bunch of sickos isn't fun for anyone involved and it was time to get some fresh air. We went to the park and let the kids walk around and feed the ducks and geese. Joshua is going through a duck phase and it's so much fun when he yells at them and quacks. He also does the "Eee, I, Eee, I, Ohhh" but according to him all the animals on Old McDonald's farm "quack, quack" here and there! Dogs quack, cows quack, chickens quack.. Eee I Eee I Ooohh! They're so much fun at that age!

SAT for my 5 year old son!

I had an SAT meeting the other day for my five year old son. No, he's not a genius preparing to take his college entrance exams early. SAT stands for Student Assistance Team. A group of school faculty and the parent meets to discuss a students possible retention.

My little guy is a "young" 5 year old kindergarten student who didn't have any preschool experience. While he's definitely shown improvement from the beginning of the year to the middle (More than doubled most of his scores, I'm so proud!) he's still not up to par with what they expect. He knows a lot of the information but apparently isn't mature enough to translate it into a written form.

I knew going at the beginning of the year he might have to repeat kindergarten. I was actually prepared to enroll him into preschool for this school year but his would be principal rejected the idea and said it would be best if he had two years of kindergarten. Also, we moved and his new school's preschool program was full.

My main concern is that he not feel like a "loser" because he's behind the rest of his class. I'm afraid that might result in self esteem issues that will hinder his education. I know that at this young age it's highly unlikely but it's still a possibility. I'll need to be sure to offer him extra encouragement and praise for his accomplishments. He really has come so far considering he has slight ADHD. He may not be a genius but he's one smart cookie (he likes to be called that, don't know why)!

Hernias and Hydroceles and Surgery - Oh my!

We had to take my 5 year old son to WVU Medical today to have a pre-op visit to fix his hydrocele. His left testicle is affected by fluid that drains down from his abdomen due to the inguinal tube that should have closed inutero or shortly after his birth. He isn't in any pain and it currently isn't causing any problems but it could in the future considering his intestine could slip through and cause a painful, dangerous hernia.

He's scheduled for surgery on March 5th and it will be performed by the same surgeon who did his surgery for pyloric stenosis when he was just 3 weeks old. I'm glad that he's previously had anesthesia with no adverse effects because that puts my mind at ease a bit. His dad has decided that he should be there and is taking off work to join my husband and I at the hospital on the day of his procedure. It's an outpatient surgery so he should be able to come home later that day. He'll be sore for a while, will have to be out of school for a few days and can't do anything strenuous for a couple weeks.

I'm sure I'm more nervous than he is. I know it's a fairly common procedure but just the same, he's my baby and it worries me. I trust the surgeon and I know he's one of the best. I'll be sure to update on his surgery and condition. Please, if you pray, say a little prayer that all goes well and keep us in your thoughts.

Disappointed in my fellow man

I went shopping today with my hubby and two youngest children. We saw my mother parked outside a local thrift shop and decided to stop and say hi. Inside the store, my husband sat our youngest inside a cart so I placed my purse inside the basket like I always do. I got distracted talking to my mother and chasing after my 2 year old daughter and when I looked up, hubby had taken my son out of the cart and was ready to leave. We were heading into the next store when I realized I didn't have my purse. At that point, I couldn't remember if I had left it inside the van or inside the thrift. My mom went to check the van and I went back into the thrift store. I checked where the carts were but the purse wasn't there. I saw an empty cart on the other side of the store and THERE was my purse. Phheewww! Was I relieved!

I went on over to the store next door where my hubby was waiting. As we got to the back of the store, I told him about how I thought he'd put the cart back with the others. He said he did. I then told him how I found the cart on the other side of the store. He insisted he put it back with the other carts so I thought I'd better check my wallet. Reaching into my purse I immediately noticed my wallet was upside down and hadn't been snapped. I knew something was up. My money was gone. My credit cards, cell phone and all were still there but all my cash was gone from the center of my wallet. In less than 5 minutes, someone came into the store, got the cart, saw that my purse was there, dug into my wallet and took my money, leaving my purse inside the cart. They even zipped my purse back up. How nice of them.

Now, I have to let you in on the ironic part. This person who stole my money made a huge mistake. They only took the ten dollars in ones I had in the center of my wallet. I had a 100 dollar bill rolled up inside the zippered compartment in back and it hadn't been touched. How sad for them that on the day they decided to steal something, they did a poor job of it. Not to mention, they were stealing money inside a Christian based thrift store. No wonder they did it in such a hurry, they probably 'felt' God watching them! I just tell myself they must have needed that money more than I do. I also believe in karma so I'm sure it will come back around to them. I'm just thankful they only got $10 and left my cell and cards alone.

Lead Law, Shmead Shmaw...

For the past several years I've supported my family mostly by selling children's clothing online. This past summer a bill was passed into law that is causing many people like me to have no choice but to close shop. The CPSIA has decided that our children are eating too much of their clothing and therefore have placed a lead law into effect which can land us with fines and even jail time.

I'm short on time so I'll save the specifics for another post. This is just a rant for now. I've read over this law and I can't honestly believe that anyone who voted and passed this through even read it. I think they heard "This is a law to protect our children from unsafe lead levels in toys, books, etc" and they thought if it's to protect children, how can it be bad? Well, what about the children whose parents are left without income because of the stiff penalties they face for operating their small businesses?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for protecting our children and as a mother, my heart goes out to any parent whose child has been hurt by lead poisoning. I simply don't think this law was well thought out and planned for. I've read that there's already a stay of enforcement for one year but in the meantime, what are we to do? I have inventory that I'm not able to sell because I can't afford to have each item tested. With the way our economy is, this is the last thing we need to worry about.

The thrift stores in my area have cleared out most of their children's clothing as well as toys and books. Think of the drop in sales they're going to face because of this. Also, with some people scraping to make ends meet, they rely on thrift stores and second hand clothing to keep their children clothed. What are they supposed to do? Let their children go naked? Oh and don't say they can get hand me downs from Freecycle or Craigslist. Nuh uh. This law makes it illegal to even GIVE the clothing away.

As I said earlier, I don't have time to really get indepth on the subject right now and the more I think about it, the more irritated I get so I'll save it for another time, maybe. I'm done ranting for now. I feel so much better, NOT!