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Let’s face it, 2020 has been rough and we all probably need to make our hard earned dollars go just a little farther.  

Shopping Canton First Monday Trade Days is a great way to stretch your dollars while supporting small businesses.  To help you do both, Canton Shopping Guide has come up with some helpful tips to make your trip successful and keep you under budget.

Have a Budget

Yes, this seems like a no-brainier, but take a few minutes to realistically determine exactly how much you have and are willing to spend.  Without a number, it will be hard to ensure that you don’t wind up spending more than you wanted to or, even worse, more than you actually have.  

Make a List

The choices and selection of goods available at Canton First Monday Trade Days is immense. Put the items you are looking for on a list along with how much you are willing to spend on each one. Make sure you keep the grand total under your overall shopping budget.  As you shop and make purchases, tick them off your list.  That small act will give you a sense of accomplishment, which in turn will make you feel better about making that list in the first place. 

Leave the Credit Cards Behind

It’s a pretty well established fact that people tend to spend more when they use credit cards.  And that means exceeding budget limits.  The best thing to do is leave your credit cards behind.  If you feel like you need one with you for emergencies and can’t leave it behind altogether, then make it horribly inconvenient to use.  Wrap it up in a plastic baggy and tape it up with duct tape.  That will ensure that you can’t pull it out and use it on a whim and a fancy.  

Take Cash

Without the credit cards available to pay for your purchases, your only option is to take cash.  Lucky for you, a good number of vendors at Canton First Monday Trade Days accept nothing else.  Cash will also keep you from having to tally up all your expenses.  You’ll always know exactly how much you have left to spend.  And it will be a great feeling when you look at your fully completed list and you still have some money left in your wallet.  

Negotiate?

Negotiating is a fact of life, as well as an art, at flea markets.  Unless a vendor explicitly says that a price is final and non-negotiable, the first quote you hear or the number on the sticker might not be the lowest price they’ll accept.  At Canton First Monday Trade Days a vendor’s willingness to negotiate depends on a variety of factors, including margins, their sales that day, the time of day, and even your attitude among other things.  So, smile, be friendly and don’t hesitate to ask if they’ll accept a lower price.  You could even use your list as justification and let them know that you had set a budget of $25 for that beautiful item and if they just came down $5, you’d take if off their hands right then.  The worst they can do is say that their price is as low as they can go.  

Know When to Say “No”

“Pro” shoppers know when to say “no” even when their hearts are screaming “yes.”   If you are negotiating with a vendor and they can’t accept your reasonable offer, the best thing to do is say thanks and look somewhere else.  Remember, you have a budget to stick to.  Similarly, be strong in resisting those “Oh my gosh, that’s SO cute” items for which you really have no use.  It does you no good to purchase a table, vase, or t-shirt, however cute, that will just wind up collecting dust in your attic or closet. Which leads us right into our next tip.

Only Buy What You LOVE

This might sound cliche, but don’t ever settle for something you're not 100% absolutely sure about.  Buying something because you feel you need to or thinking “this will have to do” only guarantees you won’t be happy with that purchase.  And that’s not what we call “successful”.  If it doesn’t immediately speak to you and you love it, and there’s not some other compelling reason to actually make the purchase, then the best thing to do is leave it.  It's better to shop smart and not spend that money than wind up with something you’re sure to not enjoy and regret buying. 

Do a Little Research Beforehand?

Canton First Monday Trade Days is a sprawling affair.  No matter how early you start, it’s almost impossible to visit every stall and walk every aisle.  Do some research ahead of time and narrow the scope of your trip to the vendors in which you’re most interested.  That’s where Canton Shopping Guide comes in.  Look up items and vendors and then make notes of where they are.  You can even contact them through their vendor listing. This isn’t to say that you can’t or shouldn’t adventure around, but focusing on what you are most interested in will help you stay on budget.

Shopping on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself.  Use the Canton Shopping Guide to help you successfully find the budget friendly items you are looking for at Canton First Monday Trade Days.