Who doesn’t love a bargain?  And with VAT set to rise, and belts tightened again, car boot sales are a fantastic way of picking up some great buys without bursting the bank as well as an enjoyable way to spend a few sunny hours.
There’s no end to the kind of things you can buy at one, and for anyone who has not yet tried it, and imagines they are glorified jumble sales, think again!
Yes, there is some junk, but there are also lots of interesting, and useful items, many of which are going for a song.
Lots of sellers at a car boot are merely clearing the decks at home for something new – and are selling a load of things they just don’t need, or have room for anymore – which may well be just what you are looking for!
But bear a few things in mind before heading out to a sale – in the long run, it could stop you coming home with a load of things which are just going to fester in the garage, or cost you too much.
-Check out your local paper and ask around to find where the best car boots are held – try to find ones which are well-organised and reputable.
-Find out the starting time and get there early if you want to pick up the best bargains.
-If  you are taking the children, make sure you are well prepared for the weather ie sun cream on a hot day and a hat – and though there’s usually caterers at bigger sales, a few drinks and snacks are always a good idea.
-You don’t have to accept the first price offered by a seller – if you think it’s too expensive, try and haggle, and if that doesn’t work, you can always come back later.  Sellers are often prepared to accept less the later it gets – they don’t want to have to take it all home with them again.
-Take no more money than you want to spend.  That way, you won’t be tempted to spend too much on an impulse buy, or something which is more expensive than it should be. Give the children a budget as well – they can get involved in a bit of bargaining too, if they want to.
-Make sure, as far as you can, that what you are buying works. You can’t just take items back next week if they are faulty, so take particular care with electrical items.
-Have some fun!  Haggling can be exhilarating – keep it in good spirit. A smile and some friendly chat might just help secure a real bargain.