by Julia Catherine Lee

Created on: June 17, 2009   Last Updated: June 18, 2009

America's Favorite Past Time - Taking your Kids to the Neighborhood Flea Market and Having a Blast.

I love visiting flea markets on weekends, sometimes I will even drive an hour to go to an out of town flea market. No, I am not a flea market junkie, rather it is an excuse for me to get out for a stroll, enjoy the sights and sounds and the neighborhood. Having said that, I must confess I often visit flea markets with a goal of finding an interesting book or two or items I need for my photography and other odds and ends. Rarely do I come home empty handed.

As the saying goes, one man's junk is another man's treasures and I am all for doing my part in recycling in our throw away society today. Flea markets are places where one often finds items in good working condition, for a fraction of the price. Growing up in Asia in a big family, I remember having many "hand me down" clothes and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. In fact, it has taught me the value of money, which is probably the single most important lesson I learned in life.

In this challenging economy, people from all walks of life are flocking to flea markets to find things they need. Across the country, flea markets are enjoying a revival now that summer is here. Many are finding flea markets to be a good avenue to sell items that have been sitting around in the garage or just things they can do without to generate cash. This means sellers are competing for customers and driving down prices even more.

Brand new; toys and children's books, shabby chic and designer clothes, jewelry, power tools, hardware items, power tools, household goods, small furniture; all for a fraction of the price. How many times have I seen a child's face light up as she saw the little doll lying there among the old books, the DVD player, piles of designer clothes and other trinkets.

Often, I would hear someone exclaimed "Oh My God" as they picked up something they have been looking for for a long time. It is that excitement of another bargain shopper that is so infectious and makes one wants to be part of the action as well, or simply just enjoy the atmosphere. How we love bargains, finding a nice bargain and telling our friends about it afterwards is often the highlight of our weekends.

So, be forewarned, make sure you set a budget for yourself, bring only the amount of cash you want to spend, otherwise you will find plenty of treasures to quickly fill up your bag and empty your wallet. Most will agree that going

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