Yep, I bought it!

So, you’ve found a vintage console or game that you just can’t put down and now you want to collect more games, accessories or even more consoles. There are many options on where to find just what you’re looking for. You could go online, there you have many options such as; Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist or even Shopgoodwill.com among others. While it may be easier to shop online, there are other ways such as: thrift stores, flea markets, swap meets or even yard sales. Sometimes you may even find a used media store that will carry what you’re looking for, but those are becoming rare these days. My personal favorite is hunting through thrift stores! I will be showing you just a few simple tips on how to get the stuff you want while shelling out as little cash as possible. Also I will be writing a series of articles called Sam’s Scores to showcase some of my successful finds, so keep checking back for my first installment! Bargains can be found, you just need patience and to follow a few guidelines. Truthfully, in the end it’s all in your hands.

Online Onslaught:

Shopping online can be convenient, yet also a hassle. The internet is a community for the whole world, so who knows exactly how many people want any given item or just how bad they want that item! Sometimes people will win at all costs placing obscene bids and pushing up the accepted value of these items. A few simple tips are to keep your eyes on multiple auctions of the same thing, in case one or more doesn’t work out in your favor and to get an idea of their online value. Also you should set your price limit and never bend or else you may end up paying way more than the item is even worth. Always ask questions until you’re satisfied with the product you intend to purchase. And last but not least always factor in shipping with your maximum bid!

Drifting Through Thrift:

Thrift stores are always a good starting point, people donate these items and for the most part thrift stores sell them just to make a little profit. Although I have found some thrift stores that want premium prices, this isn’t always the case. My first and most important tip, I think, is to make a list of everything you want to help keep everything in your conscious as you’re looking through tons of items you may not want. Make sure to check your local thrift stores as often as possible because you may never know when they stock the new items. Most thrift stores have great discounts, certain colored price tags are a certain percent off this day, week or month so keep an eye out for discounts! Naturally you might not walk away with anything the first time around, so check as many thrift stores as often as you can, it will pay off sometime!

Pound the Ground:

Going to flea markets, yard sales and swap meets will take a little bit of knowledge from both of the above options. Here, you want to mix together what you’ve learned above and use them to come away successful. Take your list with you and this time right down your price limits next to each item and do not budge! Sometimes sellers are aware of what they have before they offer it for sale and in some cases you may think what they’re asking is crazy. Not always the case but they want to have haggle room, so you can talk the price down and they can still make a profit while both parties feel satisfied about the sale. Don’t be afraid to haggle because there is always room for them to go lower but you should never go higher. For the sake of the sale and parties involved, if you’re already getting a steal don’t push the issue to save a buck just ask and let it go. These last options are crap shoots, you never know if anyone will even be selling what you want but it’s always fun to walk around and see what’s for sale.