Going to yard sales and flea markets can be a fun Saturday activity. Whether you are in need of a new end table or love collecting records, scavenging can be fun for the both of you. You can get to know each other by talking about the trinkets. You can laugh at all the junk that other people think are worth something. And you get to hold hands the entire time and talk. Active and interactive dates are always preferable to a movie, which is so overdone.

It can be a really great way to get to know someone. You can learn what they treasure by the things they pick up and by listening to what they cannot stop talking about. This date can also really let you know what they think of as trash. If they see an old mechanical bank and start talking about what a piece of junk it is, maybe this isn’t the day, or week, to show them your awesome piggy bank collection.

However, going to yard sales and flea markets can be a fun way to start your own traditions. You can start building up your own awkward coffee table book collection by purchasing that hilarious “How to drink your own urine” book that you found, or keep adding to your 99 cent movie collection after flipping through all the VHS tapes and finding “Top Gun”. Another trait you can learn about your companion is their mental price checker. One can’t help but say “man, that is too expensive” if they feel it.

But by all means, don’t just stare at your companion the whole time! Look around, find something that you might treasure. Or look for a piece of furniture that would just finish off your living room. Be sure to chat it up with the vendors. They sure are bored sitting there and the older ones usually have a good story or two that they just want to share with everyone. Be sure to do this in enjoyable (not too cold or too hot) weather, and really enjoy yourself. Scavenging is not all about buying stuff, it is partially about the journey. You two are on a date, point out crazy things, laugh at old books, let her put on old jewelry and feel pretty or let her laugh at how ridiculous it looks.

There are usually a plethora of places to find second hand sales. Sometimes these are advertised by balloons and signs hung up on a Saturday morning. Some towns have a permanent flea market that is populated every weekend (the best stuff will be found early on a Saturday morning). We live near a town that has a monthly flea market in a local parking garage, so some planning is involved. You can open your local paper or even check out some online sites, including Craig’s List, for local events in your area.

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