In many communities, farmers markets provide a great outlet for farmers to sell their produce directly to the public, bypassing a lot of middlemen. This can result in delicious fresh produce and savings for you, and more profit for the farmer. Everyone wins!
However, just as with any store, a customer can still end up paying higher prices than necessary. Farmers will naturally price their wares at a level they believe will sell, which means that, although you can find bargains, they’re not everywhere.
The good news? You can save money at farmers markets by employing a few smart strategies. Here are six; most of these are particularly effective when used in combination.
[See: 10 Meals to Make When You’re Trying to Save.]
1. Don’t buy things at the first booth you see. Even if they have exactly what you want there. When you first arrive, spend some time scoping out a number of booths, comparing prices and the quality of their goods. It’s rare that the first booth you see will have the best prices and quality.
The reality is: Many farmers market vendors will be selling similar items because things come into season at the same time. This means there will be some friendly price competition among vendors. Take advantage of that.
2. Have a sense of what you’re looking for. It’s generally a bad idea to visit a farmers market with a precise shopping list, because you never know what exactly will be available. A better approach is to go to the market with an understanding that you’re seeking produce to make a few salads with, or, say, that you’re looking for the centerpiece of a couple of your meals that week.
If you go in looking for things to fit a concrete meal plan you already have in place, then you’re likely to make unnecessary purchases. If you don’t have any plan at all, you’re likely to make purchases that don’t reflect what you actually need, raising the risk that those buys will go to waste.
[See: 12 Shopping Tricks to Keep You Under Budget.]
3. Always haggle. At farmers markets, prices are almost always negotiable. While vendors do need to earn enough money to make the endeavor worthwhile, many of them are happy to offer a discount.
It’s worth noting that you’re not likely to get much of a discount when negotiating for one item. Your best bet is to make an offer on multiple items at once.
4. Bring cash, especially dollar bills and quarters. If you have small denominations with you, it can actually be a very good bargaining tool, especially with vendors whose prices aren’t rounded to the nearest dollar. Many vendors will begin to run short on quarters or dollar bills, so if you notice one who is in such a spot, make a low bid on an item offering to pay in quarters or ones. You’ll often get a spectacular deal.
[See: 7 Products to Never Buy in Bulk.]
5. Go even when it’s rainy or really hot. Sure, farmers markets are lovely when the sun is shining, but the crowds are going to be there, too, and vendors are going to bump up their prices a little and be less likely to negotiate. The best bargains come on days when the weather isn’t perfect, since the crowds will be smaller but the vendors will still need to sell the same amount of produce. The sticker prices are often lower and haggling will still work – and sometimes can work even better.
6. Stop by just before the close. Many vendors will be more inclined to give discounts on their remaining goods at the end of the market than at the start. Facing potential losses, vendors may be open to selling remaining goods for substantially less than they had planned.
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How to Save Money at the Farmers Market originally appeared on usnews.com
