These three types of events can save you hundreds of pounds a year if you have the time to attend them and not only that, they can also be quite fun. You can often find all manner of weird and wonderful things at jumble sales and car boots but you can also find things that you actually need for much cheaper than in a store – all you need to do is look closely and learn to haggle.

Jumble Sales
The good old fashioned jumble sale has been around for decades and is a favourite fund raising event for schools, community centres and churches. Most sales have a variety of stalls that you literally pick through to find what you want. Here you can pick up nearly new clothing, household linen, bric-a-brac and plenty of other items for just a few pence and most stall holders will take whatever you offer (within reason). Because the proceeds go to the school or church etc. the people running the jumble sale just want to make as much money as they can and sell as much stock as they can so it’s worth making an offer on anything you see that you want.

Car Boot Sales
Car boot sales are slightly different in that each pitch is run by someone who wants to make as much money from the sale of their belongings as they can. This means that they may not be as generous with the haggling as the stall holders mentioned above. Saying that, anything is worth a try and if you see something you want or need then ask the price of it. Most seasoned car booters add a bit to the price to begin with as they know you’ll try to get it cheaper so making a lower offer won’t offend them.

If you take the time to look around car boot sales you can find pretty much everything you’ll ever need for very decent prices. These sales are great places to pick up real bargains and it isn’t unusual to get virtually new books, clothes, games and even furniture for just a few pounds. It is important to check that the items you look at are in good condition and ask to see electrical items working.

Auctions
Auctions come in a number of forms however you can pick up great deals at virtually all of them. Most areas have weekly household auctions where the stock comes from house repossessions and family estates. Here you can bid to buy all manner of household goods from furniture to linen to collectible statues and because the stock has to go, the prices are kept low. If you are going to attend an auction then you should have some idea of what you’re looking for so that you don’t come back with a whole new house! You should also have a budget in mind and when you’re there you need to stick to it. Auctions can be fast paced and it is easy to get carried away with the atmosphere so keep calm and only bid on what you really want. Other types of auctions include car auctions and police auctions and again, you can get some great discounts on items you’ve been looking for.