Here's how to turn your lazy Sundays into a fun money-spinner

By Charl Collings editor of What really Makes Money

Ideally, we'd all like a lazy day off on a Sunday. But right now, if you need some extra cash, this is a way you could turn your spare time on a Sunday into a few hundred .... or even a few thousand rands .... by selling at Sunday flea markets.

There are a few good reasons flea markets are worth considering: First, it's an ideal part time, sideline opportunity - it won't interfere with your weekday income. It's really great for the current economic climate too. Because low market trading overheads mean you can sell your stuff at realistic prices and still make a good profit margin. Customers are looking for value for money right now, and markets deliver that by the bucket load.

And it's easy and cheap to start. Got a day free on Sundays, a car or van, a little bit of capital (from about R1,000)? Well, let's get going - you can be up and running and making money from Sunday markets in a couple of weeks.

The best things to sell right now…

Here's what you need to know about Sunday markets: People buy different things on a Sunday. More luxuries and impulse buys than daily necessities like in ordinary markets. Here are some great ideas:

Fashion. Niche fashions. Designer clothes. Vintage clothing. Accessories. Shoes. Handbags. Silk ties. Children's and baby designer wear. Hats.
Books. Old books. New books. Collectable books. Rare books.
Music. Vinyl records. CDs. DVDs. Rare and specialist music.
Food. Locally produced foodstuffs sourced from local farmers and suppliers. Organic food. Whole food. Vegetarian, vegan and other special diets. Herbs and spices. Foods of the world.
Collectables. Stamps. Coins. Paper ephemera. Clocks. Medals. Postcards. Photography.
Antiques and reproductions. Glass. Silver. China. Brass. Gold. Pottery. Occasional furniture.
Jewellery. Hand made jewellery. Costume jewellery. Necklaces. Pendants. Rings. Bangles. Bracelets. Body jewellery.
Gifts. Greetings cards. Gift wrap. Confectionery. Toys. Pens. Watches. Toiletries.
Cosmetics. Natural cosmetics. Hypoallergenic products. Ethical products.
Arts and crafts. Paintings. Prints. Sketches. Sculpture. Wood and metal craft. Candles. Leather goods. Textiles. Models. Ceramics.
Ethical and fair-trade items. Clothing. Furnishings. Food.
Home design and decor. Soft furnishings. Linens. Lighting. Textiles. Ornaments. Pottery.
Garden. Plants. Seeds. Bulbs. Shrubs. Tools. Garden ornaments.
Used goods. Sure to be a good product line at the moment - but make sure they are good quality if you want to get good prices.

How to get stock for your stall

Cash and carry wholesalers are your best bet here. You can buy in smallish quantities. Nowadays a lot of them even have websites where you can browse and buy and get your stock delivered to your door, so you don't even have to visit them. To find wholesalers, have a look in your local 'Yellow Pages'.

How to choose the best flea markets

Ask relatives, friends, neighbours and work colleagues if they can recommend any. Next, scour the small ads. in the local papers and do an Internet search to see what's available. Draw up a shortlist. You can do the same flea market every week, or mix and match with different ones.

Good Tip: Do NOT take a stall at a flea market without checking it out first in person. Make sure it is well attended and that the stallholders are doing good business.

The secret to getting the best pitch

A bit of horse-trading might be needed to make sure you get the best stall, or pitch as they're known. Some flea markets restrict stalls so that there will never be more than one or two stallholders selling the same thing. Generally, it's great to be the second stallholder - because there'll already be an established trade for whatever it is.

Be ready to negotiate on the position of your stall. Positions near the entrance are always best. That way, you get first dabs at buyers' cash before they spend it elsewhere. At the best and busiest Sunday markets you might have to go along as a casual trader first and queue up for stalls on a 'first come first served' basis. Once you've got your stall established you will be in a better position to get the best pitches.

Flea market trading tips

If it looks good, it will sell well. Display is everything. Just look at the beautiful displays of fruit and vegetable in traditional markets. The same applies whatever product you're selling. If it looks, smells and even just feels good people are more likely to buy.
Encourage people to touch. Don't display your prices too obviously. Put them on the back of goods. If people have to pick things up to see the prices they are more likely to buy them. Sneaky but true.
Talk to your customers! Remember Sunday shopping is very much a leisure activity. If you engage with people they are more likely to come back and buy from you again.