Markets, bazaars, stalls, souks, pavement shops, hawker's baskets. Call them what you like, they all spell the same thing. A slice of the action, a few great deals - and a chance to learn how the locals do it. In the US they're called grower's or farmer's markets (and this term is catching on here), or there may be tag sales or swap meets. In Australia, it's often garage sales or weekend markets.
Look for them any day of the week, in town squares or parks, for they are often outdoor and mobile, unrestricted to buildings. Follow the crowds. Ask the locals. Go with an open mind - and wallet - for you will be tempted to buy. Nothing surer!

Perhaps that is the key. Bargains. Finally you have a chance to bring the prices down, either by careful shopping or outright haggling, to suit your budget. While many markets sell food or fruit or flowers, often you will find everything from pots and pans to priceless antiques - if you are prepared to search and scavenge.

Country towns can yield rich finds of old books, antiques, collectibles and memorabilia, maybe because the residents are more likely to stay put often not moving from a home for generations.

Always, when you arrive at your destination, ask the locals if there is a weekly market. Watch the local paper for ads announcing a church bazaar, flea market or garage sales. If there is a farmer's market you are in luck.

Golden rules of shopping 

As with anything else there are some golden rules of shopping

• Buyer beware is always the rule in any market. Check any purchases carefully for signs of damage.
• Don't assume. If buying food, don't assume that it was grown by the people selling it. It may have come from the central markets and be no fresher (often less fresh) that the same things at the greengrocer's shop in the city.
• Buy what you need, not what you want. Ask yourself whether you will use the purchase - and when. Sometimes it is much harder to resist a smiling person the other side of a trestle table than it is to say no to an impulse buy when you are in the supermarket.
• Ask if it's local. How come you see the same faces (and wares) turning up at markets all over the country? For some people, this is their profession, and they follow the markets around, week by week. Watch out - this means the products may have been packed and repacked many times and could be damaged.
• Ask if it is handmade, or unique. If you are not watchful, that natty gizmo you buy for $10 at a country craft fair, may have been picked up at the $2 Bargain Store in town and simply recycled.
• Don't be afraid to ask for a better deal. While haggling is not generally the norm in Australia, some vendors will be prepared to give a discount if you buy several things, or if they just happen to like you.
• Take plenty of cash. Most small marketeers do not have the facilities to accept credit cards, and many will not be prepared to accept a cheque.
• Allow lots of time. These sort of places demand a spare afternoon, or morning. There will be a lot to see, often things to sample, and definitely much to buy - or think about buying.
• Markets can be simply a collection of 'other people's junk' or they can save you a mint. If they do it's the ideal way you can take a quick cut price trip around the country, and meet the locals as you do so.