You may grumble, lament, shake your head. But you cannot deny the sad truth. Our dollar does not go nearly as far as it once did. Everyone is looking for a bargain and ways to hold on to their cash while still maintaining their plush style of life. I suggest getting creative, and boy, do we have a creative way to spend a few hours and bring home some fun.

Similar to Tuesday Morning and Ross, stores that sell liquidated items from other stores, the Star-Lite Swap Meet has the trump card in the game due to one simple fact: you can haggle, and it’s somewhat expected. See something you like, call out, “Hey, is this you?” as you motion to tables or just the 10-by-10 area full of stuff in general. The hawker of the goods comes over; you hold out or point to the object of your momentary affection and ask for a price. Here the haggling starts with your counteroffer. I feel offering half of what the seller told you is a smart place to start unless the original price is completely acceptable to you.

Hot tip: dress down. Wear clothing that makes you appear to be in a low-income bracket, lest the hawker think you have a wallet full of greenbacks and can afford an inflated price.

Thought of taking up the saw as a new musical instrument? The Star-Lite can cheaply make this dream a reality (two saws for $2). Are you specially endowed with Sir Mix-A-Lot’s favorite physical attribute? There are booths, complete with big booty mannequins with tiny waists, full of pants and skirts for those hot ladies with a lot more junk in the trunk. And if knockoff designer-looking shades are what you’re in to, $5 a pair will be sweet music to your ears. Truly, though, the best thing about the swap meet is the people-watching and the overall experience of the submerged in a circus meets Grateful Dead concert parking lot atmosphere, and it is priceless (entrance is $1 per person, however). We recommend passing the main entrance, taking the first left and going in the back side. Heh.

[Star-Lite Swap Meet, 8327 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.588.8090]