Pony Luck!!!

[BigHicks1977]

Im trying to figure out the best place to spend my time and money in my hunt for new ponies and im sure there are other people on here in the same boat so vote away

[Shenanigans]

Yard sales and flea markets are great IF you can find any It takes a lot of gas to get from yard sale to yard sale with the chance of finding nothing so it's a small risk you have to take. I did it once and spent the WHOLE day and a whole tank of gas going to yard sales and didn't find anything. Very disappointing I have found some good ponies in thrift stores and flea markets though (Diamond Dreams and TAF Yum Yum to name a few) but it's really not often that I find them. They're the best priced ones for sure though

I know a lot of people hate ebay (and for good reason lol) but I've found some really good deals from ebay. Sometimes you get lucky and find a Rapunzel for $25 like a member here did That's gotta be the most awesome ebay deal I've ever heard of

[minamarie]

kijiji (large lots)> fleamarkets (most of them) > thriftstores (some)
ebay is overpriced for me, i just buy merchandise there

[Ivy]

When I first started collecting it was flea markets - occasionally a yard sale too, but at the flea market I came home with new ponies every week - usually between 10-30 - I also got my PE at the flea market and my Perm Shoppe, Nursery and Dream Castle. My Mimic was a flea market find - heck so was my Ar gentian Felecedades - how she got to a flea market in Michigan I'll never know, both only $1. But the times have changed and the flea markets have dried up - oh I still see lots of G3s there - but I don't collect G3's anymore. The last pony I found at a flea market was Glory last summer.

Now to find them it's usually eBay...

[Eldarwen]

I've found my best ponies here from the arena. But its just super fun to find ponies from flea markets! Nothing beats that.

[ravengusty]

I would go with the arena because I've had some fantastic deals here of late, I'm getting some SS ponies at great prices from an arena member and another SS at a great price from another boardie.

There are of course the odd good bargains on ebay but not as often 

[BethyVic]

I haven't ever found any vintage ponies at flea markets or thrift stores.  I have gotten most of my ponies from ebay, but the best were found right here on the Arena.  It is nice to buy from fellow collectors because they give detailed descriptions and keep their ponies clean. They are also trust-worthy. 

[katrine2309]

Umm, I never found any at flea markets or anything similar. I voted ebay... Not because that is were I usually like to hang out pony searching, but almost all my pony finds I've done there. But please keep in mind that I only have around 10 ponies that are not childhoods, and most of them were bought before I joined the Arena. A long, long time ago when I first re-discovered ponies.

The place I like to hang out, and look for ponies is absolutely the Arena....

[Ianthe99]

I have found lots of good stuff at thrift stores! I live in a big city though, with a whole lot of thrift stores.. (13 I think). I, personally, like those better than yard sales because i don't have to drive around to places I don't know and do the semi-awkward "Um.. hi..." *quick look**nope nothing here* "Umm..bye".  Thrift stores I just do my circuit and on to the next.

I have found a little bit of stuff on Craigslist (2-3 lots in 7 years) and very little in flea markets. The flea markets here in Columbus are crud though. Mostly knock off shoes and purses and the like (Swap meet Louie! if you get that reference!)  I only find stuff in thrifts when I go to my Mom's near Cincy. One of the problems is that everyone and their brother has an internet connection these days and looks stuff up. Even thrift stores.. /sigh... Endangered are the days of super cheap rares! (but I still find some mighty good stuff sometimes!)

TL;DR version. I prefer thrift stores.. kthxbai

[xeevee]

my best deals were actually from School Fetes back in Australia. A school fate is basically a little fair that are held by schools to raise money, they sell baked goods, have jumping castles, and people donate old stuff to the school to sell on (like a flea market kinda thing I guess).  Anyway, I have found a MIB sweet dreams crib with a bunch of extra g1 brushes and unopened ribbons for 50cents. Plus several g1 and more g3 ponies than you could count.

But my best overall buys have been from here. 

[SajiNoKami]

Insane amounts of luck at thrift stores.
I have yet to find any at Flea Markets and yard sales, but my ma and friends have.
...wait I did finally find a g3 at a church garage sale.
Only bad thing about thrift stores,
is some of them know mlp are collectable and price higher..
but other thrifts stores are nice and combine ponies into bags, dropping the price per pony.
Other stores still do not do this. I have so many random toys in my car right now.

[StoryDreamer]

Yard sales, Craigslist (not me personally, but it seems Arena members get ponies off CL often), estate sales (estate sales aren't for the deceased any longer, now they are just big sales for families downsizing, wanting to clear out etc), garage sales, flea markets, thrift stores.  Go to thrift stores on Mondays or Tuesdays after people clean out closets and have yard sales. I always do that and I score at least something good every time.

[Sugar]

My best luck has come from right here!   Though I still do find the occasional G1 at thrift or Value Village.  My best finds have been SS Satin'n'Lace at the thrift shop right close to my workplace (though she was too poorly flocked to keep fuzzy; she deflocked very nicely), and Pina Colada and Sparkle Baby Firefly at VV.  I've had approximately zero luck at garage sales and jumble sales, but I do keep trying anyway... if there are no ponies, sometimes there are good books to be had secondhand, and my son is always game to poke along with me.  (So far... he's developing that, "Yuck, shopping," thing... )

[BrittzMylilPony]

I voted Thrift Only because I love the hunt and the surprise!

[BigHicks1977]

I cant help but notice that this pole is very VERY close maybe it does come down to luck......well luck and time.... as a toy collector for many years I know the chances of finding anything  if your not out hunting is ZERO!!!