Woman selling vegetables at the farmers' market

Photo: Bill Miles/Mint Images RF/Getty Images

2 of 5
Share Your Plans
Tell the guy stocking tomatoes at your supermarket that you're on a limited budget, and he'll probably shrug; mention it to a farmer and she might tell you she has some superripe heirlooms that can't go back on the truck that night, and they could be yours for less than the posted price. It's all in your delivery, though; Coburn says outright bargaining is tacky, but asking politely if you can get a price break if you're buying in bulk (say, you're purchasing 20 pounds of tomatoes for canning, or a 12-pint flat of blueberries for freezing) is totally fine. And if you don't mind weird-looking fruits or vegetables, you can ask if there are "seconds" available for less; sometimes, farmers stash less-than-perfect-looking produce in a bucket under the table.