But how can you pick out that perfect souvenir and gifts for loved ones back home without digging too deep into your wallet? To help you out, we’ve made the following list of tips for how to stretch your shopping budget to the max.

Related: See all articles on shopping in Berlin

Think beyond the famous shopping boulevards and malls

Although most guidebooks you read will likely to sing their praises, major shopping streets like Kufürstendamm and Friedrichstrasse are designed with upscale shoppers in mind. Although both streets are interesting and worth a stroll, if you’d like to do some actual shopping, you’re likely to find better bargains on lesser known shopping streets.

Instead of Ku’damm, why not check out nearby Wilmersdorfer Strasse?

Skip Friedrichstrasse in favor of Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln. Karl-Marx-Strasse is also home to Neukolln Arcaden, a small shopping center located directly at the U-Bahn station Rathaus Neukölln, where you’re more likely to find bargains than the more tourist-oriented malls around Potsdamer Platz. If you go there, be sure to check out Klunkerkranich, a hip, outdoor bar café on the top level of the mall’s parking garage which offers great views over the city.

Browsing a flea market in Berlin at Boxhanger Platz. Photo: la citta vita

Seek out flea markets

Whether you’re looking for East German memorabilia (“ostalgia”), old letters and photographs, or a lamp and a pair of boots, Berlin hosts dozens of weekend flea markets that you can scour for treasures. Here are a few that we’d recommend:

Boxhagener Platz: A large flea market in the popular student quarter Friedrichshain. The market is a great mix of professional and private sellers.

Nowkoelln Flea Market: Browse through the cool selection at this arty flea market in Berlin’s hippest neighborhood, Neukölln. You’ll find lots of private sellers hocking their wares.

Rathaus Schöneberg: A flea market located on the very spot John F. Kennedy once uttered the famous line, “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

Herman-Ehlers-Platz: This flea market takes place on Sundays from 8 am to 4 pm and is located near the U-Bahn station Rathaus Steglitz. This one is way off the tourist path and less likely to be overpriced and picked over.

For more Berlin flea market ideas, click here.

3 tips for bargaining at flea markets

· Don’t seem too excited

· Don’t ask how much something costs, offer a price yourself, lower than what you’re actually willing to pay so the seller has room to bargain (but not so low you actually annoy them!).

· Be patient. Sometimes it pays to walk away the first time, then come back later and see if they’re willing to sell the item for the price you want.

The Turkish Market in Berlin has everything from handmade crafts to traditional food. Photo: Neil H

Explore international markets

Two great ethnic markets to seek out are the Turkish Market on Maybach Ufer and, far out in the former East, the Vietnamese Dong Xuan Center. These markets are a great place to buy textiles, meat, and produce at a nice price as well as selected handicrafts. Both are also great to enjoy a cheap and tasty lunch, as well.

Buy vintage clothing by the kilo

As with many trendy cities these days, “vintage” can also be code for “overpriced old stuff” in Berlin. However, the shops Colours and Garage are both exceptions. These shops offer vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories at a reasonable price. The back of each store is packed with hundreds upon hundreds of vintage dresses, skirts, pants, jackets… you name it.

And here’s the kicker: Everything is sold at €25 per kilo. Both shops also have one day a week when they offer 30% off both kilo and individually priced items. The shops are packed full and it can be quite a feat to wade through the piles. A lot of the clothing also looks very “vintage”, so it helps if you’re a fan of the 1970’s or 1980’s style, or have a thing for dirndls. But with a little patience and a bit of luck, you can really find great bargains here.

Treasures at the Trödeler (junk shops)

A Trödelladen is Berlin’s version of a junk shop. They are often packed floor-to-ceiling with furniture and décor as well as some clothing, jewelry, and knickknacks — and undoubtedly run by a grumpy man with a love of cigars.

Although their numbers are dwindling, and some of them have been “discovered”, making it much harder to find true bargains anymore, but they are still a unique Berlin experience worth checking out. Two streets where you can still find several Trödelläden are Flughafen Strasse in Neukölln (near the U-Bahn station Rathhaus Neukölln) and Nehringstraße in Charlottenburg (near the U-Bahn station Sophie-Charlotte-Platz).

Seasonal sales, twice a year

Until recently, shops in Germany were only allowed to have sales two times a year. These were called the Sommerschlussverkauf (SSV, “end of summer season sale”) and Winterschlussverkauf (WSV, “end of winter season sale”). Although shopping regulations are no longer as strict, both of these traditional sale periods are still observed at the same time by all shops in Germany as well as many other places in Europe.

The exact dates of the sale vary from year to year, but WSV is usually sometime in February and SSV towards the end of July.

Tip: The best time to shop is a week or two after the sale when items have been marked down even further. If you’re in Berlin during the time, it may be worth it to pop into the mother of all upscale department store, KaDeWe, and get that gorgeous jacket you’ve been lusting over at 70% off the original asking price.

Happy (bargain) shopping everyone!

Your Berlin shopping tips

Have some shopping tips to add to our list? Share with us in the comments section below!

The post Berlin Shopping: Tips for saving big on shopping appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Ask for the nearest “Rossmann” or “dm” (day-em) store. In Germany, there’s one in practically every neighborhood and almost certainly every train station, from Berlin to Munich.

What you’ll find

The palette of products runs the gamut of typical drugstore suspects: personal hygiene from top to bottom (soaps, toothpastes, lotions, razors, cosmetics, cotton balls, detergents), household products, organic foods, snacks, beverages and babycare items (such as food, pacifiers, and diapers) among others.

There will be plenty of items that are useful to a budget traveler, but perhaps overlooked during packing:

• Basic flip flops for beach, communal shower, or hotel room for just €1!
• Emergency necessities—such as earplugs, headphones, band-aids, batteries, tissues, film, hosiery, condoms, spare underwear or even superglue—at reasonable prices.
• Sponges and soap for hand-washing dishes and corkscrews or resealable lunch bags for self-caterers.
• In case you’ve been invited to dinner, a selection of wines and chocolates as well as gift bags are available.

These stores also generally offer instant photo services. Print your new-found friends a quick souvenir directly from your camera’s memory card!

These chains are a boon to people with dietary restrictions, with a wide variety of organic alternative milks, as well as clearly-marked gluten-free foods and snacks. Lactaid-type tablets are sold as well. This is also the easiest place to pick up distilled water for medical equipment.

What you won’t find

Unlike the U.S., Germany does not sell over-the-counter medications outside of pharmacies. So if you need a basic pain reliever, suppository or cough syrup with active ingredients, you’ll still have to head to an actual Apotheke. Pharmacies, too, are located in nearly every neighborhood, but not in combination with such drugstores (familiar and convenient as that may be).

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Germany is well-acquainted with discount grocery stores, and is in fact the birthplace of the Aldi chain, now spreading across the US like wildfire. While the American and German shopping experiences do not coordinate 1:1, many of the money- and time-saving principles are the same:

• Limited selection: only the most essential and popular products are sold;
• Store branding: few name-brand options, though organics are often available;
• Warehouse ambiance: products are typically shelved in their delivery boxes;
• Customer inputs: self-bagging, deposit-based cart return.

For most travelers, these seeming limitations have great benefits. Stores are small and easily navigable. Restricted choice makes shopping quick and easy. Checkout is fast and efficient. And you can’t beat the prices on bottled water and produce, which help keep a traveler healthy!

Germany’s largest discount grocery store chains

The most common stores across the country are Aldi, Lidl, and Netto.

Self-catering travelers without cooking facilities will appreciate the following:

• In-store bakery items: hot, fresh loaves of bread, buns, baguettes;
• Prepackaged deli-sliced meats and cheeses;
• Condiments, jams, and spreads;
• Large selection of fruits and picnic-friendly vegetables;
• Chips, pretzels, nuts, dried fruits, and other snacks;
• Breakfast cereals, granola, and fresh milk or yogurt;
• Cheapest bottled water available;
• Amazing selection of inexpensive wines!

Perfect for cheapo travelers (with kitchens)

For self-catering travelers with cooking facilities, your options are unlimited. After a long day of sightseeing, you (and your pocketbook) might find a quick meal of refrigerated tortellini and prepared sauce, scrambled eggs and toast, or a glass of wine while your frozen pizza bakes the right respite from restaurant foods. Pants optional!

These stores also serve as a handy alternative to overpriced eateries in train stations and city centers. When all you want is a drink and a pre-packaged sandwich or salad, these can be had just as quickly from a discount grocery at a fraction of the cost.

In a pinch, these stores also offer a selection of basic items also available at discount drugstores, from toothpaste to sunscreen. If you’ve been invited to dinner, this is another easy place to pick up a bottle of wine, box of chocolates, and even an inexpensive bouquet for your host.

Your Aldi, Lidl and Netto thoughts?

Have anything to add to our love-song to Germany’s discount grocery stores? Share with us in the comments section.

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Ostpaket, located across Karl-Liebknecht-Strasse from the train station in the Berlin-Carré shopping center, sells a combination of popular GDR brands that withstood the economic transition and are still for sale today, as well as items that were produced in such excess under the planned economy that they remain as leftovers, even after nearly two-and-a-half decades since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Here, among other tasty treats, you can pick up a jar of the famous Spreewald pickles, perhaps best enjoyed before boarding your next plane. For your loved ones back home, try the multi-colored chicken-shaped hard-boiled egg holders, spiced soaps, fine textiles such as handkerchiefs, or traditional wooden toys – all still produced in Germany’s “new states.” Unlike the rest of the tourist-oriented stores cluttering the street, you can be certain that every souvenir from Ostpaket was really made in Germany.

Ostpaket is located on the second floor (German: 1.OG.) of the Berlin-Carré shopping center, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 13, in the rear above Kaiser’s. Open for your shopping pleasure Monday-Friday, 9-19, Saturday 9-18.

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1. Another Country (Bookshop)
Riemannstraße 7, Kreuzberg
Tel: (030) 6940 1160
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.;  Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Don’t be fooled by the rocks it ain’t got. This shabby used bookstore in the stately Bergmannstrasse neighborhood is a gem. The fiction section may need a thorough re-cataloging, but the real highlight is the owner’s lovingly curated personal sci-fi collection. Many of the obscure titles are for borrowing only.

2. Saint Georges English Bookshop
Wörther Straße 27, Prenzlauer Berg
Tel: (030) 8179 8333
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

As Germans would say, klein aber fein (“small but fine”). The Saint Georges offers a reading series and a good selection that mainly caters to the expat crowd.

3. East of Eden
Schreinerstraße 10, Friedrichshain
Tel: (030) 423 93 62
Web site
Hours: Mon.-Fri 12 p.m.–7 p.m.; Sat. 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

I don’t know about Eden, but this indy shop certainly is on the eastern side of the city. Most books are used, except for new reprints of classics (read: cheap!).

4. Dussmann – das KulturKaufhaus
Friedrichstrasse 90, Mitte
Web site
Hours: Mon-Sat 10 a.m.–midnight

What am I doing writing about this mammoth corporation when I should be promoting small local bookshops? Well, just look at the newly built English section, tucked away in the back—it has plenty of seating and an up-to-date selection. Plus, it’s open until midnight, for those late night book cravings.

More planning advice: Are you planning a trip to Berlin? If so, be sure to stop by our guide to the best budget hotels in Berlin. Our editors have visited, inspected and reviewed affordable hotels all over central Berlin and recommend their favorites. Read more in our Berlin guide.

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Stick to studenty/artsy neighborhoods—the Mitte/Prenzlauer Berg border, Kreuzberg, and Friedrichshain—and you’ll be sure to score a dud or two that will make you look oh-so-European for oh-so-few Euros. We think that Mitte/Prenzlauer border and Kreuzberg are the best hunting grounds.

Young and hip: The Mitte/Prenzlauer Berg Border

Most of the boutiques lines up on Kastanienallee, Oderberger Strasse, Eberswalder Strasse, and Schönhauser Allee, are inexpensive repositories of stylish his and her fashions. We’re partial to the bright and colorful Kwikshop (Kastanienallee 44), which specializes in locally-crafted clothing, notebooks, and fun, reasonably-priced gifties. Continue up the street to find Skunk Funk (Kastanienallee 19), a young and fun boutique well-stocked with great little getups.

Turn left onto Oderberger Strasse to find more clothing shops and a smattering of second-hand and vintage spots. Paul’s Boutique (Oderberger Str. 47) hawks used designer sneakers; VEB Orange (Oderberger Str. 29) specializes in East German throwbacks.

If you’re after designs by local Berliners and you’re in the area on Sunday (when most other shops are closed), the Mauer Park Flöhmarkt (U-bahn: Eberswalder Str., Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.), which lives in the scruffy park at the eastern end of Oderberger Strasse, is the place. A hybrid flea market-craft/design fair, the dusty, cramped, and excellent flea market boasts dozens of booths hawking duds and jewelry by young Berlin designers hoping to make it big.

Edgy and Worldly: Kreuzberg

Head southwest to Kreuzberg, where you’ll find another batch of inexpensive yet style-conscious shops. Shops here tend to be of the edgy (think leather and studs) or worldly (as in hemp, and vegan) variety—but there is a wide range of styles thrown into the mix.

From the Gorlitzer Bahnhof U-bahn stop, stroll down Oranien Strasse to find looks like appeal to the hoods cosmopolitan, punk-ish crowd. Depot 2 (Oranien Str. 9) draws fashion-forward types. The organic duds are noteworthy.

On the other side of district, the Bergmannkiez (the area around Bergmann Strasse; U-bahn: Geneisenau Str.) is just a touch more upscale. But the secondhand shop Colours Kleidermarkt (Bergmann Str. 192)—where you can buy a kilo of clothes for less than €15; on Tuesday, between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. it’s only €10—is worth the journey. (So is a divine döner from Mustafas Gemüse Kebab on Mehringdamm, near the entrance to the U-bahn).

Further Afield

If you’re into bargain shopping and you’ll be in Berlin for a while, consider a stop at Designer Outlet Berlin (Alter Spandauer Weg 1; RE 2 & Bus 662). A half-hour ride from the city center, this new mall offers German brands for less.

Closer to the Center, there are three T.K. Maxx (check the website for locations) outposts—owned by the same people behind T.J Maxx and Marshall’s. They are among the first discount shops of their kind in Germany—so expect a crowd of bargain hunters.

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Keeping warm the glühwein way

For guaranteed warmth, employ our favorite weapon against the cold: Glühwein.

Sold in festive mugs at the city’s dozens of Christmas markets, this spiced, hot wine warms you from the inside out. It costs about €5, including a deposit for the mug. Trust us, however: This giddiness-inducing beverage is worth the splurge. It’s like holiday spirit in a glass.

Our favorite Christmas markets in Berlin

Germany’s capital isn’t as famous as Dresden, Munich, and the Ore Mountains for its annual Christmas markets (roughly late November–Dec. 31; opening times vary), but it doesn’t hurt to check out one or two of the more than 20 markets that spring up in the city every year.

Because most markets are free (or inexpensive) to enter, they’re a Cheapo-friendly way to spend the evening. Snacks, which include sausage roasted over a wood grill, fresh gingerbread, potato pancakes, roasted chestnuts, and much more, won’t break the bank, either. If you’re in the market for gifts, you can often score handcrafted items—from knit scarves and mittens to handmade jewelry—for reasonable prices.

In addition to our three favorite markets, detailed below, check out the Berlin tourist office’s complete list of the city’s 22 markets.

Très Elegant Market: Gendarmenmarkt

The classiest of Berlin’s Christmas markets occupies Gendarmenmarkt (S- and U-bahn: Friedrich Strasse, Brandenburger Tor, €1), an elegant square in Mitte, between Friedrich Strasse and Unter den Linden. Lined with neat rows of pitched white tents adorned with golden lights, the market features craftsmen who produce delicate wooden combs, birdcages, precious stone jewelry, and more on the spot.

Kitschy Fun Market: Winterwelt am Potsdamer Platz

The expansive Winterwelt am Potsdamer Platz (S- and U-bahn: Potsdamer Platz) is stocked with red and white striped stands hawking the usual food and handicrafts. You can also take a twirl on a small iceskating rink (entry is free; ice skate rental is €2.50) or, if you reserve ahead, play a round of “Eisstockbahn,” a wintry version of bowling.

Illuminated with environmentally-friendly LED lights, this market is touristy but atmospheric. Don’t forget to pop into the Sony Center, which is decorated with some 41,000 icy blue lights.

Cozy Market: Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der Kulturbrauerei

Nestled in the expansive courtyard of a red brick beer brewery-turned-cultural complex in Prenzlauer Berg, the Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der Kulturbrauerei (U-bahn: Eberswalder Str.) is a quaint affair with a Finnish vibe. Look for Finnish Glühwein, honey, and textiles. If you happen to visit on a Sunday, wander over to Kollwitzplatz (Dec. 13 and 20) to check out its small, weekly market, which specializes in organic food and gifts.

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