Almost-didnt-get-it stories.

[Fushek]

My favorite story was a Craigslist/Yard Sale find. A guy was advertising his Yard Sale on Craigslist and was selling off his Amiga computer system and games. I contacted him before the sale, saw enough pics to know that I wanted it for the $300 that he was requesting, but his sale was about an hour away and I was trying to get a verification that he would hold everything for me (even offered to pay via Paypal). Then, he went dark and, on the day of the sale (a Thursday when I was working) I figured that I had to get out there. The Craigslist ad didn't even say what TIME the darn sale was.

So, I took off from work for a while, drove an hour up there by 10:00am only to find another that his garage door was closed and no sale was happening (there was a sign for one though). A little old lady saw me and let me know that he was on his way ... so I waited (un-patiently) about 20 minutes later until he showed up and opened the garage wondering the entire time if I should just head back to work.

Luckily, all the Amiga stuff was still there and I was able to buy it all from him. I loaded my car to the max with computer equipment, boxed games, loose disks, magazines, monitors etc and drove away VERY excited - my wife was NOT excited when I got it home . Took some work to sort through everything and list it, but ended up selling everything from that haul for over $2,600. Great profit from something that I enjoy (old computers)!

And, the guy remembered me later when he was selling his entire video game collection. Over a couple of months, we negotiated to $900 for everything. I've already sold enough to be into around $400 profit and have another 7 or $800 dollars of merchandise to list after keeping some for my personal collection.

 

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[silverdollarbill]

I think it might of been my first post on this site but my "almost-didn't-get-it" was a HUGE find!!

For years I worked 7:00-3:30pm and after starting a new job, my hours shifted to 5:00-1:30. Once I started doing sales, I worked out an arrangement where I could work 10 hour days and have Friday's off for sales. When it got busy, I would work a Friday, all overtime. It's a sweet arrangement but sometimes I need that Friday off, no matter how busy!

So it happened to be one of those busy weeks and I already knew they were going to ask me to work on Friday. I told them no, (family stuff happening) and had the next day off.

I was out running errands and, while taking a shortcut through a neighborhood, noticed people standing in a driveway full of yellowed cardboard boxes. Curious, I turned around and masked if they were having a garage sale. The couple replied they were tomorrow but I could help empty the garage and buy what I found. It was a really good garage!! It was packed with WWll radio gear, tools and other random items.

I found a huge box full of car manuals which I proceeded to fill with my "treasures". Once the garage was cleaned out, 2 other guys had been helping since before I arrived, we paid the couple for our finds and were all on our way

It wasn't until 2 days later that I actually looked in the very bottom, under the manuals, of my box and found what it contained. I don't remember the exact count but it was somewhere between 65-72 uncirculated Carson City Morgan silver dollars, in the original GSA packaging from the large sell-offs they held in the 60s, 70's and 80's

I would of never found them if I hadn't taken the day off AND taken that shortcut!

I guess I don't know what I would do until it happened to me. However, if someone was nice enough to let me look through their stuff ahead of time and buy some nice things, I'm not sure I could keep those coins which they obviously didn't know where there.

Maybe they would have accidentally sold them to someone else or maybe if you didn't help them, they would have found them themselves, who knows.

What are they worth today?

 

[dejapooh]

My favorite story was a Craigslist/Yard Sale find. A guy was advertising his Yard Sale on Craigslist and was selling off his Amiga computer system and games. I contacted him before the sale, saw enough pics to know that I wanted it for the $300 that he was requesting, but his sale was about an hour away and I was trying to get a verification that he would hold everything for me (even offered to pay via Paypal). Then, he went dark and, on the day of the sale (a Thursday when I was working) I figured that I had to get out there. The Craigslist ad didn't even say what TIME the darn sale was.

So, I took off from work for a while, drove an hour up there by 10:00am only to find another that his garage door was closed and no sale was happening (there was a sign for one though). A little old lady saw me and let me know that he was on his way ... so I waited (un-patiently) about 20 minutes later until he showed up and opened the garage wondering the entire time if I should just head back to work.

Luckily, all the Amiga stuff was still there and I was able to buy it all from him. I loaded my car to the max with computer equipment, boxed games, loose disks, magazines, monitors etc and drove away VERY excited - my wife was NOT excited when I got it home . Took some work to sort through everything and list it, but ended up selling everything from that haul for over $2,600. Great profit from something that I enjoy (old computers)!

And, the guy remembered me later when he was selling his entire video game collection. Over a couple of months, we negotiated to $900 for everything. I've already sold enough to be into around $400 profit and have another 7 or $800 dollars of merchandise to list after keeping some for my personal collection.

$900 paid for $2200 in sales. Pretty thin margin, if you ask me.

 

[Fushek]

$900 paid for $2200 in sales. Pretty thin margin, if you ask me.

Not the best deal that I've ever done but if it was anything other than video games I wouldn't have done it. I was happy to double my money when I know and love the product. And you missed the "after keeping some for my personal collection" part . So ... some "free" games/systems for me, and more money in my pocket.

Not every purchase can be a paid a buck for it and sold it for $400.

 

[Beachkid23]

I don't know Id rather spend $900 and make $2200 then spend $9 to make $22.

 

[Paleo_joe]

If a Wall Street banker had $1M and could invest it to pretty safely make $2M, he would do it in a heartbeat. If it were $1B, he could open a fund and have all the investors he wants.

 

[mugsisme]

For me, in my experience, I find my big huge purchases do NOT reap what I thought they would. I keep a detailed tally on what I make and what I spend and ebay fees, etc. Really. A bangle that I paid $182+tax netted me $41.45. The butt ugly ring made $46.02. Not much profit for a lot of investment. Plus sweating it out for almost a year waiting for it to sell.
But you are right about the part of keeping stuff for you. I don't usually take into account that I wear and use some of the stuff before selling it.