Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh) [Archive] - Page 2

agnut

21st May 2014, 11:22 AM

Hi Spectrism. Sounds like you got some good deals as well. Not buying an item fast enough can be disheartening . That is why the first thing I do is look at the items for sale and then immediately ask the seller if they will give me a discount for a pile of items I want. I set out an area nearby and begin gathering the items that are most obvious bargains. Only then will I begin to take my time in looking over the items which may be bargains. I need to have a “SOLD” sign to put on my pile because other buyers often want these items too and it can be distracting to both look at items and at the same time guard other buyers from raiding my pile.

Your Husquvarna chainsaw, a quality brand, would have been a good deal. I have 6 Stihl chainsaws and believe that they are the best I have ever seen. They are not offered used for less than $60 to $100 but are worth the extra cost in performance and maintenance. Get familiar with all the model numbers before buying one and you will know if a particular model will suit your needs.

Spectrism, all the little items we pick up will amount to a huge pile in time. That is what I have been doing for years and you would be astounded if you saw all I have collected. It would take you a day just to see it all.

Garage sailing is like dredging for gold in a river. Sometimes the vacuum fits in a tight crevice and sucks out a small fortune. Then, moving on to other areas, the effort yields little. It is a hit and miss venture wherein we need to maintain a positive perspective and active imagination. There are no failures in garage, estate or moving sales (GEM). Sometimes I may buy nothing but meet new people or learn something new.

That last garage sale I attended was the kind I have experienced before. They come along from time to time, some large strikes and some small strikes. You will never know if you don’t get out there and discover for yourself.

Waiting for silver and gold to take off into the heavens can be frustrating if one has the wrong attitude about their purpose. They are an insurance policy. I have no gold and little silver because for the last several years I have been buying and putting away a multitude of items that I may personally need someday as well as items I have immediate need for. That said, I have more heavily weighed toward buying items that I believe will be more valuable to others in the future. For example, I have been collecting canning jars for the last 5 or so years. Buying them for as little as 5 cents each. A lady I call Saint Mary who has 8 adopted children has a problem; too much month left at the end of the money. Since I have been dropping off fruits and veggies to her three times a week, I discovered that she is well experienced in canning. A real country mama. So I gave her 200 jars and the additional 25 jars I got at my last garage sale. I still have 600 more jars in the barn if she needs them as I drop off more fruits and veggies. She is very smart and sees where the food prices are going and having hundreds of free canned foods will help tremendously in the future. She knows that even if she were to can up a thousand jars, the time will come when she and her 8 ravenous teenagers will run out when they cannot replenish their canning stockpile. At the very least, this prepping will provide a cushion against the times to come. The ant and the grasshopper story comes to mind.

The 5 pairs of rubber boots I also got will go to my niece and nephew and sons.

The two rolls of 4’ wire fencing will go to friends nearby. We trade all the time; work, items and chicken eggs.

The tap and die set may go to a friend who had lost all of his tools in a huge fire. A fantastic mechanic who can do just about anything. I know, because I have been a professional mechanic for over 40 years, have employed many mechanics and can quickly spot what I call a “natural”. They are like an unsung genius, whom I have a hard time in getting them to do anything for me because they are always in high demand, no matter what the economy is doing at the time.

A couple of years ago I was at a garage sale and had picked up a Milwaukee Sawzall in a metal case. I was carrying it around before paying for it and a man with his wife spotted it in my hand and the man said, “I was looking for that but you got it first.” He was very nice about it; no anger, just sadness. So I told him that he could have it; I had another one at home. You should have seen the look on his face when he heard this. I gave it to him and he paid the $50 price taped on the box. Actually I had lied; I did have an inferior quality Ryobi brand saw which was on its last legs. That deal that day was one I recall from time to time to remind myself that dealing is with others who are always more important than the deal itself.

I had always wanted a Milwaukee Sawzall but it was obvious that this nice stranger needed it far more than I did. Pay it forward, goodwill; call it what you will, it is a win-win situation. So the Milwaukee Sawzall I got last Friday was a sort of cosmic karma coming home. Besides, the $30 price I paid with the additional 62 blades was a far better deal for me.

I wish that I could better convey all the wonderful peripheral things that occur along with bartering and horse trading. Most important is that I have found new friends at these garage sales. People who I can share with.

There are swap meets going on every weekend somewhere, however I haven’t ever made friends through them. Why ? Because GEM sales are up close and personal; many of them are your neighbors. Think about that and let it sink in.

I have always felt that we Americans have isolated ourselves with the TV, internet and phone. GEM sales are an excellent way to meet people and make friends if you are so inclined. With money being tight lately, it should be a no brainer to get out there and find what you need. And not just for yourself but items for your friends and family. And you never know, you might even pick up a new friend along the way. They are free for the taking but the most valuable treasures out there.

Best wishes,

Agnut

A man is most complete when he is his own insurance policy.

govcheetos

24th May 2014, 01:28 PM

Been real busy lately. Did a few garage clean outs that yeilded a bunch of old tools. Some I will keep, some sell, and some pass on to others who need them. Done a few boat deals that have been profitable and turned the money into a few trailers that will help me in the future. Always trying to double triple or quadruple and then put the funds into something that earns it's keep. Picked up on a tip in a bar that reminds me of old pirate lore. A couple was going through a nasty divorce and the husband was pissed she was getting off with a bunch of stuff he had paid for. He took all the silver ware and her jewelery and threw them off their dock before the house was sold. Said she wasn't going to have it. Me and a buddy gonna do a little underwater re con in the river. Supposedly the stuff has been down there about 6 years now.

Keep it up everyone!!

Dogman

24th May 2014, 01:35 PM

agnut

29th May 2014, 01:16 PM

Hi govcheetos. IF we were to add up all the little items we got at GEM (garage, estate, moving) sales, I think we would be amazed at how much we have saved in relation to their store price. These small items such as oil, cleaning chemicals, furniture stain and polish, hose clamps, chain and a million other items that would cost many multiples at retail. Also we should add in the cost of NOT having these items and having to take the time, travel and cost at a store. You see, if you were to add these hidden costs to our GEM purchases we would have a more accurate picture of the power of GEM buying. Also, don’t forget to add in the sales tax since there is generally none in GEM transactions.

I tell you (like you don’t already know. Snort of derision here), the more I look at GEM buying, the more I feel that it is financially suicidal to do otherwise. If Ponce’s prediction that America will resemble Cuba’s scarcity of most everything, anyone with the foresight to have lots of useful items will be like a trading post. Of course it would best be operated with charity and fair trading with our neighbors, for the profit was already baked in the cake as a result of our having planned well in advance. Who knows what a pipe wrench or a garden hose or electric wiring or a hoe or nails will be worth if America becomes isolated and marginalized ? My barn and storage buildings are packed with items I have picked up over the years. Anything from hundreds of books to cooking equipment to candle wax to pipe fittings to spare bicycles. I can’t remember where everything is but I believe that it all will find a home someday.

Govcheetos, you have a better plan that I do with your buying and then either using, selling or storing away items. I have to admit that I have mostly been putting away items for the hopefully not too distant future. Perhaps I should be selling more items I acquire for profit and then pyramiding that into a fortune. I just have a hard time in letting go of a bargain, thinking that it will be more valuable in the future. However, I do sell and trade some of the larger items such as cars, boats, bicycles, brake lathe, compressors, etc.

I have been trading some items and giving away some items. Giving away ? Am I nuts ? Nope, because everything comes back one way or another. We can’t and should not think only of dollar profit; the dollar is a false indicator of success in dealings. Let me explain.

A couple of weeks ago a friend was rebuilding a 6 cylinder Volvo cylinder head and he had replaced the valve guides but he couldn’t find the right size reamer. He couldn’t find this particular reamer in the surrounding 40 miles. He called me and I recalled that I had bought a box of reamers a couple of years ago. I checked and found that I did have just the size he needed. He came over and used it and could finish with the job. Now I didn’t charge anything for the help; that is just goodwill and will pay off in the future in some way. Not necessarily for me but when we put good vibes out there, they resonate outward throughout mankind. Generosity is its own reward.

I have been planning to be there for my family, friends and neighbors. I want to be like the trading post I mentioned above. This has been going on for years here and when the wheels fall off the economy/dollar I expect an increased need for what I have collected. Instead of buying gold and silver I have been putting my efforts into what I believe will be needed in the future.

I just talked with Ponce and he gave me a great idea. All the clothing we buy for the future could be put into suitcases and labeled. I can get suitcases from the local thrift store for free if they have some flaw which does not affect my usage. These suitcases will adequately protect the contents which could be almost anything that would fit inside. In fact, I have several empty suitcases in the barn. I have seen many suitcases at garage sales and up until now didn’t recognize their usefulness. Most of them could be stacked as well as put in storage most conveniently. So in the future I will be collecting them in my travels. I recommend putting the items in a plastic bag first to protect against humidity. Maybe throw in a mothball for good luck.

Your diving for the silverware and gold jewelry has me wishing I could be there, just to see how it turns out. Ponce told me that the immersion metal detectors are very expensive. If so, could you use a long extension cord to the coil and a to a boat where someone could signal the diver that he had hit pay dirt ? Just a thought. Good luck on that and want to hear from you.

Your success is everyone’s success; any positive action is uplifting and therefore adds to humanity. I wish that more people could see it that way. I never understood greed or envy; they are both such a waste.

Gotta go. Loading a truck and trailer full of boxes to go to a friend who enjoys burning them. Whoops, got put off till tomorrow. So I had some time to take apart the Falcon 4 wheel cart to replace the 8 bearings. I only paid $5 for the cart 5 years ago but am still too much of a cheap bastard to buy the bearings. If I had one of my metal lathes set up I could make the bushings from some scrap pipe. So the hardware store will be an extra stop in town.

My son and I have been given an extra day today to pick up fruits and veggies at the local supermarket. Yesterday we got boxes of strawberries; I gave most away and kept about 30 pounds which we prepped and dumped in the freezer. I tell ya, life is better than good. We’re livin’ large on a small budget. At 67 I’ve finally learned to use my head for something better than a hat rack !

Best wishes,

Agnut

This was a post over at Timebomb 2000 :

“It's good to keep spare parts for things you really like for that reason. We had an old maid here who ran the library for over 50 years. She drove a 1952 Plymouth she bought new. My uncle owned a garage for decades and she would always bring it in for oil changes and such. One day she called him saying she couldn't get her car to move. He towed it in and the transmission was out of it. This was about 2005 or so. She asked him if he could fix it and he said yes if he could find a good transmission. She said, "No problem. I've got 2 brand new ones in the corner behind my bed I bought for spares when I bought the car. She was still driving it when she died at age 98.”

Another testament to buy used quality American and some foreign items :

Vent - Things don't work!!!
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?450139-Vent-Things-don-t-work!!!&

Hitch

29th May 2014, 05:58 PM

I scored up a brand new Schott pea jacket today, for $25, from a coworker. Brand new tag still on it. Now's the time to get deals for the winter. I've never owned a jacket this nice before.

This is the jacket.

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/classic-32-oz-melton-wool.htm

Spectrism

7th June 2014, 05:35 PM

I had some good success today. My first stop- and I was the first there.... a family was clearing out the parents' house and just wanted it empty. Anything they could make for it was a distant second. They were pushing stuff because they just wanted it all gone. I picked up a box of assorted old and new tools for $10. This has about a dozen screw drivers, a dozen nice wrenches, 2 boxes of allen keys, vice grips, all purpose tool, etc. I haven't finished going through this.

I got some cobbler mounts and a bunch of cast iron baking frames for $5. For an additional $2 I got a Skil saw and a power drill.

I saw on a table some metal things. Silver draws me like a magnet.

I found a little Sterling silver goblet about 2.5 inches tall and a glass inkwell surrounded by Sterling leaf. There were a couple other things that I couldn't make out so I threw them in the group. They took $5 for this. The goblet weighed about an ounce.

Another location had lots of tools but nothing I desperately needed. They told me to look at the free pile. There I grabbed a box of stainless flatware and a box of old style rubber sealed jars. The jars are great for sealing things that might rust... small tools, nails, etc.

At another location a grabbed a box of copper and brass components weighing about 20 pounds... for $20.

At another location I picked up free some plastic milk carton style bins. I find these useful for organizing and stacking things.

There was a town-wide yard sale thing happening. This made it possible to get to things before others since there were so many sellers. Gotta be early at these and move fast.

agnut

8th June 2014, 08:43 PM

Good to hear from you Hitch. I did pop up the Schott website and looked at the quality merchandise. This is high end which the general public mostly is unaware of since they buy less expensive jackets never realizing that the highest quality is a better value because it is so well made in both materials and workmanship. And it will last years beyond the mass manufactured merchandise. I still wear a London Fog jacket that I bought new over 25 years ago; the leather collar is shot but the rest of the jacket and zip out liner are still in good working order. I wear it around our property when I am working in cold weather. I am sentimental, I suppose, like the Peanuts character Linus and his security blanket. I do have six or seven other London Fog jackets and coats that I have picked up at GEM sales over the past years. But I only wear two of them; the others are held in reserve along with about ten other quality jacket brands I also have. Trading material as well as a lifetime of winter jackets. What could go wrong ?

Since silver and gold are intermediaries between buyer and seller, I have bypassed their necessity and will be bartering and horse trading directly with what others have, whether in labor or items they have that I may want or need. I have already been doing this for some time and it works out well. It is a good sideline now but good practice.

Picture a time in the future when many items may not be available, either through international isolation or increased price relative to income. What will be the value of a quality jacket when there are none around or the price becomes prohibitive ? A quality jacket that was purchased now for $5 may well be the best potential for purchasing power increase in the future. We should be aware that people will change their perceptions of value when the dollar/economy goes south. I think that the only reason that prices of used items are so cheap now is that pride of buying a new item is still standing in the way of the sensibility of obtaining good used items at a mere pittance. And nobody factors in that the dollars they are paying for a new item were after taxes paid dollars. Also, used items almost always do not have a state sales tax added on. Some people may think I’m nuts buying almost exclusively used items but who is the crazy one here with huge credit card debts ? Not me !

Always remember that you are a sane person living in an insane world; learn how to deal with it to your advantage because it ain’t gonna get better in the future. Many millions of people are deeply in debt and it won’t take much to send them over the precipice. I pulled back even more years ago and now can sit and watch the world go by (hopefully not bye-bye).

Best wishes,

Agnut

Confuseus say : Life like lovemaking; if it hurts, you are doing something wrong.

agnut

20th June 2014, 05:12 AM

Hi Spectrism. You got some real steals there. And I can see from your post that you are at the top of your game. I bet that you are always open and listening for opportunities. That’s how we grow; it never ends.

Your tool box buy is the kind of thing I absolutely love to find. Sometimes there can be a thousand dollars worth of tools if bought new and few realize that $50 is a screaming bargain. Around here the farm and ranch estate sales can be a goldmine. I once got a Snap-On ¼ inch drive torque wrench for a quarter. A quarter for a quarter. Tell me that God is not a comedian playing to an audience that is too afraid to laugh !

Funny how we collect the small useful items as we wade through the enormous number of items for sale. I still have bags of small items I had purchased years ago that I thought would be smart to have. I’m using some of these items and the others are spares or trading material. I don’t know what will happen or how it will play out but I have oodles of good items and clothing and believe that they will come in very handy in the future.

Much of the fun in going to GEM sales is that we can find things for our family and friends that they may never find for themselves. It is a most satisfying feeling to give an item to someone and watch their face light up. Young kid or old kid; they both love getting surprises. And not the kind of items you find in a store but an item you or they would never see in a store. Could be foreign, could be antique, could be from an era when they were growing up or wished they had. I still yearn for a toy ferry boat that I had when a child. Perhaps the reason I am still attached to that memory is that I was in a hospital having eye surgery and some other parent took the toy and I never saw it again. I only had it for a day. So you see, the heart of finding items that others will treasure requires us to know that person well. Everybody gives clues of what they yearn for; you just have to be listening. I’ve given away some of my enamel on copper painting collection. I know where the pieces are going and that they will be loved and cared for. I gave one away tonight and will enjoy seeing it in her home; I’ve had my pleasure with these pieces and hope that someone else will get as much pleasure as I have. Besides, there are many, many things to collect and enjoy until it is time to move on. No guilt, no shame, no alimony. Just sharing something that has touched our heart.

I have to share a fuzzy story. The other night I was looking at one of my enamel on copper paintings; it was an early 1900s French Limoges era piece of a wooded area with a stream running through the middle. There were rocks in the stream but some caught my eye; they didn’t look quite right. Mind you, this enamel measures only 3 ½ by 5 ¼ inches but is highly detailed. I had to get out a magnifier to see these “rocks” which turned out to be three wolves fording the stream. I’ve had this enamel on copper for ten years and had never noticed the humorous message from the artist, speaking to me through the decades. He is saying, “Look closer or you‘ll miss out”. I also believe that the artist was showcasing his skill at extreme control. I was awestruck when I first discovered the minute details.

Sounds like you prize the old American made items like I do. Sometimes I will buy an item just because I want to see how it is made and how well it works. A blast from the past.

Here is an article showing that the older gas cans are becoming desirable because the new bureaucrat mandated gas cans must have been designed by someone who couldn‘t change a tire. I have many of the old 5 gallon cans that I bought for a dollar or two. The new ones at Walmart are about $14. This is just another example that it is wise to seek all kinds of older, well made items.

Five Years of Gas-Can Hell!

http://tucker.liberty.me/2014/06/10/why-your-new-gas-can-is-ridiculous-and-evil/?refer=libertyme

Your Skil saw and power drill buy was another steal. Nothing like having a backup too. The future is more uncertain than it has ever been with internationalization of items we need. A drill made in China can work for a long time but if it fails in a month or year, what is your recourse ? Buy another one ? Can you see the insanity ?

Millions of people are deeply in debt because they believed that they had to buy everything new. For many decades we were the engine for industry but are no longer employed and therefore not able to afford new items, especially with their prices being so high. And when you throw in the lack of quality, it should be a no brainer to seek a wiser purchase.

Have you seen the photos of the millions of new cars around the world that they are not able to sell ? My one ton 1990 Dodge diesel truck cost $2,600 when I bought it seven years ago and a new Dodge diesel is over $52,000 now. That is 20 times what I paid for my Dodge and it has been working satisfactorily for years. Besides, I am an old school mechanic and appreciate the simplicity of the pre 1998 mechanical fuel injection. A friend was visiting yesterday with his 2006 Ford diesel. He looked under the hood of my Dodge and was aghast at the lack of wiring and plumbing. However, under the hood of later vehicles looks like a nest of snakes. KISS; keep it simple, stupid. Yeah, that should be on the desk of every bureaucrat and engineer.

Sure, I drive an older vehicle but I have no debt. Debt is the downfall for millions of good folks, particularly in a downward spiraling economy such as we have been, are and will continue to experience.

My saying is that “the filthiest four letter word in the English language is debt“.

The world seems to be Hell bent for leather in going stark raving mad.

So what’s it going to be ?
A debt jubilee or WWIII ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

Those without a moral compass can still be highly magnetic. However, not to gold, silver or lead. Non nefarious metals.

Spectrism

20th June 2014, 08:34 AM

I like the older stuff that is heavier gage- better quality. Can't stand the cheap stuff from China.

Did a bathroom project 18 months ago and put in new under-sink valves. 6 months ago I discovered a puddle under the new sink and caught it before it could do damage tot he new cabinet. The leak came from the actual sweat fitting. There were two pieces assembled- the sweat/solder side and the threaded side. The leak came from between them. A few days ago, the second of the 4 valves started leaking. I discovered that by a puddle int he basement.
So I replaced 3 of the 4 so far, with made in USA valves that are single piece.

Agnut- I like your way of looking out for things that others will value. I will take that concept in my travels. I have found books for my daughter and I let family pick through my finds for anything they want. There is much pleasure in giving things away.... to the right people. Thanks for your wise ideas.

agnut

29th June 2014, 09:33 PM

Hi spectrism. Yeah, some of the imported fixtures and a lot of other items are junk. I think that they must be laughing at us; I can’t imagine that they are seriously thinking that their products will hold up for long. Thin metal, plastic that shatters when you try to cut it, poor plating, motors that disintegrate; I’ve experienced it all and know that I would be better buying a used faucet from a garage sale. Not always true; there must be some quality imports out there. Right ? Anyone ?

Thanks for the compliment but I was forced to be wise (if that is the word for it). I didn’t get where I am, wherever that is, by making only wise choices. I made some stupid mistakes along the way but have learned to not repeat them. There is always time to make new stupid mistakes however. So always be vigilant; I may grab an item that looks like a steal but later put it back upon reflection.

This brings up what has often been on my mind. What we collect and possess will be revalued through time. Could be antiques or an item that will be desperately needed. Right now a large Tupperware container can be found for 50 cents to a dollar. What will it be worth in a post collapse economy ?

Either any good quality items will be in demand or nothing except food and fuel will be in demand. It all depends upon where our society lands (and we are in freefall right now). New quality items are expensive and we here in the good ol’ USA may be internationally marginalized in the future. Can we make blenders, toasters, cooking utensils, machine tools, nuts and bolts, bearings, fan belts and hoses, Venetian blinds, or any of the thousands of items that make our complicated world operate smoothly ? And even if we were to manufacture these items, what would be the cost to the consumer ? I sure wouldn’t count on cheaper or easily available. We Americans have led a relatively sheltered existence for several decades but I feel that that is about to end. That is why I collect good stuff for trading material.

I didn’t go to any garage sales yesterday or today because I did go to an estate sale on Friday and shot my wad. By the time we were let in there were 40 people champing at the bit. I first went to the Stihl weedwhacker but it was a little one and the price was $95; too rich for my blood. A few years ago I had bought a commercial Stihl for $5. It just needed a fuel filter and I have been using it unmercifully since. It uses a .095 string which kept slipping out. So I came across a roll of Stihl .130 for a dollar. I crammed it in and it has been tearing up the landscape ever since. A Stihl is a steal.

I know the lady who holds these estate sales and she is a hard worker with fair prices. Just because one item may appear too high for me (admittedly I have been spoiled by the $5 Stihl), that didn’t dissuade me from grabbing all the other good deals. ‘Nuff said, here they are :

Metric tungsten 40 piece tap and die set $15
Standard 32 piece tap and die set made by Greenfield. Old U.S. made in wooden box $35
4 nesting tables- made by George Zee of Hong Kong. Kiln dried and ornately carved $65
Gardening cart for repotting $20
Impact sockets from 3/8” to 1” $3
5 wire cutters, needle nose pliers, electrical pliers for 50 cents each
Snap-On ratchet 50 cents
G.I. Canteen set with cover and belt, new in box for $1
Craftsman 10” crescent wrench $3
Floor box fan $2
3 drawer rolling tool box $15
Chicago Pneumatic impact gun $10
Jumper cables in hard case $5
50 drawer rack filled with loads of hardware $5
Large Nicholson file $1
Propane torch $1
Box misc. good stuff $3
Another box misc. good stuff , 31 items $2
Block and tackle with 4 rollers and rope $3
Craftsman 6 hp power wheel mower. Runs but has noise. Parts ? $10
3 Corning Visions glass pots with lids $5 each

I did pretty well and had a lot of fun. What better way to spend a morning than with good company, a few laughs and some good deals ?

I am happy to share my good fortune on the internet but have to admit that I only tell family and a few friends. You see, I am also the eyes and ears for them when out garage sailing. No sense blabbing around to potential competition.

Spectrism, glad to see that you also look out for others when out there. Nothing like playing Santa Claus through the year.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. I still hit garage and moving sales but only if their ads look promising. My all time favorite is the estate sales. As the economy swirls downward, there should be some great steals out there. So keep your powder dry and always think of the future. In other words, don’t be broke when you get a break.

P.P.S. By the way, someone did buy that $95 Stihl weedwhacker while I was there. It was over $200 new price. A bargain is in the eye of the beholder.

gunDriller

30th June 2014, 06:43 AM

P.P.S. By the way, someone did buy that $95 Stihl weedwhacker while I was there. It was over $200 new price. A bargain is in the eye of the beholder.

having just paid $45 to rent a 4 string Stihl weedwhacker from Saturday noon to Monday 10 AM ... $95 is a good price.

i like the version where you take off the string and put on a circular saw blade.

works great for removing blackberry etc. it's like having a laser-beam attached to your arm, everything gets mowed down.

just don't fall on it !

Spectrism

30th June 2014, 01:36 PM

I found a box of navigator and charting supplies from an old seaman. I got that for $10 for my daughter who can using the drawing tools. While there I got a couple heavy duty bags- one a GI type sea bag and one is a large bag with waterproof treatment inside... good for diving gear.

Many miles and many nothing places with junk.

This past weekend I was a few minutes late to putting a claim on a scuba tank with regulator and depth gage... there was a price of $33 on it.... not sure what it went for but the prospective buyer was hovering over it trying to get the owner's attention. There is typically a common courtesy of backing away from such things when someone else is already engaged. A few years ago a pushy broad tried to snake half my deal and I was shocked by how aggressive she was.

While I missed out on the scuba gear, I did pick up a nearly new screened yard tent for $6 and a motorized knife sharpening stone wheel for $3.

At another small place I found a welding mask/helmut for $1. The lens was dark green and unscratched. I tested it against the sun.

Fresh in my memory was the guy who walked off with beautiful brass figurines for scrap! I came upon a place and saw that the people had things on tables they clearly were just trying to get rid of. Any money was good but they really did not want to carry things back inside. Metal objects catch my eye. I saw a table covered with brass figurines. Must have been 30 or 40 of them. I asked the woman how she was selling them and she said maybe 50 cents each. I asked what I could by the whole table of brass items for. $10 she said. Done! It seemed like forever loading them into a box.

Dogman

30th June 2014, 01:49 PM

agnut

1st July 2014, 10:17 PM

Gundriller, I didn’t know that it was so expensive to rent a Stihl weedwhacker. The one I turned down was a small version of the one I have and it wouldn’t have been able to do what I need to do. We have huge areas of blackberries and I will likely use a chainsaw followed by a tractor pulled three point tiller. Gotta get the roots out or they will be back in a few years. I’m not sure if I would trust myself with a saw blade on my weedwhacker.

Tonight I’m hurting from operating the Ford 550 backhoe all day. Supposed to go bowling tomorrow night. Yeah, right.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Everything grows here in the Pacific northwest like crazy, what with all the rainfall. Got a field that I mow with the Kubota and Woods Billy Goat. I‘m not a farmer and don’t know what I should grow; seems like a lot of work for a little profit. I believe that will change in a couple of years, maybe even next year. We’ll see.

agnut

6th July 2014, 08:04 PM

Hi Spectrism. Looks like you got some interesting items for yourself and your daughter. I am often surprised by the things I see that I had never seen before or that even existed. For instance I have a Hobart coffee grinder that was in a market back in the 40s or 50s. It had just been rebuilt and the seller was holding it for a friend who just never got there to pay for it. I talked to him for a while and he decided to call this friend to ask if he still wanted the coffee grinder. The friend said to let it go so I picked it up on the spot. Now you may wonder what I am doing with this machine; it is heavy and takes up space. When I had chickens I thought to use it for grinding up dried corn. I heard that the fine meal was far more efficient that the larger kernels. Also I have a lot of wheat berries for making flour. The Grain Master mill I have had for years tends to clog up and I thought that pre grinding the wheat berries beforehand would make my work easier. And ya never know, I might even grind up some coffee beans someday.

I know, it can be disheartening to search for a while and turn up little. But there are the times when we hit the mother lode (or is that load ?). I will be the first to admit that I come home with a small load once in a while. Better to have not bought much than to have bought a lot of items that have marginal value. Save your money for the next time when there may be a huge quantity of hot deals. As I wrote in the past, this economy is devolving and we haven’t even seen the bottom when good items will be offered for a pittance.

I suggest looking at more distant areas where the pickings may be much better. I first look at the estate sales; usually lots of items that the inheritors just want to see gone in order to clean out the property in order to sell it. Older wealthy neighborhoods are better than newer tract homes. Farm and ranch sales means that there may be lots of tools and implements. They are like me where we have room to accumulate many items even if they take up a lot of space. You may want to look up auctioneers and people who hold estate sales and get on their mailing lists.

I read Craigslist for garage sales in my local area. All I do is go to the garage sale section and punch in my town and find many sales that are not in the local paper. Many of these ads have photos wherein I can see if there are items I may want or need.

We can be aggressive with our buying but with wisdom and consideration for others. By this I mean that we should have our plan all mapped out before we begin to look over all the items for sale. We don’t have to beat anybody out of a deal; we just have to be there first.

Do we have a list of the items we saw in the ad ?

Have we arrived early ? Nothing like missing a steal because we were a minute too late. Some sellers will let us in earlier than the ad states, so get there early. The best deals are gone first. The other best deals are the ones we recognize that others gloss over. That is where our experience and imagination come in. A while back I decided to get my lazy ass out of bed and be at the gate early. The first thing I saw was an antique three door ice box. The seller was asking $75; I offered $60 and she took it. As I was loading the ice box into my truck a woman came up and was practically drooling at my find. She had been a minute too late; you don’t want to be her, do you ? By the way, there are two similar oak ice boxes on Craigslist; one for $850 and the other for $995.

Do we know the area and what other sales are also going on at the same time ? I map out a route which considers location with time of opening as well as what items are offered. I know, it is sometimes hard to coordinate locations with opening times but most any plan is better than no plan.

Have we calculated our risk/reward ratio ? Is the cost, time, fuel and wear and tear on our vehicle worth the effort ? One way is to look back over the last 10 or 20 sales we have attended and add up all the items we bought divided by the out of pocket expenses. That is a rough average of our benefit, not yet divided by the hours we spent. That would give us our profit per hour. I know, this is only a crude formula and we all need to modify it to suit ourselves.

Do we have enough money to pay for whatever items we may find ? Going to a gunfight with only one bullet isn’t portrayed in any of the westerns I have ever seen. And neither is going fishing with only one hook. By the way, having a wad of one dollar bills is a good way to break the ice with a seller. Some of them hadn’t the foresight to have change and will appreciate your offer to help them. I’ve done it many times.

Do we have an open mind, considering every item for its other possible values ? A roll of electrical wiring is usually made of copper wire. Sometimes there is a free pile with copper, brass and aluminum odds and ends.

Do you have a list of items family and friends want ? Maybe 10% of what I find is for them. Last week I found a pair of Harley Davidson riding boots; they were only worn twice and looked new. Size 10 ½ , perfect for a family member I had in mind. I heard they were from $125 to $150 new; I got them for $35. When I took them over to him, his eyes lit up and he said that his old ones were worn out. At the same sale I had bought a pair of Timberland boots for myself for $20; also like new. Buying items for family and friends isn’t just saving them money. It shows that you care for them and are thinking of them. This is most important in relationships. People close to us remember our birthdays and some holidays but a surprise gift says so much more; I see it as more precious that an equal value of gold or silver (hope this doesn‘t get me kicked off the website).

Do you ride alone or take along a sidekick ? If so, be careful. Some will grab the deals you want before you have a chance. I have had it happen to me and I’ll tell you, it didn’t feel good. I had to rethink the circumstances wherein I would ask someone to ride with me. Taking a young person you know well could be good. Taking someone who is looking for items you don’t want could work. Just be aware that you may be creating a garage sale monster (like yourself).

And finally, what about taking drinks and food ? A notepad for writing down phone numbers and deals that fall in your lap while talking to sellers as well as other buyers ?

A magnifying glass for the sterling silver insignias ?

Gotta go and get something to eat; all this writing is making me hungry.

Best wishes,

Agnut

mick silver

8th July 2014, 07:18 AM

glad you guys are doing good . I have not been to any sales this summer . I need to get out more , been cutting hay for over two weeks now we are almost done now ... glad it rain today so I could get a break ...

govcheetos

8th July 2014, 08:17 PM

Been real busy lately it seems. Always check for sales on craigslist and usually go, but if the sales look weak or are far and few between I'll get a little extra sleep. Been having a ton of luck with word of mouth. People come by or call me and bring me something or tell me of an item they know of that can be had for cheap or free. I'll keep the good stuff and sell the rest or sometimes give it away to people I know needing that certain item. They give you a strange look when you give them something and don't expect to get paid, like somethings fishy. I tell them they can help me out one day if I need it. Having cash on hand is essential. You never know what you're gonna run across just riding down the road. When I go garage sailing I always have lots of ones and fives on hand too. Sellers love buyers who can make their life easier. Good to know what others are looking for or needing too. Can be a money making opportunity if you can supply something that you have cheap and ready access to. Know a guy that wants a bunch of sago palms. I get these for free because I know where to look, throw them in a black plastic pot with dirt and sell them to him for 10 bucks. At any garden store they would be 24.95 plus. A charter boat captain I know mentioned he was always looking for old toilets to build secret artificial reefs for bottom fishing offshore. I talked to my connection at the dump and got him 50 in a week. He looked at me amazed when I pulled up with a 14 ft trailer full of them. Needless to say I get as much fresh fish as I want for free. These connections grow into other connections when these guys mention me to people they know and have good things to say.

Went diving for the lost silver mentioned earlier and found just some old bricks and beer bottles. Maybe next time lol.

Hope everyone else is doing well. Once you find your niche and learn to work it you'll be as busy as you want to be.

Always a pleasure to read this thread.

agnut

9th July 2014, 11:20 AM

Hi mick silver, I can sympathize with you. When winter ends, we seem to frantically work ourselves into exhaustion doing doubletime to make up for our having been inside for so many months. I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation.

In my case, I am grading in a parking area for about 8 cars, a circular drive and a picnic area under a tall pine tree. Sort of a dream coming true. May not get to digging out the catfish pond next to the seasonal stream this year but it sure has been on my mind what with the prices I saw in the supermarket this morning. The Ford 550 diesel backhoe has had starting problems lately; probably something simple. I recently had to take out the hydraulic pump and put in a new seal. A real pain in the ass. But when the backhoe is working right it does a tremendous amount of hard labor in a short time.

Here are a couple of related articles that I think everyone should read and really think about. A reset of the dollar currency would have all encompassing consequences for every one of us.

70 % devaluation US dollar.....?

Official 2014 IMF Forecast Based on ‘Magic Number Seven’-Steve Quayle

http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?78123-70-devaluation-US-dollar

Is The Fed Going To Attempt A Controlled Collapse?

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-08/fed-going-attempt-controlled-collapse

Is July 20, 2014 to be a significant day ? Perhaps, but what is important is to be as well positioned as possible when that day does arrive. I see everyone around me with their denial clubs at the ready to knock down any “negativity”.

As a result, I see financially dead people. Millions of them.

They just don’t know it yet.

Isn’t it ironic that the zombie movies are popular now while the viewers do not realize that they themselves may well be the zombies in the future ?

People with money in the bank, with stocks, with bonds, Treasury notes, mortgages, credit card debt, student loans, pension funds, annuities and so on are all vulnerable to a currency reset. I have none of these “paper promises” and divorced myself from them a long time ago. However, I am still vulnerable to what others may do to upset my defensive position (zombies). I’m not kidding myself; the world has become a dangerous place and I believe will soon be more so.

Best wishes,

Agnut

agnut

20th July 2014, 08:14 AM

Hi govcheetos. You are one of the very few who get the fullness of what bartering and horse trading is about. The overview of your post says that you are now trading old toilets for seafood. I’m sure that there is a funny quip to be had here somewhere; I’ll leave it to your imagination.

But there is much more; you have established a relationship with a professional fisherman. And everyone he knows. That is genius; my hat is off to you ! In the future you might even be able to sell the fish for the fisherman at a better price than he would otherwise receive. A seafood broker; it has a nice ring to it. And all begun with a load of old toilets !

This bartering and horse trading goes far deeper than most folks realize. The person who can make it a part of their lifestyle can benefit in ways they had never dreamed of. You just provided a great example.

We live in a world of limited resources facing exponential growing demand. It is a fact, not an opinion. It is foundational to facing the reality of our future. This is why I have been collecting what I believe will be in demand through the future. By buying good used items for a small fraction of their retail new price I am endeavoring to preposition myself and family for as little disruption as the years unfold.

We who are accumulating items for future bartering and horse trading must be aware that these items will be nonrenewable resources. In other words, we may not be able to replace them in the future as we can now. Physical gold and silver are also nonrenewable resources and are items of concentrated value. Let’s not kid ourselves in that once we spend the gold and silver, it will be gone.

So it is incumbent upon us that we focus some of our efforts on what renewable resources will be in demand in the future. The first on my mind is the ability to grow food, enough to have excess for trading. It has been said that you see your doctor once a year but you see your farmer three times a day. I have a field which is waiting for the time in which our efforts will be worthwhile to do the hard labor of raising crops. I also have the equipment needed to save having to do all the labor manually. Just need more diesel fuel set aside.

Govcheetos, your Sago palm idea is great. I have been talking to my younger son about raising plants from seedlings to sell to folks who are in residential housing and want to grow fruits and veggies at home. We have about 40 rhubarb plants in pots and are planning to relocate them to a permanent location so that they can grow and multiply.

Another possibility could be raising animals for meat. This includes fish and a catfish pond has been in my plans for a long time. The last depression saw many citizens raising chickens as a saving grace; this will also be wise this time. Just because you have no acreage does not preclude you from finding someone willing to share their space in trade for your efforts. I remember seeing large shared gardens when I was in Germany in the 70s. Theft will be a problem in the future but with sharing growing areas, the security may be shared. Security in numbers.

Next would be skills that others need. I am an old school mechanic and can repair and fabricate many things as needed. I still want to find a vertical mill and metal lathe. I have a MIG welder, a stick welder and an acetylene torch along with many tools to get the job done. This is but one specialty; there are many others with varying potentials. The key is that we need to position ourselves in some skills that will be most valuable in the future, a future which is fraught with uncertainties as to how in demand those skills will be.

Within bartering and horse trading is the skill of providing what others need. If we are to do this as a primary basis of income, this absolutely requires us to have an organized listing of our connections as well as where we have seen items in the past. Many years ago I was a core broker for car parts and provided transmissions and other parts for rebuilding programs. I started small and grew as fast as I could find what they needed. As I expanded nationwide it became overwhelming but also wonderful for my family wherein we could accumulate more than enough profit to absorb the ups and downs of the times. Seasonality affects all kinds of businesses and we must always take that into account. The Grasshopper And The Ant, storing away for the winter.

It does seem unavoidable that we will have some serious disruptions in the near future. Success will go to those most adaptable to these changes. Physical, spiritual and emotional fitness will all be crucial. There are going to be loved ones depending upon you; they just don’t know this yet.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. I have been invited to post bartering and horse trading also at GIM2. I don’t know how this will work out yet but will continue here on GS-US as usual. I hope that both websites can appreciate and care for each other; after all, we all have the same goals in wanting to understand what to do for ourselves and our loved ones. There are so many great people who post from the heart at both websites that I feel that we are a family separated only by an epiphany and some keystrokes.

mick silver

20th July 2014, 09:18 AM

thanks agnut for your post . we have a small green house I have for some time been thinking about building a bigger one so we could sale vegs plants just so we could add to are silver and help us grow more food in colder parts of the year . now I need to look for some old windows I guess I will be doing some horse trading with someone in the next week are so for the glass to add on .... be safe one and all mick ... ps the world is not getting any safer nor do I see it being any safer in the years to come

agnut

26th July 2014, 03:31 PM

Hi mick silver. Have you considered getting used sliding glass doors and framing them in to make a greenhouse ? I have 4 doors set aside and could find more if I would only take the time. Check with glass shops and maybe scrap yards. Where do used glass doors when they are replaced ?Some are free and some are $10 for a pair. Don’t know what I will do or how but I still pick up more doors as they show up. Maybe only glass doors facing the sun would save a lot of money. I figure I could build a greenhouse thirty feet by ten feet for under a thousand dollars if my sons and I do the work ourselves. And since we are in the Pacific northwest a couple hours from the Canadian border, we should have a greenhouse to extent the season to grow veggies and additionally save enough money to recoup the cost of materials within a year or two, especially with the veggie prices going through the roof. I’m sure you know how much tastier and healthier home grown veggies are.

Funny, but not until I have an adequate quantity of like materials can I clearly envision how it can all go together to make something in my dreams. When I reach what I call critical mass in acquiring the materials I get itchy to get the job done. These projects don’t get done by themselves….or do they ? At least it seems to me that the gathering of the parts takes on a life of its own after a while.

When you have a Volkswagen beetle and are driving it down the road, you see all the other Volkswagen beetles too. Same is true for focusing on what we are looking for at the GEM sales (that’s garage, estate and moving). Having a want list works for me as well as being open to possibilities for whatever I see. Hey, that rhymes !

Plastic buckets from the local bakery or empty buckets that held Kitty Litter are free and useful for many applications. We have filled about 60 buckets full of redwood pieces I dug out of the ground….so far. Free for the digging; probably saved a couple of hundred bucks. The redwood is going all around the house with brick borders. Mostly done now and it makes the place look like people live here instead of Neanderthals (we‘ve got ‘em fooled now). We recently discovered that 50 or more years ago our area was logged. It must have included redwoods because we are finding old trunks and stumps in the woods. We even have a stump that is over 6 feet across. It is probably rotten and would fall apart if I were to hit it with a shovel. It is so beautiful that I have decided to clear the area around it so that we and visitors could see it by as we drive in and out.

Having acreage in the country is a heckuva lot more work than tending a suburban home but it is worth every drop of blood, sweat and tears. Reminds me, I gotta get the stereo hooked up; three thousand LP albums stacked away are crying to be appreciated. I think I bought the stereo last summer and have yet to hear it. Crazy busy but better than being bored, eh ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

gunDriller

28th July 2014, 07:06 AM

govcheetos

30th July 2014, 09:04 PM

Hook up with a company or better yet the workers of a company that replaces windows. You can get the old sliding glass doors for free. A friend of mine has a green house eight panels deep and two panels wide. Drilled through the aluminum frames to attach them to 4x4 posts. Even has them set up on a gable roof frame.

mick silver

2nd August 2014, 12:17 PM

thanks all ... I have all the glass I need but getting the time is one thing . plus I have all the wood I need for the green house . well this fall I will start work on the house once I am done with all the stuff I have under way right now ...

agnut

2nd August 2014, 09:50 PM

Hi all. Am back from an exhausting day of garage sailing. There were three community sales going on in the same general area and I attended them all. It was a lot of looking and a little buying, as it should be. The bargains that stand out are gone if you don’t get there early. I did get a Werner folding ladder for $10. A large remnant of new carpeting for $3; it will be used somewhere someday, no doubt about that. Got an electric smoker for $10. Picked up 8 three year old cedar trees for $4 each. Got 4 DVDs, good stuff. Got 5 vinyl records for $1 each. Got a ½” drill for $10 with hole saw kit. Got a couple of nice hacksaws for $1 each.

I already have most of the above items and got more of them for backups, loaning and trading material. If a tool breaks I just use the spare rather than have to take the time to get dressed, drive to the hardware store, return, change my clothes again and continue the project. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

A few days ago I was picking something up and happened to be in the neighborhood of my favorite thrift store building material outlet. I was looking around, not expecting to find much, when I spied a couple of cans of a clear wood preservative and realized that I would need it for the deck we are supposed to begin building (if the county would cooperate). Anyway, one 6 gallon can was new and unused and the other had a couple of gallons still there. I got them for a total of $7. My carpenter friend said that they would have cost a couple of hundred dollars in the store. I haven’t even bothered to look it up; I just know that $7 is a friggin’ steal. Especially what with our money becoming pricey toilet paper in disguise.

Garage, estate and moving sale prices have been going up over the last several years. Or has the dollar been losing purchasing power, also known as on the path to worthlessness ? So don’t expect the same prices as we encountered 8 years ago. Just how much has the dollar lost if we have been losing 9% a year compounded ? The problem is that our income has not been rising commensurate with these 8 years. I believe prices of used items would be much higher as well as the store prices if our income wasn’t stagnant. This is what I called hyperstagflation years ago and it is an insidious process.

Gotta go.

Best wishes,

Agnut

gunDriller

3rd August 2014, 08:19 AM

if Home Improvement (indoors and out) and Survivalism was an Olympic Event, i'd put my money on you guys, and the neighbor i referred to as 'Magic Neighbor'.

Magic Neighbor, Shawn, is the brother of the previous owner of the neighboring property. I had a list of about 30 home improvement things that needed fixing, he ripped through them. Did some for free, charged me 'mates rates' (New Zealand language, $20 an hour) for the balance.

like if that TV show Home Improvement was for real. sort of an 'Ultimate Handyman' event.

part McGyvering
part just knowing your stuff

i guess the horse trading goes into the preparation.

it could make a good TV show ?

this morning i'm going up on the roof. having lost a friend & co-worker to a roof accident (biggest funeral i've ever been to), i know the seriousness of a simple task like checking a skylight for leaks.

got a friend coming by for what will hopefully be an extremely boring job, holding the ladder.

govcheetos

3rd August 2014, 01:28 PM

Be careful on that roof Gundriller. Everytime I get on one I think, "This is how you go if you're not careful" Know a couple people who have had family or friends die by falling off a simple 8-10 ft roof, Know another guy that has nerve damage in his leg from falling off a 2 story. His back is all screwed up too, has to get his sons to do a lot of the work he used to do. So be careful, whatever you're gonna make on the job isn't worth it.

Funny thing about the TV Show. A while back I said someone should make a show about me and follow me around for like 48 hours or so and see all the different stuff I get into and different people I deal with. Rich, poor, good, bad, etc. Part of the giimick would be that I hate TV and hardly ever watch it except for the weather. Sort of a paradox, a tv show about a guy that hates tv.

Agnut everyday I think about the rising prices and devaluation of the currency. I really hate to think about what things will be in another 5-10 and beyond. Something else, a lot of people that 5 years ago I would have said were tough, get through anything, survival types are proving otherwise. Grown men with families who owe money on everything, play video games like kids, buy unnecessary guns and the toys that go on them so they can post them on some facebook page for the whole world to know how stupid they are. Won't work, and those that do complain about having to actually do anything. There are fewer and fewer everyday that an honest, hard working, man who takes care of his loved ones and respects his Creator can relate to.

Sorry for the rant, get em' while you can.

gunDriller

4th August 2014, 01:45 PM

How to force yourself to clean the gutters -

rent a ladder for $10.

+, be cheap.

Mix.

Then (maybe) you'll be thinking, "I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $10 for that ladder and not clear my gutters".

I also used it as an opportunity to knock down some hornet's nests. Fortunately they were empty, mostly.

agnut

5th August 2014, 08:59 AM

Hi gunDriller and govcheetos. How old are you guys ? The reason I ask is that as we get older we lose the ability to react as quickly, our sense of balance isn’t as good and our bones are more brittle. When getting on a roof or ladder our ego and pride says that we can do the job. But reality is a hard teacher. Let me tell you a story.

Back in the 1930s my father who as a young man had the rare ability to walk a tightrope without any balance pole. His father ran the equipment for a logging company and would run a line high in the trees so that my father could walk it. This was during the depression era. Circuses wanted him but his father said that working in a circus was not for decent folk. Probably right, as I have seen in some movies lately which depicted what a traveling circus was like. See the movies Water For Elephants and Carnivale.

The war came along and my father went back into the U.S. Navy. He said that he could show off and do handsprings on a steel ship deck and also could walk on his hands up and down stairs.

My father spent 26 years in the Navy, running the airplane repair facilities around the U.S. Places like Norfolk where he was flight deck officer on the Valley Forge aircraft carrier. I can recall the times he took me to tour the ship and how enormous everything was.

My father had been through the entire battle of Okinawa during WWII. He said that he was on a ship and had been transferred to another ship wherein the ship he had left was blown up the next day and most hands lost. That had to have an effect on him. He said that the kamikazes were attacking constantly and seeing some of the old timers having nervous breakdowns and being taken to the rear and being patched up. As soon as it was determined that they were able, they were brought up to the front again because there was a shortage of experienced men; there was no other option. War doesn’t wait.

As a child and young man I traveled with my family to the military bases around the country. Norfolk Virginia, Millington Tennessee, Adak Alaska, Miami Florida, Willow Grove Pennsylvania, Barbers Point Hawaii. Lots of interesting characteristics in each locale and pretty wild for a kid growing up. This continual pulling up stakes and moving every year or two must have had an effect on me because I moved many times through the decades that followed. Wanderlust doesn’t perfectly describe it; you’d have to live it to feel the fullness.

My father finally retired after a second career as a civil service metal corrosive engineer for the Navy. He was now what we call a triple dipper, receiving three retirement checks. Besides that, he was in real estate for years and was already wealthy by most standards.

So where is this story going ? Well, in the 1990s he was fully retired and had plenty of money. What does he do ? He wants to sweep the flat roof over the garage. His wife said to not go up there and he said to her, “What are you trying to do, make a cripple out of me ?” That was the last thing he said before he fell backward off the roof.

He also said the last thing he did was kick off the roof so that he didn’t land on his head. Instead, he landed flat on his back.

He was rushed to the hospital where he was in intensive care and recovery for a long time. The doctors said that his spinal injuries would make him a quadriplegic for life. I was told that the medical care cost a million dollars before he got out of the hospital. He did learn to walk, although with great effort. It took years until he was able to hold a spoon to feed himself.

After the accident, I can’t count the number of times he told me to not get on the roof without safety devices.

I moved from southern California about 10 years ago to help take care of him. More important to me was to be close to him to enjoy time together, time that the demands of his career had all too often taken precedence over our father-son relationship. Hopefully, you who have children are well aware of this.

I’m relating this story to tell anyone who reads it to never, never, NEVER put yourself in a situation before thinking of the possible consequences. Pay a professional to do the job.

We work hard all our lives so that we can retire and enjoy the fruits of our labor: our newly found free time and most important, our family and friends. So falling off a roof is an example of just one of the life damaging things we can do.

A few years ago I was at a garage sale loading items while standing on the tailgate of my pickup truck. It was wet and I slipped and fell to the concrete below. It was only a few feet but I was going head first. Incredible, a tall huge stranger caught my head before it hit. My left shoulder hit hard and still gives me a little reminder of that day. The bruise from knee to ankle faded in time. By the way, this stranger and his girlfriend became friends and have visited me and my family many times. You never know what will happen out there; good and bad. You just need the courage to do rather than only dream. I didn’t mean to turn this into a bartering and horse trading story but there it is. Threads of activities weave a most fascinating pattern throughout our lives. Sometimes we need to sit back and reflect until all the colors and designs become clear.

Best wishes,

Agnut

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Albert Einstein

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

gunDriller

6th August 2014, 09:12 AM

agnut

10th August 2014, 03:06 PM

Hi gunDriller. Your surfing story brings back fond memories of my surfing back in the early sixties in Hawaii. Once I was surfing alone, stupidly, and a huge shark took interest in me. I caught the next wave in and never went out there again. It was like living a scene from the movie Jaws.

Tempting fate is like looking into the abyss, not realizing that the abyss is looking back at you.

I once body surfed at the southeast part of Kawai by Nawiliwili harbor. There were several others out that day and I can still recall looking to the right and seeing all the joy filled faces as we all rode near the crest of the wave. It was a memory that few are blessed to have ever experienced. I also recall how we could look down ahead and see the sea bottom exposed as we bodysurfed in. Damn dangerous if we pearled or went over the falls; crashing into the coral and then being hit by the wave would have been like being tumbled in a cement mixer. I got my first and only “tattoo” there; I stepped on a spiny purple sea urchin and had purple spots on my heel for a loooong time.

It is all my experiences through life that sometimes make me feel so thankful as well as a bit selfish to have lived the equivalent of three lives in only one (so far). Do you know what I mean ?

My best friend who owned Insanity body boards and I were surfing in Ocean Beach at the end of Hill street. There had been a storm and the waves were huge. Later we always referred to this day as “Big Wednesday” like the movie. I got caught in a bad one and was dragged under and scraped along the bottom until I could regain my bearings. It tore off a couple of fins from my board but otherwise I was okay. I was never very good at surfing and that was the last time I went surfing. I still have two his the body boards in my barn; I keep them as memory of my deceased friend and the times we had. By the way, he was like a cross between Jack Nicholson and W.C. Fields. What a wonderful and wild friend to have. He worked with me off and on for two years in converting my 35’ Greyhound bus into a motor home. We even took it for a shakedown cruise from San Diego to Seattle and back. But that is a story for another time.

And now getting back to bartering and horse trading, I took the above trip and bought auto parts along the way for a core program . I probably made 15 or 20 thousand bucks which more than covered the diesel and grub. It was a pleasure/business vacation. I still have the videotapes I made of the trip but haven’t the heart to look at them. Someday.

We all pass through this life not realizing the effect we have on others we encounter. Some are small and some are life changing, whether we intend it or not. I am writing this bartering and horse trading thread in belief that it will help others. Through all my life’s difficulties I always seemed to easily recover and move on. Perhaps it was because I had a positive view of the future; there were always opportunities out there to discover and where they led me. The world is your oyster if you will but open the shell.

If any of you were to visit me and take the time to look over the mountain of stuff that I have accumulated through the years you would be astounded. I’m not bragging; as they say “it ain’t braggin’ if it’s true”. Sometimes I find a box of some items I had bought years ago and forgotten about. It is a funny feeling; a mix of Christmas morning and Altheimer’s. Admittedly, I haven’t organized the tons of stuff here but as Ponce says, “If you don’t hold it, you don’t own it.” I would add “And if you can’t find it, you might as well not own it.” HaHa

There may seem to be no difference between a hoarder and what I have done but this is not true by a long shot. A hoarder compulsively collects things that may have little to no future value. I collect things that I believe will have a better future value as well as will be desirable trading material. A good shovel bought now for a dollar ? What will this fiat debt ridden dollar be worth in a year ? Five years ? Ten years ? It’s headed toward colored toilet paper as we speak. What I do is a defense against the devaluing dollar, whether it is buying a shovel, a car part, a pair of jeans, a blender or a million other items out there begging for a home that knows their true value.

Ponce and I were talking this morning and he stated something that I have been doing for years. Buying quality used American made items. I would add that I also buy quality items no matter where they are made, especially Europe and Japan. I have many new hacksaw blades made in Sweden, I got them in a package deal. Probably paid a few pennies (zinc about that) each. I don’t use them because I have others and will trade them when they are appreciated for what they are. Ponce was visiting family in Cuba several years ago and had a pack of hacksaw blades that he gave to a neighbor who did metal work. This man had only one hacksaw blade and it had only four teeth still working. When Ponce gave him the blades, the man cried; he was so overjoyed.

What will be the future value of quality items when they are no longer available ? Something to think about.

I know people who have many thousands of dollars in their bank accounts. I told Ponce and he said that they were stupid. I think stupid on multiples of levels. A sitting duck being eaten through time, until the day of being gobbled whole. At least they could take the money out of the bank as a first step. Second, find something that will hold or increase in value through time. And here’s the rub; time. Nobody knows for sure how the future will unfold. We all have to place our bets and take our chances. But this is not like rolling dice or playing roulette. This is like playing poker or blackjack and being able to count the cards as they are played in order to calculate the odds of the outcome.

In my opinion, the future for America is either being overtaken or being marginalized. In the first, it would be chaotic and terrible. Americans will not allow that to happen without a fight. In the second case, imported manufactured goods would either become prohibitively expensive or unavailable. What we have here will be used up in time until there is a deficit of items to be had or we will domestically make the items as time passes. It won’t be easy what with our having shipped so much of our factory machinery out of the country. It is this time period in which we will be somewhat like what Cuba has been going through for several decades. So the items we have stored away will become valuable.

Years ago I quit buying silver except at sales. I don’t have much silver but I believe enough with my other assets included. I bought very little silver since most everyone knows that silver is valuable and therefore the price spread is almost negligible compared to the spot price. Instead I concentrated on things I needed and would need in the future. This included putting away many, many items that others would need. Clothing is an item that wears out and must be replaced. One exception to buying used is that I would buy new men’s socks. They are cheap per pair, wear out quickly and would look like gold to a man whose last pair was worn out.

I write mostly about small value items because this is what I believe will be best to have. It is no different than buying silver dimes rather than ten ounce bars. My items are like change in comparison to having cars or boats for future sale. And several small deals sold equal one large deal being sold. Much easier in my opinion.

Best wishes and cowabunga, dude,

Agnut

We can own nothing in this world but only have use of it for a time, for we are mortal.
agnut

agnut

19th August 2014, 10:50 PM

Hi all. Been busy from early till late. Just replaced the exhaust manifold and pipe on the Ford backhoe. Getting a large area leveled with umpteen thousands of rocks in the ground is more work than I thought I had signed up for. Oh well, it could be worse. Ya gotta take the hard with the soft if you’re gonna plow through life.

I remember once having to call in a dynamiter to blow the granite for a swimming pool I had envisioned completing swiftly and smoothly. Yeah, right ! I went to the elementary school and picked up my older son to have him set off the final charges. Eighteen years ago and he still remembers that day. Your family will remember the memorable; it’s your job.

I was feeling lazy last Saturday and couldn’t make up my mind whether to go garage sailing or work at home or goof off. My insatiable curiosity of what I might miss if I didn’t go was the overriding factor. I set up a few promising garage sale ads and was on my way. Once I fired up the old Dodge I was committed and always felt adventuresome throughout the journey.

The first sale had a Charbroil offset smoker I wanted. The seller had it hiding out back; I had to ask. She wanted $20 and I offered $10 and she agreed. She also had 3 ammo boxes and I got them for a dollar each. Two are in the back of my truck now, holding rope and straps and chains for towing. It is and has been a buyers’ market for a long time.

The next sale was on the way to the big sale I was anticipating a score. I stopped in, not expecting much; it was in a trailer park. I did get :

5 2 gallon gas cans for $1 each
50’ extension cord for $1
2 Scrabble sets for $1 each
Thermos ½ gallon pump coffee dispenser for $2
“Rome” season 1 and 2 for $1.50 each season
12 DVDs for 50 cents each

The last sale was in a nice neighborhood, country acreage, manicured landscape. I had to park on the street and walk in a ways. The sellers knew me but I didn‘t know them; I must be getting a reputation. Something told me that I might want to cover a wider area. Make myself scarce, that is. There are towns 30 to 45 minutes away that would be ripe for the picking. Admittedly, I’ve been lazy since my local area has been so good to me.

I got :

15 Harley Davidson vintage T shirts, vests for $1 each
4 Harley Davidson vintage hats for $1 each
11 X Box games for $1 each
A Grateful Dead vintage T shirt for $1
A Playstation 2 game console with controls, 20 game cartridges, Guitar Hero (a guitar with no strings attached; the next step up from an air guitar I suppose), and 3 extra memory chips for a grand total of $25

The Harley shirts and hats I gave away to relatives. I did keep one hat since I like Harleys although I’ve never owned one. Maybe as a reminder back in the early 70s when I had my first VW shop in the back of a motorcycle gang’s warehouse. The Storm Troopers, they were called. What a bunch of characters; the leader was sort of a R rated version of the Fonz. Ah, the memories.

The X Box games and Playstation package went to my younger son and he paid me for them. I’m always on the lookout for certain items for each person I know. Now that I think about it I’ve never had anyone not want what I have found for them. It was usually a celebration, like opening a birthday gift. But there is something here at play and that is that a person receiving something unexpected is an uplifting experience.

We all need to know that our lives are not just passing time until we pass on but that we have an impact on those around us. Some are family, some are friends, aome are strangers and some are strangers who will become friends. What better way to show that you are thinking of others than to know what they are looking for, find it and present it to them. That’s the icing on the cake for me.

The third ammo box ? I gave it away to someone who helped me load the truck at the last sale. He asked me if I would sell it and I said that he could have it. He at first couldn’t believe it. Funny how something so insignificant to me could be so valuable to someone else. That was my good deed for the day. Or was it ? After all, he had helped me out of the goodness of his heart. And he had shown me some of the bargains that I might not have found on my own like the Grateful Dead T shirt which I don’t know whether to wear it, sell it or frame it. I did look on eBay and there was only one like mine among hundreds. It was in new condition and the seller was asking $175. Mine has been worn but is in excellent condition for its age. Still glad to have found it but don’t know what to do with it. Not yet, that is. I have learned that something I bought and set aside and didn’t know why I had gotten it in the first place would someday find someone who would treasure it. This is a golden thread running through my bartering and horse trading but it took a while for me to appreciate its beauty.

Best wishes,

Agnut

Frugal is the new cool. Pass it on.

gunDriller

20th August 2014, 08:37 AM

mick silver

25th August 2014, 12:01 PM

govcheetos

5th September 2014, 08:05 PM

Been hitting the sales when I can, a lot of cheap junk I wouldn't buy new, and a lot of stuff I already have multiples of. Got a line on plastic 55 gallon drums, get them for free and sell them on craigslist for $10 each, done 15 so far with 15 more on the way, running out of room trying not to let the place look like sanford and son. Caught some hell from some guy after he overheard a conversation I was having about flipping things. Seems he has the idea I'm somehow ripping people off because I got the item for cheap or free. Says I should be passing it on to others. I explained that my friends and family usually get anything they want of mine for nothing and even complete strangers still get a good deal over what they'd pay someone else. He still didn't get it, so I explained he'd never have to worry because I would never sell or give him anything. Hate being that way, but the taker mentality is growing more and more with the general populace.

gunDriller

6th September 2014, 07:34 AM

what kind of Quails do you have , theres nothing like hearing bobtrail Quails at night ... I have been to a few sales I just am not seeing the good stuff you guys are getting it's like their at the bottom of what they have around here now . keep buying when you can because you never know what you may need in the coming days and years

I don't know what kind of Quail. Oregon Quail ?

I'm mostly selling because I'm planning to move. Recycling a lot of it, selling a LOT of tools.

Actually parting with some un-completed projects.

One thing that's interesting to me - is to see how much Carbide sells for. $5 to $20 an ounce, which reminds me of Silver.

I did get some video (audio really) of my chickens purring -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxL70xiIn1Q

2:30 in, all purring. Took me a YEAR to get that sound recorded. Chickens do not produce sounds on queue.

I have been witnessing behavior that is difficult to watch sometimes, just plain fascinating other times. A combination of double-digit IQ's, Ego, and Testosterone, in a mostly White (Gentile) community. Not pretty.

An example ... my neighbor Scott died. His brother Shawn came to help the Widow, who is now my official neighbor, to 'deal with' the property. For example, a half built cinderblock shop barn structure that needed to be torn down.

Shawn was a great neighbor. He helped the widow with one of her many houses (she is not poor). They agreed on "Mate's Rates" - $20 an hour. After he had 100 hours in the project and finished it, she offered him $5 an hour ... his own sister in law.

So if she treats her own brother in law that way - who spent 7 months volunteering his time in the name of family, to help her ... WOW.

But I didn't want to derail the thread.

When I was younger, living in the SF Bay Area, I used to price things at my "indifference point" - as low as I could go. People wouldn't low ball me. Very different.

Now, in Oregon, I am ALWAYS dealing with people who want to deal. So I often list things for higher than I would accept, because it makes them feel good to get a "deal". The Ego thing again.

Those 55 gallon drums are super useful. I had 3 of them. Sold a milling machine to one guy, then he saw that I was taking a metal drum to the scrap metal place, he asked for it, I gave it to him. A piece of metal make a good customer happy ? That's a good deal. He is using it as a workbench now, just needed a high surface to put things on.

The blue plastic drums for $10 - that's a great deal, for an useful tool.

I guess people get slightly confused. Just because you're collecting or hoarding doesn't mean you're free-cycling.

agnut

16th September 2014, 09:21 AM

Hi and thanks gunDriller. Truth is more interesting than fiction.

Yes ! For want of a better description, we are hoarding for a purpose. As I wrote before, I collect useful items for trading later. It may be some years later but that is not the point. I cannot recall how many times my son, I, or a friend have been looking for something and I had it packed away (somewhere). This hoarding with a purpose pays off through time and I believe that there will be a greater payoff down the road a ways.

Sure, I could sell many of my items right now but their value like money loaned gains interest through the years. The crucial difference is that you are physically holding the item of value rather than someone’s promise to pay.

Sounds like Whitey has a great setup for the future. I have watched over the last several years and noted the great increase in interest in used merchandise. The prices have risen with this new interest, especially with the ravages of inflation through the years. Items I bought 5 or 7 years ago are much higher today and I hold them in the belief that they will continue to rise, especially well made items.

I bought a Ferrari 246 GTS back in 1978 for $23K; did my homework and saw the future potential. I had an unfortunate turn of events at that time and had to sell it. Within a few years the Japanese were paying $200K for this model. A few days ago I was looking through Hemmings Motor News and there was the same year and model as mine; it was even the same red color. They were asking $450K. Am I sick to my stomach ? No, I have had many opportunities through life and for one reason or another not taken some of them. When in college in 1968, I was looking at two fixer upper cars sitting side by side, each were for sale at $1,000. The first one was a 1962 Porsche 356 coupe which I bought and restored. The other car I really wanted but didn’t have the resources to restore was a 1958 Gullwing Mercedes. Yeah, that’s right, a car that is now worth a million bucks restored.

Two points here. The first is to put things into perspective to your own life situation at a particular time. Are you ready to take on a project of this size ? The second is that deals come around through time and it is best to be philosophical and not become emotionally distraught when a deal doesn’t come through. There may be an even better deal that comes through and if you had gotten the first deal you may not have the resources for the better deal. In other words, it was meant to be.

What is rich anyway ? It sure isn’t having loads of fiat dollars; I’ve been there and it didn’t make me happy. In fact, I was miserable with all the new toys. Sounds crazy ? Let me explain. I was making great money and bought a fishing boat. Problem was that I didn’t have the time to use it. I even let someone use it and had to get it back when I heard that this person was going around telling others that it was his boat. At the same time I bought a 1965 MCI 5 Greyhound bus for conversion to a motor home. It took two years with the help from an old friend who had been living in a Greyhound for several years. In fact, I bought the bus from his brother with the promise that he would help me. This meant that my friend would be around often, something I prized. Over the years we had discussed going into business together but never done so, realizing that this might jeopardize our friendship. He owned Insanity Bodyboards and was like no one I have ever met, a cross between Jack Nicholson and W. C. Fields. It took two years and at the end we took the bus on a shakedown cruise from San Diego to Seattle to visit family and pick up some auto core parts for my business. The boat was a flop in my estimation but the bus became a fond memory of those times and my long departed best friend.

I hope these stories will help others reflect upon them before getting into a project that may not work out as intended. I would caution everyone to think long and hard about restoring cars to show condition. It is a way to get around the minimum wage law. You will in all probability be working for a dollar an hour or less. I know, I restored four Jaguars; one, the 1956 XK140 roadster took 2 ½ years to complete. I bought it for $350 but had $6,000 into it and sold it for only $7,500. There’s your sign.

In retrospect, those four Jaguars took much of my time that I could have put to better use. A very, very expensive lesson. Don’t get me wrong; I enjoyed restoring them. But they would have been better restored by someone who planned to keep them rather than someone who had to sell them through the tumultuous times of being young and not deeply rooted.

A few years ago I had a neighbor who would drive to Arizona and buy already restored American classic cars. He would haul them home, clean them up and make them pristine. He wouldn’t buy a car unless he could make at least 10K to 12K profit. I believe that this is the best of both worlds regarding restored car ownership wherein the previous owner poured his love, time and money into the car. And the new owner reaped the benefits.

Buying fixer upper houses can be quite profitable. I recently heard of someone who got a house for $60K, fixed it up and sold ot for $400K. I believe that there are some incredible opportunities out there but it takes money, risk and wisdom to accomplish a happy ending.

Best wishes,

Agnut

The emperor has no clothes…

Will a day come when the race will detect the funniness of these juvenilities and laugh at them--and by laughing at them destroy them? For your race, in its poverty, has unquestionably one really effective weapon--laughter. Power, Money, Persuasion, Supplication, Persecution--these can lift at a colossal humbug,--push it a little-- crowd it a little--weaken it a little, century by century: but only Laughter can blow it to rags and atoms at a blast. Against the assault of Laughter nothing can stand.
- "The Chronicle of Young Satan," Mysterious Stranger Manuscripts Mark Twain

agnut

16th September 2014, 10:36 AM

Hi govcheetos, sounds like the 55 gallon drums are a sideline that you can make the money for additional opportunities. I once knew a man who told me to get them checks comin’ in the mail. He had deals that paid off like clockwork and could take the afternoons off to relax with his wife.

This guy who thinks you are ripping others off reminds me of the Steve Martin movie, The Jerk. In it he is running a carnival weight guessing booth and is told about the junk prizes that cost almost nothing. He says, Oh, it is a profit thing.

What the hell is this moron thinking ? There are profit making enterprises all around him. What is a business, a supermarket, a restaurant other than a profit making enterprise ?

This taker mentality is one of the stupidest social attitudes I have ever seen. Envy, one of the seven deadly sins, being made socially acceptable. It is like they are proud of being parasites because that is what they are. They think that the world owes them a living while never realizing that they are useless eaters and will be the most vulnerable when the wheels come off the economy. They also probably believe that it is wrong only if they get caught. Future zombies to watch out for.

Can you imagine the kind of “friends” this guy might have ? I hope that they don’t breed.

I think that you are doing a great job in being persevering toward your goals. Too many go 90% and give up, not realizing that the additional 10% will bring them to success. This bartering and horse trading is a learning process which takes time and experiences in order to become proficient. Even in beginning the journey, some great deals may be made since they are all over the place. Knowing the difference between a diamond and a rock.

So let me tell my story; it was a relearning experience for me.

On Thursday I began collecting Craigslist garage sale ads since there are sometimes good sales on Friday morning. But there were none and this was the first time I can recall that there was no action Friday. However there were several sales on Saturday. I copied five or six that had promise. The first one started at 7:00 AM and I was there at 6:55. They had a large side by side drawer Craftsman rolling toolbox. It had been in a fire but was not too bad. He wanted $35; I offered $25 and he took it. You see, my older son is a sort of fanatic with sandpaper and a spray can. Also, I need an extra toolbox for all the tools I keep buying. Maybe a camo paint job would be cool. The overview here is that I need it, the price is cheap, I have an in house painter and I don’t care what it looks like. Oh, and the funny thing is that I was dropping off a dozen boxes of fruits and veggies in the afternoon to a friend with 8 kids and she asked me if I could use some spray paint. She gave me about 15 cans with other items in a large tub for free. Am I beginning to sound like a redneck now ? Good !

The next three sales were a wipeout. Lots of baby clothes and stuff that was ultimately headed to the local dump.

The last sale was close to the sale I was at so I reluctantly headed over there rather than head home. The ad said nothing about what was offered except that it was an estate sale. I had to park up the street and hobbled down there; I was a bit tired by then partly due to lack of adrenaline from the past three sales. My heart leapt when I saw the area of DVDs in the living room. I asked the seller how much he was asking. He responded with “What do you usually pay ?”. I told him that I paid from 50 cents to two dollars knowing that my honesty could cost me plenty. He said that 50 cents would be fine. I looked through the titles and said that I would take them all. There was 113 with some having multiple movies in one case. After loading them into my truck I went back and saw a turkey fryer with the propane unit underneath; it was partially buried behind some tarps in the garage. I asked the price and he said $10; I didn’t even haggle at that price. I also got an almost new Sears battery charger for $10. After I loaded that up I returned and found a new wok and a stainless steel stock pot; I got them for a buck each. The seller even threw in (to boot) an automotive oil drain container, the expensive kind that drains inside with a spout. Perfect, I needed that.

There were also small items I picked up but can’t recall them just now. They are to be added to my stockpile that keeps me from going to the hardware store all the time. You know what I mean.

I went home and unloaded the items while exercising my bragging rights with my sons.

Next I had to pick up the carpenter who is doing a front deck on our house. On the way there I passed acreage properties and saw a tiny garage sale sign. I picked up the carpenter and told him that I wanted to stop by the sale. The directions were almost nonexistent but I wasn’t going to give up and after several wrong turns we found the place. It was a small sale but the one item that caught my eye was a Honda four stroke weedwhacker with a saw blade on it. These are used for brush cutting and I have never seen one offered for sale. This is the perfect tool for cutting out the blackberry bushes and brush that is taking over our property. I had given up finding one years ago but here it was with an extra blade and accessories (to boot). The price said $75 so I asked what their best price was and we agreed on $60.

Now looking back I see that I’ve relearned some lessons. First, get there early. Second, have your route organized and mapped out. Third, don’t get discouraged but rather follow through with your plan. Fourth, even the seemingly unappetizing sale can yield big surprises. Fifth, use your imagination when looking at items for sale. Sixth, your buying day may not be over even if you think it is. And seventh, smell the roses along the way.

If you are becoming discouraged, change your game plan. Go to areas that look promising. Find estate sales. Auctions. Government surplus sales. Keep your ears open and ask questions. Keep notes to call later. Remember, this is a your business and it takes some thought and planning. And that’s the way you would want it anyway, right ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

"As democracy is perfected, the office of the President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron."
- H.L. Mencken

"Fiat money is the child of the arrogance of human intellect, which has sought to invalidate the laws of human nature which have regarded the precious metals as money for thousands of years, and sought to substitute an intellectual construct for the real thing. Now we are going to pay for that arrogance." Hugo Salinas Price

govcheetos

16th September 2014, 08:21 PM

Agnut agree about sinking you heart, soul and billfold into restoration projects. I have one boat I'll never be able to sell because I was in love with her. She's a beauty, but as a rule with the restos, whatever you end up spending you're lucky if you're able to insure it for half and sell it for a third. On the other hand their are a lot of deals out their on stuff that has been recently restored, or most of the heavy work is done and they ran out of money, or some other financial obligation came up. I friend of mine does it with old street rods. He spends a lot more than I would, but brings them home, tinkers with them some, has the people who specialize in certain areas, engines, detailing/paint work, interior etc work some magic on them and then flips them or trades up for the next deal. Has worked great for him so far, although I'd be scared having so much tied up in some of them and trying to get my money back out of it. Most of the boats I'm dealing with are just about bottom of the barrel projects that someone has neglected for years. A lot have good parts, engines, and trailers though. One way I look at it is If I can get the whole rig for less than what the trailer is worth I can make money. One thing is to assume the worst with marine related stuff. I don't care if the engine ran great when it was last ran, If it's not running right now while I'm looking at it I assume it's junk.

Sold four more barrels today which paid for some deck hinges, pulls, and stainless steel screws.

agnut

19th September 2014, 10:54 PM

Hi govcheetos. Someone once told me that it was just as much work to do a $100 deal as a $10,000 deal. I agree but it is much safer to make several smaller deals in order to spread the risk. We are all different and need to do what works best for ourselves. The trick is knowing ourselves and what makes us tick.

Today is Friday and I had been looking at the Craigslist garage sale ads since Wednesday. Nothin’ to get excited about. However the local paper had about four ads that looked promising. One was an estate sale that I focused on. It started at 8:00 and I was there 15 minutes early. The ad said no early birds. Yeah, right; the buyers were already going through all the goodies when I got there. With no time to lose I greeted the sellers and began sizing up the sale. There were a few tents set up outside with tables covered with items and a double car garage full of items stacked everywhere. I began by spotting an item and asked the price. I said I will take it and set the item aside away from the sale. I told the sellers that I would be making a pile of items I would be buying so that other buyers wouldn’t pick up my items. This doesn’t usually work perfectly and I have to keep an eye on my pile of items as I am picking up other goodies.

There was so much for sale that it was overwhelming and there were many boxes of items that hadn’t even been opened by the time I was finished three hours later. Woah, three hours later ? What were you doing agnut, napping under a tree ? After talking to the sellers who, by the way, were wonderful people I sized up the situation. The father had passed on and two related families wanted to clear out the house as well as their own excess items so that they could move back to their home on a Pacific island. Time was of the essence and much hadn’t even been unboxed yet.

Here is most of what I got :

2 Coach purses w/matching wallets $45 total
1 Prada purse with matching wallet $25
1 8” alabaster vase and stand $2
1 gloom chaser $2
2 large area rugs $5 each
1 outdoor carpet $2
4 plastic trashcans w/wheels $2 each
1 new WIFI in box $2
1 Yamaha flute free (was in the free pile)
2 lawn furniture recliner chairs $5 each
4 jazz albums 50 cents each
1 set 16 piece Milwaukee hole saw set from 5” on down $5
5 metal cutting wheels $2 total
1 old Black and Decker ½” drill $5
1 new Black and Decker orbital polisher $4
8 large potting containers 50 cents to $1 each
1 box of tooling, drill bits, tap and die handles, 3 sharpening stones, 2 Vise Grips, etc $5.
1 two gallon gas can $1

The purses I will either sell on eBay or give them to my daughters and ex for Christmas.

The alabaster vase and stand is an incredible piece of art. I already gave it to a friend who happened to be here this evening. She is a rock hound extraordinaire. I also gave her the gloom chaser.

The area rugs will be used in the house in high traffic areas.

The outdoor carpet will be used to protect the cedar decking that has just been laid out the front door.

The 4 trashcans will be used again and again rather than buying Glad bags all the time.

The WIFI is for a backup.

The Yamaha flute goes to my son if he wants it.

The two recliners will be used on the new front deck as soon as it is finished, hopefully this weekend. These recliners are the expensive kind and I had bought one several weeks ago, tried it and liked it.

The jazz albums are two Stan Getz, a Lionel Hampton, and a double album set of the best of Dave Brubeck. I’ll enjoy them as soon as I get one of my stereo systems set up.

The hole saw set will be for our use and loaning out to friends who will take good care of them.

The metal cutting wheels my older son will be thrilled to have.

The old Black and Decker drill will go in the pile with all the other drills I have collected through the years.

The orbital polisher is a backup,

The potting containers my sons had been asking me to be on the lookout for.

The box of tooling will be added to the loads of other tooling I have accumulated.

I listed the items first and then listed in order what I intend to do with the items. As we are GEM (garage, estate and moving) sailing it would be wise to at least have an inkling of what we are going to later do with these items.

Nobody in their right mind would leave a productive gold mine to go elsewhere and dig another hole in hopes of striking it rich. That is why I didn’t leave the estate sale; it was both productive and a lot of fun.

By the way, I helped one of the sellers move an antique piano and a chest freezer. It seems that few buyers want to get involved in work but I believe that this helping is what can uplift a seller. I don’t do this to get a better deal; it is just courtesy while I am at their property.

When I got home I took a 90 minute nap to be awakened by a couple of friends digging a 3 foot deep hole in my driveway. They were looking for the electric lines so that my backhoe wouldn’t find them the hard way. She was in the hole with a shovel, digging furiously and he was standing nearby supervising. Where can you find a woman like that these days ?

I began digging the 120 foot long drainage trench but it got too dark so I’ll have to continue tomorrow. If you don’t hear from me for a week, I’ll probably be in a trench of my own. With all my hair singed off. An electrifying sendoff. Interesting.

Best wishes,

Agnut

agnut

26th September 2014, 09:10 PM

I wonder what the price of meat will be next year. If it goes from $5/lb to $7/lb, you have made an additional 40% from your “investment. Tax free too ! Something to think about. And I really mean that we all should think deeply about the future as to what we will hold in our possession when the day comes that the items we hold will be in great demand.

How about this idea ? Buy a good used electric saw blade sharpener for the power saws. In the future you could have a blade sharpening service for cash or trades. I have an electric chain saw sharpener, a cheapie that I got from Harbor Fright. It was on sale for about $30; so far I’ve sharpened about 30 chains for myself and some friends. It works well and probably will do another 100 or so before it craps out. That is why I try to have a backup for whatever equipment I use regularly as well as ones I am anticipating using for servicing others’ equipment.

I am always looking at what will be needed in a transformed future. I hope we all understand what this future may be like. Gone are the days when folks thought they could afford to throw away dull saw blades and replace them with new blades. Personally I prefer to think in terms of bartering my services for others’ services or items rather than to charge money. I think of money as the weak link in bartering and horse trading because it has been losing value and confidence. Also, trading with another usually results in a happier and more rich deal all around. I can recall giving someone an item I have and their returning the favor in wonderful and unexpected ways.

Also gone are the days when we would buy new jeans or shirts or boots or a myriad of items that wear out through time. In the first place money is tight and in the second place prices are going up. Last Friday I was at the estate sale I posted above and got to talking to a couple of ladies who were the sellers. I told them about the clothes I had on and what they cost. My Phat Farm shoes were free and I just had to put in a set of laces I had laying around, my jeans I had gotten at a bag sale at my favorite thrift store for 30 cents, my shirt was also 30 cents. So I had all of 60 cents tied up in my clothing I was wearing that day. The ladies just sat their with their mouths open and didn’t know what to say. Furthermore I told them that the money I saved could go to other items I needed or to food which is an absolute necessity.

Americans are going to have to wake up to the fact that they cannot continue without using what income they have judiciously. They hit the wall long ago and have been living on borrowed time and money. My quote, “The filthiest four letter word in the English language is debt”, will probably never be often cited but it has been felt painfully for decades and sadly will be the downfall of millions who did not see this coming.

I suspect that at the bottom of all this foolishness is the marketing propaganda as well as the “pride” of buying new items. Isn’t pride one of the 7 deadly sins ? Wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Yep, it’s right there in the middle. Hey, if you’re going to have pride, at least have pride in a job well done whether it is your occupation or wise handling of your finances. Being proud of having a “new” car or fancy new clothes appears a bit financially retarded and slothful in my view. But that’s just me.

On the other hand, God bless all the multitude of folks who have been obliviously buying all the “new” merchandise, for without them there wouldn’t be all the used items available at laughably low prices. Just imagine if everyone were clued in to how much they could save. If so, the prices of used items as well as their availability would not be what we see today. Haven’t you noticed some GEM sales asking prices not much below their new prices ? When I see this I leave skid marks on the way to the next sale.

This morning there was only one sale that interested me. It was advertised as a moving sale, everything must go. Imagine a one day only moving sale and on Friday at that ! When most everyone was at work !

When I got there I found out that it was a moving sale alright. The owner had moved on to his final reward. In other words, an estate sale. Lots of stuff in multiple buildings. I began in the house garage where I asked if they had an air compressor. The said that there was one in the workshop building. When I got there I was told that one of the sons had already hauled it away but then I spied a Skil saw worm drive with two blades, one was new. The price was $25 and I didn’t even quibble. While there I saw an industrial pair of grinding wheels for a machine I had at home. I gathered the grinding wheels with a large cup wire wheel and asked the price for all three. He asked what I wanted to pay. From there it was game on. I said five dollars and he agreed. I could have said two or three dollars but here is where generosity pays off. Did I just say generosity ? Or did I really mean instead of grinding the poor seller into the dirt while making myself look like Shylock who, by the way, reminds me of the depraved character on the cover of the Jethro Tull Aqualung LP ?

My point is that there is a low limit offered price from the buyer which should not be crossed. It is what I call the insult line. The three items for $5 would cost over $50 plus tax new. And all three items happened to be never used. I find this to occur at some estate sales wherein the owner passed on before he could get the items out of the package. Maybe worrying about how to pay for these items gave him a heart attack in the first place (or was that the last place ?). Death by debt.

When I got finished in the workshop I returned to the house garage where I zeroed in on the 150 or so DVDs laid out in boxes. The price was $1.50 each or $1 when buying 10 or more. I asked how much the season sets were and they said that they were also a dollar each. I was a bit in shock since even the thrift stores sell these sets for $10 to $15. I got the first four seasons of “House” for a dollar each, all 5 seasons of “Ghost Whisperer” for a dollar each and the 5 seasons of “Supernatural”(36 discs) for a dollar total. I was almost embarrassed but the seller had set the price and I have a rule to not bid the price up against myself. Otherwise the estate sale police could show up and put me in the strait jacket we all subconsciously worry about lurking out there in the nether lands, just waiting for one of us to make a serious lapse in judgment.

After paying for the 60 DVDs I realized that I had made a potentially expensive mistake; I had not looked through the house garage before going to the workshop building. Not even a cursory look. I was only then aware of how unaware I had been previously because I had not seen the DVDs or the second Skil worm drive saw with 4 blades (one new in the package) offered for $10. I was both happy and surprised that someone had not picked it up. It was a steal. I’m relating this to show you that even though I can be oblivious at times, I still come out smelling like a rose. This has happened too many times to ignore in that I conclude that there is so much room for error and sloppiness (that’s me) that anyone who can fog up a mirror and has a great desire can succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

Yesterday a friend was over and needed a large pot for cooking up canning fruits and veggies. I gave her one realizing that that was the only one I had even though I didn’t do any canning. I had gotten it years ago because it was dirt cheap. Today I got a large pot for $3 like the one I had given away yesterday. This too happens from time to time. I guess it is part of the bartering and horse trading lifestyle. There is a rhythm, a flow to go with as we are pursuing our deals. And when we are in that groove we are along for the ride. Pretty cool, and after all the years I have been doing this I have only recently taken note of this phenomenon.

God is a comedian playing to an audience that is too afraid to laugh.
Voltaire

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Last post I was digging out the 120 foot long drainage trench while worrying about hitting the 220v electric line. I never hit the electric or water lines but I did find the sewage line. It was only by sheer dumb luck that the backhoe teeth scraped the dirt clear on top of the sewage pipe and didn‘t break the pipe. I can only compare it to a blind dinosaur using his teeth to pick a feather off a bird’s tail without hurting the bird.

Of course, the bird isn’t full of shit like I am sometimes.

govcheetos

27th September 2014, 07:28 AM

Another great post Agnut, I wish I had the patience to type out everything like you. Patience is a virtue that I'm slowly working on. Been a little slow lately, some sales, but not much I'm looking for. Today was better. Picked up an almost brand new 6500 BTU window ac for $40. It's a GE if that still means anything, still made in china. These cost about 300 at walmart last time I priced them. I keep a couple on hand for when we have blackouts which has been often this summer. This one is going to the wife's parents house. I run them off a generator, as well as the fridge and deep freeze. I had a 10,000 BTU model that was great, but way too heavy to be heaving into a window at 2 am in the dark. I got the 10,000 BTU model for free and sold it for $100. The other one I have I also got for free, so really I'm -$60 on 2 air conditioners now. If you follow Ben Franklin's thinking of a penny saved is a penny earned I'm up $660. $300 each for ac plus $100 for the one I sold, minus $40 for the new one. Not bad. Picked up an antique offshore trolling rod and reel for $10 along with 2 old feather brand boat paddles with original paint and patina. These will hang on the wall for decorations. Whoever used to own that old rod is rolling over in their grave their kids sold it for so cheap. It's got a good home now.

Made a deal with a lady who is moving that I help with her yard. She has a 1 year old toro self propelled mower which sells for $400 at home depot that she doesn't want to move. I offered $250 worth of grass cutting at $50 per cut for the mower and we struck a deal. This mower will literally pay for itself in the next couple months. It's the same model I got for free about a year ago, the owner said the transmission was shot and the guy at the mower store said it wasn't worth fixing. I took it and found a wood chip from their landscape mulch stuck between the drive belt and a pully. Works great, now I have a matching set.

Always looking for deals on old boats and trailers, and the word has gotten out through a few of my contacts. Got a call to come and get 2 with trailers for free. One of the trailers is pretty rusty, gonna use it for a yard trailer, probably put a plywood deck over it and use it for selling larger items on the side of the road. The other trailer is galvanized and I'll keep for the next deal that comes along. The boats are pretty much junk, but I'll offer them on craigslist for a week or so and then take them to the landfill after stripping them of any good useable parts or scrap.

Talked to a friend of a friend at a lunch counter who is into old cars. He was out in the country and found a couple of old rusted out 40's model Fords that he made a deal for $500 each. A steal all by itself. He got them home and while getting one off the trailer it bounced and a bunch of coins fell out of a hole under the trunk. He pryed the trunk open and found several bags and old card board boxes full of old coins, many of them silver. He called the guy back and asked if he had left anything in the car and he said "Yes, a bunch of coins" The purchaser offered to return them to him and asked if maybe he receive a 50% finders fee the man wasn't too keen on that, so he returned all of them. I believe in doing the right thing, but I think I would have just kept my mouth shut. I can't believe the seller wouldn't pay him anything. He showed me pictures of the cars and the piles of coins, so I know it to be a true story. My mouth was watering.

Hope everyone is doing well, go out there and find something!

mick silver

28th September 2014, 09:24 AM

it's hell trying to find used trailer around here anymore . went to a few sales and nothing I wanted anyways . I need a real heavy trailer for a tractor I am about to buy ford Holland 5000 , the tractor looks new barn keep between mowings . It look like you guys are doing better then me on sales it's like all I am seeing is whats left of the bottom anymore . hope all of you are doing good be safe mick

govcheetos

28th September 2014, 09:57 AM

Mick trailers can be hard to find when you're looking for one to meet your needs. Around me they are brand new or almost brand new and cost that way too. If they are used they are almost used up, lots of miles, weight, and working everyday abuse. Other used ones are sitting in a field somewhere rusting away from not being used or maintained and will need work or at least tires, which are expensive these days for new ones if you want the right ones. I picked up a 16 ft flatbed with ramps and 7000 lb Dexter axles for $800 a few years ago. I put a new paint job on it and switched a couple tires around that I talked the guy into throwing in. I hardly use it, but when I do it's a lifesaver. I'll hitch it up and drag it around a few miles a couple times a year just to keep the bearings turned and flat spots off the tires. I'll bet I have close to 30 different spare trailer and truck wheels and tires stashed away. I keep the good ones, and put the less than good ones on the cheap junk I'm selling just to get it down the road. Plus if anyone I know is in need I can usually fix them up if it's for a pick up or a light to medium duty trailer. Found a Firestone Steel Tex 245/75/16 E rated with 3/4 thread on a steal rim on the side of the road where someone was moving out just last week.

agnut

29th September 2014, 12:13 PM

Hi govcheetos. Between the boats, air conditioners, mowers and cars it sounds like you have enough variety going for a lifetime. Having multiple skills works best rather than having only one specialty. When one skill need slows down, another skill can kick in. Sometimes having too many skills in demand at the same time can be overwhelming.

Times are changing fast and we need to recognize what will be in demand in the future. I think most of us know enough to make it through the maze ahead but it can‘t hurt to broaden our knowledge while we still can. I am looking for the right Bridgeport vertical mill and metal lathe. Lots of things can be fabricated with the knowledge and tools. Most workshop garages have the typical equipment but having a mill and lathe isn’t usually one of them. The entry level cost in money and space is too high for most do it yourselfers. So I see a future demand.

Sometimes something as simple as a few sentences can open a door and change a life. I wonder when we American patriots will realize that we are all in this together and begin to think and work as a team. “What the hell is the matter with you people ?” keeps coming to mind. I have noticed that folks I talk to are more receptive that they were a few years ago. It is a sad phenomenon that those of us who talk to others about prepping and what the future holds in store are written off as paranoids until things reach crisis proportions. And then people begin to open up to the possibilities like they had discovered them on their own. I guess the reward is to watch these newly awakened folks as they mull through what has been going on in the past and connect to the present situation, then extrapolating to what the future portends under these new revelations. That is mind changing stuff, a more rare occurrence that you would think.

I thought I was through for the weekend with Friday’s estate sale booty but I was wrong. Yesterday I saw one garage sale that was about 20 minutes away. It was a real London fog out there so I put on my jacket of the same name and sallied forth (too gay ?). I couldn’t get the windshield cleared for the first 5 miles or so. The place was tucked away in a relatively unpopulated wooded area. I even got lost and had to backtrack; The map wasn’t clear; yeah, I’ll blame it on the mapmaker, that’s the ticket.

When I drove up, the house garage was open with tables set up with lots of various items.
The barn to the left was also open and laid out with many items. I spoke to the husband seller a bit and asked him about a few items. As usual, these sellers are really nice people who have opened up their homes to virtual strangers. It doesn’t matter whether they are selling out of too much stuff syndrome or out of financial desperation, they are the sellers and are anticipating your buying some items and saving them from having to take a trip to the dump or poorhouse ( which is also a dump).

The first thing I saw was a 50’ long heavy nylon strap used for pulling down cut trees in the right direction. It was a dollar. This is something I need for taking down the many Alder trees around the property. A score even if I had found nothing else.

A come along winch for $5
A trailer hitch with ball for $2
A large ice chest for $1
2 Tupperware bowls with lids for 50 cents each
A Stihl chain saw case for $1
Ace bandages, knee, elbow braces, 9 pieces for free
2 gallon gas can for $1
Sears sandblaster on wheels with hoses for $10
4 LP records for $1.50
Jasper and obsidian stones for free
A bag of home grown zucchini and carrots for free

Sometimes we come away from a sale with what looks to be a small haul but when examining each item we realize that they fulfill a need. And the retail price is many multiples of what we paid. But there is more to it here. What would it take for us to buy these items ? The hours spent in finding them as well as the traveling time, the gas and wear and tear on our car, our research as to who has the right size and style we want. It is deceiving unless we sit back and reflect the totality of the effort and expense required. Our time is most precious, more precious to me as I become older. You younger readers probably give little thought of the value of your waking hours. I know, I did when I was young. To me, it is a matter of perspective and balancing my time with my objectives.

Now the items listed above may not seem like much but, as I posted recently, I am giving the uses I have in order to show you why I buy these items.

The heavy nylon strap was dirt cheap in the first place but I got it home and used it the same day for pulling some logs out of the woods. This week I intend to use the strap for tree logging. The dead Alder will be needed for firewood for this winter which may be a long and cold one according to reports I’ve read.

The come along winch will be used for pulling cars onto a car dolly. Much safer and easier than finding four strapping young men to push the car.

The trailer hitch with ball is offset and will correct my trailer fore and aft balance.

The large ice chest was only a buck; what can I say ?

I collect Tupperware for the future storage needs and trading. This is the only brand I buy.

The Stihl chain saw case will protect one of my Stihl saws when transporting.

The Ace bandages will be most appreciated here on the ache-r-age.

The 2 gallon gas can is now part of my vast gas can collection, both for use and trade.

Just last week my older son and I were discussing the needs for a sandblaster. The seller didn’t have his displayed for sale but he asked me out of the blue if I would be interested. He took me into his woodworking shop and pulled it out of the corner. I had neglected to ask him what else he might have for sale but he preemptively brought up the subject. Now looking back, that was a odd way of procuring an item I wanted and needed. I had asked if he had an air compressor, that may have set him off. I will never know.

The 4 LP records. George Benson, Neil Diamond and Blood Sweat and Tears albums were in pristine condition. They may be duplicates to my collection but at under 50 cents a record they seemed a pity to pass up. I have been collecting since the 60s and finding an unscratched album is becoming harder to find as time passes. They are like classic books, sometimes rare but often flawed through neglect. So I pick these records up for my enjoyment, trade or gifting.

The jasper stone is of my birth month and I keep it in the windowsill to look at it. Beautiful piece of nature’s art. The obsidian will go to a friend who also collects rocks.

The home grown zucchini and carrots went into a veggie stew with jalapenos, tumeric and several other ingredients. Just a fond gustatory memory now.

Now what if I had said to myself that early Saturday morning that I would instead watch the TV or wander around the property ? I would have missed out on the adventure and rewards that sometimes cannot be quantified.

Today there are many thrill seekers who do some wild and dangerous sports. I’ve gone hang gliding, sailplane, flown small planes, surfed, scuba dived and traveled around quite a lot in my younger years. While they were all fun, they also cost lots of money.

Orson Wells once said that if he had a hobby that did not bring him money, he would find another hobby.

My hobby is bartering and horse trading; it brings me so much more than money that it is impossible to fully convey. This is why I write to encourage others to join me in this world of its own.

And in closing, I would like to say that your bartering and horse trading abilities will become a most valuable asset when this fiat paper currency collapses. Fiat currency represents value only in the minds of the citizenry. When their minds change, lookout !

Buying at retail is for those who lack imagination.

Best wishes,

Agnut

It was in the early days of the settlement of the Pilgrims when the Indian chief said to the settlers that they were welcome to the bounty of this new America. When asked what the settlers thought about the Indians, the leader said “We have our reservations”. That answer wasn’t fully understood for hundreds of years.

gunDriller

29th September 2014, 01:35 PM

Trailers are seasonal.

I think a person could make some money buying them in the winter & off-season, a 2 axle with brakes for $1200.

Lowest price I've seen for a 2 axle was $600 at a garage sale. I don't remember about the brakes.

In the summer, people will pay $2000 for a clean 2 axle trailer no problem. If they have a need, they'll pay it. If you take American Express ...

I know that seems kind of un-prepper but money is money.

govcheetos

29th September 2014, 02:12 PM

;)

I know that seems kind of un-prepper but money is money.

You sure about that Gundriller?

mick silver

4th October 2014, 01:35 PM

the trailer i need is a fifth wheel one and they are never cheap even the used ones it need to haul close to 10.000 pounds , dam agnut it look like your the finding good deal still . hell next week I may drive the tractor home it only about 20 miles , I can see it how . are I may just see if a bud got the time to haul , but he's working his ass off right now and I don't like to ask anyone to do this when I know he will be slow in a month are so. you guys be safe and keep up looking for the deals . time is short . mick

govcheetos

7th October 2014, 06:45 PM

;D

Mick, go to an army surplus store, buy some combat camo, and drive it home. Be sure to have a slow moving vehicle triangle on the back. My only worry would be wearing out the tires on the pavement.

When you do find your trailer it sounds like it could be a money maker if you watch the CDL rules.

Picked up a 205/75/14D trailer tire for $2, 3/4 of the tread left. Autographed copy of Randy Weever's book for 25 cents! Lady I worked the lawn mower deal with threw in a side walk edger and a 5 gal and 2 gal gas can full of gas on the deal for no additional charge. She's talking to me about her upright craftsman tool chest, wants to pick out a few basic tools and sell me the rest so she doesn't have to move it. Have a feeling I'll be able to trade this one out too. Got a connection with a maintenance guy at an apt complex for appliances. They trade these things out every so often whether they are working or not. I buy the working stoves and refrigerators for $75. Most are better than anything you'd find at a scratch and dent sale, and way better than the used appliance stores. Storing these with a friend of mine for replacements in rental units. The cheapest fridge in Home Depot is $498 and not as nice or big as these. Not to mention we have them on hand for immeadiate replacement and don't have to make time to go to the store for one when one goes down.

If you trade on craigslist, be careful. Heard a story about a guy selling a xbox and got shot and killed by a couple who had planned on just stealing it from him. I'm wary of having anyone come by the place I don't know, and will meet people at a public place a lot. Only problem is the BSer's and the no shows, but better than having strangers at your place seeing what you have and coming back later.

Everyone be safe and keep in mind whats important for later!

agnut

11th October 2014, 07:18 AM

Hi mick silver. These heavy duty trailers don’t come cheap. When I bought my Ford 550 backhoe, 13,500 pounds, a friend drove it to my place while I was along in my truck with the flashing lights. We went only 8 miles but it was no problem driving through the center of town. Even stopped to fill the diesel tank.

When you get your rig home, how much do you anticipate having to transport it beyond where you could drive it locally on the road instead ? In other words, do you really need this trailer or could you pay for someone to move it occasionally ?

I noticed something in your post; your consideration for your bud being busy for the next month. That is one mark of a true friend. I liked seeing that posted.

As gun driller wrote, trailers are seasonal. I agree but there is also a long term view here that we all need to keep in mind. Ponce has told me that in the future, those with the equipment to haul things from one town to another will be a profitable sideline or even a full time endeavor.

I think that a car hauler with winch and pockets on the sides for installing siding would be ideal for my uses. I could haul cars as well as bulk merchandise. I’ve bought out a couple of defunct companies’ inventory and it was very profitable. Such a multi purpose trailer would cost around $1,000 to $1,400 around here. The heavy axle capacity would be a must.

Best wishes,

Agnut

agnut

11th October 2014, 08:28 AM

Hi govcheetos. Your post hit me with so many cool deals that I don’t know what to say except congratulations !

Seems that everyone is busy getting ready for winter and the attendant slowdown. I’m actually looking forward to it what with the hundreds of DVDs I haven’t had the time to watch. Besides going to estate sales and a few deals, I like to hole up in the winter, organize items recently bought, and watch movies.

I have read that people get depressed when it is cold, the daylight is short and there is extended rainy overcast. I believe that those who plan for such an environment will live happier lives. It works for me. Humans need to experience seasonal changes; they either roll with it or drag themselves through the winters. Another sign of higher intelligence.

Your warning about dealing with Craigslist was well taken. We once had a group of Russians come by for some car parts. They acted and looked like professional criminals. I had defensive items stashed around for quick response; gotta keep situational awareness at the highest level when dealing with strangers. I am familiar with dealing with some real characters, having worked with wrecking yards in some dangerous neighborhoods. Most Americans are the most wonderful people but it only takes that one in a thousand to muck up your life. If anything did happen to me and mine, the bail bondsmen and bounty hunters in my family would take it personal. Small consolation but wrongs need to be righted if we as a people are to enjoy the bounty of our American way of life.

Today we live lives beyond the luxury that kings couldn’t even dream of hundreds of years ago with one exception. We don’t have others to take care of our possessions and conveniences. There is no royal family jewel washer or vehicle driver. We have to do it all ourselves and yet we bitch about how it is so tedious. I don’t know where Americans get off complaining when they should be ecstatic in wonderment of all they have to be grateful for. I’ll step down off my soap box for now; I was getting a bit dizzy anyhow.

Those appliances you buy and sell remind me of something I recently wrote about but hadn’t posted :

Ever since WWII we Americans have been on a worldwide scavenger hunt for anything and everything that suited our fancy. And we had an enormous fancy wanting more and more and more. The world was happy to oblige since much of the world’s manufacturing had had the living crap bombed out of it and we were the last man-ufacturers left standing.

Problem was that keeping up with the Joneses cost more than we made and through the decades we fell to the siren song of credit and deepening debt levels. Well, we have finally arrived at our own Water-loo and are now up to our necks in the loo.

There is a point here; I’m not into condemnation but only an observer of human nature and weaknesses that cause folks to paint themselves into a corner. I’m also a problem solver and there is a solution to the “too much month left at the end of the money” syndrome.

Regarding the several decades of past overbuying, there is an enormous stockpile of good used items all over America. Millions of garages, barns, storage lockers full of “valuable items” that the owners didn’t know what to do with or want to throw away or haul to the dump.

Bartering and horse trading is a sort of rewind or reverse financial engineering of these several decades wherein we can now buy good used items for prices that are as close to highway robbery as you can get.

And what of the folks who “have to buy everything new” ? Well, they aren’t with the changing times and may never be able to swallow their mislabeled so called pride. Good for them; let me know how that works out for you.

Yesterday I bought a later model Whirlpool dishwasher for $30. Of course it isn’t new silly; $30 buys a new toaster, not a $400 new dishwasher. I also bought a Kohler toilet for $20. Yuck, you say. Yeah, butt I will be reading from my library of Bathroom Readers with the confidence that I won’t have to use the plunger all the time. That is worth a load of relief to me. TMD ?

By the way, the new (to us) dishwasher works so well that my sons call it nuclear powered.

What is stopping millions of Americans from becoming good barterers and horse traders ? Ignorance of the opportunities, habit and ego gratification. All extremely expensive to the bottom line.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"All the war-propaganda, all the screaming and lies and hatred, comes invariably from people who are not fighting."
- George Orwell

We should insist that an immigrant who comes in good faith and assimilates himself to us, shall be treated equally. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming an American, and nothing else. There can be no divided allegiance. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, one language and one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people. -T.Roosevelt

govcheetos

14th October 2014, 05:48 PM

The deal with the tool chest ended up me helping her boyfriend move a pickup load of stuff to storage. The stuff consisted of a washer and dryer, my tool chest, two wing chairs and a coffee table. Had to drive the stuff 2 miles. I ended up buying the washer and dryer for $200 LOL. I usually would only spend 150 for the set, but these were friends, plus I made out like a bandit on the tool chest and lawnmower. I now have a backup set for when mine or family members goes down. They also threw in a 6 ft wooden step ladder which I gave to a friend of mine who paints on the side and always wants to borrow one of mine. Most of the "good" tools were removed as expected, but I now have all the peel and stick porter cable sanding discs I need for my orbital sander, several more stanley screw drivers, a couple more craftsman sockets and screwdrivers, brand new drywall sanding blocks and trowells, a couple un opened boxes of deck screws and nails, and a ton of other small misc stuff.

Garage sailing was decent. Picked up a sentry fireproof strong box for $10, an almost new quality pitchfork for $5, the wife got a few "new" clothes, she almost exclusivly wears garage sale and goodwill clothes, yet you wouldn't know it. Love that woman! Ran into an old acqauntance at a sale looking at a riding mower for $30. Was in alright shape and would crank and run, just needed new front tires and the belts adjusted. Traded him two tires I had in the shed collecting dust for a quality boat anchor I knew he had hanging on his fence from a boat he flipped on craigslist. Both of us were very pleased. One mans junk is anothers treasure like the saying goes.

Putting some multiple and un needed stuff on craigslist now that things are slowing up a bit with autumn coming on. Gonna change some things into bigger and better things I've had my eye on.

Hope everyone is doing well!

govcheetos

18th November 2014, 05:00 PM

Things have been a little on the slow side lately. Can't hardly give stuff away on craigslist. Get a few calls on the stuff for sale, but no one actually coming out to see stuff. Sales have been mostly consumer grade junk from china lately. Bought three boat props and a set of old oars for $20. One of the props in in great shape which I will sell and the Oars I'm selling to a friend who has wanted a set to patina up and hang on the wall. I'll double my money and get a couple props for free to hang on the fence. Been going through the shop and boxing up tools that I have multiple multiples of. gonna sell off some stuff to fix up the good stuff that I have. Better to have a few quality functioning things than a yard full of stuff that's needs work. Also getting the shop into a more functional layout, making it easier to work on things as they come along. My goal is to turn things around faster instead of them sitting. Got another barrel connection so I'll have a slower, but consistent supply of them. Gave a few away to a friend needs them for ballast on a dock barge. He was very thankful.

Hope everyone is doing well. I know the cold weather is here now and a lot wont do much til spring. Always enjoy hearing about others deals and items they run across.

Glass

18th November 2014, 06:37 PM

Reading what you've been up to got me thinking on an old safe I spied at a friends place. Well some one I know in the street. The story goes it is an old police gun safe. Apparently not super secure but have a decent fire rating. It's old rusted and almost all the paint is gone.

I would make a decent restoration piece. Something for displaying in the man cave. I looked around and found a guy who restores old safes. Does a halfway decent job.
http://www.bobbondart.com/oldsafes1.html

govcheetos

19th November 2014, 06:31 PM

Glass a good friend of mine who has done well for himself has an old safe he got out of an old house he bought a long time ago for a rental. the thing is pretty big, maybe 30inches square or so and about 3 feet high. It's still locked, and he has no idea whats in it. Figures if he ever gets down and out he'll have it opened and maybe it will change his luck.

agnut

2nd December 2014, 06:21 PM

I LOVE Thrift stores.

http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?459875-I-LOVE-Thrift-stores.&

Great overview; note post #6 by Doc1.

Life changing stuff ? You betcha !

Best wishes,

Agnut

We have done so much, with so little, for so long....We can now do anything, with nothing, forever.

"Nobody knows when reality will overtake the rhetoric, lies, phony statistics, wishful thinking, fake prices and tiresome poseurs pretending to be world leaders. The situation is universal, a consequence of terrible leaders and careless (or clueless) citizenry."
-Paul Singer

agnut

2nd December 2014, 07:19 PM

Hi govcheetos. You got some nice deals there. Sounds like you are still busy this late in the season but are aware that things are going into hibernation till the spring. I agree but this may be time to change direction as well as downshift gears.

You wrote that you want to turn things around faster. I was recently advised to keep the for sale ads going continuously. Sales may be slow but having ads running all the time will be like a big drag net to catch fish even though they may be few and far between. Craigslist ads are free and the buy it now ads on eBay are free to list.

I read recently that it is becoming better to fix old well made equipment rather than to buy new Asian equipment. You would also save a lot of money. I’ve been doing this for years anyway.

I have been writing about how I focus on estate sales and moving sales. Why ? They both can be goldmines. Not so much the garage sales but I’ll go anyway to pick up odds and ends. Really, you never know; there are no hard and fast rules for where we will find a treasure. So keep an open mind as to the possibilities.

After the 2007-8 market crash I noted that I was beginning to see more garage sale interest and attendance from folks that had newer cars and were well dressed. And it is still this way. The what I call more financially set folks still miss many bargains, I think because they still have a mindset of looking for pristine items rather than items that may be serviceable but either need work or are scuffed here and there. They haven’t gotten the message that our world has transitioned from form to function. What is functional has always been the key. Probably has something to do with imagination too. Older equipment often sits there waiting for someone who knows its durability and potential.

This bartering and horse trading thread can sometimes be overwhelming what with the members posting so much of their own experiences. Please keep it up ! I will post as I can and hope that y’all will understand that I’m in the middle of organizing and setting up many of the items I have gotten in the past.

Buying and selling can be seasonal wherein we hole up until the spring when the sales come out of the woodworks or we can redouble our efforts to find as many estate sales as time permits. By doing this over the winter and spring we can have our estate sale connections ready as an additional source of deals when there is a lull in the garage and moving sale ads. Or perhaps better to focus only on estate sales if there is enough to keep you busy. People pass on and downsize throughout the year. You may have to travel farther but I believe that the rewards will be greater.

Gotta go and hook up the 5 channel stereo system. Ridiculous that I have 3,000 LP record albums and nothing to play them on.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. I’m still changing from a Windows XP desktop to a Windows 7 laptop for my writing. Hard to get help out here in the boonies. No, that’s not really accurate. I don’t trust a stranger with my computer and therefore finding a friend or family member is the reason it is taking so long. This is something I have to do ASAP since XP is no longer supported by Microsoft. I guess XP and I had a good run for over 10 years. She is getting forgetful, can’t keep time, freezes up and is losing sight regarding YouTube and free movies. I hate to leave her but 7 is beckoning with a come hither wink and wiggle. Cold bastard that I am, I still wonder what to do with the XP after retiring her. Put her in the barn to gather dust and never again be fired up to travel worldwide via the body electric ?

"The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same." - Carlos Castaneda

mick silver

3rd December 2014, 07:52 AM

dam you guys are doing good on sales . the stuff I am seeing is the left over of the left over . I need to go to more estate sales but the last few I have been to there guys an women who are there just to buy stuff for there second hand store and they have been driving the price up . one thing I have seen if there a lot of cover trailers there it's does folks so I just move on now . be safe and keep buying stuff when you can mick

mick silver

3rd December 2014, 09:49 AM

p.s . be safe as you all travel there a lot of crazy stuff going on in this country . so be on your toes . be safe mick

govcheetos

3rd December 2014, 10:04 PM

Good to hear from yall. I picked up a 21 inch snapper self propelled hi vac mower for 20 bucks, needs the recoil starter fixed, otherwise in great shape. Probably a 400-600 dollar mower retail. Got a line on a 14 foot Hobie cat with glavanized trailer a guy just wants gone. I'll swap out any good parts on the trailer and flip it on craigslist after I decide on a price, been a few years since I've seen it. Even if its junk the trailer is probably worth 250-350. Made another connection with an apartment maintainence guy. Can get used appliances for free now if I come and get them. I had been paying 75 -100 to my other guy. Gonna put them on craigslist for cheap, up to my ears in old appliances now, thing is they ALL work and look as decent as anything you'd have in your home. Got back ups for me, my family and a bunch for rentals. Any junk ones I'll just fill up with scrap and take to the recycler. The wife and I decorated our Christmas tree and I'll bet 80 percent of the ornaments she picked up at garage/estate sales. We're considering getting a booth at a local antique mall to sell some of the finds. They charge 200-250 per month rent, plus 15 percent of sales. I'd rather not pay that much, but it might make us a little without too much more work. Any other have any experience with that sort of thing? I've also considered getting a small single axle enclosed trailer and using it to set up a booth at the local flea market, lots cheaper, only thing is you have to be there to do it. Hardly ever have enough time.

Hope everyone is safe and healthy for the Christmas season, and like Mick said keep an eye out and your ear to the ground.

mick silver

6th December 2014, 10:32 AM

hey govcheetos take one of your big trailer and load up the free appliances and go to the closest scrape yard near you and sale them for scrape . the last one's I took off pay good money If they are free to you .. that's free silver ...... a site for prices on metal to be scraped ...http://www.scrapmonster.com/ ... be safe all mick

govcheetos

7th December 2014, 10:44 AM

Most all of them still work! I've stockpiled a bunch for replacements, and am gonna be selling the other working ones on craigslist. The junk ones will go to the scrap yard. Speaking of scraping, I picked up some more 96 gallon commercial trash cans with the big wheels on them. My connection at the dump saved them for me. Using them for scrap metal to keep it out of the rain and the leaves and crud from getting mixed in. Plus will keep the small scrap out of sight and easier to manuver. Have 6 total. Also picked up some old electric motors a guy was throwing out, probably weigh 50 pounds each. Sold a bunch more barrels this weekend. They go in spurts, nothing selling then a bunch all at once. I try not to have more than 10-12 at one time because of the space they take up plus they are noticable being bright blue. Still working on getting rid of some stuff. If it's not a commodity, something I really like and enjoy having, or something producing and earning its keep I want to move it on for something that fits somewhere in those parameters.

agnut

12th December 2014, 02:06 PM

Hi all. Got a problem that has been haunting me for some time. Two couples who are dear to me are contemplating buying houses. I have spoken to both of them but the subject is fraught with so much emotionalism and uncertainty that to fully broach the subject in all its ramifications is almost too much for them to absorb in a businesslike manner.

Years ago I came up with an “advice matrix”. It goes like this.

1. I give bad advice and they take it. Now they are angry at having taken my bad advice.
2. I give bad advice and they do not take it. Now they think I am a fool whose advice would have hurt them.
3. I give good advice and they do not take it. They are hurt, realizing that they should have listened to me. Resentment and rationalization come to the fore.
4. I give good advice and they take it. They are bettered by having taken my advice. They either appreciate my advice or deny that they had taken my advice. Don’t disbelieve that they can deny my good advice’s helping their situation; it had happened to me in the past more than once.

So in #1 they are angry. In #2 they think me a fool. In #3 they are resentful with rationalizations. In #4 they can either be grateful for my advice or deny that my advice guided them to safety.

As you can see, only #4 has the potential for a win-win outcome. So even good advice taken isn’t a sure thing.

So why advise others in the first place ? The answer is that seeing friends and family facing potential catastrophe would be painful if I were to say nothing. And I would have to carry that knowledge that I didn’t make them aware of the dangers.

Sadly, we are playing on a shifting field these days. We are aware of all the monetary manipulations going on which make the odds of a correct assessment nigh impossible. For instance, what of the looming potential for a massive bail-in occurring ? These recent articles spells it out :

http://ellenbrown.com/2014/12/01/new-rules-cyprus-style-bail-ins-to-hit-deposits-and-pensions/

Big Banks Will Take Depositors Money In Next Crash

http://usawatchdog.com/big-banks-will-take-depositors-money-in-next-crash-ellen-brown/

These two couples have money in the bank which I have already advised to withdraw and hold either cash or physical silver. One couple has a great deal of money in the bank and have told me that it would be difficult to withdraw so much money. I have told them why; it is because of fractional reserve banking wherein their money in the bank is actually not there but in various investments such as stocks, bonds, real estate and possibly derivatives. Probably only 1 or 2 percent of deposits are in the bank for day to day transactions. Telling this fact is always received with shock and confusion. The general populace is oblivious as to the precariousness of their banking security.

Couple one is paying $1,550 per month rent. They estimate that if they buy a house with $20K down, their mortgage payment will be about $800. They would save about $750 per month, $9,000 per year. In two years and two months they would break even if they were unable to continue paying the mortgage and have to walk away for one reason or another. That is their reasoning and I have to admit that it does make some sense. The only fly in the ointment is what the future holds within that 2 years.

Couple #2 is looking at buying acreage and building a house. They have enough money to pay in full and have no mortgage.

The overview here is whether holding cash or spending the cash on a house will be the better option. Time passing with all the potential changes that will take place will be like living on the side of a volcano, never knowing if there will be a catastrophe tomorrow or in a hundred years.

I have advised both of these friends that instead of buying a property right now (which may crash in the near future) to instead buy physical silver. The potential increase might make a world of difference. But nothing is 100% assured; we places our bets and takes our chances.

Best wishes,

Agnut

MNeagle

12th December 2014, 04:59 PM

A secure home is top priority for me; landlords can get flaky in a flash. Why not compromise? A home w/ a (low fixed rate) mortgage, & some silver?

EE_

12th December 2014, 05:49 PM

govcheetos

12th December 2014, 07:36 PM

I hate the thought of someone literally signing their life away, but most these days don't have the means to do it any other way. Also depends on a lot of things. The amount involved, their ages, are they secure in good jobs/careers that are gonna be arond, are they truth minded about all the crap going on in the world, Are they buying a house they can stay in for a long time, decent area, land, quality construction, etc? I have bought and sold real estate and so far have always come out ahead, sometimes you have to adjust to the shifting playing field though. Its not a short term investment despite what you see certain flippers doing. If they are going to finance I like a 30 year fixed with low interest, the biggest down payment possible while still having some folding money around, no early pay off penalties, and paying the thing off in 7-8 years. You can do it, if you can't change your lifestyle so you can. Might be worth going without what society calls necessities to get out from under the clutches of a bank. (Actually it's definantly worth it.) Get out there and hustle some leads too. Find something you have an eye or knack for and use it to propel yourself forward. Always constant forward motion.

Always keep in mind the meaning of the root word of mortgage too.

agnut

3rd January 2015, 08:19 PM

I posted this somewhere else and thought it might be helpful in the B&H thread.

I’m old school so don’t go by me.

A year and a half ago I cut out my Comcast TV cable but kept the phone and high speed internet. I save $120 a month.

So where does that $120 a month go now ? It goes to buy used DVDs from 50 cents to $2. Hmmm… at 50 cents each would be 240 DVDs per month. And at the extreme high of $2 each would only be a dismal 60 used DVDs per month. So at the very worst case scenario I would have 2 movies to watch every night.

I have even picked up several whole season sets and series for $2 each. I just watched the first season of “Fringe”; 7 DVDs in the set. Over 15 hours of commercial free entertainment.

While at an estate sale a few months ago I got 109 DVDs for 50 cents each. Some were multi disc sets too.

At the same time I’ve been accumulating a library of great movies; I have over a thousand now and counting. And after viewing, these DVDs can be sold at a garage sale for as much or more than I paid.

The best part ? NO COMMERCIALS ! My son and I are allergic to commercials; makes my skin crawl.

Where to get ‘em ? Pawn shops, thrift stores, garage sales, estate sales. Even Craigslist and eBay have DVD collections that can be bought in bulk for a good price.

For Christmas I sent 12 DVD duplicates to my ex and daughters along with some designer purses. Only trouble was that the ground shipping was $42. Next year I send money with the additional shipping too. Lesson learned. Successfully bypassing inordinately expensive activities is a passive defense of the pocketbook.

I do have a long range plan which is to continue accumulating more and then someday have a “video store” at home for trading and sharing. Although the Blue Ray picture quality is better, I see no good reason to collect them; they cost more new and also much more used.

If we want to watch Big Bang Theory or Mike And Molly we can get it free off the internet. And the news ? Are you kidding me ? The REAL news is found on the internet, not the MSM.

We might hook up to an outdoor antenna to get some 1080 HD resolution for the flat screens. But no hurry since we are so busy with more pressing matters. Whoops ! Forgot; they have COMMERCIALS ! Never mind….

Best wishes and Happy New Year,

Agnut

agnut

3rd January 2015, 08:22 PM

Thanks for the housing advice. I’ve had time to think about it and the thought comes up that with a deflationary scenario, silver and gold may fall in price. Of course, with such a possible bottom to silver at $8.50 and gold at $800 as some financial writers have written, I would look like a fool to have recommended buying precious metals at current prices.

We must always be aware that we look at gold and silver as a long term insurance policy as well as a long term profitable investment. Those who we may advise generally don’t think in these terms and would be very upset to see the prices fall. They are thinking only in the here and now and the immediate future.

There are no guarantees that our best advice will be beneficial to others. In these real estate deals I have shared both positives and negatives of their proposals. As I wrote, we are in extremely uncertain times and black swan events happening can throw all logical advice out the window.

I haven’t written much lately because of being so busy with projects and people. The other morning I drove a distance to pick up some boxes and tools for a friend who is out of town. Otherwise she would lose them. While in the area I dropped by a thrift store that specializes in construction materials and appliances. I wanted to visit a friend in the area but had picked up some frozen salmon and crab and had to get it home asap. Although this trip was to help a friend, I was given a full suspension 18 speed bike from another friend while I was down there. All in all it was a crazy day with my plans being changed continually. I even found myself shopping in a market with this friend because he doesn’t have transportation. Did you ever have a day when you felt as though you were just along for the ride even though you were behind the wheel?

I’m supposed to be retired, doggonit ! Just kidding. Being retired is getting to do what I want to do when I want to do it. I know that. When I had a transmission shop I was there 7-6 Monday to Friday. I was obligated to a big chunk of my waking hours. Now my life changes from hour to hour. I float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Many things are consuming my time and attention. I really appreciate and enjoy your contributions to this thread and hope you will continue to post as you find new adventures in bartering and horse trading. What I’m trying to say is that I will post when I can. In 2 months I will be 68 years old; I’m not the spring chicken I once was and digging trenches, cutting trees for firewood, and moving tons of items has me flopping at day’s end. Not sure if I’m bragging or complaining but it’s all good.

gunDriller

4th January 2015, 05:27 AM

For Christmas I sent 12 DVD duplicates to my ex and daughters along with some designer purses. Only trouble was that the ground shipping was $42. Next year I send money with the additional shipping too. Lesson learned. Successfully bypassing inordinately expensive activities is a passive defense of the pocketbook.

one of the sweet deals for shipping is the USPS Priority Mail flat rate padded envelope.

almost everything you can fit in it, still costs about $6.

$12 for the box.

i've been shipping e-Scrap to a recycler in the Midwest, so it really forces me to mind my shipping $$.

agnut

10th January 2015, 08:30 AM

A secure home is top priority for me; landlords can get flaky in a flash. Why not compromise? A home w/ a (low fixed rate) mortgage, & some silver?

Hi Mneagle. I agree with your take on the flaky landlords. They can neglect to pay their mortgage payments and be foreclosed on which leaves you, the renter, in a world of hurt. Too little notice to vacate is often the teeth gritting outcome.

I spoke with one of the friends yesterday morning and he says that he is in no hurry to buy a house. I did tell him that it might be a good idea to buy more silver with part of the money while he waits for the best opportunity to appear. This way, the silver may go up while the housing prices go down. I don’t expect silver to crash but rather to rise in purchasing power dramatically in the future. However, I do expect real estate to crash. When ? Any time; it could come about as a result banking problems wherein they quit lending. Then the cash price would be required. And who would have full cash up front at that time ? Answer : almost nobody ! And even if some folks did, they wouldn’t be looking at house buying, even for rent ! The whole playing field would have changed to what a house would sell for without credit. It would be like the old days when folks saved up money to buy or build a house. You know, when houses were $16,000. I lived in Erie PA in 1971 and was considering buying a house for that exact price. It had 4 bedrooms, a den, a formal dining room, a full attic and basement and a fenced yard. Oh, and the topper was that was the price with full banking credit in full swing. Housing prices need to crash to get back to reality; they deserve it ! Good and hard.

Of course, with such a crash, the banks would be in tatters, especially with all the repos that they hold at full market price. And as the market value falls, they would be holding loads of properties that had been gutted by the collapse. Hollow shells that, even if they were to sell them cheap, would destroy their balance sheets. You see, we are there right now but the realty reality is still to hit in the future.

My mom’s cousin acquired several properties along Flagler boulevard in Miami in the early 1930s. The banks were giving them away rather than to continue paying property taxes on them. Well, he kept the properties he had gotten from the banks and rented them out to pay for the taxes. Some years later he sold them and retired, a multimillionaire. The rest of his life he and his wife cruised on their yacht up and down the intercoastal waterway from New York to Miami.

I’m sharing this story to show that just one idea that pans out is all someone needs to make a dramatic change in their life. I have had such ideas that panned out and can tell you that it is not all that it is cracked up to be. There is risk, investment, patience, calculation and confidence all involved on the road to success.
In other words, there is a list of factors that must all favorably contribute to a successful outcome.

Back in 1993 I discovered that the Mitsubishi 3000GT VR4 manual transmission had a problem with the input shaft and associated transfer spool to the all wheel drive had premature wear problems. The factory would not sell the parts necessary to rebuild the transmission and the factory price was $6,500. I had the parts blueprinted and manufactured; cost me about 60 grand. I had them made with a harder Rockwell than the factory parts and this was a strong selling point. Didn’t cost me any extra either. Now I could build the transmission and offer them nationwide. I also sold the parts worldwide because the shipping for a rebuilt was too expensive due to weight considerations. I had done my homework in assessing the risk, amount of investment, time required for a return on investment, calculated the percent return and had the confidence that my product would be in strong demand. Two parts I had manufactured for $250 total sold for $1,400 which was a $1,150 net profit. Additionally, the rebuilt Mitsubishi 3000GT transmissions that my shop sold became a mainstay of profit. I was only adding one model of transmission to the 40 other models I had been building for many years. This one addition changed my business to where I had financial breathing room to expand.

Just an example of a need fulfilled which resulted in a great positive in my life.

Best wishes,

Agnut

agnut

10th January 2015, 08:34 AM

Hi all. Last Saturday I wasn’t planning on going anywhere. That is, until I saw a moving sale on Craigslist. My younger son went with me. When we arrived at the sale there was no one around. I had to ring the doorbell. He came in and we started to pick out items and ask what he wanted for them. I told him I was making a pile of things I wanted to buy. Instead of adding them all up, he said that $20 was fine. I picked up a couple of bundles of rope and asked him how much. He said a dollar. After we loaded up we returned to thank him and wish him well. As we turned to leave, we saw a couple coming toward the sale. They looked excited; I felt sorry for them since I had cleaned out the place. But ya know, it isn’t for me to judge something I had bought would be wanted by someone else in particular. Maybe this couple are just out on an outing, not looking for anything in particular. The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Anyhoo, here’s a list of the booty :

2 rakes
3 stainless steel mixing bowls
2 5 gallon gas cans
1 garden hose in reel box
2 oil funnels
2 bundles of rope
2 sunshields for windshield
1 two foot level by Mayes USA
1 sun tea jar
1 box Superslides for furniture
1 large MAG light
2 cans bearing grease
1 purple vase
1 Samurai Pro knife sharpener
1 gardening knee pad
2 empty fish lure boxes
2 full fish lure boxes
17 empty honey jars
3 DVDs, one was a lens cleaner

Lotta odds and ends there, huh ? These items will, in time, go out to their new homes. Just the garden hose in reel box would have cost me more new that all of the items I got.

A thought just came to me. What if the crash comes and most everyone is selling their possessions for any cash they can get ? Will you have the money to take advantage of this fire sale ? A once in a lifetime extreme buyers’ market.

I know what you are thinking. What will I do with all of these new items ? It depends upon your skills in determining which items will still be a bargain within and after this crash. Will shoes, pants, coats, shovels, tools, cars, toilet paper, new socks, plywood, nails, tarps and a thousand other items be profitable to stock ?

I personally have about 30 pairs of pants, 15 coats, about 150 shirts, 20 pairs of shoes, all in my size. More than I will need for the next 10 years. This way, I could sell any that I feel I have an excess.

Food will be high on the list but it may be dangerous to be selling in the midst of a collapse scenario. Growing veggies are a wise choice but there probably will not be enough excess to sell anyway. Think renewable resources.

In time, things will settle down and we can go about our business although in a much changed world. Prices for items will be determined by a mutual agreement between buyer and seller. And by prices, I mean that there will be more bartering and horse trading going on. A shirt for 6 eggs. A coat for 4 hours work. You get the idea.

Nobody knows how the future will pan out. We have to take our best guess and go with it while thinking of other possibilities as the situation demands.

Having 3 or even 6 months of money in hand has been recommended all over the internet for many years. But what if the dollars are practically worthless ? Don’t get me wrong; I do believe in having money for emergencies. I am looking at the flip side. What will be in demand if the unbacked fiat currency has lost all confidence ? Items needed. Could be almost anything but we should focus on what we believe will be the most likely. What these are, I don’t know for sure. You rolls the dice and takes your chances. Suggestions welcome.

And don’t forget items that will create goodwill. Clean water, blackberries, etc. Maybe some items from Harbor Freight such as LED flashlights. The Dollar stores have hundreds of items that may provide comfort to others. I bought 31 pairs of Dollar store thermal socks the other day and might buy more. They aren’t very heavy duty but any new socks should be in demand. Think how long a pair of socks last.

And what if we don’t have a collapse ? Yeah, right ! Seventeen trillion in debt (lots more really), high unemployment, high real inflation, racial strife, derivative dangers and many more black swans out there circling like vultures.

But just for grins, lets suppose what if we don’t ? What will be the price of all the items we have accumulated ? Will they be worth less or more ? We have to think in terms of desirability and need, even though a collapse hadn’t occurred.

Inflation alone will continue to raise prices in the stores, so that the items we have will also increase over time. Another thought being bandied around the internet is that we will be marginalized regarding imports. Not only less imports coming in but the prices will increase.

Sometimes when exchanging my paper dollars for good used items, I have to laugh at the ridiculous prices I am paying.

Diversification is recommended. Specialization is for insects, as Heinlein says.

10 Key Events That Preceded The Last Financial Crisis That Are Happening Again RIGHT NOW
By Michael Snyder 1/6/2015

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/a...ning-right-now

Best wishes,

Agnut

Venezuelans Throng Grocery Stores Under Military Protection

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-09/venezuelans-throng-grocery-stores-on-military-protection-order.html

Makes ya think !

agnut

14th January 2015, 01:09 PM

Some of my best deals came from farm sales. Like Pavlov’s dog, I salivate upon seeing an ad for a farm sale. I’ll pass by three or four garage sales on the way to a farm sale and double back later. Farm sales are the filet mignon of sales. Fond memories like when I got a Snap-On click type torque wrench for 25 cents ! Am I drooling again ?

There is the anticipation in getting there, the excitement of walking from the truck to be among all the possibilities, finding that the prices are practically giveaway. At this point I calculate where I should be picking up bargains to begin a pile of items I want. I do this without fanfare in order to not awaken the multitude of other buyers to my method. After I have finished I summon the seller and ask if he will give me a price break on all of the items in my pile. I never have been disappointed; strange, but that is the truth. A discount on bargains; what could be better ?

I remember a garage sale a couple of years ago where the seller must have had a couple hundred DVDs on a blanket with the side labels up where I could read them quickly. There was a placard with the $2 price prominently displayed. I took the seller aside and told him that I was interested in many of his DVDs but have been buying them for one dollar each. He said that would be fine. I then proceeded to stack all of the DVDs as I selected them, while at the same time keeping an eye on the many other buyers who began to watch me in dumbfounded fascination. I barely got done before the other buyers figured it out and started to grab the DVDs they wanted. I boxed up everything, paid the seller and got out of there before anyone even had a word to say. The stealth buyer has left the stage. And on to the next show…

You see, I had learned my lesson from an earlier garage sale wherein I had asked the sellers if they had any DVDs. They looked at each other and laughed then said that they were thinking of selling their DVDs before they moved. They said that I could have them for a dollar each. One of them went in their house and began bringing out boxes and boxes of DVDs, some were season sets with as many as 7 DVDs. There must have been over 500 DVDs. The other buyers were beginning to get interested and I knew that I had to do something fast without appearing excited. So I methodically began to go through the boxes, selecting the DVDs I wanted and piling them on a stuffed chair next to me. The other buyers were beginning to find out about the price and began picking up several for themselves. Not dissuaded, I continued piling while making plans to move into the fray where I found stacks of great titles and some of the season sets which turns out that were also a dollar each. I don’t know if you are familiar with what some of these season sets cost new but the used price is usually about $10 to $15. I ended up with over 100 DVDs and several season sets for a dollar each. I would have bought more but the other buyers were in a feeding frenzy like piranha. I waited a few seconds until they provided an opening and things calmed down. Next I went through what they had missed and got several more. In such an instance, there is no quarter given for laggards. This is WAR ! A peaceful war, that is. Oxymoronic or just moronic; you be the judge.

It is important to learn the “tells” of the sale we are attending ; it is like playing poker. What is the property like ? Is the seller moving and has to get rid of most everything ? Is this an estate sale ? How are the prices ?

And ALWAYS ask the seller what else he may have for sale; especially after you have paid for your pile of items. That way, he knows that you are serious and have more cash to spend. Remember, you as the buyer can see all that the seller has while the seller cannot see what is in your wallet or even what is on your mind. A distinct advantage, ‘ay wot ?.

Gotta go.

Best wishes,

Agnut

mick silver

15th January 2015, 08:56 AM

you need to set up a dvd store in your barn ......... rent them out

govcheetos

20th February 2015, 06:54 PM

Seems to have been slow for some of you this winter. I've been busting my butt. seems like the more deals I make the more people I meet and it all starts to multiply exponentally. Gone to the scrap yard twice already this year with loads. Getting all the metal from a couple large apartment complexes. They remodel apartments and I get all the light fixtures, metal closet shelving, AC condensers and fans, ceiling fans, stainless double kitchen sinks, and bathroom sinks. All the sinks come with faucets. Also getting a lot of appliances, frigs, stoves mostly. Some need work, but a lot only need a little wipe down with some 409 cleaner. Selling the good ones, scraping the rest. Robbing parts off some to make a good unit. Giving a few away, people love that. A few boats deals in the works, and have flipped 5 outboards so far this year. Feel like I almost need a big piece of land to park everything at and have some kind of storefront to handle it all. Getting tired of answering the phone and dealing with idiots from craigslist. I saw a show on at a bar where these guys were restoring old cars and they went to some place out in the middle of no where to get some obsolete parts. The place had a huge sign by the highway that said "We have anything you want, if we can find it" This place was several acres big and had all sorts of everything, I thought of some of you. I hate technology or I would do the ebay thing, have thought about befriending a neighbor hood kid and cutting him in for a percentage if he would take pictures and post everything for me. We'll see. Hope everybody is doing well and surviving the winter. Looks pretty cold for most of the country. Hang in there!

Neuro

22nd February 2015, 05:25 AM

Seems like you are talking about a scrap yard, Govcheetos.

agnut

22nd March 2015, 01:52 PM

Hi all, my desktop computer has been compromised and the new HP laptop needs some programs loaded so that I haven't been able to cut and paste my posts. I'll write as soon as I am able.

Not much going on this winter regarding garage and estate sales; I've been organizing past purchases and am still finding things I got years ago and had completely forgotten about. Braggin' or complainin' ? Not sure at this point. Tons of stuff to move.

Seems to be lots going on in the world; big changes a comin'.

best wishes,
agnut

madfranks

22nd March 2015, 04:24 PM

mick silver

27th March 2015, 07:03 AM

glad to see your doing ok agnut been slow here so far but things will pick up .... be safe all mick

agnut

20th April 2015, 08:13 AM

Hi all, my computer is still messed up but I’m sending this post and then getting off quickly in order to save all the info I have to be transferred to the HP laptop. Interesting that when I bought the laptop there was no mention that there was no works program installed and I would have to buy one from Microsoft. Cute.

Anyhoo, here is some recent activity what with winter receding into a very early spring. Everything has been blooming like crazy around here.

Saturday began with an early rise anticipating a few good garage, estate, moving sales (GEM sales). I wasn’t very anxious to shoot out the door as in the past. Probably because I hadn’t been to a GEM sale since January 10. Maybe I was coming out of hibernation like an old bear.

There were several local sales that morning. I mapped them out and the order in which I would show up. So far so good. But ya never know for sure; might be a roadside poster for a sale on the way that diverts ones focus.

The first sale was just a couple of miles down the road. The lady and her family were moving to North Carolina and didn’t want to haul too much stuff that far. Not a big haul but well worth the effort.

Step ladder $2
50’ dog cable with screw in the ground stake $2
8 shovels, rakes, other garden tools $8 total
Coach designer purse $5
Nice leather purse $1
6 insulating tubes for water pipes $1 total

I told her that some of my ancestors had lived in North Carolina since 1700; farmers and ranchers. I wish I could see it before I pass on. After I had wished her well on her new adventure I got in the old Dodge and headed for the next sale. The ad only said that there was some cds, movies, tools and a few other items. You can see why I wasn’t too excited at the possibilities. Boy, was I in for a shock !

When I turned onto the street there was a traffic jam ahead with cars jockeying for a parking space. I pulled over as soon as I could, knowing from experience that this type of mob would only tie me up if I were to compete for a parking space among all the confusion. Better to walk a block that sit in the car for a half an hour waiting for someone to get in their car and leave.

I got out of the truck and the closer I got the more excited I got. For you see, this was about the biggest garage sale that I had ever seen. Near the sidewalk there was a long table covered with tall stacks of DVDs. And on the ground all around the table were boxes full of more DVDs. I estimated that there were between 1,500 and 2,000 to be gone through. I quickly found a corner and began stacking as fast as I could without knocking anyone over. They were for sale at $1 each but the icing on the cake was that there were many season sets and movie multi disc sets for the same price. Some of these sets had as many as 50 movies. I found the seller and asked him if he would give me a price for a large quantity, say more than a hundred. He said that they were a dollar each but would give me a package price when I finished. One of his daughters got a box for me and I quickly filled and received another box, all the while there were about 10 other people picking through the DVDs. Funny but most of them were only picking up one or two movies. The father even had his daughters bring out even more boxes of DVDs for me to look through. It took most of an hour until I was finished. I thought that my putting the DVDs in boxes would dissuade others from picking through my stuff but I still had to keep a watchful eye as a few had to be shooed away.

After I was done there I began looking around. The following is a list of the items I got and their prices :

Oval crock pot new $2
Ozark 6 man tent $5
5X8 area rug free
15 hardback books 20 cents each
Accutron watch $1
3 leather jackets $1 each
Laptop power converter with cord 25 cents
40 channel CB radio new in the box $1
80 gph sump pump free
25 sheet music, old stuff free
35 misc spices $2-
Key Largo placard $2
3 large photo posters of Tahiti islands from the air free
3 really cool hats free
Humidifier new in box $2
3 clamping cake/quiche pans $1 total
Large leather briefcase, the nicest I’ve ever seen. Looked new $1
Umbrella free
2 pairs coveralls new $2 each
2 jackets $1 total
Motorcycle riding leathers $2
Cowboy boots $1
Motorcycle boots $1
High top boots $1
Work shoes $1
Car cover in box $2
More little stuff too…

When totaling up everything the seller asked if I had picked out over 100 DVDs and I said that I was sure that I did. I was only guessing and after I got home I discovered that I had 155 separate pieces. As I wrote earlier, there were many movie multi disc sets and TV season sets. He asked if $100 would be okay. Abysmally stupid to haggle here, huh ?

As you know by now I’m a DVD junkie. Big time. And I just overdosed !

The seller then took me over to a 1991 Olds 98 Elite with only 69K miles on it. It had a badly dented door but the rest was immaculate. He wanted $800 for it. I considered it for a while but decided to pass on it since I already have too many car projects. Besides, GEM season is just beginning here and I’ll need the cash. Sometimes it is more profitable to not buy a good deal.

Now if what you have read so far sounds too good to be true, you are right but not in the way you are probably thinking. After talking with the seller I found out that he is in the business of trash outs and house cleaning. All of the items he was selling came from an estate in which he was actually paid to haul away all of contents. Funny that I had written about estate sales years ago and until now had never connected that sometimes there is a professional cleanup business that disposes of some deceased person’s lifetime accumulation. See ? The learning never ends (or I am such a dim bulb that I pick up new epiphanies on a glacial scale).

In B and H we are flying by the seat of our pants. That is a lot of the thrill of the hunt; you never know what you will find.

Best wishes,

agnut

P.S. Thanks for posting your own experiences; it does my heart good to see others kickin’ ass and takin’ names.

Dogman

20th April 2015, 08:27 AM

Look into a USB transfer cable, they work well for saving data from a dying computer!

They do not cost much coin!

Installed programs not so much, they need to be reinstalled!

agnut

12th May 2015, 02:50 AM

Sorry to not have written lately, got behind what with all the deals and, oh what the hell, I’ve been busy doing a lot of nothin’ relaxing under the old oak tree sippin’ my coffee with honey and walnut ice cream and munchin’ on homemade oatmeal cookies while reminiscin’ about what my life could have been.

I could have been out there slavin’ for some half brain dead boss who didn’t get any action from his old lady last night (and every other night) and takin’ it out on me. Besides, bein’ on commission is a great way to get around the ‘ol minimum wage laws.

You see, I’m retired and on social insecurity. But my planning for the twilight of my years (or months, who really knows ?) has saved my cookies (see oatmeal above) which has been that I am living within my means. I must admit that luck played a part in my situation; a big part. Often luck is taking advantage of possibilities we are exposed to.

I was fortunate many years ago to have stepped back and taken a good look at the merry go round we are on and realized that the operator of this machine was actually a maniacal, sadistic bastard who took delight in seeing everyone spinning in circles while he increased the speed. Many were thrown off into the dirt while those who managed to hang on ended up with all kinds of head trauma from the ever increasing spinning, a form of PTSD not widely diagnosed except recognized as work stress. These folks who hang on for dear life we call successes; what a sick joke.

Bear with me; I do have a point to make (somewhere, I think). We spend out lives in pursuit of the brass ring, that elusive prize that we have been programmed to seek. Ever reaching out as we spin through our lives, reaching out, risking what is really important. And what is really important, you ask ? Well, in my feelings it is time. Time to sit back and do nothing if I so choose. Perhaps think of some things I may want to do or change. I can go to the beach to pick up interesting rocks or visit an old friend living far away. Freedom to have choices looms large on my mind. We are mortal and that makes each day immeasurably important. Are we happy or miserable ?

I don’t “live large” but I do live broad. I know, funny way to put it but that’s the pathways I’ve been on for decades. To be the captain of our ship (or one man dinghy) rather than to be rowing in the slave galley below to the drum beat cadence of another is a choice, not a destiny.

Bartering and horse trading is a most valuable tool, especially for the future we face. Because of our macro economic trends we are in for a world of hurt; I don’t intend to be any part of it. Through time I realized that money itself was the problem all along. The debauchment of real intrinsic money into fiat currency multiplied exponentially by the profligate sin of credit and debt has pushed the world to the precipice upon which we now find ourselves.

The seven deadly sins. Wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Look it up on wikipedia; lots of food for thought there.

Also listed are the seven virtues which are chastity. Temperance, charity (or, sometimes, generosity), diligence, patience, kindness and humility.

The charity or generosity virtue interests me greatly. How to be generous among so much abundance and need at the same time. The movie “Pay It Forward” affected me more than words can express; probably because it comes from the heart and expects nothing in return. I feel that now is the time for us all to pay it forward. An example was a while back when there was an old overloaded truck blocking an intersection. No one would stop and help. The owner was desperately begging anyone to give him a tow. Fortunately I was in my old 1990 Dodge truck. We hooked up and I pulled him up the road to a safe spot. A policeman drove by and asked if everything was alright. The man offered to bring over some homemade muffins. I had some fruit and veggies in the back of my truck and we sat there eating some oranges and conversing. I told him that instead of the muffins that he help another when the opportunity presented itself and to tell the person he helped to also pay it forward. This was a kindness that will be passed through from one to another in an endless chain of charity. After having shared with this man I could see that he was uplifted; his whole demeanor changed for the better. I can only believe that he remembered and helped the next person in need. Maybe I gave him hope that the world wasn’t such a bad place after all IF we helped one another.

I learned that all we have to do is open our hearts and let the love flow both in and out. I see random acts of kindness from time to time and imagine what the world would be like if we were to exercise these seven virtues on a daily basis rather than the seven deadly sins.

We don’t really need money like we think we do; we really primarily need each other in a spirit of sharing and caring. Money is only needed when there is no alternative. Work can be traded. Food can be traded. Rent can be traded. Transportation can be traded. We used to do this before there was money. And now civilization isn’t civil, humanity isn’t humane. Is this progress ? The quality of life has been eclipsed by the quantity of life.

I have been writing this bartering and horse trading thread for several years and through that time I have traded many things. They are all personal and therefore have brought me closer to others. My old boss in the early 70s was a psychologist and told me something I never forgot; listen to the feelings behind what someone says and you will get to the heart of that person.

I’ll tell you a little secret. All of the thousands of items I have collected through the years are here for trading and helping others in the spirit of Pay It Forward. It has been said that generosity is its own reward. That is so true but in addition I have seen it change a heart for the better. Priceless. And the benefits to me come in many unexpected ways.

Well, enough for now. I have a couple of weeks of buying items that I haven’t posted and hope to do that when I get back from my trip; I’m leaving tomorrow at 3:00 AM. I’m visiting an old friend I haven’t seen for years. I don’t know when I will return; maybe that’s the beauty of it.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

govcheetos

15th May 2015, 08:50 PM

Great post Agnut!

Haven't been on in a while do to trying to have a little less doom in my life. The world mankind has made for himself is plenty screwed up and I know it and constantly reading and researching it will bring me down sometimes.

Been busy as heck with deals and doing well. I do a lot of the "Paying It Forward", sometimes to a fault, having time and energy tied up in an item even if not much cash and passing it on to friends who never really realize sometimes what it takes to bring something about deal wise. I'm not as good at typing out long posts so I might just once a week or so report deals and prices paid, although I hate to sound like I'm bragging. They are out there though if you know where and how to look. After a while you will build up connections and people will call you or bring stuff by your place. I am blessed to have a great wife, a few close friends and a wide variety of acquantances that help me get a lot done.

Deals from the last couple of weeks
Vermont castings Wood stove--FREE, retails new for over $2000, sold it for 150 to get it out of my way quick
Window AC--$3, Sold for $40
Dehumidifyer-$2, gave to a friend
Pickup load of stainless kitchen sinks with faucets--Free Keeping a couple nice ones, might sell some on CL, scrap the rest
Miter chop saw and table saw--$75 for both, light homeowner use
mid 80's boat motor and trailer--FREE, got the engine to run, shoveled out the hull and bleached it, swapped trailers to a junky one and sold it for $450, kept the nice galvanized trailer
Couple of decent boat anchors from the dump--Free. My dump guy sends me any marine/boat deals and I give him any old ac compressors I get from my apt connection.
Craftsman upright tool chest--$20, probably$400-$500 new, already have it filled up because my other ones were overflowing

Going out tomorrow to see what comes up, working on putting sides on my heavy duty trailer for filling it up and hauling scrap to the scrap yard instead of just taking it to the dump. Always working on streamlining and "processing" my finds to keep the place from looking like Sandford and Son. Need to be more patient and get more for some of my items, just hate having to "sell" and deal with tire kicking buyers. A lot of the items I price low to move them quick and cut down on all the BS, basically the item and the low price take away any negotiatiion. I'm really just too busy though it seems sometimes to sit on items very long with other things in the pipeline coming my way that will need to take up space too.

Hope everyone is doing well, post up some deals when you get them!

agnut

28th May 2015, 11:11 AM

Hi all; back from the trip. Eleven days and 550 miles each way. I drove nonstop except for fuel and one rest stop. I now realize that I’m getting too old to test the limits of what endurance I still have. However, I had a great time with an old friend and learned a lot.

As promised, I will now list the last two sales I attended for price references.

24 DVDs $24
50 light bulbs new, Mercury, LED flood, other types $5
5 hats $2
Vise grips, needle nose, 2 pair Fiskars garden shears, 50 cents each
18 scissors European, 5 nail polish sets $5
4 umbrellas, 2 were new, one had $20 price tag. 50 cents each
4 tape measures $1 total
10 9 volt, 22 D cell new Duracell batteries $2 total
2 rolls plastic sheeting 4 mil. 10x25 for $1 each
10 pounds wild bird seed free
Framed print $2
2 cookbooks 25 cents each
10 crystal salt and pepper shakers $1 total
Digital timer, oven thermometer 50 cents each
Laptop power cord, inverter 25 cents
2 strainers 25 cents each
Wagner cast iron 2 quart bean pot, like new $2

I got there late and still made out like a bandit. If we hyperinflate like 1922-3 Germany, these items will be valuable trading material. I once read that they were trading brass doorknobs for goods. Lots of good old American and other high quality items still around but I think that they will diminish in the future and be replaced with used Chinese quality items. In fact, in the last few years, I’ve been seeing more and more used poor quality items being offered for sale. So get while the getting’ is good.

The next sale :

25’ tape measure $1
Hammer fiberglass handle $1
2 Orgreenic fry pans 50 cents each
50’ garden hose $1
Weber charcoal briquette preheater $1
Miter saw $1
12 T posts $10 total
2 huge tarps $5 total
30 large candles, most new (about 25 pounds) $5 total
Jacuzzi foam for cover. free
10 U.S. made hose clamps, electrical fittings, etc. for $2 total
BBQ cover $2
Kabela Hamburger press new $1 ($25 plus tax in the store)

I had been looking for a hamburger press for months and happened to ask a seller lady if she had one for sale. She said no and thought about it for a minute. I could see a light go off and she also brightened up and said that she had a new one that she had never used; it was in the house. She went in and got it and the rest is history; now part of my history !

Gotta go; tractors, mowers, weed whacker all need work before I can put them to work.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. The old friend I was visiting was Ponce in his kingdom. What a trip in several ways !

govcheetos

29th May 2015, 05:39 PM

Almost new set of 17 inch tires for the wife's car, with wheels that I will sell to recover some cost--$225
Screw gun bit set complete $3
Borg Warner Velvet drive marine transmission--Free
3 life jackets-$2
Fiberglass shop sink with hose sprayer and faucet--Free

Put sides on the big scrap trailer and have it about halfway filled already.

Interested in hearing about the time at Ponces, sounds like quite a guy and place.

agnut

24th June 2015, 09:56 PM

Hi all; I don’t know about you but life has been a whirlwind since the weather broke. Tractors, mowers, weed whackers, cars, computers, organizing and more have been demanding my attention like a pack of whining pups. Oh, and for the last few months I’ve been going to the dentist to have all my upper teeth pulled for an upper denture. Now having a tooth filled is a minor thing. Got the new dentures in 12 days ago and am still adjusting; doc says a couple more weeks and I should be ready to bite most anything.
I hadn’t been GEM hunting until the last couple of weekends. Here is a list of the booty from 6/12, 13 :
Black and Decker bench grinder $2
58 DVDs $10
Gibson Maestro guitar and amp $30
2 large table umbrellas free
Stihl weed whacker $2.50
New London Fog jacket $8
12 hats 25 cents each
3 pullover shirts 50 cents each
3 pair sweat pants 50 cents each
Large box of rope $5
Homedics neck massager $2
Airwalk hiking boots 50 cents
Small haul but still fun.

And here is the list from 6/19, 20 :
Compostumbler 18 bushel size for $50 (costs $600 new, $500 on sale)
12 quart enamel pot with lid $1
2 rolls heavy duty water hoses $5 each
New leather gloves $1
Oster blender $2
12 quart steamer pot $5
King comforter with pillow cases $5 Lady said it was $100 new.
Sears Eager 1 lawn mower free
Women’s leather boots $2
Women’s Ugg type boots $2
20 DVDs $10
Small water pump $2
3 shirts o25 cents each
Sidewalk gas edger $5
Coleman two way burner in box $5 ($50 new in store)
Coleman propane burner $1
Heavy duty router $20
And lots of little items for 5 to 10 percent of new price.
Lately I’ve noticed that even when I arrived before the sale opening times, buyers were walking out with armloads of items. Hey ! That’s cheating; Should I call the cops ?
Not all deals come about at GEM sales either. Yesterday I called a lady near me just to say hi and see how she was doing. She had just sold her house and was planning to move to somewhere in Oregon. She asked if I was interested in her semi antique Troy 6 HP tiller. Looked like something my grandfather would have used on the ranch. I said Sure, how much do you want for it ? To my surprise she said that I could have it for free ! My son and I hooked up the trailer and ran over and picked it up. This tiller was made before they learned to make everything out of beer cans and plastic. Built like a Missouri mule. It’ll probably outlive me.
She also has a spinet piano she offered for free but we just don’t have room for it. Sometimes too much isn’t such a good thing.
My daughters are coming from Florida in mid August. Gotta get the place looking presentable enough that they won’t photo it and put it up on some hoarder website. I’ve got stuff that I haven’t seen for 8 or 10 years. Somewhere……
Best wishes,
Agnut
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Spectrism

25th June 2015, 05:10 AM

Thanks for the update Agnut. I went into hibernation mode for a long time. Got back out in the last 2 weeks. Here are some of the deals I got.

2 WW2 M2 ammo cans- good condition $2 ea. These are about 12in x 12 in x 10 in.
2 water barrels- about 60 gallon size HDPE with 2 bung seals at top $5 ea
box of assorted tools - wood chisels/cutters caught my attention $5
black leather coat excellent condition $10

You just can't beat the deals of getting something used and in good condition for pennies on the dollar.

agnut

16th July 2015, 11:27 AM

Hi all. Last Friday and Saturday I went garage sailing and picked up the typical load of small items such as a bag of light bulbs for free, shovels and brooms for a dollar. I won’t bore you with the details, it was a déjà vu all over again.

One purchase of note was that I saw a 4X4 platform in the rafters in a garage. I asked him if it was for sale and he enthusiastically said yes. How much ? $10. There was a lot of rope, tiedown cleats and four block and tackles. I bought it for my barn; maybe to use the block and tackles to hoist bicycles overhead They are in the way right now what with all the other items I have stacked around.

After having taken this platform down, there was a huge folded tarp in the rafters exposed which I asked about. He said that he didn’t know the condition and said that I could have it for one dollar. See how one thing leads to another ?

A few weeks ago a neighbor who was moving asked me if I was still interested in her 1970s Troy Built garden tiller. I said yes and asked how much she wanted for it. She said that I could have it for free for all the help I had been in the past. I already have a new Troy Built tiller but it is nothing like the beast these older ones are. They typically cost about $4-500 if you can find one. So I ran right over with my tilt trailer and picked it up.

A couple of weeks passed until last weekend when on Saturday at the last garage sale I spied another old Troy Built tiller sitting in the side yard. Turns out that I know these people, great folks. I asked the husband (is it still legal to use that term ? ) if it was for sale and he said that it was. I bought some items and left for home, not thinking more about the tiller.

That night I began thinking about the possible opportunity another tiller might offer. I couldn’t put it out of my mind, It was like something was urging me to get back over there and work a deal if It was still available.

Sunday morning I got up early and hooked up the trailer; thinking positive, I was going to get that tiller come Hell or high water. I parked around the corner, not knowing if I could turn around on the dead end street. I hiked up the steep driveway and saw that the tiller and all of the items for sale were still there.

There were no other buyers and I had the field to myself !

This tiller, unlike the one I already had, was an electric start version and came with an attachment I had not known existed, a power takeoff wood chipper. I got them both with a plow attachment for $350. Now I have the three tillers plus the Kronevator which is pulled behind my Kubota diesel tractor. Why so many tillers, you ask ? Well, besides our own needs for our field I figure I could loan them out and/or charge to till others’ fields and gardens in the future.

This man and his wife (is that term still legal too ?) do a lot of canning and he asked me if we saw any deer in our area. I said that we had a couple who were jumping the fence and eating in our orchard. He said that bow season starts Sept 1 and I said to come on over. He has a passion for deer jerky. I also just made a bottle of colloidal silver that his wife requested. It ain’t all about the dollars; it’s all about each other.

Recently I read that growing food will be the new gold. And having the equipment to do the hardest job will be in demand. I was told that tilling in the spring was expected in order to plant but was also told that tilling before winter was also a good idea, something I did not know. I still need to find out more about this. If so, twice the demand. The heavy duty Kronevator would be good for tearing up the blackberry bushes’ roots which are all over our area. I anticipate that folks may want to clear areas on their properties for planting veggies. I recall that in the last depression folks had gardens in their back yards. My three Troy Built tillers would be ideal for getting in and out of and handling such smaller areas. By the way, I expect that canning will also see a resurgence like in the last depression.

So much of our prep planning is founded upon a particular intensity of social and economic difficulties. At the low end is the tightening of available money and resources and the resultant necessary adjustments required; at the high end is the chaotic collapse and later stabilization of a much different world. In either scenario, people have to eat. The small farmer will be king. My acquiring equipment will hopefully add a demand for our services. Canning equipment shows up at garage and estate sales; not a bad idea to have a setup and knowledge of how to use it for the future. And some of you are probably thinking of stills too. Not a bad idea for the adventuresome.

Another thing I am looking for is a vertical mill and lathe in order to repair and make metal items. I have done this when I had such equipment a couple of decades ago. With a lathe and mill, the welders we already have we can repair most anything.

The overview of the aforementioned is that I have added a new skill and possible demand for bartering and horsetrading in the future. I feel better now and am now more aware of what other equipment I may need in order to be in demand.

Gee, do you think that when money collapses we might be using bartering and horsetrading instead ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

"On some great and glorious day, the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright fool and complete narcissistic moron."
-H.L. Mencken

Oppressing everyone to avoid oppressing anyone is the egalitarian ethos gone mad
.- Daniel Greenfield

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body. -C.S. Lewis

agnut

13th August 2015, 11:13 AM

Hi again, crazy busy as usual. I stupidly thought retired life was supposed to be slow and borderline boring. Ain’t happened yet and won’t happen in the future either. I don’t know whether I’m braggin’ or complainin”. Anyhow, here is a list of the booty from last weekend :

FIRST SALE
20 DVDs $20
Belkin reading LED light $1
2 leather purses $1 each (no, no; for my daughters (that is, if my judgment is not too whacko)).
5 new straw cowboy hats $1 total (they were used for a rodeo night party)
3 LED 50 light sets, new in box. Price tag was $15.99 (plus sales tax, of course. Not edible, ya know) $1 each set
2 cookie trays free
1 rollong suitcase $2
SECOND SALE
Bluray player $10
Star Trek Bluray DVD $3
THIRD SALE
Wood kitchen stool
Vibram sole military boots $3
Oster blender $3
2 hammers 25 cents each
Black and Decker reversible ½” drill $5
2 Natural Cures Revealed books 50 cents each
Fossil designer leather purse $15 (again for my daughters. Really, ya gotta believe me !)
Heavy salt crystal lamp $3
FOURTH SALE
16 Harley Davidson T shirts $30
5 Harley Davidson dress shirts $75
1 pair leather Harley Davidson gloves $5
8 DVDs $8
Levi lined denim jacket, like new $10
2 more leather purses $1 each ( I can literally feel your skepticism now; thanks for the vote of confidence. They really, really ARE for my daughters. I have to admit that sometimes I could use a carry bag for all my loose junk. Women get a purse and we men get a fanny pack. What the Hell is that ? )
So that is all the stuff I found worthy of hauling home. The Harley shirts have been sold to a family member and the gloves were given to my niece.
Crazy as it must seem, I’m already using several of the above items (again, NOT THE PURSES ! I wish you would STOP suspecting me of being a cross dresser or worse. The closest I’ve ever been to wearing culottes was back when I wore bell bottom trousers. I will also admit to wearing a Nehru jacket one time but I was in southern Califonicate in the sixties. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; When in Calif, do as the locals do ? Come on in; the water’s fine (well, until Fukushima nuked our coastline in slow motion)). Boating is iffy, fishing is iffy; and for God’s sake if you are water skiing, don’t fall in.
A couple of days ago my son and I were making our semiannual haul to the trash dump where there is a nonprofit recycle center next door. I see it as the icing on the cake wherein we first dump the trash and then reload the truck with bargain goodies. The previous week I had asked that a composter be set aside until I could get down there to pick it up; I even called the day before to reaffirm that I would be coming soon and asked the worker to let the manager know. However, when I arrived, the composter had been sold that morning. The message was never conveyed. These composters cost $5-600 new and used ones for $50 sell like hotcakes.

I found some ½” US drill bits for 60 cents each. There was a worm drive Skil saw that had just been received and hadn’t been priced yet. I asked one of the workers there how much it would be and he said “how about $5 ?” It tested out quiet and smooth and had a fine tooth blade. This saw is about $140 at the local Home Depot store. You don’t have to guess what I did; I couldn’t get it into the truck fast enough.
Point here is to not be disappointed, frustrated or angry that things did not work out the way expected; for learning to be at peace with whatever unfolds in dealings facilitates a smooth flow through life as well. Who cares that the composter was sold through a miscommunication; another will show up or a better deal will show up like the Skil saw.
Best wishes,
Agnut

“So you think that money is the root of all evil? [...] Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?”― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged

Spectrism

13th August 2015, 12:45 PM

Thanks for the adventure and lessons Agnut. I like shows that share these kinds of things. Once in a while I will catch the Storage Wars or Pawn Stars- pawn brokers.

I find that if I don't get to a yard sale first or close to first, I miss out on the best deals. Recently I picked up a couple old cast iron pans "Griswold" where a granddaughter was cleaning out the house - $7 for the pair. Also a pair of Sterling silver candle holders- $10. These have about $60 worth of silver. I got a heavy brown Eddie Bauer leather coat for $3. A bunch of candles- about 30 of them and a heavy paper cutter- $13. Two snow shovels- 50 cents each.

Gotta keep looking. People just want to clean out excess stuff and somebody has to be there to pick it up at cheap prices.

Spectrism

29th August 2015, 11:56 AM

Went out yard sale-ing today. Had a few worthless stops... but did get to say hi to some fellow hunters. Started to think there was nothing happening today.

One place had nothing interesting... then I saw some Nursing text books. They looked like school tech books and the one that caught my attention was on surgery. You never know when you might have to do something... and some knowledge is better than none. I asked the girl what she wanted for the books. She apologized that the box should have been marked "free". 7 good school books- a bit outdated (maybe 12-15 yrs old), but still good info.

Stopped in a place that had old junk, the kind of stuff that looked like it was in a basement too long. Then I saw a cast iron pot.... and then a couple sterling candle holders. These weighted little candle holders are only 0.3 oz each. So this is: 0.6 x .925 = 0.55 toz silver, or, about $8 of silver. The pot was an old Wagner. No lid. Needs cleaning up and seasoning but probably a $15-20 value. I got these for $6.

I picked up some items from a dealer/ auctioneer at another yard sale. He was pretty good about selling off some things reasonably priced. I bought at about $15/oz except for a numismatic Morgan CC.

Loot included:

$21-face of silver quarters (at $11 per $1face) = $231. [16.8 toz x 0.9 = 15 toz pure silver]

$150 for 10 toz-
3 christmas art rounds: 1997, 1990, unyrd
1 christmas art bar 1993
1 NWT Mint bar
1 Silvertowne bar

$35 for 4 oz of sterling pieces

$10 for a 20grm South African art bar
$11 Morgan dollar (because I used my last dollar in my wallet and he included it with the CC Morgan.
$40 Morgan 1878-CC

Total spend- $477. I didn't know I had that much in my wallet. If I had more I would have bought more.

At another place I asked if the people were moving. The woman said no- they just had some things from a friend whose son had died. Essentially, it cost them nothing and they were disposing of it. I saw a small tool box with a couple knives, 4 rachet drivers, a set of sockets, a couple tape measures, and a few other things. I heard them asking the male head of household about it and he had no clue what was in it and didn't care.... I heard a questioning $3. Then he asked what was offered. When asked, I offered $5 and got the deal. The knives were easily worth $5 each.... one a hunting knife made in Germany, the other a locking large pocket knife from Pakistan.

Neuro

29th August 2015, 05:33 PM

Dogman

29th August 2015, 05:38 PM

At the municipality run 2nd hand shop. I picked up three rolls of wallpaper at $0.70 equivalent each, looked them up on the internet later and they costed more than $100 a roll each. I'm going to use them in my renovation. Funny thing was we used same design wallpaper 5 years ago, in the house I live in and they were only $40/ roll then...

Hanging paper correctly is an art into itself and one that you cannot dally in taking your time doing!

Or you are screwed!

Sent from my Nexus 7

Neuro

29th August 2015, 05:47 PM

Hanging paper correctly is an art into itself and one that you cannot dally in taking your time doing!

Or you are screwed!

Sent from my Nexus 7
Indeed! My dad was an expert in that. I hope I enherited his wall paper hanging genes!

Dogman

29th August 2015, 05:57 PM

Indeed! My dad was an expert in that. I hope I enherited his wall paper hanging genes! It is mostly timing and feel that is only taught by doing it.

Edit:

Plus an eye for matching patterns and seams.

agnut

30th August 2015, 10:25 PM

Wow Spectrism, you got some sweet deals there. Good thing I’m not the jealous type.

I’ve been to a few estate and garage sales in the last few weeks and gotten lots of small items. Aw heck; I’ll list some of the items :

Coleman ice box $2
Bernzomatic torch kit $4
Coleman two burner camp stove $5
Another ½” Black and Decker reversible drill $5
Old dial phone $8
New loufa on a stick 25 cents
Set of 8 blue glass dinner plates (for my sister) $4
Old Griswold meat grinder $5
4 wooden shaft golf clubs (one is a Macgregor mashie niblic) for a total of $15
Garrett metal detector bag with accessories $5

When I got home I looked the Macgregor golf club on eBay and there were three for sale; one was $90 and the two others were $250 each. Should be some room there for profit. After I had bought them another buyer asked to buy the 4 clubs but I turned him down. Another buyer dogged me about the metal detector stuff until I relented and took the $20 he was waving at me. I showed him what was inside and told him that he also got a bargain. His face lit up and he thanked me and left. The $15 profit will offset the cost of what I hauled home.

About now my barn is getting packed up to where I have to store items on the upper level. And I can hardly get through the other storage containers. Hmmm….. well, I DO have a few non running cars that are empty.

When I think about all the items I have accumulated over the years I wonder how it all will turn out. If we are marginalized and imports fall off a cliff, folks will in time want quality items. A pair of German scissors that cost me a quarter will go for multiples of that. And so on. The little items may yield a higher multiple than the big ones. And they are easier to sell than a big item.

Instead of buying more silver through the last few years I decided to accumulate quality items at bargain basement prices. Only time will tell which works out better for me. Besides, if I had nothing but silver, it could be stolen. And a thief would need a semi truck to make a dent in all my goodies. If that happened I could simply go down to the emergency ward and find the culprit with a broken back !

We had a family reunion with three coming from Florida and three more coming from San Diego. It was a madhouse but so much fun. I felt very sad seeing them leave, maybe because I don’t know if I will ever see them again. The world situation is spinning out of control and much of what we take for granted will be changed in time.

Just this afternoon I found out that a couple of friends lost their power when several huge trees fell over their road in a windstorm. They also lost power which will not be restored for several days at least. Totally unexpected; that’s how it happens. She called and said that they were out of water for the toilets and asked if she could come by and fill her 5 gallon bottles. I said sure, of course. She dropped off a dozen eggs and wouldn’t take any money. She also gave us a jar of apricot preserves, apricot jam and applesauce. I gave her a ½ gallon of butter pecan ice cream and a dozen oatmeal cookies with raisins and walnuts. I read that when things get tough, the little luxuries become uplifting. Wonderful people and becoming difficult to find these days. Maybe hard times will bring out the best in people. We individuals have to pull together; the government isn’t there for us like they were in the past. Maybe Trump can trump (and tromp) the knaves.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

agnut

16th October 2015, 07:10 AM

Hi all. Lots of family and personal issues to address lately, so little time or energy to post much here. Also, garage and estate sales have been fewer this year. Last week there were zero garage sales listed in the local paper and only two local ads on Craigslist; I’ve never seen that before. I know that the real economy is hurting and would expect that folks would be more prone to sell their unwanted items. The velocity of money had been on a downward spiral for some time and the possibility of disappointing sales may be discouraging potential sellers. People are holding onto what money they do have; I can’t blame them. I’m also holding some reserves in anticipation of better future deals.

As an example, I was at a local thrift store last week and spied a Dyson ball vacuum cleaner for sale. I already have one that I picked up a few years ago for $40 and thought I had gotten a bargain then. The best vacuum cleaner I have ever used. But this Dyson was for sale for $10 ! A few years ago a new Dyson would cost around $500 but I have seen ones for sale lately for around $300. I’m just saying that prices have softened lately even though inflation has been eating away at purchasing power of the dollar. And with the government reporting that unemployment is at 5.1%, we all should realize that the news reported is a fabrication (to put it mildly). John Williams of Shadowstats.com has been reporting for some time that the true unemployment is around 22%. We are in a depression folks and must act accordingly if we are to survive and prosper in the future. If you don’t believe that we are in a depression, at least act as though we are. All we need now is to dredge out that old song “Happy days are here again” and the scenario will be complete.

A couple of weeks ago I was at another thrift store and saw a Skil worm drive power saw sitting on a back shelf. I asked how much and the salesman said “How about $5 ?”. I couldn’t get it into the truck fast enough. Now I have 5 of these types of saws put away for the future. By the way, I was at Home Depot recently and the price for a new Skil saw was about $170 with tax.

There are bargains and then there are outright steals. Like the two deals/steals above. Maybe it is time to hold back and patiently wait for the steals. I don’t know for certain; it could just be my personal experiences.

Will America be marginalized internationally to the point that all the excess bounty will be used up and scarcity of many manufactured items will become the rule of the day ? I don’t know how it will all play out but I do know that with true inflation of around 9% as well as poor quality of many, many imports, I have been collecting quality items (old American made items particularly) that I believe will not only hold their value but may also command a higher value in the future. I’m not talking as much about selling for dollars but rather for bartering and horsetrading.
Here are a couple of articles pertinent to this post :

IGNORE THE MEDIA BULL$HIT – RETAIL IMPLOSION PROVES WE ARE IN RECESSION

http://www.theburningplatform.com/20...-in-recession/

Wal-Mart’s Worst Stock Crash In 27 Years Is Another Sign That The Economy Is Rapidly Falling Apart
By Michael Snyder, on October 14th, 2015

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/a...-falling-apart

So what do you think this coming winter will look like ?

This Christmas, all presents will be things I already have. Even the wrapping paper I got for free. I’ve been doing this for years and everyone loves it. Cheap bastard? You Betcha !

If those in power think we will stretch our finances to the breaking point, they have another think coming. I never forgot what my old boss said back in the early 70s, “Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.”

As a last note, take good care of the items you have accumulated. I had a leak in one of my storage buildings and water damaged some of the items. Fortunately I caught it in time and only lost a few things. But it took me two days to repackage and move everything to the barn where it is dry and safe. Also, I have so many items bought through the years that I am continually rediscovering things. Many, many things. It’s like opening Christmas presents throughout the year. HoHoHo

And don’t forget the homeless and struggling. In our area there is an unusual thrift store in which items are sold for donations; no prices listed. Also there is a huge room with items specifically for the homeless, all for free. I talked with the manager about the homeless and she said that they most need small tents, tarps, shoes, sleeping bags, winter coats and socks. What we bless others with will be repaid in many ways. “Let your light so shine that others may see your good works and glorify you father in heaven.”

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. Thanks to all of you who have contributed so much to the bartering and horsetrading thread. I have learned of many things I never knew existed as well as been able to expand my abilities. I can’t thank you enough.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

mick silver

20th October 2015, 07:47 AM

words of truth from agnuts ............... IGNORE THE MEDIA BULL$HIT – RETAIL IMPLOSION PROVES WE ARE IN RECESSION
............ the few sales I have been to this year is all the stuff they have from last sale . have not been to one sale that they have had tools cast iron cook ware we are starting to see the bottom drop out . and what junk they have had is way over priced . BE SAFE OUT THERE TIMES ARE GETTING HARDER ...

agnut

22nd October 2015, 10:33 AM

Thanks mick silver. Here are a couple of other articles to ponder :

CONFUSION, DELUSIONS & ILLUSIONS
http://www.theburningplatform.com/2015/10/20/confusion-delusions-illusions/

and
Goodbye Middle Class: 51 Percent Of All American Workers Make Less Than 30,000 Dollars A Year
http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/goodbye-middle-class-51-percent-of-all-american-workers-make-less-than-30000-dollars-a-year

After having read these articles it is obvious that most folks are hanging on by their nails, trying to maintain their lifestyles as they see it slipping through their fingers.

In the past I have commented that there has been a resurgence of buyers at garage, estate and moving sales; it has been occurring over the past several years. I have been observing these new buyers who are better dressed, drive nicer cars and carry themselves differently. They are there because inflation with all the other costs being heaped upon them has been taking a toll on their net income, income that has been essentially flat to downward. Smart move but they should have been doing this long ago; they have actually been forced by the realities of financial trends.

I was fortunate in my youth to have seen the insanity of insisting on buying everything at retail. What is “new” ? Is something we buy in a store really new ? Or has the clothing been tried on by several other customers ? And after we pay over the counter for an item, is it still considered “new” ? I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten items at garage sales that still have the price tags on them and are still in the box. No, no; the whole problem so many folks have is in their pride and having never sat down and realized that they have the power to think for themselves.

Who the hell cares that I have a Dyson vacuum cleaner that was previously used by some other citizen ? It was about $500 new and I just bought a used one for $10. Let’s see, $490 dollars saved which is really much more when we consider that that is after tax income which is much greater. How hard and long would we have to work to net that $490 after taxes ?

Good grief ! I have been living outside the Matrix all of my life and had not perceived it in this way until just now !

You see, I have always been floating above the masses, unshackled by all the marketing persuasions inundating all of us daily. I majored in business management back in the 1960s and often thought that I would have been better off having majored in marketing instead. And now, right now, I realize that that would have been a big mistake from the path I have taken. And as Robert Frost said ” …And that had made all the difference.”

I have owned several businesses and not sold things in the ordinary sense. Let me explain. I see myself as a presenter rather than a salesman. The quality and value of an item should be self evident to the buyer; otherwise it is not a fair barter. My job is to see that what I have to sell (or present, if you will) is worth the value at which I am offering it. No lies or deceptions. I have stood behind this all my life. The secret is an old used car saying, “You don’t make your money selling a car; you make your money having bought the car.” In other words, if you paid too much for a car, you will not profit in selling it. This is true whether you are presenting a pizza oven or a bicycle. Now I fully realize that the buyer has his own perception of the value of an item; that is his own business. I don’t try to get the maximum in selling but leave some extra value on the table for the buyer.

Sure, I could sell an item for a higher price but what does that do ? Less buyers willing to shell out more of their hard earned money and therefore a longer time to sell my items. Time is crucial in ability to turn over an item so that we can move on to the next deal. It is money held back from opportunities. Items need to flow into and out of your hands like a stream flowing. Otherwise, we are building a dam holding back our greater potential. Turnover is a concept we all should have in the back of our minds when we buy an item for resale. Sometimes I have had an item sold before I got it home.

I am guilty of sitting on a multitude of items for years. Why, you ask ? Well, I am an art lover of many things and am paying for my appreciating these items rather than selling them right away. I have a lot of art that I enjoy looking at rather than I would enjoy the money I would receive. This changes over time as I sell some of it and replace it with something else that has caught my eye. I made up a saying that goes something like this. We can own nothing in this world but only have use of it for a time, for we are mortal.

Another thing I do is collect items that I believe will be of greater value in the future. It is not just about money but possible bartering for another item or labor traded. The worm drive Skil saw I got for $5 mentioned in my last post is an example. Why these expensive power saws are so cheap on the used market is unknown to me but I will continue to collect them as I see them. I have 5 of them as well as many of the cheaper power saws. If I were to set up a display selling them I would price the cheaper saws at $15 to $25 and the worm drive Skil saws at $50 to $65, depending on condition. Note that I have left room to haggle. It is important to tell the buyer what the new price is in order to give him some perspective. I could even throw in a few blades to sweeten the deal. I pick up these blades for less than a dollar and have many.

Most of my life I have listened to others complaining that they don’t have enough money. And you know what ? I could never understand it from my perspective; I thought everyone was doing pretty much what I was doing. Color me ignorant ! But this unawareness goes further; I also could not understand what coveting meant; by the way, one of the Ten Commandments. Had to look it up in the dictionary.

Yeah, living outside of the Matrix. I like that. Anyone can join me whenever they like. All ya gotta do is disconnect all of the tubes mankind has been feeding off of. There is the peer pressure tube. The ego tube. The MADison Avenue tube. The MSM tube. And the boob tube.

And once you do this you will be living within a whole new world of opportunities and control of your life.

Although things have gotten harder to find these days, there are other places to look such as thrift stores, Craigslist, auctions, government and county sales. If deals in your local area are unproductive, it may be time to look within a 25 to 50 mile radius.

Best wishes,

Agnut

“The real hopeless victims of mental illness are to be found among those who appear to be most normal. Many of them are normal because they are so well adjusted to our mode of existence, because their human voice has been silenced so early in their lives, that they do not even struggle or suffer or develop symptoms as the neurotic does.” They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word; they are normal only in relation to a profoundly abnormal society. Their perfect adjustment to that abnormal society is a measure of their mental sickness. These millions of abnormally normal people, living without fuss in a society to which, if they were fully human beings, they ought not to be adjusted.”
– Aldous Huxley – Brave New World Revisited

A lack of discipline, inability to delay gratification, failure to understand basic mathematical concepts, materialistic envy, absence of critical thinking skills, and a delusionary view of the world have left the majority of Americans broke and in debt.

mick silver

22nd October 2015, 06:45 PM

went out today and look at a few trailers all of them were over priced look at truck are two also over priced , whats the world coming too when a guy with cash cannot make a deal

agnut

23rd October 2015, 09:23 AM

Hi again mick silver. What kind of trailer and model truck are you looking for ? What price range ?

Are the trailers and trucks overpriced or is the dollar undervalued ? Not funny is it ?

Let me know; I have been thinking lately about focusing on writing about vehicles and their relative utilitarian values.

Best wishes,
Agnut

mick silver

23rd October 2015, 01:41 PM

I know guys looking for trucks an trailers so I look for stuff to buy and sale an make a few bucks . one of the trucks I look at was a 2004 ford 350 it look real good but he wanted 20.000.00 for truck with 300.000 thousand miles of it , then I look at a few trailer and they were also over priced they all needed brakes tires and some new wood floors on them like the trucks they also were over priced . some days it pay to stay home and do other things . but again that how I made ex paper when it slow around here by horse trading . be safe mick

govcheetos

23rd October 2015, 06:16 PM

Great posts. Good to see a little action in this thread. I have been the busiest I've ever been this year, and really am somewhat overloaded with deals that I need to flip and make some money out of. Whole lot of poor people out there and most the middle class is one small financial stubbed toe from being there too. I price most things to sell quickly, but haven't had much action lately. Thinking about raising my price on a few things and see what happens. Sometimes when things are too cheap people think its a scam or a misprint. I've noticed the corporate world has everybody brainwashed into thinking you can't get a better deal with cash too Mick. Everyone lives on their debit/credit cards and smart phones. I talk to grown men out in the world who are supposed to be moving and shaking and they don't have a five dollar bill in their wallet. If the net or the banks shut down for one day people would freak out. I think of yall as kindred spirits and when coming up on a steal of a deal and a few of yall are in the back of my mind more than a few times a week. Yall be safe out there.

agnut

6th November 2015, 07:45 AM

Hi mick silver. Not to sound preachy and all that, but why buy a truck for $20,000 with 300,000 miles on it ? That is a lot of money to tie up that could be used for pyramiding a fortune (or loading a barn to the rafters with deals and steals as I have).

I have a 1990 Dodge 350 with a Cummins diesel engine and a 5 speed manual transmission that got 26 mpg one way and 25 mpg on the return when I visited Ponce a few weeks ago. It was a 1,100 mile trip so I know the figures are accurate. I was driving 70-75 mph much of the way. My truck has 265,000 miles on it and has never let me down. It is great for towing and hardly notices the weight. I paid $2,600 for it about 5-6 years ago.

The 1997 Dodge diesel is the last year of the manual fuel injection and that is what I would look for. Simple and less expensive to maintain. I’ve seen several for sale on Craigslist in the $5-7000 price range. In 1994 the body style was changed and looks to be much newer than it really is. That’s if esthetics has any importance to you. I like the older body style since it doesn’t appear that I have any money and am just sliding along on Social Insecurity (which I am). In my case of going to garage sales I don’t want the appearance of prosperity; maybe it works, not sure, but that is my aim.

Diesel fuel is easier and much safer to have stored around. Also don’t forget the potential for making boidiesel fuel. Even my generator is a 12K Lister unit. And my VW Scirocco has been converted to diesel which will get about 65 mpg on the freeway, about 50 around town. Whether fuel costs go high or availability goes low, I feel that I am better prepared for the future. My two tractors are diesel too. So you can see how biased I am about being an all diesel household.

The advantage of the later electronic diesel trucks is that you can make modifications to greatly increase the horsepower. Personally I don’t need the added expense or increased power but you might.

Best wishes,
Agnut
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

agnut

6th November 2015, 08:31 AM

Hi govcheetos. Yeah, they have sucked out all the discretionary money that the masses used to have for their wants. Also, they have been sucking out the masses needs to where being able to buy enough food or pay other bills has become a problem. I read that retailers are expecting the public to spend $803 this Christmas season. Yeah, right ! Let me know how that works out for you.

If things get any tighter, there will be literally no market for many things that are not absolutely needed by folks. And then, the things that are needed are basic and darrn few. Things like food, paying the electric bill, etc. Just look at all the folks who have canceled their Comcast TV cable in the last couple of years. I did a couple of years ago and have been saving $120 a month. It was a want, not a need.

I may sound like I have it all together but truth be known, I have been busy for a long time in trying my best to get projects completed before the wheels fall off of the economy. I’m not there by a long shot. I think we sometimes take on too much, expecting it all to fall into place like clockwork. Things are more complicated these days, compounded by workers that don’t show up or are incompetent. As a result I am having to do most everything myself and at 68 years old I no longer can work 12 hours straight. This prepping for the future is like taking on two jobs with little rest and no vacations. I have finally consigned myself to the fact that it will never be finished and I will have to do some preps after TSHTF. Sounds crazy but there it is. I have to console myself with the knowledge that I will be way ahead of those who did not prepare. Even though some tasks will not be complete I have been buying in advance the parts I will need.

There is the very real probability that parts we can get now at the local Home Depot or online will not be there after TSHTF. Extra fan belts, water hoses, cases of oil and filters are but a few items that should be in our parts inventory. And lots of fuel too. I’m looking at a second 100 gallon diesel tank for $50 that will come in handy. If I have it full when prices rise, it will be like I made a profit in more than one way.

When we buy a bargain item today we don’t know what it will be worth in the years to come; we can only make our best estimate. Some items we will use ourselves and some we will barter for things we need. The items we use ourselves are pretty self evident in their value but these future bartering items require us to envision a scenario in which others will be able to trade with us. And want to trade. What is the value of a blender if there is no electricity ? Or an LP record ? Nobody knows the depth to which we will descend in the future. Could be merely difficult or like living back in the 1820s. Some items will probably be in demand no matter what. Ponce’s toilet paper stash is a good candidate. A time when nobody has their shit together. HaHa
In prepping for the future we all act within the framework of our abilities and perceptions. With limited resources, what can I do that will make the greatest difference ? Do I perceive that the future will be like the 1930s Depression or Mad Max ? This is why we read here on the internet so many different opinions on prepping. You places your bets and lets the dice roll. Nobody knows for sure; it is all perceptions.

Look at me and what direction I have taken. Three water storage tanks with only one hooked up. A 12K diesel generator not hooked up yet. A propane stove and clothes dryer not hooked up. Many items I would like to sell for better financial positioning. Food preps that need more attention than I have time for. Items stored all over the property that need to be organized and maintained.

So what happened here, agnut ? To be honest, I am overwhelmed with projects I am not experienced enough to perform. And having someone do these things is both expensive and allows these workers to see my preparations. And they will remember. Also, my age has caught up with me. Diesel VWs sitting out back that I had bought 8 years ago with the intent of restoring. I was 60 then and full of energy and enthusiasm. I have many things that have a much greater potential for value when they are completed and operational.

I have a huge load of CB radio gear that was given to me by an old friend. It is worth a couple thousand dollars but I haven’t yet figured out how to sell it all, hopefully as one lot to one buyer. The Tram 0201A unit alone is worth $1,000 to $1,500 on eBay. Maybe Craigslist, eBay or a local ham radio club.

The time it will take to become proficient with my new Nikon camera and submit many ads is only part of the work and time required to sell these items. Much more time consuming will be communicating with buyers, meeting them and negotiating.

The point here is that I have accumulated many items in anticipation of their future need and value, which has not yet arrived. It would have been wise to have taken the time to have sold some of these items while I was also continuing to buy other items. Let that be a lesson to others.

As a last note, I am thinking that selling my art pieces is high priority since they will not have demand or value in the next couple of years. I will be selling to those who are not aware of what I believe the future portends. Their loss, my gain.

It is most important to communicate the truth in what we do. It is not all flying unicorns pooping out Skittles. The times they are a changin’ and we also must adjust our expectations accordingly. What may be a great deal today may be a poor investment in the future. This bartering and horsetrading can be life changing stuff IF handled with forethought and wisdom.

Gotta go; learning about the Nikon camera is the next project this morning.

Best wishes,
Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

gunDriller

9th November 2015, 05:12 AM

I guess the diesel Mercedes got my interest started (in diesel's).

Then there was the time I rented a diesel truck (cost about $1 a mile, drove 2000 miles).

That made me think about mileage.

Now I ask Ford (PowerStroke) and Dodge (Cummins) and Chevy (Duramax) owners about their diesel's.

One guy with a Duramax was adamant, it runs cleaner with biodiesel even though the factory dealer says it voids the warranty.

In general the truck diesel guys I've talked to (probably over a hundred at this point) like their diesel trucks.

mick silver

9th November 2015, 05:54 AM

agnuts the truck not for me I look for stuff others need and I get a finder fee if they buy it . there a few guys around here that don't have the time to run around and look for stuff that were I come in . but again I will look for the older trucks if I can find one that runs and looks good, that hard to do around here most are drove hard and put up wet . be safe out there mick

mick silver

28th November 2015, 11:32 AM

I told august a few things to look for at sales well here one to keep in mind old 8 tracks . I have seen them go for nothing at sales plus there a lot of folks now going back to live the old days that are looking for them . just go an do a search on ebay for 8 track and put in a starting point of over 25 bucks and look around for what's to buy and keep a look out for ......... there money still out there to help you get what u need still ....be safe on your travels mick

mick silver

26th December 2015, 09:37 PM

agnut

27th December 2015, 01:38 PM

agnut we have not heard from you in some time , let us know how the sales are going in your town it dry up around here most of the stuff over priced I think we are headed over the hill now and there no turning back . be safe mick

Hi Mick silver. The only activity lately was an estate sale I attended last Saturday. I’ve been meaning to write about it but so much has been occupying my attentions. Someone just picked up my trailer and someone else is on the way here to turn a flywheel on a brake lathe he bought a while ago but doesn’t have the room to put in his workshop. It’s all good; he is a friend and I make accommodations.
I’ll write about this estate sale as soon as I have some time. Hunt and peck takes time, ya know.
Best wishes,
Agnut

agnut

28th December 2015, 09:31 PM

Hi all. By popular request (that’s you, mick silver) I’ll post about the estate sale I attended 9 days ago.

A friend told me about an estate sale in which the owners wanted to clean out the house on order to get it ready for sale. This type of motivation often results from such a scenario. My favorite kind of sale; the owners see the goods as being in the way of a much greater purpose and will sell or give away just to not have to move the items somewhere else.

The sale began on Friday but I could only attend on Saturday. Sometimes this can be good if there wasn’t a large group of buyers the first day.

When I got to the sale there was a very nice man holding down the fort with the garage contents. I could see that it had been picked over but still a lot of small items remaining. I asked if he would give me a discount on a pile of items I wanted. He happily consented. I set about piling all the items I wanted in a corner. When I got done he totaled up everything and gave me a discount as well as no charge on some items. I also had been eyeing a reel to reel Hitachi tape recorder; it was sitting back in a dark corner. I asked if it worked and he told me that they had bought it new, used it once and never used it again. The price tag said $5. I had been looking for one for my stereo system and this looked like a prayer answered. The other items and prices are as follows :

Breakfast in bed light wood table (nice for my laptop) $1
6 pair used work gloves $1
4 funnels free
2 tarps $4
2 pair pliers (old school) $1
6 boxcutters $1
8 yard sprinklers $1
6 rope/chain couplers $1
8 quart veggie steamer $1
4 paint scrapers $1
8 water hose splitters $1
Garden clipper free
Box misc. tools, parts free
Sump pump $5
1 box of rope $1
Set of coveralls free
3 tubs wheel bearing grease free
Box of gardening tools free
Three foot high drum full of washcloths and towels for shop rags $1

With the tape recorder I spent a total of $25. Not bad for a lot of items I could use as well as trade.

I next checked the house but could find nothing; it had already been seriously picked over.

Before I left, my friend and I got to talking to the seller and he told us that he knew of a distribution center that has tons and tons of various items which were donated. My friend and I will be looking into this next month; I’ll let you all know after we go. As you can see, one thing often leads to another which can be much greater than what you had originally intended. This is a good example of why we need to be ever aware and communicative with others. The opportunities are everywhere but the advertising comes in different forms.

In the beginning of writing bartering and horsetrading my motive was to help others in saving money so that they could buy more preps and especially silver (and gold too I suppose). I had read many times that readers posted that they didn’t have any extra money to accumulate silver (and gold too I suppose). And today with silver at just under $14 it looks like a good time to stack some more for the future. I recently read that J.P. Morgan has over 55 million ounces of physical silver; they have been on a mad tear lately and have bought more than 8 million ounces in the last few weeks. This is unheard of (in more ways than one) and they must know something big is coming.

Why Is JP Morgan Accumulating The Biggest Stockpile Of Physical Silver In History?

http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?86577-Why-Is-JP-Morgan-Accumulating-The-Biggest-Stockpile-Of-Physical-Silver-In-History&highlight=morgan

I recently spoke with a friend about buying more silver; he had bought his at about $8 average ten years ago. I told him that $8 ten years ago was like $14 today and the silver bargain is here and now if he will understand the dollar devaluation. I hope that he will take it to heart. There may come a time, perhaps soon, that he will wistfully think of his dollars in the bank as opposed to having bought silver with those dollars. I also told him that the Shanghai commodities market is set to open soon and they trade only in physical silver. No paper promises, no naked shorting, no manipulation, no payoff in fiat currency rather than the real physical silver. You know, the way all commodities should be traded. It is called honesty. If a man sells what isn’t hisn’ he ought to go to prison. Words of wisdom from my deceased grandpa.

Isn’t the paper gold on the Comex about 280 times the physical gold to back it up ? And what is the ratio for paper silver vs. physical silver ? Pure insanity in my opinion. Looks more like a casino than a commodities exchange.

Right now the silver to gold price ratio is 76.7 ounces of silver to one ounce of gold. The historic ratio is about 14 to 1; this was in relation to the quantity mined back then but I have read that the silver ounces mined to gold ounces mined ratio is now about 8.5 to one. So not only is the silver to gold price ratio out of whack, the silver to gold ounces mined is also out of whack, further making the case for silver to head even higher in relation to gold when the precious metals take off. In fact, I have read through the years that financial advisors believed that silver should be about $130 per ounce.

The last point I want to share is that I have been a believer in silver’s medicinal uses, some of which are not commonly known. I read that researchers found that silver used in conjunction with various strains of penicillin increases effectiveness as much as 100 fold. I have given my testimonial of how colloidal silver cured me of a case of genital herpes that I had for about 20 years. That was back in 1998 and I have had no symptoms since then. I had suffered with horrendous symptoms three or four times per year for almost 20 years and never had a single symptom after taking a therapeutic dose three times per day for a couple of months. Coincidence ? No, I believe that the words are “living proof”. I have my health and my life back. Thanks to silver. Is it any wonder that I call myself agnut ?

If you need further motivation, this article should do the trick :

“Scientists have found a new strain of bacteria that is resistant to all antibiotics”

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/scientists-have-found-a-new-strain-of-bacteria-that-is-resistant-to-all-antibiotics/news-story/f643ea45c989c63365c0e50ea4a5f3e0

Let me ask you a question. What happens when we have a pandemic for which there is no cure ? And silver is “rediscovered” to be the only salvation ? Will you call your stock broker and request physical silver from your Comex paper silver investment ? To paraphrase Marie Antoinette, “Let them eat paper”.
And what will the price of silver be in such a scenario ?

Don’t expect the pharmaceuticals to come to the rescue every time an antibiotic falls off the cure wagon. They aren't in it for health as much as for wealth.

My point is that we do not know of all the possibilities silver possesses for humanity. Is the price for an ounce cheap or too high ? You be the judge.

Best wishes,
Agnut

God is in gold and lives is in silver. Or gold has God in it and silver has lives in it.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

mick silver

30th December 2015, 05:51 AM

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CknvL_kwmjY/URZpapStugI/AAAAAAAAHXs/l33HL84Wi1Q/s320/DOOMSDAY+PREPPERS.jpg

govcheetos

4th March 2016, 06:23 PM

Wanted to drop in and say hello, been busy as heck, lots of boat deals, parts deals, equipment deals, trailer deals. Been continuing to purge my stockpile keeping the good stuff selling the rest and turning the funds into something that carries its own weight. Past couple of months have been the off season estate/garage sale wise, but its going to pick up soon with winter being almost over. Keep in mind its good to go through your horde once in a while and get rid of some stuff to get new stuff. A friend of mine has 2 of everything in the world, problem is neither work because he hasnt used them in years and stuff goes bad, a real shame.

Hope everyone is doing well, think of yall as kindred spirits.

agnut

3rd April 2016, 07:22 AM

Hey all, the season officially started today; at least for me. Friday I was driving around and saw a garage sale sign which I hunted down like a lion after a gazelle.
Turns out that the sale was for Saturday and Sunday. The seller had an empty garage which was a bit disheartening at first. Across the street was a guy working on an antique tractor. It was so old that it had a huge drum on the side for a belt power takeoff. Anyhow we got to talking mechanic to mechanic and I found out that the seller across the street was out and would be back soon. He introduced me to the next door neighbor who had a pair of rare VW caddy pickup trucks curbside. Since I had owned a couple in the past we had lots to talk about. We exchanged phone numbers and will meet in the near future. Funny how all this took place in a few minutes.

The lady seller returned and I went over to introduce myself even though it appeared that she had literally nothing for sale (it was a in the house). Turns out that we recognized each other from when she had worked at my favorite thrift store. Anyhoo, she was moving back to Hawaii and would be selling everything in the following weeks. Since it was Friday and the sale didn’t begin until the next day, I offered to come an hour early and help her move the items outside.

Saturday morning I got up at 6:30 and began getting ready. I wore an old Hawaiian shirt and hat and took a container of guava juice. Also took two rolls of quarters and lots of one and five dollar bills in case she had forgotten to get to the bank. I have been supplying her with colloidal silver for some time and tossed a bottle in the truck. I also had a couple of bright garage sale signs that I had gotten at the local dollar store a week ago. We hauled lots of boxes out as she laid out blankets on the driveway for all the items. She had about 45 DVDs and I asked how much she wanted and got them for $20 along with 5 books I wanted. Not a big buy but something I am always seeking for my home collection. So far so good; we were having fun conversing about politics, her moving, economics; most everything under the sun.

The next door neighbor came over and saw me loading up the DVDs and said that he had a load that he wanted to get rid of. Next thing he was hauling this huge tub with a box full of DVDs on top. There were well over a hundred DVDs there. He said that they were almost all scifi which is my special interest. There were complete multi season sets of Star Trek, Babylon 5, Quantum Leap, Firefly, Space 1999, Red Dwarf, Outer Limits, Andromeda and several others. Many are out of print and valuable. Some of the season sets were still new in original sealed wrappers. He told me that one set alone was about $400. I asked how much and was cringing inside, waiting for the answer. He said how about $50 for everything. I couldn’t believe it. I did look on the internet that evening and there is about $2,000 worth of DVDs there.

Now I am torn between wanting to keep these gems for my collection or to sell them for profit. I should stop here and mention that this is often a problem of being an active barterer and horsetrader. Actually it was easy for me since I have never had such a group of items I personally wanted fall in my lap. It was meant to be, I guess. I won’t miss the $50 but I will surely miss the $2,000 potential future sale.

And here is where I can rationalize that I will have a lot of pleasure in adding to my collection. Deals like these DVDs come around maybe once or twice in a lifetime. I know it sounds funny but in my experience I have learned to recognize that such windfalls are to be carefully considered before acting further. At least I have them in my possession and now have the luxury of taking my sweet time while enjoying them. Interesting that at the same time there was an antique piano stool offered at $100 which the seller would let me have for $50 if I really wanted it. That stool needed complete restoration and would be worth at most $200. However, with the DVDs all I would have to do would be to offer them on eBay.

Now I am not rationalizing keeping these DVDs but have a buying and selling style that attains all kinds of items and holds most of them indefinitely. Their time will come when I judge it to be right. Some items will not only hold their value but increase in value through the years.

Another wise strategy is to buy and sell almost all items as soon as possible in order to pyramid up a fortune. I wholly respect this and see many here who do just this. It is a way to not only offset inflation but to build a nest egg for the uncertain future, especially these days what with the way that fiat currency is so uncertain as well as our political system. I know that I cannot be certain that my DVD collection will go up in value through the years but I believe that it will as long as our country holds together and we have some semblance of societal order and security. If this fails, all bets are off. And with this said, what would be the value of money instead of holding physical items ?

This is something for all of us to deeply consider as we go about bartering and horsetrading. What are our long term objectives ? What is the ratio of items we buy that will be used personally to the items we sell in order to rebuy more items ? The answer, and this is the beauty of it, is that we have the freedom to choose as well to change as we see fit.

Bartering and horsetrading provides us with a whole new freedom that unshackles us from financial tyranny. I don’t work but have social security coming in that is enough to pay my bills. Any extras I obtain through my wits and I am happy with this arrangement. It keeps me active and forever outward looking for new opportunities. It must be right; the more I do it, the more I am excited at the possibilities. In doing so, new opportunities are opening up to me; I am looking at a couple of new ones right now.

In my opinion, most Americans are and have been for a long time totally missing “the road not traveled”, as I like to think of bartering and horsetrading. With that said, these same Americans have an overabundance of items that they usually do not value as they should. This is where we come in.

By the way, on the street coming home I spotted another sale. I picked out 15 more DVDs and two blue Ray DVDs for $19 total.

Next I got a mile from home and spotted an estate sale sign. I stopped by my house and unloaded while looking up the address. The items were all too high but I did get 4 DVDs for 50 cents each, two boxes of auto chemicals for $5 and a large tarp for my boat for $5. Not a big buy but still worth the effort. You’ll never know unless you go.

Happy hunting; the season is now officially open.

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

If one will live like most won't early on in life, one can live like most cannot the rest of their life.

"Freedom is actually a bigger game than power. Power is about what you can control. Freedom is about what you can unleash."-- Harriet Rubin

mick silver

27th April 2016, 06:09 PM

Greeks embrace bartering to survive economic collapse — and soon, you will tooPosted on September 23, 2015September 24, 2015 (http://personalliberty.com/greeks-embrace-bartering-survive-economic-collapse-soon-will/) by Sam Rolley (http://personalliberty.com/author/samrolleypl/) Views: 3,490
1.7K Shares [/URL] (http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?s=100&p[url]=http://personalliberty.com/greeks-embrace-bartering-survive-economic-collapse-soon-will/&[images][0]={img}&[title]=Greeks+embrace+bartering+to+survive+economic+coll apse+%26%238212%3B+and+soon%2C+you+will+too&[summary]=In+Greece%2C+the+age-old+practice+of+bartering+for+goods+and+services+i s+experiencing+a+renaissance+as+the+nation+endures +the+sixth+year+of+its+debt-driven+economic+meltdown.+Americans+ought+to+take+ note.)[URL="http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonalliberty.com%2Fgreeks-embrace-bartering-survive-economic-collapse-soon-will%2F&media=https://plnami.blob.core.windows.net/media/2015/08/crisis080315.jpg&description=In+Greece%2C+the+age-old+practice+of+bartering+for+goods+and+services+i s+experiencing+a+renaissance+as+the+nation+endures +the+sixth+year+of+its+debt-driven+economic+meltdown.+Americans+ought+to+take+ note."] (http://plus.google.com/share?url=http%3A%2F%2Fpersonalliberty.com%2Fgreek s-embrace-bartering-survive-economic-collapse-soon-will%2F)
https://plnami.blob.core.windows.net/media/2015/08/crisis080315.jpgIn Greece, the age-old practice of bartering for goods and services is experiencing a renaissance as the nation endures the sixth year of its debt-driven economic meltdown. And as bartering has come to mean the difference between starvation and survival for some Greeks, Americans ought to take note.
The New York Times on Monday explained how virtual barter networks are popping up in Greece to help individuals and small businesses in the nation survive harsh capital controls put in place to combat a long-standing liquidity crisis.
Earlier this year, many Greeks found themselves unable to withdraw money from banks for daily necessities or business expenses because of long wait lines or, worse, the institutions’ shutting their doors altogether.
Imagine the frustration of being unable to access basic goods and services because of the collapse of the fiat financial system upon which you once relied to make sure that there was food on the table and a roof over your head.
Even scarier, imagine the anxiety suffered by skilled workers and business owners with something to offer customers but afforded no government-sanctioned avenue to leverage skills and goods to fulfill personal needs.
The Times reported that Greeks, confronted with those very problems, have found ways to survive despite their government’s economic incompetence.
From the report:

As Greece grapples with a continued downturn, bartering is gaining traction at the margins of the economy, part of a collection of worrisome signs for Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras who was re-elected on Sunday.
Graphic artists are exchanging designs for olive oil. Accountants swap advice for office supplies. In the agricultural heartland and on the Greek islands, informal bartering, which has historically helped communities survive, has intensified as more people exchange fruits, vegetables, other crops, equipment, clothing and services.
And while some of the bartering is taking place in the old-fashioned form of handshakes on the street, technology has also provided Greeks opportunities to barter for a wider range of goods and services than the traditional this-for-that bartering model would allow.
Again from the Times report:

Much of it is being done virtually through online networks that match offers and needs, a digital twist on a centuries-old tradition.
After capital controls were imposed in June, about 6,000 users signed up for Tradenow, on top of 25,000 registered members. Even small businesses that had previously shunned barter networks as unworkable have come aboard.
The system equates one tradepoint to one euro, and lets users barter directly or rack up the digital currency to get goods and services from others in the community. To attract business, users can also deal in a mix of euros and points.
The modern online systems make bartering more efficient. The activity can also have a multiplier effect in the economy, generating new work and business.
In Greece, it has taken six years for even a modest barter economy to take shape in the face of one of the most painful economic collapses in modern history.
Why? Because, much like in the U.S. today, mainstream economic thinking and government denial that economic collapse would never happen made bartering seem a cumbersome alternative to fast-moving fiat currency. Naturally, Greek individuals and businesses faced a learning curve.
In the U.S., you can bet that the barter economy would be much slower to grow any semblance of mainstream acceptance following an economic meltdown. One problem would be that the federal government would do anything in its power to shut down barter networks as the economy worsened. After all, businesses’ and individuals’ abandonment of the dollar would represent the ultimate proof that fiat money has no value beyond propping up those who control its distribution.
But there’s an even bigger problem. Most Americans today can imagine no scenario in which the U.S. would reach point of economic turmoil that has befallen Greece.
In fact, outside of alternative media publications like The Bob Livingston Letter™ (http://boblivingstonletter.com/), there’s been hardly any mention in recent years of how bad the U.S. economy really looks to those with a view from the inside.
Lloyd Darland, in his book “The Emperor’s Clothes Cost Twenty Dollars,” (http://landing.boblivingstonletter.com/emperors-clothes/the_emporers-cloths_LP05.aspx?SC=B24330239) explained how the Federal Reserve’s sins of the past are leading the U.S. toward rapid economic decline.
The biggest losers, Darland said, will be average American consumers.
Livingston has similarly predicted: “Bread will cost $25 a loaf. Hamburger meat will cost $60/pound. Gas will cost $37/ gallon … that’s a $500 fill up. I know this sounds absolutely insane. But you need to prepare NOW because it’s already started …”
And while warnings like those from Livingston and Darland continue to lie outside the realm of mainstream economic thought in the U.S., the validity of those long-standing warnings is slowly being realized.
Consider this report from the Washington Examiner in June:

With all the chaos unravelling in Greece, Congress would be wise to do what it takes to avoid reaching Greek debt levels. But it’s not a matter of sticking to the status quo and avoiding bad decisions that would put the budget on a Greek-like path, because the budget is on that path already.
A quarter-century ago, Greek debt levels were roughly 75 percent of Greece’s economy — about equal to what the U.S. has now. As of 2014, Greek debt levels are about 177 percent of national GDP. Now, the country is considering defaulting on its loans and uncertainty is gripping the economy.
In 25 years, U.S. debt levels are projected to reach 156 percent of the economy, which Greece had in 2012. That projection comes from the Congressional Budget Office’s alternative scenario, which is more realistic than its standard fiscal projection about which spending programs Congress will extend into the future.
That’s right, the past 25 years of U.S. economic policy are almost a mirror image of the 25 years leading up to the Greek collapse.
In other words, it’s probably a good time to start honing your bartering skills and encouraging your friends, neighbors and business associates to consider doing the same.
Don’t wait for The New York Times to publish a story about a surprising revival of barter in America if you’re interested in learning more about how the nation got into the economic trouble it’s in today and how to protect yourself from the coming consequences. Get the inside scoop from researchers and economic experts who’ve been warning Americans about the coming trouble for years and who are already setting up barter networks and prepper communities to hedge against their predictions. (http://landing.boblivingstonletter.com/Congressional-Bandit/Congressional-Bandit-2015_LP01.aspx?SC=B24905753)

This entry was posted in Bell Ringer (http://personalliberty.com/category/bell-ringer/) and tagged U.S. Economy (http://personalliberty.com/tag/u-s-economy/). Bookmark the permalink (http://personalliberty.com/greeks-embrace-bartering-survive-economic-collapse-soon-will/).

agnut

27th April 2016, 11:55 PM

Thanks mick silver, good article. I printed it out to show to friends and family. Similar to a long term electrical outage, having nationwide monetary problems with high unemployment will wake up the citizenry to begin to think for themselves. So it's back to the 1880s or before. An EMP would be rapidly chaotic while a monetary and high unemployment situation would come on relatively gradually. Some folks have stated that losing electricity would be a good thing but I strongly disagree. The general populace would panic and stampede like a spooked cattle herd in a lightening storm (see how I not so cleverly connected human electric failure panic with cattle electrical overabundance, so to speak, panic . The big difference would be that millions of humans would get trampled. I read a while back that predicted that 90 percent of the population would be dead within a year. So much for bartering and horsetrading, eh ?

Right now I'm writing on an old desktop computer that I got from my nephew for 50 bucks; it has Windows 7 but has no works program. So I am typing this directly to our website. Why am I doing this, you wonder. Well it seems that Microsoft commandeered my HP laptop and changed my windows 7 to windows 10 without my knowledge or consent. I am furious. I wish there was a way to sue them for this piracy. My nephew will check things out soon but I am getting sick and tired of this so called new technology polluting my life. First we had Obamacare forcing their medical system on us while afterwards revealing that their promises were a pack of lies. This windows 10 being forced upon me feels like the same old government crap being done in the business world. I wonder how Bill Gates would feel if folks like me were to picket his home or business and refuse to leave until he straightened out the mess his company had created. Oh well, it'll all work out somehow.

Now on the subject of bartering and horsetrading I have been trading some of my goods with a wonderful lady who makes up Texas chili, pork roasts and cherry pies and lots more. A few months ago I discovered that cherry pie filling costs about $5 at the local supermarket but only one dollar at the local Dollar Tree store. It takes two 21 ounce cans of pie filling so one way costs $10 and the other way costs $2; it's no wonder that homemade pies are so rarely offered. Right now I have 4 1/2 cases of pie filling and have given 2 1/2 cases to my "cook". And even Crisco, another pie ingredient, has skyrocketed to $5.79 a can. A couple of days ago She made three cherry pies for me; I gave one to a couple who are new friends. They are really neat to know and share with, most generous folks. He is a construction supervisor with many years of experience and she can do most anything, including completely rewiring a car ! I met them at a garage sale they had a couple of years ago. Absolutely one of my best deals ever !

This lady who trades cooking and I have become friends over the last few years. I find things she needs and deliver bread and veggies a couple of days a week. She still has at least 6 special ed children at home but her health is a serious problem now. I mention this because there are many ways to be a barterer and horsetrader, sometimes with unexpected benefits that go both ways. I once was considered wealthy but we were using the wrong measuring stick. Now I use my own and couldn't be more happy and enriched. That is why I have the quote below framed and hanging beside my front door as I leave each day. It is to remind me of who I should be. Some people, like Ponce for instance, I can never repay their generosity. Pay it forward.

Best wishes,

agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

milehi

17th July 2016, 12:50 PM

EE_

17th July 2016, 02:24 PM

I was out garage saling this morning. At one stop there was a random box of kitchen shit. I spied a couple silver spoons which could've been plate but I offered five bucks for the box. I drove around the corner and went through it. In the end, I had scored nine sterling spoons, three sterling cups which weighed out at 6oz each, two sterling ash trays at a oz each, and a 9 oz plate marked 999 fine silver. Every dog has his day. For some reason I cant post pics.

Nicely done!

Sterling Silver Values
@ 20.10 [USD] per troy .oz (.999)

1 gram .925 Sterling Silver = 0.60
5 grams .925 Sterling Silver = 2.99
20 grams .925 Sterling Silver = 11.96
1 .oz .925 Sterling Silver = 16.95
1 troy .oz .925 Sterling Silver = 18.59
5 troy .oz .925 Sterling Silver = 92.96
10 troy .oz .925 Sterling Silver = 185.92
1 troy .lb .925 Sterling Silver = 223.11
1 .lb . .925 Sterling Silver = 271.13
1 kilo . .925 Sterling Silver = 597.76

agnut

24th September 2016, 02:13 AM

Hi all; been a long time since I last posted. I recently recovered from a face plant into the cement slab. My nephew came over and helped me out; I did not want to call 911 as they would have probably found some way to get me to the hospital for a bunch of tests costing thousands. In other words, I would rather take the chances of self medication than the certainty of having to live my future with financial parasites hanging on bleeding me dry. Like adding insult to injury writ large (in blood money, that is). Finding a Medicare doctor has been impossible where I live. I’ll just have to move slower and be more careful in the future. Funny thing is that the first thing I thought about was that I had fallen on my right eye side and was greatly relieved that it wasn’t on the left side where my only good eye resides. So I was laying there bleeding like a stuck pig and feeling relieved; actually laughing. My eye was protected by my glasses which were deeply scratched. Yet another reason to feel grateful. The bleeding stopped after four hours. I went to town the next day and got a kick out of seeing the reaction from some acquaintances; sort of a Quasimoto without the hunch look. Too bad that Halloween was far in the future. After a few days the swelling went down and I could open the eye to check it out. I now have a scar over that eye but the eyebrow conceals it nicely. And still another reason to be grateful; it could easily have been a lot worse.

So what is the overview of the above paragraph ? Well, I see it as having a positive attitude which carries us into the future more prepared to positively deal with the ups and downs of life. And to be grateful for our very existence on this earth. The older I get the more I see life as miraculous almost beyond comprehension. Life is all around us, in the grass, in the trees, in the animals and especially in us human beings. I am grateful for every new day that I can connect to this world whether it be enjoying the three deer that wander around my home, the rabbits that play in the field, the swallows that nest in the eaves of the barn, my cat who provides companionship, the plant life which provides oxygen so that I may breathe. And I am most grateful for all the other humans that I come in contact with. This bartering and horsetrading I write about is a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know others in our surrounding communities.

For example, a couple of weeks ago I attended a community garage sale with a new friend. We had already been to a number of sales in previous weeks. He is one of the most positive people I have ever gotten to know, always joking and smiling. The first time I met him he was selling his fresh grown produce in front of the acreage where he lives. We got to talking and hit it off I guess you could say. I invited him to accompany me to the upcoming garage, estate and moving sales (GEM) to which he enthusiastically responded.

A few days ago I was on the way to pick up bakery products, fruits and veggies from a friend. There was an estate sale on the way and I had a few minutes, so what the heck. I was the only buyer there and began looking over all the offerings. The prices were about twice as high as I had expected. There was a large Craftsman 18 bushel chain drive lawn sweeper that was practically new. He was asking $50, more that I wanted to pay since I already had two lawn sweepers, one in need of repair and one which I had recently purchased for $10. Both of them were much smaller than the one I was now looking at. I was about to leave when I offered him $25 which he readily accepted. By the way, this large lawn sweeper may be able to collect the cut grass in the field which has been a problem this year what with all the rain and consequent grass growth. I next spied three 2 1/2 gallon gas containers which I have been looking for. The size is important to me since the 5 gallon containers are too heavy to comfortably use in filling the truck or tractors. I guess I’m becoming an “old geezer”. I ended up paying $2 for all three, practically a giveaway.

What if I had passed on this sale and instead arrived a few minutes earlier to meet my friend with the bakery goods and produce ? Answer : ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ! I would not have known what I would have missed. So you see, it is imperative to listen to that small voice in the back of our heads and stop and think of what it is telling us. Of course, after all these years of bartering and horsetrading this has become a habit to me. So many new things to learn along the way. Besides, the thrill of the hunt gets my blood flowing.

Okay, on to yesterday’s community garage sale. Below are the items and prices :

Ungar circuit board repair kit free. I have a friend into electronics who may really like it.
Table umbrella $5
Stressless style chair and ottoman $25 like new. These chairs are designed better than any I have ever used; I can even fall asleep and awaken refreshed. I already have two Stressless chairs and matching ottomans and had been looking for a third for my den video and audio room ( face it, agnut; it’s a man cave). This new chair and ottoman are not leather like the real Stressless chairs but will do just fine until I find and can afford the actual original Stressless chair. Then I can get the leather couch out of the den and move it to the living room. You see, I have had a plan for months that just fell into place with this $25 chair and ottoman. Voltaire said that God is a comedian playing to an audience that is too afraid to laugh. Well, I’m also laughing ! Also, a new Stressless chair and ottoman costs around $1,600 ! Starting to get the picture ?

Next item was a Sony surround sound amplifier with remote. Got it for $20 and the seller said that it worked well and promised that he would find the owner’s manual and deliver it to me. Even on our short meeting I could tell that he is a quality person and will follow through on his promise; he has already called once and told me that he is still looking.

So agnut, what’s the big deal with this $20 amplifier ? Interesting story in that my sons had moved out last November while I had no place to put all the records and DVDs cluttering up the den floor. Even though they had moved out they refused to let me into their locked rooms. One room was recently emptied but one son still refused to let me use the room for storage. I was deeply disappointed in his attitude. I finally removed the locks on the bedroom doors and began stacking the records, DVDs and other items from the den into the empty room. It was only then that I could get to connecting the stereo which I had been waiting a long to hear. I have enjoyed all kinds of music since I was a kid and to have not had music for so long was a big part of my life’s quality. Also, the second room contained my second Stressless chair and the older son said that he had lost the key to the room as well as the keys to his two cars that are in front of the garage. Kids, huh ?
Best to keep a watchful eye on the “entitlement generation”; some of them think that everything is theirs if they can get their hands on it. We used to call these kinds of folks thieves.

Next item : framed Chinese silk embroidery of eagle on tree branch. $5
20 pieces quality glassware for $2 total. Five had VW logos printed on them; a gentle reminder to get back to work on all the VWs around the property. HaHa
20 good DVDs for $2 total (that’s right, 10 cents each) Good stuff too.
Branch trimmer 50 cents
Large lot of shoe racks for closet $7.50 My sister and her walk in closet comes to mind
8 American wrenches. Proto, Mac, Craftsman $4 total
Heavy duty extension cord $2.50
Quessadilla machine $1.25 Don’t ask me why.
Gallon Behr deck sealer $1 Need this for the deck before winter
Wagner deck sealer applicator kit new $5
6 Duraflame logs which weigh 5 pounds each for $1 total. I break them up for fire starter.
Queen quilt hand made like my gramdma used to make $2.50
2 hats $2

Lastly, I went garage, estate and moving sailing la few Saturdays ago. Lots of small stuff and I’ll post all the gory details IF I can find the notes I made. Time keeps slippin’ away……

Keep up the great posting; thanks to all.

Best wishes,
Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

Jewboo

24th September 2016, 09:56 AM

...Finding a Medicare doctor has been impossible where I live....

One who regularly boasts of paying pennies on the dollar must understand why.

:)

madfranks

25th September 2016, 07:34 AM

Sorry to hear about your injury, agnut.

agnut

17th April 2017, 07:36 AM

Hi all; got a few goodies last Saturday. I went with a friend who never seems to buy many items. So the truck has lots of room for my bulk buying. My friend has 5 acres of flat prime and rich land. He has a large garden and sells produce right out on the street. Problem is that even though his produce is really nice and his prices are half of what the local stores sell, not enough buyers stop by. I told him not to be discouraged and that that he may be a bit early and that in the coming years he may have a goldmine when folks will be wanting his organic produce and better prices. I feel the same way about a couple of acres I have that also have a seasonal stream that could be used to store and feed water as the produce matures. Just a possible option for the future. It is said that you see your doctor once a year but you see your farmer three times a day !

Anyhoo, here is the Saturday booty :

4 DVDs free (one was a bluray)

4 DVDs $4

Stihl weedwhacker (trimmer) $2 (all there but needs carb work. Hey, Don’t they all ?)

6 vinyl records $8 (I thought a Bill Haley and the Comets LP from the 50s would be worth more than $20 but was wrong. Oh well, it’ll still make some dough or trading material.

New heavy duty car battery $5 Crazy, huh ?

2 pair firefighter boots $2

Vaughn framing hammer nice condition $3

8’ grinding wheel $1

Aluminum diamond plate storage box for pickup truck $1 another crazy price, huh ?

3 chimney brushes with 4 extension rods for $5

GE 22’ flat screen TV with remote for $3

Penn Senator reel with Fenwick rod for $20. I got this when I saw a buyer leaving with it and noticed the price sticker of $15. He said that he bargained for it and paid $10. I asked him if he would sell it and how much. He said How about $20 . Not a fantastic deal but I have been looking at fishing gear for years at sales and this rig would be selling for about $60-70 used. Can’t always score a ten bagger but I would rather have good items than paper fiat currency.

Have you seen the prices of gold and silver today (10/4/2016 ? Of course, that is the PAPER price of gold and silver. When this happens, premiums on physical go up, availability goes down and waiting time lengthens until we can have the precious metal in our hands. I don’t like the idea of waiting 4-6 weeks for physical metal to arrive; lots can happen in that time interval.

A friend had been trying to buy a house on acreage but three times he has either been outbid or a lawyer has gotten in on the deal. I told him that it may be a blessing in disguise in that real estate is overdue for a collapse, maybe not in our area for location reasons but nationally I believe that we will soon see falls in the RE market. When the banks start going in the dumper they won’t be anxious to lend. I have even invited him to stay at my place if he wants but apparently he is set up on a friend’s acreage. Always wise to have a plan behind the plan behind the plan.

This friend is in a position to acquire all kinds of surplus merchandise but had no place to store it. So it is being stacked out back of my barn. He and his lady are so generous that I had to tell him that if there was ever a disagreement on any deals with me that we need to communicate and straighten things out immediately. Our friendship is way more important than any deals. I want only happiness and security for my friends.

This friend knew that I have been anxious to finish leveling a drive around circle and graveling before the winter rains and mud pie landscape. My problem is that I didn’t have any money for such a large project and I had told him so (guess I bought too many GEM sale items). Last week he had a backhoe tractor come in and straighten out the road and parking circle. Next he had two loads of gravel brought in and spread out. These were the biggest trucks I had seen of this type with double axles and a third drop down axle for extra weight. He told me to not worry about it since I had helped him with a huge storage problem; we would trade out later for any difference. Now I’m not used to dealing this way and I try to give more than I receive; generosity has its own kind of power.

Note : The above is all that I had written as of Sept 25,2016. Much had happened in my life since that time that took all my energy to hold together. Ponce died in early October and I ended up being the only one to see to his estate settlement. As time passed I was able to find his ex wife and set things on course. It was fraught with many twists and turns and still is not finished; perhaps in a couple of months. Also there have been some serious family problems to address. The loss of Ponce hit me more that I could have ever anticipated.

I will continue with posting on bartering and horsetrading as soon as time permits. Last Friday I attended the first sale in months; it was a good one and I guess kicked off the coming sale season.

Thanks for all who contribute to this thread, especially in my absence.

Best wishes,
Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body. C.S.Lewis

ximmy

17th April 2017, 11:21 AM

One who regularly boasts of paying pennies on the dollar must understand why.

:)

It usually tends to even out. You work to save in some areas to have funds for unforeseen things.

agnut

24th April 2017, 04:17 PM

Hi all; here are the results from the April 14 estate sale I attended. As I said earlier, this was the first sale of the season which will stretch out until sometime in the coming October. .After that, it tapers off due to the weather here in the Pacific Northwest. The estate sales do continue to some extent but there are only a couple a week in my area. Besides, the fall and winter slowness give me time to organize what I have bought (not fully true because I am a bit disorganized, lazy and busy with firewood, the cold and tend to settle in with Netflix and the over 4,000 DVDs in my collection. I don’t even have time for the thousands of vinyl records that I have accumulated over the past decades.

I’m making a point here that we all need to be continually aware of. Our time and how we spend it. Most folks work at their jobs and either relax on the weekends or do some activity such as boating or any number of interests. Me ? I’m scouring the papers and internet for coming sales. So while most are making zilch or spending money on the weekends, I’m out there making and saving money. And bartering and horsetrading is such fun that I don’t consider it work. This reminds me of some advice I recently read somewhere on the internet. It is to find what you really love doing and make it a career. This way, you will be anxious to get up in the morning and go to “work”. I realized that this I what I had done for my own career; automotive repair. I began auto work in the early 1970s and retired a couple of years ago now that I am 70 years old. My greatest pleasure was helping customers with their auto problems, both mechanical and financial. Their relief and gratitude was my payoff. I did make good money which allowed me to restore many cars as well as to own cars that I could only dream about when I was a boy. Fifteen Jaguars, ten or twelve Mercedes, Porsches, an Alfa Romeo, a Ferrari, hundreds of Volkswagens and many American cars as well as a race sand buggy, quads, motorcycles and a greyhound that a friend and I converted into a motorhome over a couple of years. You might say that my life has been one helluva ride.

Life has been really good to me and I feel that I want to somehow return the favor, though the enormity of the gift of life is beyond full comprehension. I got to pick up about a ton of fruits and veggies from a local supermarket per week for my cattle but most of it was still in good condition. I ended up distributing most of it to about 50 people. I did this a few years until the deal with the supermarket ended. Next I went to a retirement home. I had met the owner in a checkout line at the local dollar store. She invited me to drop by. Funny how things pop out of the blue at just the right time. This happened about 6 months ago and I have been going there each week to see what they need. I asked one of the residents what they needed most and was surprised at her answer. It was tobacco ! I then learned that this retirement home is subsidized by the government and the residents are only allowed to keep about $60 per month of their retirement income. And then it made sense; these people didn’t have enough money for the one thing that was not good for them. But I saw that it was important to them and putting aside my personal feelings I knew that there was more to this than meets the eye (or ear). I was right; they were holed up without any things to keep them occupied. There were only a few who had a TV or a DVD player. I later found out that they also needed clothing and bedspreads. In the beginning I supplied pounds of tobacco and tubes which I recently told them that I would not provide any more. I have a plan to get the residents to contribute a small amount to bulk buy and share according to their contribution. What is important to me is to get to them the things that will help their mental state. The tobacco thing just got my foot in the door.

Now I am finding and supplying TVs and DVD/VCR machines and setting them up. I have also been finding bedspreads and clothing which they seem to greatly appreciate. This is all new to me but my bartering and horsetrading skills tie in perfectly with their needs. I’ll write more in the next post since this post is about what I found two weeks ago.

Here goes; it ain’t braggin’ if its true :

3 bedspreads $1 each
Computer screen, keyboard, camera and speakers for $5
2 DVD players $2.50 each
175 mason canning jars for 0 cents each
Sears 5000 degree welding torch set with 4 cans solid ox pellets $2
Reciprocating floor fan $5
Huge Sears wet/dry vacuum $3
Allied 80 amp charger $1
Craftsman Rout-A-Sign maker $5
Electric fillet knife with 2 blades new for $1
4 outdoor extension cords $1 each
2 lengths of steel chain $1 each
2 tile cutters, one is electric for $5 each
Craftsman Advance timing light $1
4 pieces, pipe wrench, 3 pliers 50 cents each
Panasonic DMC F28 digital camera in box for $2

Best wishes,

Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

agnut

24th April 2017, 07:13 PM

Okay, here’s what I got last Friday at an estate sale :

2 DVD/VCR players with remotes for $5 each
Flat screen 21” TV with remote for $5
Flat screen 31” TV with remote for $10
Toaster 4 slice for $3
Popcorn air popper for $3
2 old cast iron frypans for $1 each
3 Pyrex casserole rectangular dishes for $1 each
15 old vinyl LP records for $2 total
Electric herb grinder $2
Atari Flashback 5 game console w/92 built in games in the box for $5
5 DVDs for $1 total
16 VCR tapes for $2 total
31 Star Trek VCR tapes for $5 total
2 12 x 16 cookie baking trays. The kind used in a bakery. for $1 each

I wrote in my last post that these DVD players and TVs will go to the retirement home. Funny that I had been lamenting just last week to someone that it was almost impossible to find flat screen TVs and here two show up at the next sale. As Voltaire said, “God is a comedian playing to an audience that is too afraid to laugh”.

Another thing is that finding combination DVD/VCR players that work and have remote controls are almost impossible to find. Yeah, and I found two at the same sale that I found the two flat screen TVs; what are the odds of that ? More like a prayer answered. One of the reasons that I need them so desperately is that I had recently made a deal with the manager of a local thrift store to buy a package deal for a couple hundred VCR tapes for this retirement home. She let me pick them out (the best ones among well over a thousand) for a total of $30 ! I had delivered them a month ago, not realizing that few in the retirement home had DVD/VCR players in their rooms but only in the media room that had seating for about 12 people.

Many of the residents are in wheelchairs and some are near the end of their lives and some have Alzheimer’s disease. If I were a resident there and in such a condition I would want some private time to enjoy some good entertainment too. I have seen that many times a resident will have a fellow resident in their room to share movies together. It is this time to be together in friendship that is so important to the well being to these folks.

For the last couple of months I’ve been taking 20-25 DVDs from my collection every week and picking up last week’s DVDs. It’s working very well so far. Right now I have 9 DVD players and two flat screen TVs that have to be checked out before delivery. I don’t have to provide flat screen TVs but it seems that everyone is throwing away their older CRT TVs rather than recycling them. I’m still seeking a source like a thrift store that will take them if I will buy them. They need to work AND they need a remote. I hope that I can solve this with a few contacts.

There is an overview here that could go nationwide. Just suppose if churches would each have a group that would provide similar services to local retirement homes and even to those in need living in their homes. The youth in the churches being involved would show them a part of society that desperately needs help. A real life’s lesson that will guide many of them for a lifetime. Sitting in a pew once a week only helps those taking the message to heart but getting out there and doing God’s work is spiritually uplifting. As the Bible says, “Let your light so shine that other men may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven”. In other words, you are doing this for your faith, not for your personal praise.

If we are to, as President Trump says, “Make America Great Again”, we need to do our part if we want to be part of the transformation. President Trump can’t do this alone; he needs our involvement. Maybe, “We All Need To Help Make America Great Again” would be appropriate for the populace. Greatness has to come from the people; it won’t come from those believing that wealth is measured in dollars and possessions. However, we may be able to enlist some of them to contribute.

Best wishes,
Agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

madfranks

24th April 2017, 09:02 PM

You got multiple flat screen TVs for $5 and $10?? Unelievable!

agnut

26th April 2017, 06:55 PM

You got multiple flat screen TVs for $5 and $10?? Unelievable!

Hi madfranks; yeah I did and both have remotes. I also got at the same estate sale two of the combination DVD/VCR players with remotes as I wrote above. I sure hope they all check out; there will be some happy people.

I'm running out of money for sales and may have to dip into my change hoard for the next deals. I haven't sold anything for a long time and an hesitant to sell on eBay with their sellers' policy.

Best wishes,
agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

agnut

14th November 2017, 03:32 PM

Hi, it’s been a long time and life has gotten crazy busy. I thought I was retired and here I am finding out that there are so many things to be done. In a few months I’ll be 71 . Not that I’m counting the days but it seems as though that the days are flying by so fast that they are a blur. All I can ask is how did I get here so fast ?

Held a garage sale a while back. I called it The Huge Pre Estate Garage Sale. Then I led the header with :
“It’s been a lot of fun collecting all the “stuff” but the money from sales will find a higher and better purpose now. Besides, what will relatives do with it all someday? Yep !”
Then a list of items and a dozen photos.

We ran the sale only on Friday from9-3; six hours to see who showed up and learn what they were interested in. Next week we will be open Friday and Saturday from 9-3. Should be interesting.
With both the words estate AND garage sale I was attempting to get their attention. We sold a fair amount of items; over half of my sales were from selling a couple of antique forge air pumps, a 220 welder and a surfacing machine. They all went to a young man with a dream of learning a trade at home. Now that’s a young man who is going somewhere. I would like to sell him my Foley Belsaw planer – molder. I bought it with the thought in mind to find old broken furniture and planing the good parts in order to save the hardwoods such as oak, cherry and walnut. Probably some other good wood types out there too. Could be an opportunity for the young man. I have his business card and might contact him if I get the chance. I’d need to talk to his dad first so that he understood the dangers of the equipment. One could get hurt on many trades; heck, look at all the paper legislation shuffling going on in Washington. All those millions of papers just waiting for one slipup and then….a PAPER CUT ! Those things can really hurt. Well, I guess there should be some compensation for hazard pay like in the military. Don’tcha think ?

And now thinking of Washington, shouldn’t we get to see what these pedophiles are doing with our kids ? Yeah, they are ALL our kids, not somebody else’s problem. We as a society should be protective toward ALL of the kids in our neighborhood as well as extend our protection to ALL children. Because if ALL children aren’t safe, our own kids aren’t safe either. Additionally, after these kids grow up and we adults have not done anything about it, what should we expect these new grownups to think of us if we had done nothing to protect them when they were helpless and vulnerable ?

‘Nuff said (or is it ? ). It just boils my blood to think that this could all just be swept under the rug.

I once had a camphor wood chest that was not repairable but several carved panels were in good shape. Some of these panels ended up on the walls of peoples’ homes. Nice smelling art; a two for one.
Point is, there are often more uses for an item that we have not thought of. How about a generator tied to a bicycle which powered a battery and inverter that ran a video game and the kids would have to cycle enough to make the game run. That should teach the little buggers just what it takes to run their toys. A little respect here for the incredible technology at our beck and call.

The world shouldn’t be run by parasite control; real honest work has to be done. We don’t need politicians but real statesmen instead. There is a world of difference, one in which we are living today (much to our detriment). Politicians live under the carrot of wealth and power and the stick of blackmail while true statesmen should be motivated by their service to the will of the people they represent. It is supposed to be a heavy responsibility in which the payoff is one of honor and respect for a job well done.

Bartering and horsetrading is a lifestyle of pushing back against the propaganda of attaining all the things we have been told that we have to have. Maybe a garage sale where only barter is allowed. No cash accepted here. Wouldn’t that be a hoot ?

In past times we used to barter a lot more than today. Actually, before there was money, there was nothing but bartering and horsetrading. Reminds me of the Federal Reserve beginning in 1913 and that is all living people know. However, this is only a bit over a 100 year time span within a 6,000 year history of real money, aka gold and silver. It is a matter of perspective in which we are all living within a 100 year bubble experiment. Any machinations which force citizens to accept valuations by fiat is an abomination. I have called fiat currency the Rosemary’s Baby of money and my views have not changed since I began studying money and currency some 20 years ago.

So what does all this have to do with bartering and horsetrading, you may ask ? Everything ! We still use fiat currency in almost all of our trading for the goods we need and want. The regularity of the boom-bust cycle is but a consequence of our using fiat currency. So we live within this cycle, having goods and services whose value against fiat currency has been dictated by the powers that be. Admittedly, pure bartering without using any money or fiat currency is almost impossible in our modern world. This would not be a problem with gold and silver as the intermediary of exchange since the stability of gold and silver has stood the test of time through thousands of years of history. Can you now see that bartering and horsetrading is not workable in a world of fiat currency, a paper debt instrument valued by those who make profit from its manipulation as well as the incredibly huge power we as citizens confer to the bankers ?

I have read that two thirds of the world’s population live on two dollars a day. That is equivalent to a tenth of an ounce of silver and it has been that way in ancient Roman times, Chinese times as well as throughout thousands years of human history. Even back in the 1700s and 1800s it was that way. I remember my father telling me that when he was a young man during the depression that he operated a mule team plowing a field 12 hours a day that he got paid either a quarter or a half dollar. Note that a quarter contained .1808 of an ounce of pure silver and a half dollar contained .3617 of an ounce of pure silver. So my father’s experience was not too far off from historical reality, especially when you factor in that he was working 12 hour days rather than the 8 hours of today.

Eleven years ago I wrote an observation that discretionary income had largely disappeared. I believe that things have gotten worse but have been masked by deeper debt in order to maintain lifestyles. I feel that we are at the end game now in that the general debt burden, even with historic low interest rates, has reached the point where even paying for the interest has become too large, much less ever paying down the principal. I have two economy cars and a rebuilt transmission advertised for sale and have not received even one call ! I had even dropped the price on them considerably but still no calls.

What I am trying to warn is that fiat currency is now so scarce that almost everything is selling for less. Buyers are becoming scarce as hen’s teeth or rocking horse droppings of you prefer. And to put things into perspective, fiat currency has been tried many hundreds of times throughout history and every time it has devolved to being worthless. So what makes us think that it will be different this time ?

I believe that things are going to become unraveled in the very near future and it won’t be pretty, to put it mildly. I just got off the phone with an old friend who makes great money and I strongly advised him to accumulate more silver and watch his expenditures closely from now on. There is a distinct potential for a currency reset in the near future as we lose the dollar reserve currency status. Saving in fiat dollars, stocks, bonds (which, by the way, is twice as large as the stock markets), real estate, retirement funds, art, and luxury items will be the downfall of multitudes of people. Don’t be one of them.

IF YOU DON’T HOLD IT, YOU DON’T OWN IT. Ponce first told me that some 12 years ago and it has become a wise byword to live by, especially since we are at the end game right now. Every day I scour the internet in order to get a pulse on where we are and where we are going. All the financial advisors I read seem to be on the same page the last several months, warning that we are about to experience something catastrophic. Could be war, could be a market meltdown, could be bonds crashing, could be banks going belly up, could be a derivatives blowup and could be things getting worse on a much faster timeframe. It is all an illusion, a house of cards. Their advice is sound and I’m not ready as much as I would like to be. Heck, nobody is fully ready. Our future comfort and security will be in direct proportion to how well we have prepared.

I apologize for not having written for a long time; my life has been crazy busy, both wonderful and challenging.

Best wishes,
agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

agnut

8th July 2018, 09:08 AM

Hi everyone; I haven’t written since last November although I have wanted to many, many times. My life has taken me in several different directions within the last couple of years. It seems that as time passes I am becoming more involved in helping with the retirement home I have written about in a past post. This along with new friends, family problems, neighbor issues, developing the 10 acres I live on and health issues. My cup overruneth.

For most folks it seems that they expect to retire with the time to sleep in, goof off, play golf, travel and live better than they did when they were in their productive decades. So what is wrong with my life ?

Heck, right now I have three old diesel Volkswagens in front of my garage that are being dismantled for the engines, transmissions and body parts in case someone needs them in the future. And I sold another three unrestored Volkswagens in the last couple of weeks. In addition, there are four other Volkswagens and a three cylinder Chevy Sprint that need to be processed. After all that being done, I still have to finish cosmetics on my personal VW Scirocco that I have converted to diesel power and a special ratio transmission that should get about 65 MPG on the freeway. Now that Scirocco motivates me to get all of the aforementioned “stuff” out of the way first. I can’t wait to drive it on the freeway to find out just how many miles per gallon it gets. Imagine a license plate that says, 65MPGFWY ! Yep, that is my crazy goal.

We all need something that drives us to get off the couch and pursue a dream. I’m fortunate to have more than one something. This retirement home motivates me to see how much can be accomplished with the little social security money I receive (eight hundred and some dollars plus food stamps). The first day I went there a couple of years ago I opened the door and walked down the hall amidst folks some who were in wheelchairs missing a leg, some had Alzheimer’s, some were on their last precious years and some had their wits and somewhat content with their situation. Their clothing was all too often worn out, with holes. Most of them were depressed and their body language needed no words to express their sadness. For some reason I was not depressed but became angry. Yes, angry that all these were meted out $2 per day by the government subsidized program. Hell, almost half of the world population lives on $2 per day; is THIS how we treat our retired citizens in what is supposed to be the richest nation on earth ?

Here is where my bartering and horsetrading skills kick in. The folks in my rest home were practically in rags when I first arrived. I got their clothing sizes and began to hit the local estate and garage sales and found loads of perfectly nice clothing and shoes; also winter coats and blankets. Each time I had a load I took it to the retirement home where we went through the clothes and they got to pick out what they liked. I also took different kinds of candy and some of my hand rolled cigarettes. We would sit around outside discussing many different topics and have a few laughs. Now I even take a joke book and a quote book along.

Something unusual happened a couple of months ago. One of the first residents who became close to me (and her roommate) wanted a Bible, one with large print. I had already given away about 40 Bibles but they were small print. The next day I was in my favorite thrift store asking for a large print Bible. The people there knew me as “veggie Dave”; I had been delivering fruits and vegetables three or four times a week for the past few years. They were always so anxious to help me that it was almost embarrassing. HaHa I looked through the large book section and couldn’t find what I needed so I went in the back of the store where the loading dock was and talked to the manager who told me that he had recently received some bibles but they were still in boxes and hadn’t yet been put on the shelves. I looked through about 10 boxes of books and found nothing. A stranger came out of nowhere and said that there were more boxes of books around the corner. I looked there and found two Bibles. The personal one had large print as well as was a King James early version with red lettering in the New Testament (you know, what Jesus said). Mission accomplished !

But that’s not all; the other Bible was a bicentennial edition, also with red lettering and large print. Additionally, there was a humongous quantity of reading material and color pictures of famous Christian paintings. I guess these Bibles would be called heritage Bibles to be passed down through the generations. There were even pages for the owner to fill in their lives and four of their childrens’ lives. I got goosebumps ! I felt as though the Lord was smiling upon me.

I couldn’t wait to get home and review the contents of this six and a half pound Bible. As I leafed through the pages I became more excited as I realized that this Bible had everything I could have asked for. I have thousands of books but compared to this Bible nothing could hold a candle (duh). Imagine the word of God put into a Bible that could touch the very soul of anyone who possessed it. Yeah, that is how I feel when handling one of these Bibles. This is the kind of large Bible that would be perfectly happy sitting open on a pedestal (or in a lap).

Next I got on the internet and began buying these bicentennial Bibles, as many as I could afford at the time. They began coming in from all over the country. My mailman even asked what they were so I opened one and offered it to him but he politely refused. A few weeks ago I had bought one Bible that was brand new and the seller said that he had more new Bibles. I contacted him and he said that he had three more new Bibles. I bought them all and they will be here in a few days.

I must also add that when I gave the first smaller large print Bible that the lady was very happy. A couple of weeks when I delivered the large Bible, the lady was the most joyfully excited I have ever seen her. This is the key reason that I am so driven to get as many of these Bibles into the hands of those who will read and cherish them.

Today one Bible arrived; so far so good. But there was a letter containing a check from an annuity; it was thousands of dollars. I hadn’t received a windfall like this for over a decade. It seems that the door has been opened for me.

So now you know a bit of what I have been doing for the last couple of years. If I did not have the skills of bartering and horsetrading I would not have been led to the blessings I am now enjoying.

At my age and health and the uncertainty in the world I have only so much time left to do what I dream of, spreading the word of God and the forgiveness of Christ. One Bible at a time and each time has a story behind it.
If any of you find it in your heart to do the same I will be happy to help you find what you need. If you go to a subsidized retirement home like mine and feel the need to help, your bartering and horsetrading skills will be instrumental. I should also mention that it is deeply satisfying and outright fun to help others.

When President Trump stated that he would Make America Great Again (MAGA), I took it to mean that we ALL should do our part to Make America Great Again. My example is just a small way of doing my part but if millions and millions of Americans together do what we can, the world movement would flourish in a hope for a world of faith, hope and the greatest of these, charity. And by the way, charity means love, not a handout.

I’m just a grain of sand on the beach but together the multitudes make up the beach. Come join me at the beach and we’ll play together while making America (and the world) Great like it should be.

Best wishes,
Agnut

P.S. Has anyone connected that an ounce of silver in the hands of Venezuelan citizens will provide six months of food ? Can you imagine that if we were to each donate even one ounce from our “blessing” to these desperate people; it would also send a message to the world concerning the difference between worthless fiat currency and real money. I have been trying to figure how this could be accomplished without governmental interference. Wouldn’t that be a hoot ? A win-win ? Millions of one ounce silver “grains of sand” would make up a spectacular beachhead that would stun the world.

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

agnut

17th August 2020, 11:59 PM

Hi all; some of you probably figured I'd keeled over. Well, I had gotten so crazy busy with family and friends (some of whom live with me now; and it's a great way to go if you are fortunate to be compatible). Legal hassles, financial struggles, the China virus and other stupidities in the nuttiest election year yet add up to being like a full time job. Losing Ponce knocked the stuffings out of me and I know I grieved too long. I'm now 73 and not able to do many of the things I used to do without giving it a second thought.

I feel bad to have dropped out of sight but needed time to recover from all the jostling around that should not have been happening at my age. Since last December I have been searching around for anything that would help with this China virus. I ordered enough for several people for about 6 months, vitamin C, vitamin D3, Zinc, tumeric (curcumin), Brazil nuts for selenium, pineapple extract in pill form called Bromelain tablets, colloidal silver, multivitamins, fish oil, and last but not least, elderberry syrup making kits.

I recommend getting this elderberry kit from eBay and also buy some elderberries too. I just follow the directions and when I am through I add some elderberries and cook it all some more. This way it makes about twice as much as stated on the directions.

A couple of months ago I got so sick and weak that I could hardly move. I sat in my recliner all day and into the evening. I went to bed early and woke the next morning as if I had never been so sick . To this day I don't know what it was that hit me but I believe that it would have killed a weaker person at my age. I was on all the aforementioned medicines and attribute the fast recovery to my being loaded with what I must have needed to recover so fast. Zinc is a funny mineral and it reputedly facilitates the efficiency of the other medicines. I have read that President Trump has been taking hydroxychloroquine with zinc to counter the China virus.

I haven't been buying as much or as often as I had in the past; that's something for you young bucks to discover just how much fun it is as well as rewarding.

Just the other day I was at an estate sale and spotted three 5 gallon cans of hydraulic fluid. I noticed that two were unopened and the third was only down about a gallon. I asked the seller how much for all three and he said "How about three dollars ?" I didn't even have to haggle; to do would have been bad karma at that price. Besides, my friend who lives with me has a John Deere 210 backhoe that needs hydraulic fluid. He uses the backhoe around my 10 acres, upgrading the landscape and dragging and cutting up trees for firewood. This would be something that I couldn't afford these days.

I was at a moving sale several months ago and was looking for a powered push mower for my younger son who has a thriving lawn service. He needed a backup since his old one is...well, old. I asked the seller if he had a lawn mower for sale and he said "Follow me". We went around behind his barn and there was an almost new 26 HP Craftsman mower with a new cart attached. It wasn't what I was looking for my son but I could use one for my large lawn areas. I asked how much he was asking and he said $125 with the new cart. It was a steal but the only problem was that he needed it for the next month to take care of the lawn before he moved (going to Alaska). He wouldn't take a deposit but promised to hold it for me. I did get it about 5 weeks later and the wait was worth it.

Since then I had been looking for this push power mower and found two identical Toro Recycler mowers from different sellers at different times. What are the odds ? I gave one to my son and he loves it. The other I plan to fix up and use to mow the orchard and other tight spots.

One of my hobbies is finding large print Bibles for folks who have a hard time with the tiny print of most portable Bibles. The Jerry Fallwell Bicentennial Bibles made in 1975-6 are the perfect solution; they weigh about 6 pounds, have a large print and are red lettered in the new testament. I have been finding them on the internet all over the country. Problem is, most are offered at much higher prices than I can afford. I don't go to church any more but feel that this is my way to tithe. Besides, the pleasure of giving these bibles to Christians who really need them is really hard to describe. It is like a life changing event for many of these folks. I have 12 in inventory and another 9 on the way. I've given away over 30 Bibles so far.

Best wishes,
agnut

"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; to leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success. "
Ralph Waldo Emerson

You don’t have a soul. You ARE a soul. You have a body.
C.S.Lewis