Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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.
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
agnut
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 !
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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.
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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.
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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 ...
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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.
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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/showthre...tion-US-dollar
Is The Fed Going To Attempt A Controlled Collapse?
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...olled-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
Re: Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)
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.
