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I need 2 French fry slicers...
I need 2 French fry slicers...
Hi Mneagle. For now I’m accumulating items that I will need in the future AND items that will become good trading/selling material.
I will haggle on price but with the knowledge of what I paid for the item and its value at that time as well as an estimate of its value in the future. Sounds a bit complicated but after so many years of bartering and horse trading, it comes naturally.
Here is a list of items I bought at the last estate sale. By the way, this was the only sale I have attended in the last few weeks and it was so huge that I am still absorbing its impact.
3 - 100 foot extension cords for $1, $2, $3. Light to heavy
2 large carpentry squares 10 cents each
Toilet plunger free
Tow receiver $1
Tow chain with big hooks at the ends $1
Backpacking foam sleeping pad free
40 hose clamps - used American made. In stainless steel container $1
Dorcy rear bicycle rack with reflector. Looks to be old and collectable $1
3 soldering guns with 9 rolls solder and flux in metal box $2
6 nylon tie down straps in bucket $1
Sears airless paint spray compressor $2
Paint gun - new $2
2 grease guns with 5 tubes grease, 5 oil filter removal tools, 7 funnels, 2 sandpaper holders, small misc. $5
New Craftsman scroller saw with 32 blades in hard case $2
3 aluminum levels $1 total
172 sheets sandpaper $1
Plumbing box . Shower heads sink basket, etc. electric timer, 100 pieces $1
2 Straitline chalk reels, 100’ Stanley tape measure, 2 small carpenter’s squares, roofer’s hatchet, steel wool $1 total
New Craftsman heavy duty staple gun with 5,000 staples $2
Swingline staple gun with 8,000 staples $1
Milwaukee electric drill $2
Skil reversible electric drill $1
1 7/8 “ Draw-Tite trailer ball new free
Box of used candles 10 cents
Hacksaw - Stanley 10 cents
3 new sets rawhide 72” shoestrings free
50’ 3/8 new nylon rope free
100’ 3/16 new nylon rope free
Huge Igloo cooler chest $1
CD, FM, Casetts portable player $1
3 tire pressure gauges free
300’ Stihl nylon trimmer line $1
Box with hundreds of nuts, bolts, screws $1
Hammer with wooden handle, hammer and hatchet with steel handles $1 total
Large suitcase free
Aluminum 6’ easel $1
5 gallon propane tank $1
8 kitchen floor mats in huge plastic container $1
5 adjustable workshop lamps with clamping bases $4
1 high intensity reading lamp $1
6 horsepower Craftsman air compressor, looks brand new $125. I was willing to pay this much because I need a backup and it would have cost $400 at the Sears store.
The first thing you may notice is that the prices are far below what a normal garage sale may ask. There is a reason that we should focus upon this. This was an ESTATE SALE; big difference from a garage sale or even a moving sale. You see, with a garage sale, the seller is getting rid of things he doesn’t need. And a moving sale has items that the seller doesn’t want to take with him.
However, an estate sale implies several characteristics we should never forget.
First, an estate sale means that the seller is not the one who owned the items for sale. The saying that “You can’t take it with you” should be obvious. The widow or children are selling the items and therefore have no or little personal attachment to the items. There may be sentimental value and there may be utility value but nowhere near what the deceased had for the items now for sale.
Second, an estate sale usually precedes the selling of the house and therefore implies that the estate sale items are small hindrances in the way of selling the big asset, the house. You will find all kinds of variables on this theme but here you will find tremendous motivation behind divesting of the items for sale.
Third, at estate sales you will find items for sale at prices far below normal garage sale prices and the prices can be more flexible.
Fourth, estate sales occur throughout the year. Unlike garage sales or moving sales, which mainly occur during the months of May through October.
With the fall season upon us and winter ahead, the volume of regular garage sales has dropped immensely. I felt that this is a good time to redirect your attention to where to find the bargains in the months ahead. Not to be insensitive but estate sales occur because someone died. And folks dieing is not as seasonal as the weather. So their possessions still have to be sold come rain or shine or hot or snow. Always remember that the main purpose of an estate sale is usually to clear out the property which is to be sold next. These items are really in the way of the biggest item to be sold, the real estate. Think like your seller and you will gain some insight as to how to deal with them.
This estate sale was a bit unusual in that the wife is remaining in the house until the spring. Her son said that he will sell me the Stihl weed whacker and log splitter in the spring when they no longer need them. I have their address and phone number and they have mine when the time is appropriate.
The son also said that there would be a huge sale in the spring when the 6000 square foot house contents would be sold. He said that it is full of antiques, fine art and household goods. These are wealthy and prominent people and a sheer pleasure to deal with.
So where will we find estate sales ? Local newspapers, estate auctioneers, Craig’s List. That’s all I know right now and it is more that I can handle.
Another deal came up since the above estate sale and I’ll write about it soon. Small in $ comparison but big in learning.
Best wishes,
Agnut
Hi ximmy, sorry the French fry slicers are not for sale. Only have one for use and one for backup. I hope that you are also getting out there finding the bargains.Originally Posted by ximmy
I need 2 French fry slicers...
Sometimes I wonder just how low prices will get before either used items will dry up or prices due to high inflation rise dramatically. Seems that right now items are dirt cheap with hardly anyone having money to buy with. Could prices fall in the coming months ? I don’t see how since some items are close to free in price. I get the feeling that I’m buying items right in the middle of a depression. A couple of sellers told me that I had been their biggest buyer all day and they thanked me. I got a chill running down my spine, wondering if we could fall to a state where desirable items now could be thrown away in a much worse scenario. And I was wasting money now when I should be saving for better buying in the future. On the other hand, what am I doing valuing fiat paper dollars against desirable items ? I tell you, it’s a madhouse out there with a world of bargains amidst a shaky currency. Remember, the trillions of relief money did not go to the people but to Wall Street and the bankers. Probably why few have any discretionary money to spend right now.
I know that I had just posted that I would be focusing on estate sales and then a few hours later on the way home from picking up a load of free fruits and veggies I saw a sign for a garage sale. So being the consummate bargain hunter, I was helpless. My son and I dropped by since it was only a couple of minutes out of the way. Glad we did too. He said that he had forgotten to take down the signs and was closed but would let us look. He also said that there was a lot more for sale when he had opened in the morning.
Got :
AM FM Cassette CD stereo with speakers (everything works)
New in the bag factory floor mats for my Dodge Truck
Tupperware
5 DVD movies
Plastic tool box
Fluorescent light with spare bulb
All for $3
Also a AM FM CD/DVD 5 disc player with 5 speakers, surround sound system with remote and manuals for $10
Total spent $13. I wonder what I had missed by only showing up at his closing time. Oh well, I’ll never know. The early bird gets the worm but the second mouse gets the cheese.
His wife came out and I gave her a bag of grapes and a couple of cantaloupes. Our cows will never know the difference anyway although they are like pigs with horns. Also seller and I exchanged phone numbers. His father has a record collection from the 40s, 50s and 60s he wants to sell. I should hear back soon.
Best wishes,
Agnut
Agnut,
I love reading these write ups on screaming deals. I never get to go to "prime" yard sale time due to work (I can only go on saturdays because of work...seems like everyone opens up on thursdays). I feel that I always miss the deals, but I have gotten some stuff I was pleased with. I have posted some of the deals I got in my own thread here on GSUS.
I can't help but picture your house like something out of hoarders though....sorry! haha, Where do you put all of this stuff you buy?
Also, I have found that if you stumble upon a "hoaders" yard sale you might as well just turn around and leave. There will be NO deals, they seem to be only able to let things go if they are really making a lot of money on the items. They have too much emotional attachment to their stuff to sell it. I found one sale where I could barely walk through the aisles of the house...I asked about 10 or so items and he wanted retail minus $5 or so for the items. For example, Wrist Rocket slingshot he said he wanted $20 for it, VHS tapes @ $8 each, Large trailer mounted come along (rusty, but functional...needed work) he wanted $70 for it, used Stihl chainsaw (WELL used, needed a new muffler) asking $150 for...The only thing I bought there was a bag of Lincoln Logs for my children for $5. I asked if they had any real silverware and he said yes but he didn't know where it was in his stuff, he said he would sell it if I could find it (yeah right!). I asked about guns and he said he had some but none were for sale...
I tried to haggle him on the comealong down but he wouldn't move. He had a story about every item, he recounted how he bought it for $150 and used it all the time when he was reselling cars (to get the on the trailer I presume) and that it had done so much work that it was "worth" his price. Too much emotional attachment...
Alaska Man Cited For Illegal Bartering: “I Need Some Firewood and I’m Willing to Trade Some Moose Meat”
http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-new...-meat_01202012
Interesting precedent here that we all need to know how to deal with. The last part of the article makes good sense.
“The lesson here is that if you plan on bartering, illegal or not, keep it a private matter. Government minions, whether on the Federal level, or local law enforcement, have nothing better to do than to interfere in the business of private individuals.”
The reader comments are revealing as to how folks are unhappy with all the laws and regulations.
Best wishes,
Agnut
Hi Agnut,
Great to see you revive this classic thread, I for one, enjoy each & every post and all the wisdom you so graciously offer!
I've been trying to find neighborhood kids to pass along clothes that have been outgrown. I can't believe how tough it is!
While out on errands today, I remembered the local "Once Upon A Child" shop (like a Goodwill for kids clothing & toys) was having their semi-annual clearance sale. All clearance items were $1!!
We weren't there until about noon, & I thought for sure it would be picked clean. Wrong. A lot of clothes and choices/sizes still left. I'm trying to find jeans & basic tops in a few 'upcoming' sizes for future use. I was especially happy to find heavy-quality demin jeans, in the very basic timeless style. So many of the new jeans are thin, junky & 'distressed' looking on purpose, with an astronimical price tag. They are a total waste of money, & the knees wear out almost immediately.
Iron-on patches are easily $4 for two, so it's not even cost-effective to repair them. I just save those for cut off shorts.
Please keep adding your insights as you can!
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint - Isaiah 40:31
Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ~ Matthew 7:7
geoengineeringwatch.org
Not to side track this, but are you the Trans American Trail agut?
Please remember.... once the pin is removed, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend.
You can hardly ever go wrong buying denim, it is so rewarding when a person finds the deals. I love second hand, nearly all of my clothing is second hand. We live so far out of town that we can't drive special for a sale but whenever I go I hit those places and every now and then I find like you did $1 racks!!
Hi Big Country, sorry to not respond for so long. Your inability to attend garage sales on first days can be an advantage in that the last day of a sale may be the best time to bargain for lower prices. I’m sometimes surprised at good deals overlooked until the last hour of the last day of a sale.
Do you have anyone who may be able to attend sales while you are at work ? They could call you and describe what is available. I have seen other buyers taking photos and sending them to someone else for evaluation. Maybe this could work for you too.
I probably do look like a hoarder but my motivation is to collect things that my family and I will need as well as for future trading material. For example, last Friday I got a mix of 5 gallon steel and 4 gallon plastic food grade containers. There were 63 in total, each one had a lid too. I paid 50 cents each delivered to my door. We use them for many things and stockpile the rest for future use or trading. Bakeries either sell them or give them away.
As you stated, buying from hoarders is frustrating. Their attachment to items may be sentimental and that is hard to overcome; they will sell only when they are ready to sell and not one minute sooner. I went to such a sale a few weeks ago. All of the items were priced at nearly what they could be bought in a store. There must have been over 60 people at this sale and by the time I left, no one had bought anything !
Best wishes,
agnut
Thanks Mneagle. Here is a listing of recent buys in the last couple of months. This is posted to give prices and availability although I never know what I will find until I actually get out there and to paraphrase Ponce’s famous saying, “If you don’t hold it, you may never own it”. So bartering and horse trading is not for the lazy, uncourageous or unimaginative.
10 piece Thorsen metric wrench set $2
Vise Grip welder’s style $1
Set of horseshoes $4
20 jigsaw blades 25 cents total
30 drill bits $5
Hammer with fiberglass handle $1
Large (as in, you could kill a bull with this monster) Stilson wrench $1
KAL brand ½ inch ratchet
Shovel with fiberglass handle $1
Proto brand crescent wrench $1
New Britain crescent wrench $1
2 filet knives, 1 paring knife $1total
Trowel $1
Craftsman radial saw manual 10 cents
3 ½ gallons of 80-90 weight transmission fluid $3 total
1 gallon of hydraulic fluid $1
4 Craftsman screwdrivers $1total
Next sale :
Set of Craftsman tools in plastic travel case $5
Baking pan (new), cookie tray, rolling pin $1total
I needed the tool kit for my truck and it has sockets, wrenches and screwdrivers that I would most commonly need for simple repairs if stuck on the road. By the way, Ponce just reminded me that he has spare belts and water hoses that he carries in his vehicles. That is besides tools and an extensive bug out bag. I don’t do all of this myself now but know that I should.
The last purchase came from a Craigslist ad. It was for a Lister 12K diesel generator. It is a three cylinder unit and with the accessories would cost about $7,000 new. He was asking $2,000 which I gladly paid. My son and I had to travel over 80 miles each way over twisting roads with a small trailer. The whole unit is mounted on I beams, adding greatly to the total weight. Included is a 100 gallon fuel tank. The seller was a most fascinating person with a second home (bugout home) in south Alaska. We were there for hours as he shared his experiences. He even gave us some canned chicken that his wife had recently put up. It was delicious. I can’t begin to tell of all the things we learned that day but as I have said, getting out there and meeting people and communicating with them is often fascinating and highly educational.
Let me back up and share something that made this diesel generator possible because I know that many deals fail to come true if the first contact isn’t handled with forethought. And I definitely do NOT mean that I am manipulating sellers or others. Your communications must come from within; You are “on stage“, as Shakespeare said.
I called this man and began talking with him about the diesel generator first. Our conversation led to other topics and we must have talked for an hour. I gave him my name and phone number. I then asked him to hold the generator until I could get over there and I would pay the price he was asking in cash. He agreed and I called him as the time to meet him approached. See, this communication is very important in that almost all potential buyers do not talk to the seller as time passes. This communication tells the seller that I am a genuine buyer and will reliably show up as I have promised. If you have sold items in the past you can quickly recognize that someone was unsure or flaky. In such circumstances, particularly larger deals, the above method of dealing will put you ahead of other potential buyers.
Another point is that I tell the seller that I have cash and do not appreciate dealing with flaky buyers when I am selling my own items. This does two things. One, it should relieve the seller regarding my reliability and honesty. And secondly, it puts the seller in a bind to wait for my appearance; if he has agreed to wait for me and hold off other potential buyers until I am done dealing with him. I even tell this seller that he perhaps should take the phone numbers of other callers and tell them that he is dealing with a cash buyer right now and will call them if the dealing with me falls through. By now, the seller is intrigued with my buying approach and waiting in anticipation. You see, most people aren’t deeply experienced in selling items and can be easily dealt with by setting the stage for imminent negotiations.
I have even told buyers that I would pay more than the asking price if they would hold the item until I could get there to look at it. This puts me ahead of all other potential buyers who may be closer to the seller. Do you now see how this can put you in control of the situation ? Who cares if a seller is asking $500 for an item and I were to offer to pay $550 if the seller will let me have first chance ? Of course, this is a particular situation where I know that the item in question is something that I really need/want and the asking price is already a bargain.
By the way, the seller of this diesel generator told me that he had several people waiting to buy the generator of I did not. So he was holding off other buyers while my son and I were in transit. I had been looking for this particular diesel generator for years and it was well worth the wait. It is a 12K size and the largest one I had previously seen for sale was an 8K.
An old saying is “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush”. Well, the above is a way of obtaining the “two in the bush” by merely going one step further by offering a bit more than the seller is asking.
I haven’t posted for a long time. I could say that I have been busy but that would be a lie as an excuse. Granted, I have been busy but I could have taken the time to have at least respond to recent posts. I don’t know why I didn’t post; not laziness or lack of concern. I just don’t know myself. I didn’t have much of significance to offer. Maybe it was my subconscious demanding a much needed vacation. Writer’s block ? Yeah, that must have been it.
It is now the 19th of February and only a couple of months until the spring moving sales. The winter estate sales have been happening but they are few and far between. I did attend an estate sale and two garage sales yesterday and will post about them soon.
Best wishes,
agnut
Glass (19th August 2012)
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