Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)

[gunDriller]

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.

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

Dang ! now that's a wipe-out, fortunately not too bad.

When I was body-surfing regularly, I realized that most of my rides ended in wipe-outs. I realized that I enjoyed the wipe-outs. So, for a while, I decided to 'cut out the middle-man' - not even bother trying to catch wave. I would just put myself in a position to get mowed down by it, standing about 25 yards inside the impact zone on medium surf.

I knew a guy at the Y who had broken a neck vertebrae while body-surfing in La Jolla. So I learned to always have my elbows over my head. I got bottom-slammed hard once in that position - right on the elbows.

I think "out-witting" Murphy is probably more important than typical survival things like laying in a good supply of toilet paper or 5 gallon bucket.

Having toilet paper won't kill you, but a bad accident can either kill you or injure you bad enough to hasten the time of your death.

I agree, it can be a little morbid if dwelled on.

However there are plenty of opportunities for gallows humor and thoughts.

I'm 56.

[agnut]

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]

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]

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.

Agnut

Frugal is the new cool. Pass it on.

Honestly, what you're doing is more interesting than those TV shows.

Technically, we are hoarding, but with a purpose.


There's a guy in Merlin named "Whitey" who has these humongous garage sales. His driveway store is about 1/2 the size of Walmart.

I bought a bunch of lawn chairs from him for about the value of the metal.

He told me he goes to about 25 garage sales on a given day. I figure, he MUST have air conditioning in his car.

He also has a humongous pile of pet carriers.


When I store stuff outside, it tends to become a habitat. For lizards, Ground squirrels, etc.

Actually, right now I'm trying to encourage habitat in one area for the Quails. They moved into a blackberry bush next to my #1 compost pile. I've been feeding them at the entrance to Quail Acres.

Also, recording them. I think I might need to get up earlier to catch them really singing. I use a smart-phone as a video camera, though really for capturing audio. If it was easy I'd like to use that 'Quail-talk' as a ring-tone on my camera, but I think I need to find someone with a smart-phone to mail it to my phone.

My smart phone doesn't have service. But for $20 it makes a great video recorder !


It would be interesting to see what happened if we combined the fairly massive prep resources of people like Agnut (general prep), Whitey (pet carriers, VHS movie tapes), me (machine tools). It would be a big 'store'.

[mick silver]

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

[govcheetos]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.