Bartering And Horse Trading (Part Duh)

[agnut]

Hi mick silver. We were just discussing how long, cold and rainy the winter was. Spring is now here and we can get outside to work many needed projects.

Garage, estate and moving sales (GEM) should start in volume later in April. Lots of folks having to move with the summer months coming. Should be lots of GEMs to pick up this year what with the economy being what it is. Just be careful in getting the right items as well as the right price.

The other day my son and I went to the local thrift store. There was a bag sale going on. It was $5 for all the men’s clothing racks’ items that you could stuff in this huge plastic leaf bag. They had been donated such a great quantity of clothing that they were overwhelmed and needed to make some room. Most of the items had $2 to $4 price tags on them. It was almost embarrassing; this was as close to a giveaway as it gets.

When I got home and emptied the bag there was 7 pairs of pants, 22 shirts and 4 spring jackets; 33 items in total. At an average of $3 each, the total if the bag sale were not going on would be about $100 ! A 20 bagger ! Thrift stores can be a goldmine, especially in the winter. Should be lots of winter clothing for sale with the warm season ahead.

But what would be the retail price if all these items were new ? Well, there are a couple of ways to look at it. First, the current retail price is only a guidepost since these are used items; their resale price is relative to their condition and name brand and demand. Second, these clothing items were purchased with the future in mind. As I wrote in my previous post that Jim Willie had predicted an 80% devaluation in the dollar, clothing items were almost all imported. It seems logical to me that when the dollar falls on an international scale, the imports prices will rise while items we make here will not cost nearly as much.

This is just one example and there are many, many others. Could be most anything that is imported. Things that we don’t make here in the U.S. For instance, what about imported car parts ? Will a wheel bearing for a Volkswagen rise from $5 now to $25 after a 80% dollar devaluation ? I would expect so. Additionally, with this enormous price rise, I expect that availability would be greatly decreased. Where I could buy 10 or 20 bearings right now, I may be able to find only 1 or 2 bearings in the future. Or maybe none since the sellers’ shelves wouldn’t have much backup inventory in the future with their wholesale prices also rising 5 times.

We must be aware that something as seemingly insignificant as not having a $5 wheel bearing will prevent our having use of our car. Isn’t it ironic that the old story of “for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of the shoe, the horse was lost; for want of the horse the battle was lost and for loss of the battle the kingdom was lost.” Ironic because the nail is now the wheel bearing. We are in the same situation as folks were many hundreds of years ago. And wisely having these little, seemingly insignificant things will keep your kingdom intact.

This analogy is all too true in manufacturing. I know; I have been there wherein transmission parts coming from Germany were delayed for two to three months and all of my competitors were shut down. I had foreseen this potential and had stocked thousands of dollars of new imported parts to supply my customers as well as the new customers coming from my competition. I was swamped with business until the parts finally landed on our shores. And all of my employees were rebuilding transmissions while competitors were idle. Must have cost them a fortune.

In my case, not having a $5 bearing would have prevented my rebuilding a $1,300 transmission. Talk about the tail wagging the dog.

A 6 bag of men’s socks is about $6 now at WalMart; will they cost $30 in the future ? After all, they are imported too.

On a related topic, what of house prices after a dollar devaluation ? Will an existing house that is now $200,000 be $1,000,000 in the future ? I don’t think so because an existing house is already built, it is not something imported and there are alternatives to buying a house. You can double up or rent; try doing that with a pair of socks. Just kidding but you get the point.

Although the price of a house may rise in dollar terms, I believe that it will greatly lag behind this 80% dollar devaluation of which Jim Willie predicts. Remember that most houses are sold through a bank loan. Will banks be lending in such a volatile environment ? And if so, what will they charge in interest ? And with high unemployment, who will be buying ?

The overview is that we are looking for an equal purchasing power of our income through time as we live through this coming dollar devaluation. If you believe that this is the way things will unfold, we should be thinking of prepositioning our assets as well as our understanding of how to navigate through the coming years. I know, gold and silver have stood the test of time. I agree here but this is but one prep item. I believe that gold and silver may well not be the premier trading material at times, particularly when food is scarce.

A roll of toilet paper is a good example of a harmless trading item. There are others such as new socks. Sleeping bags, jackets and used clothing also come to mind. Note that all of these items are nonrenewable resources; once they are traded/sold they cannot be replaced without having to buy them from a reliable source such as a manufacturer who are mostly overseas nowadays.

Growing food is a renewable resource that my son and I are thinking about. We are in the process of getting rid of the cows we have since discovering that they are too much work and expense for the reward. Hamburger would have to go to $20 a pound in the market before we would reconsider. When the fields are clear of cows we may decide to grow crops but they would have to be profitable or we will wait and do something else. At least the options are there for us. As long as we continue to pick up about a ton of free fruits and veggies a week, we see no need to plant a crop.

Gotta go and do some welding and drilling on hydraulic controls on my Ford 550 backhoe. Something I have never done before but to have it done would cost about a thousand bucks. If I can do it myself, the parts cost is around $25. I wish I could say I’ll pocket the $975 but it doesn’t work that way. HaHa

Best wishes,

Agnut

Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.

[mick silver]

watch walmart for fruits trees . i planted 15 trees for the price of one at the end of summer deal . but you need to get those trees in the ground now it take afew years before you get fruit from them so start now . you and son may need that fruit . as far as the cows have some folks go in on the meat that way you pay for the cow and you have meat thats what i do . be safe mick

[govcheetos]

Hey ya'll. Been busting ass lately on deals and haven't had much time. Been real tired. Wish there was about 30 hours in a day. Agnut's advice about keeping your contacts is more important to me now than ever. Been over run with stuff that I wouldn't have been able to move a year ago if I didn't have an outlet. Just want ya'll to know I think this is one of the best threads on the net.

[agnut]

Hi Mick Silver. Good advice. We planted 16 fruit trees a few years ago and they are doing well. We got a little fruit last year and should be getting more each year as they mature. I know it is a slow process and this planting should be done as soon as feasible.

Your post has me thinking of whether I should plant a large grove of fruit trees and wait for several years until they bear fruit in any quantity or I should plant seasonal crops and reap harvests much sooner. My younger son would have to be the one to decide since he will hopefully be here much longer than I.

The last two cows were picked up yesterday and the last 5 hens will be gone in a few days. My son and I are changing focus toward the property itself. We have a lot of sculpting to do on the landscape. The fields need to be set up for gravity irrigation, something I will be relying on a friend to do with his backhoe and possibly with my larger Ford backhoe. Rain runoff is a big consideration here.

So why no more cows and chickens ? After a few years of taking care of cows we have come to the conclusion that their cost is about equal to buying a side of beef and having it processed. And I can get free range chicken eggs from a friend for $5 per 18, a little high but the quality is excellent. Now our time is free to pursue developing the property.

We have three chest freezers with enough beef for at least three years. In fact, I have been trading beef for work around the place. It’s not a strict pounds per hour trade but more a thank you for helping out.

A friend and I were removing steel parts from transmission cases but discovered that the scrap price had fallen to 25 cents a pound which is not worth the effort. So we will put this off until prices return to at least 50 cents a pound. A new friend who comes from Iceland told me that there are huge aluminum foundaries there that the Chinese process their bauxite into aluminum ingots and then ship them back to China since the geothermal energy is so cheap there. This seems to be indicative of international trends.

Recently I have been reading Jim Willie’s and Jim Rickards’ predictions of a coming devaluation of 80 to 90 percent or more of the dollar. If true, imports will cost 4 or more times what they cost now. And since I have been in transmission repair for so many years I have to wonder what the imported rebuilt transmissions will cost at the dealerships. Will one that is $2200 now be $8800 or more after this devaluation ? I just can’t see that but rather believe that local rebuilders will be more in demand. The internal parts the we do have to import are but a small fraction of the total cost (mostly labor) and even if they do increase 4 or more times, we will actually be better off than we were. In other words, the work will come back to our shores. Time will tell as there are so many variables but I am stocking up on new hard parts in anticipation. At the least my parts inventory will provide potential for the future.

When we think about it, a roll of toilet paper is a form of wealth. So is a can of beans, a pound of coffee, a box of nails, a pair of jeans and a multitude of other items we use in making our lives more comfortable. To possess these items is to be able to not have to worry from needs.

So what is a dollar bill; is that wealth ? No, my friends. A dollar is a promise of value in the future, not a value in itself. No intrinsic value beyond a poor substitute for a sheet of toilet paper. Once we get that through our heads, we become aware that these dollars can be traded for things of intrinsic value/wealth. At least they can be traded now; I cannot predict what or how much they may be traded for in the future. This is the raw nature of unbacked fiat currency.

This is why I and others like Ponce have been stockpiling many, many items that now have and will have value in the future. Tools, food, clothing, toilet paper, firewood, propane and so many things that we now take for granted but may well be absolute necessities in the future.

So who is rich ? The one with lots of money in the bank or the one with a stockpile of necessities ?

Physical silver and gold ? Certainly better than fiat dollars; as long as they will be appreciated after a collapse. Has anyone considered that we will not have an outright collapse but rather a gradual diminution of our lifestyles ? Silver and gold are concentrated forms of wealth/value but only if others with the items we need recognize them as such. Don’t get me wrong; I believe in holding some silver and gold but ONLY as part of our wealth. What we have in our possession is a reflection of how we view the world and the future. Holding silver and gold as 90% of our possessions in hope of becoming wealthy is, in my opinion, an imbalanced situation. This is why for several years I have been accumulating a wide variety of useful items. I must admit that it hasn’t been easy since I am only human and cannot see how the cards will fall someday. It has been a great juggling act with my income against my perceptions.

Ponce says that the only thing worse that knowing the future is to know and not to prepare for that future.

There has been very little in garage and estate sales but the season is about to get underway. A couple of days ago at the local thrift store I found an almost new Land’s End winter coat for $3. I couldn’t pass it up. Sure, spring is upon us and then summer and then fall. But what about next winter ? We are like the grasshopper and the ant story. One starves and freezes and the other rides comfortably through the hard times. It’s all about looking to the future and having vision. That $3 won’t keep me warm next winter, will it ? Well for a minute if I light it up. Hey, found another use for fiat dollars !

Best wishes,

Agnut

“Man, because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived.”
Dalai Lama

“Preparation does not guarantee success, but the lack of preparation guarantees failure.” -- Japanese proverb

[gunDriller]

i have 3 or 4 apple trees that have been in pots and withstood much abuse (0 degrees F for weeks) and keep coming back.

i figure it's time to give them a chance to spread their roots. got a place picked out, near an underground spring that is identified by certain types of wild-grass. i'm hoping the ground there won't be too muddy/ wet.

i started all of the trees from seed.


sometimes i wonder if the 'standard procedure' - to buy grafted trees - is related to the need for nurseries, to sell trees.

some people have told me that i'll get 'mushy apples'. we will see.

when God/ the Universe gives you mushy apples, make applesauce ? (or Apple-Jack )

[agnut]

Hi govcheetos. Flattery will get you everywhere ! Thanks.

Sounds like you have been going crazy making deals. Feast and famine and all that.

Yeah, the contacts we make and keep are so important. I have so many now that my card file, rolodex and address book are all getting full. Thing is, there are several contacts that I will need in the future. However, it seems that as I need a specific specialty, they somehow show up if I ask around.

One important thing is to have a list of items you are looking for and ask each seller if he or she has or knows someone who has what you are looking for. This way you are now exposed to whatever this other person knows. And it can be quite expanding.

Long ago a wise man told me that success is determined by how many people we can effectively communicate with. Relationships follow from akin spirits; the best ones from our being positive, generous and caring. Others will see what we are doing rather than just talking and come to their own conclusions about us. Actions speak louder than words.

Along with a list of connections and items we are looking for should be a list of where we can sell/trade items we find. Sure it is good to be able to sell on Craigslist or Ebay but knowing a record collector, antique collector, car collector all are potential buyers as well as strong sources of specialty information we may draw upon.

These outlets as you refer to govcheetos are like icing on the cake. And time is of the essence in being able to sell an item. For instance say you had an antique oak ice box made from the 1930s and had picked it up at a garage sale for the ridiculously low price of $60. At that time you could have sold it quickly for $350 since the general market value was about $500-650. But you kept it in storage for 5 years while the general market value remained at the same $500-650 price. Sure it would have been nice to have sold the ice box for the peak price soon after you had acquired it, but sometimes a quick profit in order to have cash for the next hot deal is wiser than holding out for the maximum price. I’m not talking about the time value of money but rather the turnover rate as part of the flow of deal making. That $350 icebox sale cash could have been pyramided into a fortune in that 5 year time of having just sat on the icebox.

This isn’t always the best since the profit margin is less but works when we don’t have a large stockpile of cash AND we also have many potential deals in the offing.

If we have a large stockpile of cash we could advertise what items we do have at full price and not be concerned that they sell soon. We can always drop the price but it is almost impossible to raise the price once we have offered it. It all depends on our personal cash flow situation as well as the quantity of hot deals to be made.

And don’t forget to trade your fiat dollars for real money, especially silver. Recently there have been a few financial articles warning about an 80-90% or more crash in the purchasing power of the fiat dollar. Nothing like leaving a sinking ship to board a submarine (as in under the radar). HaHa

By the way I just talked with a large PM dealer who filled me in on where the silver market is and his opinion of where it is going. I’ll write a thread in the general section as soon as I can find the time.

Best wishes,

Agnut


"When even one American - who has done nothing wrong - is forced by fear to shut his mind and close his mouth, then all Americans are in peril."
~ Harry Truman

They assume an authority which is nowhere so dangerous as in the hands of those who have folly and presumption enough to fancy themselves fit to exercise it.
--Adam Smith

A man who is not afraid is not aggressive, a man who has no sense of fear of any kind is really a free, a peaceful man.... We are to learn about fear, not how to escape from it... the desire for an answer is essential to the understanding of a problem.
... J.Krishnamurti

[agnut]

Hi gun driller. Mushy apples to applesauce or Apple-Jack; not a hard choice for me. Good luck with the apple tree planting. A friend told me to take some chicken manure in a bucket, add water and mix it up. Then to pour a ring around the fruit trees. Not too close though; about 2 feet away from the trunk. As it soaks into the soil the nutrients will attract new root growth as well as fertilize for the growing season. Gotta watch out for the chicken poop being too hot though.

Now that we have one steer in the freezer and the others sold and gone, we are thinking about what to do with the land. We don’t want to raise pigs or cattle again. Planting a crop might be best in the future. Or putting in a huge fruit orchard but that requires several years waiting until they mature. So instead we are planning to work on the land in preparation for either decision. At the same time we will focus on organizing what we have acquired over the years.

And most importantly I will be getting out there garage and estate sailing. The season is upon us and I expect things will be going nuts within the next few weeks. My daughters will be coming for a visit in a few months and I don’t want our place to look like a wrecking yard. So every day my son and I have been devoting a couple/few hours in moving things around and throwing away the useless crap. Yesterday we moved 9 boxes of clothing into the barn for long term storage.

I still have many, many boxes full of items which haven’t been labeled. Some I haven’t looked at for years.

Busy, busy, busy. Still picking up a total of almost a ton of fruits and veggies; I go 3 or 4 times each week. About 50 folks are getting these fruits and veggies, all low income. I’m one of them too ! Anyway, I’ve noticed that recently there has been a great increase in interest in filling their bags. When I drop off at the local thrift store, the employees/volunteers swarm on my truck like never before. And Saint Mary who has 8 adopted children has been taking as many as 9 boxes at a time which she processes and puts in the chest freezer I delivered last week. One smart lady. Also a great cook who supplies much of the meals we eat ourselves. A totally unexpected bonus for us bachelors.

The secret of giving is that it is impossible to give more than you receive. It comes back in such unexpected ways.

I have the least cash on hand since I can remember but the most blessings. So who is richest ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

You cannot do all of the good the world needs, but the world needs all of the good you can do.

You see your doctor once a year, and your farmer three times a day.

[Dogman]

Hi gun driller. Mushy apples to applesauce or Apple-Jack; not a hard choice for me. Good luck with the apple tree planting. A friend told me to take some chicken manure in a bucket, add water and mix it up. Then to pour a ring around the fruit trees. Not too close though; about 2 feet away from the trunk. As it soaks into the soil the nutrients will attract new root growth as well as fertilize for the growing season. Gotta watch out for the chicken poop being too hot though.

Now that we have one steer in the freezer and the others sold and gone, we are thinking about what to do with the land. We don’t want to raise pigs or cattle again. Planting a crop might be best in the future. Or putting in a huge fruit orchard but that requires several years waiting until they mature. So instead we are planning to work on the land in preparation for either decision. At the same time we will focus on organizing what we have acquired over the years.

And most importantly I will be getting out there garage and estate sailing. The season is upon us and I expect things will be going nuts within the next few weeks. My daughters will be coming for a visit in a few months and I don’t want our place to look like a wrecking yard. So every day my son and I have been devoting a couple/few hours in moving things around and throwing away the useless crap. Yesterday we moved 9 boxes of clothing into the barn for long term storage.

I still have many, many boxes full of items which haven’t been labeled. Some I haven’t looked at for years.

Busy, busy, busy. Still picking up a total of almost a ton of fruits and veggies; I go 3 or 4 times each week. About 50 folks are getting these fruits and veggies, all low income. I’m one of them too ! Anyway, I’ve noticed that recently there has been a great increase in interest in filling their bags. When I drop off at the local thrift store, the employees/volunteers swarm on my truck like never before. And Saint Mary who has 8 adopted children has been taking as many as 9 boxes at a time which she processes and puts in the chest freezer I delivered last week. One smart lady. Also a great cook who supplies much of the meals we eat ourselves. A totally unexpected bonus for us bachelors.

The secret of giving is that it is impossible to give more than you receive. It comes back in such unexpected ways.

I have the least cash on hand since I can remember but the most blessings. So who is richest ?

Best wishes,

Agnut

You cannot do all of the good the world needs, but the world needs all of the good you can do.

You see your doctor once a year, and your farmer three times a day.

One thing about chicken manure if you do this , mix it up and let it sit for a few days to age a tad. That stuff is Hot, (non heat way) And dilute big time and if it is a fresh mix it can burn anything around it depending on the mix. Again not in a temp way but a way strong mix. I love chicken crap for the stuff I grow, but have learned to mix into a 5 gallon bucket and let it sit a week before using, hard to explain. A little can go a very long way when mixed into water,

Good stuff!

[agnut]

Hi Dogman, love your avatar. Right, chicken poop needs to be handled carefully. I’ll take your advice and let the mix cure for a week or so. That is, if I can find the time AND don’t forget ! WOW ! What a crazy world with so much to do and so little time and energy to do it in. Sometimes I don’t know if I am bragging or complaining. Whoda thought that being retired would be so much work ?

My son and I were at the local thrift store the other day and they had a 40% off sale on everything in the store. I got two London Fog jackets, one light one for $!.50 and another long heavy duty one with a hood and zip in liner for $3 (probably cost a couple hundred bucks new). I always look for quality names because they are better constructed and have a much higher resale value.

Got a monster George Forman rotisserie for $7.50; looks like it could swallow a small turkey. Also got a blender for $4. There is going to come a time when I will pass on such bargains but I unfortunately haven’t found my limits. Anyhow, it always feels satisfying to be trading fiat dollars for a plethora of quality used items for pennies on the aforementioned dollars. I know it’s a gamble as to whether the items I buy today will be in great demand in the future but when I look at the paper dollars in my wallet I laugh inside at the ridiculousness of it all. Has our society gone stark raving mad ? Or is it just me ?

Here’s a couple of articles I copied the other day :

20 Tips for Shopping a Yard Sale
Navigate the high seas of yard sales, and find your way to weekend treasures.

By Theresa Breen

April 11, 2014

The warmer months are upon us. Grasses are greener, trees are billowing with newborn buds, and telephone poles are ripe with freshly stapled signage announcing the weekend's upcoming yard sale. Take a deep breath, ignore that fragrant smell of lavender and lilac, and focus on the sweet, sweet scent of savings. Here's where to start your yard-sale-season dominance.

Begin by [1] AGGREGATING LOCATION INFORMATION and [2] SAVING THE DATES. Often, neighbors will try to sync their sale with other sales in the area to boost business, so keep your eyes peeled for postings in you local coffee shop or around town. If you are planning to venture outside of your neighborhood, then [3] CHECK OUT LISTING SITES such as YardSaleSearch.com or Craigslist, which can offer a compiled list of sales in any radius.

There's an app for this! So [4] DOWNLOAD APPS like Garage Sale Rover or Yard Sale Treasure Map that let you plan your attack by plotting out Saturday's agenda right from your smartphone. These apps also let you sort through sales by categories, such as baby clothes, furniture, and antiques, making it easy to find the stops that will have the items you want.

Once you know when and where you're going, [5] SET YOUR ALARM … FOR SAVINGS. Novice yard-salers may stroll by a sale late in the afternoon, but not you. The best items will go quickly, so don't miss your chance at scoring big. Save the snooze button for next weekend. It's also worth noting that some yard-sellers may be okay with early arrivals. For instance, you might show up at 8 am for a sale advertised as starting at 9 am. The unspoken rule is that you must politely ask the seller for permission to start shopping before the posted hour. If you violate this rule and anger the seller, you're pretty much guaranteed to lose your bargaining power.

Many savvy sellers have credit card swipe devices such as Square, but don't count on it. Cash is king, so [6] BE SURE TO BRING PLENTY OF IT. You never know what you will find and how badly you will want it when you do, so be prepared. [7] SMALL BILLS WILL SERVE YOU WELL TOO, in case the seller doesn't have any change. It could be the difference between spending $18 versus $20 on a must-have item. These small savings can add up!

Having cash on hand will also be valuable when it comes time to haggle. Being able to close the deal with cash is a tried and true method of bartering, so [8] DON'T BE AFRAID TO NEGOTIATE. Most sellers price their items high knowing that they will be talked down, so never pay sticker price. Remember the magic phrase: "What's your best price on this?" Right away you are opening a dialogue for negotiation.

[9] THINK BEYOND YOUR IMMEDIATE NEEDS. You may find great gifts and seasonal decorations, so stock up while the price is right. Buying Christmas ornaments or lights in July might feel a bit strange at the time, but when November rolls around, you'll be glad you dropped the dough in the summertime. Kids' toys are big sale items; this could be your chance to score cool birthday gifts for the youngsters in your life at a great deal. (Just make sure you thoroughly wipe down the toys with sanitizer before gifting.)

[10] TOTE A BAG. You may forget to bring them with you as you rush into the grocery store, but just this once remember that they are in the trunk of your car! They will come in handy if you need to carry multiple items. It's good to carry newspapers for packing fragile items too. If you're a Bubble Wrap hoarder, congratulations! That stuff is perfect for yard-sale wrapping.

Did you start your Saturday intending to buy that 17th-century armoire or a giant rooster sculpture for your kitchen counter? Maybe not, but just in case some must-have heavy-duty item crosses your path, you will need a way to cart it home. Be prepared by [11] BRINGING THE RIGHT TOOLS‚ measuring tape, rope or bungee cords to secure larger items to the car, and screwdrivers for disassembling any large pieces.

If you're eyeballing big-ticket items such as speakers, laptops, and household tools, be sure to [12] GOOGLE THE NAMES AND MODELS ON YOUR SMARTPHONE to make sure what you're buying is worth the price . And don't be shy about asking the yard-sale host if you can [13] TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT. Typically, all sales are final, so make sure you haven't purchased an electronic paperweight.

[14] BUNDLE YOUR PURCHASES AND OFFER ONE PRICE FOR THE LOT. Sellers want to get rid of stuff just as much as they want to make a buck, so they're probably more likely to give you a great deal on four items than just one.

[15] KNOW WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR. Make a list or carry one in your head. This will reduce the chances of frivolous purchases (also known as wasting money).

[16] FLATTER THE SELLERS. Try, "You've got some great stuff here," or "Wow, what an amazing collection or antique linens!" This will make the sellers feel good about you, and make them more likely to bargain. If you feel odd about the flattery bit, [17] MAKE SMALL TALK. There is nothing more off-putting than a silent shopper. You are on this person's property, so you are a guest. Be a good one and you're more likely to get a good deal.

If you really want a big-ticket item, [18] PAY FULL PRICE FOR IT ON THE SPOT. Then, keep shopping, and offer less for any additional items you want to purchase. A bargain is almost guaranteed on those subsequent purchases because the sellers won't think you're cheap.

[19] SHOP WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOODS. Oh, don't look at us like that. You know it's true. You may find gold there. Literally.

[20] GO BACK AFTER THE SALE. They won't sell every item. What they do not sell, they might throw out. After all, there is no better price than free.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home...-sale-16686328
================================================== =============
Some tips from an old Grandma:

*Do not forget to BUY WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED OR WANT, BUT CAN RESELL QUICKLY ( OR TRADE TO SOMEONE ELSE) FOR A HUGE PROFIT!

*BIG NAME $50+ perfume that the lady thinks STINKS and got as a gift is often sold for $.50 or a buck. It STILL keeps most of it's value on ebay, even if opened, or without the original box!

*I bought some very high end FAMOUS MAKER, like new, Men's Canadian SNOW BOOTS for $5 and had a couple of guys bidding each other UP to BUY THEM FROM ME BEFORE I EVEN LEFT THE SALE WHERE I BOUGHT THEM! I think when I left the last bid I turned down was $25.

*I bought a police scanner I did not need from one yard sale for $2 and plugged it in at the VERY NEXT yard sale and traded it to them for $20 worth of their yard sale items!

*UNwanted, unneeded GIFTS, that the seller did not pay for themselves ARE OFTEN UNDERPRICED! One upscale home yard sale had a $350 Milwaukee HAMMER DRILL for $2 or three bucks (can't remember) that the guy and his sons said they had gotten for Christmas "from Grandpa" but they said nobody used it because it was "too heavy" had a cord, and they used their lightweight ($20) Black and Decker instead. I bought myself a Milwaukee Sawzall that I wanted, but couldn't afford, with what I made off reselling that drill!

*Know the value of things!!

*BRING A "JEWELERS LOUPE" a tiny 10-20X magnifying glass to look for karat marks on gold, and a pocket, battery operated gram scale for precious metals will quickly give you the weight of gold jewelry or sterling silver objects and a good basis for estimating their precious metal "melt value".

Grab any FREE CANDLES, hotel sewing kits, hotel mini-first aid kits, hotel soaps, shampoo, hand lotion etc. Or cheap fishooks for your emergency "preps" and "bug out bag."

*Bring a fabric measuring tape, FRESH BATTERIES, (AA & AAA & 2014 button) bring a pocket voltmeter, (presuming you know how to use one) jewelers screwdrivers, a flashlight, gloves ( for digging into old, spider filled, boxes in the garage, )

*DON'T BE TOO SHY OR FORGET TO ASK ABOUT STUFF YOU DON'T SEE FOR SALE!! If you see some kind of interest in GUNS, but no guns for sale -PRIVATELY, QUIETLY, ASK about any ammo or firearms they might want to sell, BUT NEVER WHEN THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE DISTRACTING THEM, AND only if you can show them a concealed carry permit, which will reassure them that it would be sold to someone LEGALLY ALLOWED to own firearms. OTHERWISE, THEY HAVE NO SUCH PROOF that you are indeed allowed, as you claim!

*Do NOT OVERLOOK the TREMENDOUS SAVINGS represented by buying your CLEANING PRODUCTS AND SPICES at Estate and/or Moving sales!! I often get a HUNDRED DOLLARS worth of spices for a buck or two at such sales!!

*DO NOT PAY $.25 or $.50 A JAR for canning jars at an estate or moving sale WHEN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THEM!! OFFER $10 or $20 "for ALL THE CANNING STUFF" and watch them jump at it.

*There is money to be made if you can find a 100% wool BLANKET (not throw)for cheap, say ($3-10), MORE money if it is queen size,(or double) and even more if it still has the makers tag, is in pretty good shape or is mothproofed, the blanket BINDING missing, torn, or worn condition is unimportant, and easily replaced. THERE IS A TREMENDOUS DEMAND NOW FOR USED, ALL WOOL BLANKETS!! You could get $100-150 for it, USED! Even good, thick, used GI wool blankets have risen tremendously in price.

When you are MAKING AN OFFER, REMIND THE SELLER that there are ALWAYS TWO buyers in the deal! If he refuses your offer HE HIMSELF IS "buying it again" and trading away the $20 or $50 he could have had in order to again "possess it" in vain hopes of getting ANOTHER $3 or $5 more from someone else. It helps to ram home the above point, HOW? IF he holds your offer in his hand and actually has TO GIVE BACK YOUR MONEY in order to KEEP the item he is actually trying to sell! I find also, that saying "If you had ($MY OFFER) would you RIGHT NOW, GO BUY THIS AGAIN?" If they say NO, Then put your offer in their hand and your offer won't likely be refused if they have to hand back the money to refuse it!

The craziest way to say the above is to bring something that THEY ARE SELLING to the seller and say "I am selling this ($5)jeans, sweater etc. for two dollars, (you hold out to them) would you rather keep the two bucks or BUY THE JEANS back with the two bucks you could have had?"
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...g-a-Yard-Sale&

Best wishes,
Agnut

[agnut]

Hey, time for some braggin’ rights ! Just got back and am not yet finished unloading the truck. I hadn’t been to a garage sale in months and one was in the papers and Craigslist that caught my eye. A moving sale with an 80 year accumulation of items. Since prices were not given in the ads, either prices would be too high or it would be a goldmine.

Had to get up at 6 AM to get ready and be there for the 7AM giant moving sale. It was in the local papers and the Craigslist ad said 7AM and the other said 7:30 AM starting time. My son and I got there just before 7AM and were taken aback to find that there were several buyers milling about.

Undeterred, I went into one of the three buildings and began picking up items and stacking them outside. There were many hundreds of items to look through. The larger floor woodworking equipment was of no interest since I already have enough. So I cruised the benches, shelves, floors and hanging racks.

The husband and wife were very nice people and were selling their home to move to rural Arizona. Their house was spectacular and was offered for about 750K. Now this tells me that the equipment was possibly top quality and well cared for. Also, the ad had read that the sale items had been collected for about 80 years. I rightly concluded that many items would be old school American made equipment, my favorite stuff to dig through. Quality, American, old and usually under priced. What more could any demented, frothing at the mouth buyer ask for ? I had fallen into a bed of roses.

The following is a list of items I got with prices to give a relative price to value and to get you to frothing at the mouth too, for Saturday is tomorrow and that is usually the biggest day. Fortunately I’m retired and free to chase down any deal, no matter the time, day, distance or weather. The weekend warriors’ worst nightmare since I can usually get there first and snag the best deals.

2 camping bags with pillows, sheets and blankets for $2 each.
3 broad brim hats for 25 cents each
3 measuring cups, 2 Pyrex for 25 cents each
31U.S made, router bits in wooden box, many new, for $10 total
Tap & die set (Greenfield, the best quality) 15 taps, 5 dies, drill bits, tap & die tools in a wooden box $30
Farm T post driver (I call it a slammer bammer) for $5
Craftsman 3 roller Heavy duty tool stand $10
25 quart canning jars $4
1 gal, plastic gas can 50 cents
2 ½ gallon plastic gas can 50 cents
2 pair LaCrosse U.S. made rubber boots for $1 a pair
3 U.S made rubber boots, 1 pair high top leather boots for $1 a pair
3 new photo albums for 300 photos each 25 cents each
Sharper Image electric back massager $3
6 foot heavy steel bar for chipping concrete $8
9 DVDs for $1 each
3 new inside extension cords for 25 cents each
Milwaukee Sawzall in metal box with 62 blades (mostly new Milwaukee brand) for $30 total
Box of 52 U.S. made punches of various sizes for $20
6 cans of Coleman propane $5 total
23 circular saw blades, some 7 ¼, some larger, some carbide, some new for $20 total
4 quarts premium motor oil for 25 cents each
Turner propane torch kit in metal box with full bottle for $15
2 rolls of 4 foot high wire fencing for $1 each (don’t know how long, just looked like a steal)
Jumper cables new in box for $2
4 books : Craftsman Power Router & Hand Tool Know How
The Magic OF Your Radial Arm Saw
All About Pruning by Ortho
Haynes Honda & Acura Repair

Plus a smattering of small items I needed. Almost forgot; I asked the lady if she would give me a break on a quantity of things I would be setting aside and she said she would. At the end of my frenzy she gave me 10 % off the total price. I figure I paid about $188 with NO sales tax, thank you very mooch.

My looking back at the items above got me to thinking I had bought items for mixed reasons. Not that this bad but perhaps a good thing. Some items I was buying were for my needs, some were for family and friends, some were future bartering and horse trading. And some were items I had never seen before which played to my innate curiosity as to how things work and how they are made. These I just had to have for further examination. I have always been a sort of frustrated mechanical engineer.

There is more than one way to be doing bartering and horse trading. Most people that haven’t had much if any past experiences in B&H, these people think of B&H as trading one item for another with any compensating differential in perceived value worked out by the parties. For instance, two B&H persons could be bartering 6 chickens for a pig. If both parties agree that that is fair, the deal is made. However, if one of the parties feels that his item is more valuable, he should speak up and renegotiate until an agreement of both parties is reached. This is, I believe, most of what the unfamiliar think. And to my way of thinking, these unfamiliar folks may fear that not reaching an agreement would cause them all kinds of personal anxiety.

A sort of an approach-avoidance conflict; approach because of all the benefits and avoidance because of the fear of anxiety. There is another possibility and that is that social pressure combined with a lifetime of programming from Madison Avenue and peers is too high a hurdle to clear. So they sit and complain about the glare of the oncoming inflationary fright train instead of getting the Hell off the tracks they are on.

Always be aware of this approach-avoidance conflict in your own thinking process. A poor purchase can be painful but a missed opportunity can languish for a long time. It has been said that Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Not true for those of us astute enough to have studied diligently in the school of hard knocks. This B&H is a learning process; it takes time and experiences. And a dream for freedom to acquire what we want and need.

Well, I hope the above list of items and prices paid will give y’all some accurate values, although prices can be all over the board. Depends greatly on the seller and his motivation. At least they may whet your appetite for all the possibilities just waiting to cross our path. Gotta be in it to win it.

Best wishes,

Agnut

P.S. I wrote this last Friday night and have been polishing it since. HaHa