Tim (Deal #3?)

So I found that the radio I bought needed a new fuse before I could properly test it.  While I was running around  buying fuses and what-not, I again stopped by my local Goodwill.  (This has now become a quite regular occurrence on my way home.)

Sitting on the floor in their craft department was this guy:

A (slightly less than full) 250 meter roll of zipper tape. Priced at just $4.99.

Now, in all honesty, I had not even considered this to be a candidate for the "Double a Dollar" challenge.  A while back I found a working sewing machine for $5 at a garage sale. (For those of you who haven't yet figured it out, I am so cheap that George Washington leaves my pocket with stretch marks).

I had decided that if I can stick two pieces of metal together, two pieces of plastic together and two pieces of wood together, then I should learn how to stick two pieces of cloth together.  An hey if it works out, I might even be able to make my own clothes. (See above statement on cheapness).

Well I had figured this was enough zipper to last me the rest of my life, and so I grabbed it up.  I was so enjoying the euphoric high that you get when you no longer have to worry whether or not you have enough zipper in your life or where that next zip is going to come from, it wasn't until hours later that I even thought to check ebay for a price.

(In my head, you are hearing a drumroll right now...)

With a new roll selling for nearly $250, I swallowed hard and accepted the fact that zipper anxiety would be in my life a little longer.

[Note: Because I still have not tested the radio, the zipper will be up for auction first.]

Tim (Deal #2)

With $19 burning a hole in my pocket, I spent a couple of weeks off and on browsing Craigslist, Garage Sales and the local Goodwills in search of my next deal.  I had managed to pick up a few items for my self and get a bargain or two, but nothing that would fit within the constrains of the contest.

One item in particular was a 10' fiberglass heavy-duty step ladder that I bought for $20.  Because it was $1 over my current total and I couldn't talk the guy down any further, it didn't qualify for the challenge.  But for that price it definitely earns a space in my garage.

Instead I came across the little gem above.  It was in the electronics department at the Goodwill for the low low price of $7.99.

It is a Uniden Solara VHF Marine radio.  I had no idea what these things were worth, and I don't have one of those fancy phones with the internet on it, so I jotted down the model number ever so discretely while some dude eyed it over my shoulder.  Then I raced home to check the ebay and found this:

Good enough for me.  I was back in 10 minutes to pick it up.

Tim (Deal #1) SOLD!

Well I made Snowden watch over my shoulder for the final minute of my auction as I repeatedly mashed the F5 key, hoping that something irratatingly magical would happen before his eyes.

No such luck.

All in all I don't think I did to bad for my first deal though.

Deal #1 Run Down:

$00.00 - Oil Can (Free at Yard Sale)

$24.45 - Selling Total (Includes Shipping Estimate)

-$1.89 - Ebay Fees

-$1.01 - Pay-Pal Fees

-$3.55 - Shipping

------------------------------------------------------

$18.00 Profit
+$1.00 (Starting Dollar)

$19.00 now to reinvest.

Back to the hunt!

Snowden (Deal #1)

So, I began this wager by scouring the free ads on Craigslist. Though the pee stained couches were tempting, I figured I better start off on a smaller scale.

That's when I came across this water proof camera case. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but as I was sitting in traffic headed towards North Portland I began to question my decision. I picked the case up and realized that there was probably not a huge demand for a waterproof case from the 1980's, but at the very least I had one item up on Tim.

The next day at work I'm proudly showing off my case, when Tim whips out his BA vintage oil can that he found in a free box. Bastard!

Now for the icing on the cake. When I go to see how much waterproof cases are going for on ebay, I come across this little baby. My exact case with a camera for 1 cent! I'm DOOOOMED...

Tim (Deal #1)

So I found my first deal this weekend. The boy and I were headed to the Home Depot on Saturday and came across a garage sale. It looked promising enough to stop, get the kid out of the car seat and walk around for 5 minutes in the 100 degree heat. I wasn't planning on stopping (because it was way to hot to be outside), so I didn't have my camera with me.

Well I got suckered in by some yard tools on the sidewalk, and hoping to find a few "National Treasures" tucked away in the garage we went inside.

Well, either all the good stuff had been carted off when it wasn't so danged hot outside, or the sweet patina of aged iron in the form of a reel mower was a red herring for chumps like us.

So on the hasty retreat back to the air conditioned car, making an extra effort to avoid making eye contact with the garage saler's shirt and shoeless kids and tell them the bald-faced lie that we weren't thirsty for the homemade lemonade they were selling (for 50 cents a cup,(which was at this point probably hotter than the coffee they were also selling)). I happened to spot in a box marked "FREE" this sweet old oil can.

Later, when I got home, I hopped on the fleabay to see if I had any chance if making a buck on the deal and my first search results were this...



So after wiping the atomized coca-cola spray off my monitor, I began to prepare my ebay ad.

The Double A Dollar Challenge

This page will host the "double a dollar" challenge and the awesomeness of its participants.