Do You 'Groj (Boot) Sail'

[bobbyjim]

What would life be like with out yards sales, flea markets & haggling? I have been a wheeler dealer since I was a kid (now 65) and can still remember buying comic books by the pile at 10 and cheap bicycles etc. Can never remember a time I didn't look for a bargin and now with the economy more than ever. My shop has been filled with Craigs List, garage sale, Ebay, flea market bargins. I would say that 90% of every tool, tool box, lathe, drills, power saws, you name it has come from yard sales, flea markets and the best of all are Church sales. Just went to a huge church sale which every thing is donated. So it's out the door cheap and fast.

I am retired military and being overseas in Asia was were I really honed my haggling talent. If you buy anything or get any kind of service and you pay the going price your considered a "fool". I wouldn't care if it was a nickel, I wanted the price to be lower than the asking price.

 

[British Steel]

Re: Do You 'Groj (Boot) Sail' - Hells Yeah!

Excellent places/events, I try to limit myself to 2 a week, though!

Things like: an airbrush compressor for £4 ($5 US) so my lad can paint his models without spending £7 a can on air; a bunch (2 jacket pocketfuls) of resharpened HSS and carbide endmills for £10; missed an AC/DC TIG welder for £50, still kicking myself over that one!; 2-3" tenths micrometer for £5, all the others (0-1", 1-2", 0-25mm, 25-50mm, 50-75,mm) at £2 each (checked on known-good-to-a-couple-of-tenths 1-2-3 blocks!) - possibly half of my tools have come from 'em

And haggling? "*Two* shekhels for this gourd? Are you trying to insult me?" etc. - you gotta haggle!
Dave H.

 

[Davo J]

Yep me too, I remember once we where driving and I had the trailer on for some reason I can't remember, anyway we saw a garage sale so we stopped. I went into the shed and it was all girl type stuff and home wares, then in the corner I spotted a 4ft home made sheet folder. I asked a fellow there how much for that thing in the corner, and he said I am not sure what it is, how about $20, I offered $10 and he was glad to get rid of it. I still have it to this day and has done heaps of work.

We used to go every weekend to garage sales, but you only have so much room so we quit years ago. I still go to the markets every now and again, the last one I went to I was after a couple of 6 inch bench grinders and came home with 5 like new for $100 off different people, and then sold one for $30 to a mate. To buy one of these here would cost between $80 and $150.

I have taught my kids the same and they barter where ever they go.

Dave