I have several hobbies to keep myself occupied and out of
trouble. One of my favorite hobbies,
though, is saving money. That sounds
ridiculous to the uninformed so, allow me to explain.
Most people simply buy things at retail price and are
delighted to get what they want. The
price is rarely an issue in the decision making process.
For me, it is the thrill of the hunt. I am usually armed with coupons, sale flyers,
and the patience of Job, in order to get the most for the least.
For decades I bought used cars to avoid that nasty
‘depreciation’ penalty which amounts to roughly $3,000 to $5,000.
But for smaller items I usually turn to one of those on-line
want-ad services or the newspapers to find my treasures.
To be clear, a newspaper is a regularly printed stack of
recycled paper with information printed thereon. They can be purchased at stores or can be
arranged for home delivery. They contain
all sorts of things including news, sports scores, and want-ads.
People who advertise in newspapers generally want to quickly
unload their stuff to clear out their basements, or make room for their cars in
their garages. Baby items and tools,
furniture and exercise, equipment can all be found for sale in these ads.
Occasionally you will see an outrageous price for a piece of
junk that is being sold as “old.” Just
because something is old doesn’t make it valuable. I have a 350,000,000 year-old rock in my
backyard that no one will give me a dollar for.
But, I digress.
In addition to finding bargains in these listings, one can
also find great entertainment in the form of amusing ads.
Emmett Kelly dolls are a dime a dozen. Evidently they were big some years back. One hundred-seventeen bedroom sets were for
sale in one issue; are people sleeping standing up like horses?
Five dollar blue plastic 55 gallon containers sold as “rain
barrels” can be bought for only $30.
“Wheel barrels” can be found, too – whatever they are – not to be
confused with “wheelbarrows.”
I located two “mirrows.”
And, plenty of broken refrigerators can be purchased for a song.
Animals appear in these publications for the rescuer in all
of us. Sugar gliders are $35, red-eared
turtles are $6, and hedgehogs $120.
“Mixed breed” dogs are code words for “results of a pit bull
with an over-aggressive libido.”
And, regional bargains should not be overlooked. Check for surfboards for sale in Iowa , snow blowers in Florida ,
and solar panels in Oregon
In any case, bargains abound and should not be overlooked
when shopping for that treasure.
Now I have to figure out why my picture was listed under
“antiques.”
