Tag Archives: auctions

Reckless Bidder

3 Jun

Lesson learned. Although, it’s a lesson I should have already known really.

If you don’t have a way to get it home, don’t buy it. Especially when you’re trying to get a deal. Renting a truck or paying for delivery would defeat the entire score.

Silly me to think that someone else would outbid my $100 for a large octagon-shaped wood table and chairs at a recent auction. Silly.

Andrew would likely use a different word to describe my action but he’s known me for some years now so there are things he’s used to – like how to react when I text him that I spent money on something that we don’t need and I can’t drive it home in my car – or his. He texts back, “Ok. Now what? We don’t have a truck.”

My response: “I know this.”

He can tell I’m now both stressed about my reckless purchase and unhappy with his response to my buyer’s remorse.

“We can strap it to the roof?”

“Yes.”

“Take a picture so I can see what I’m dealing with.”

Minutes later, he calls me and tells me he has a master plan.

Minutes after that, he pulls up to the auction in our neighbor’s pickup truck. (Rescued by dear friends!)

I can tell he doesn’t love (or even like) the table but he is a good friend and comedian and pokes fun at me by saying things like, “I had to be the guy who borrows his neighbor’s truck.” And something about “putting the cart before the horse.”

Now that it’s in our house, I’m not even sure I love it but it did help that after a few hours of it in its new spot, Andrew told me he thinks it’s a nice addition. (Even after all the jokes.)

Sold! – to the person who can’t get it home!

I have high hopes of refinishing it and then having it for a game/puzzle table. Eventually, when the next age group of “toys” replace the ones that live in our family room now, we will have a bar and finally hang my stained glass poker-table light that I’ve had for years to spice it up some.

In the meantime, I’m thinking we need to invest in a truck. I wonder if any are being auctioned …

An Auction Experience

9 Oct

I’ve been needing a crash course in decision making and quick thinking. I’ve also been needing a new bedside table for our guest room. I’m proud to say that I scored both at my first visit to an auction.

My friend, Leigh, recently expanded my experiences when she invited me to go with her to the Breffle Auction Company in Statham for one of their monthly auctions. I had no idea what to expect except for what I’ve seen in movies about country towns holding auctions on farmland (there’s always a pig) and on tv – thoughts of that old Micro Machines commercial with the fast-talking man filled my head.

Yeah. Not so much. This was way cooler.

Got What I Wanted!

Rows of people’s former treasures filled the warehouse. Some bigger pieces were on wheeled platforms so that they could easily be displayed at the front while the auctioneer was detailing them. People of all ages and styles were present, ready to act fast and pay their price for the item(s) of their choice. I had my sights on two tables. I’ve been wanting to get rid of the plastic shelf in the guest room that I’ve had since college and I found a unique table that I adore to replace it. I just had to be brave enough to bid on it – without going over my budget.

Trouble was – it all was happening so quickly and I wasn’t sure about how to play the bidding game. They start out at one price and then it drops if no one bites at the high amount but you have to be so fast to jump in on the lowest price, not really knowing if it will get any lower. It helped that I needed to wait an hour or so for my table to be bid on because I got to watch and absorb how the frequent auction goers do it.

Looking back on it, I got pretty lucky. I bought the two tables I wanted for $35 and $45. I’ll still never understand how a big shelf and a dining room table went for that about amount too – or even more wow – an entire office desk suite for $5. Yes, $5!

I hope to make it back there. I have my eye on this little pink vanity and chair for Bean. I just have to make room in her room for it – oh and make sure I pounce when the price is right.

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