Seller had cleaned out his barn/house and had a pile of stuff for sale. I bought a Stihl MM55 roto-tiller (bigger version of a Manis if you're familiar with them). Had considered one back in the summer, but the $350 price tag on them seemed a bit steep. Bought this lightly used one yesterday for 80 bucks. Put gas mix in it, and it fired right up. Air filter in it like new.....my guess is very few hours on it. Be good for getting close in around corn/etc. Then I bought a small concrete mixer. 4 cuft. Sears Roebuck.....probably 25-30years old, but didn't look bad. Originally had a 1.5hp electric motor on it, but had been replaced with a 6.5hp Briggs Intek horizontal shaft of fairly late vintage.....I figured the engine was worth 100 bucks or more alone. Gave $25 for it. Worked on it today....took carb apart, cleaned it good (lot of crud in it), changed oil, filled with gas and it fired right up. Greased the two bearing points and now have a decent little mixer. Similar ones on Craigs list go for 150-300 bucks. Last deal was a 20' Werner fiberglass extension ladder....the heavy duty red ones, Type 1A, 300lb rating. New they run $225 or so. Gave $35 for it. Bought it for a neighbor, he's building a house and realllllllly needs one.....so I'll sell it to him for what I paid if he wants it, or put it on CL for 100 bucks if not....I've got plenty of ladders. So...spent 140 bucks, got around 750 bucks worth of stuff (maybe more) of stuff new price.
Often find good old made in USA hammers, chisels, hoes, axes, peevy, hand cross cut saws, falling wedges, etc for a couple bucks when the cheap Chinese junk would cost you $50. Been given Buck wood chisels etc, without handles, etc, stuff that just isn't available anymore.
And, that right there is why you want to have some cash on hand so you can pick up a good deal now and then.
As Dunerunner said, over the years my best buys have been things people are getting rid of because they need the money and pawn shops, gun shops, will give them pennies. A while back and gone now, but paid $50 for a Springfield 06 from a co worker who was getting divorced and whose wife was playing the "abuse" game at her lawyers advice. Figured he was going to lose it anyway and would rather have my money than the police take it. People moving, downsizing, losing their homes, do all kinds of crazy things and I hope to do the same if I ever have to leave my location. A lot of things I plan on just passing down to the next prepper, God willing, but if I die before I do, my kid will have a yard sale, haul to the dump, most of the stuff I have put away. I think his goal in life for prepping, is to be in charge of the computers at the FEMA camp.
I used to prefer estate sales (not conducted auctions) over garage sales because of the better quality and wider ranging spread of items >>>> however - now the family doesn't want to be involved organizing and running the sale - they are turning it over to companies that specialize in it - all the companies do is Google the full retail price or the highest Ebay $$$$ posted and tag it 50% off - usually freaking idiotic prices ...
