posted on August 23, 2001 05:29:31 AM
Ok, you work those endless hours scrounging and listing your precious 'dinks' on ebay.
You've suffered through countless NPB's, filed numerous FV credits and mountains of paperwork.
My question is...
"What have you aquired from this?"
I don't mean your ever growing knowledge of auctions, I want to know what physical items you have splurged on.
My vice.....
.....'sporting stores'!
In the last 3 years...
6 - new bicycles
2 - new handguns
1 - like new jetski
1 - used boat
1 - new boat!
(ok, it didn't entirely pay for the boats but it has helped)
We have also purchased countless other little items, including about $2000,00 worth of toys for the grandkids. (all kept here so I can play with it too)
Some of the profits now go to our weekend vacations. Instead of taking weeks off at a time we use our days to make long weekends all summer long. Been doing that for the last several years.
As you can tell, our ebay stuff is slow now. I have abour a dozen running and will not be listing anymore until after Labor day.
posted on August 23, 2001 05:47:58 AM
Well, I still maintain a full time day job, which pays the 'normal' bills. Ebay (and others) have helped me get a jump start on life after university. It's helped me get:
House (okay, still got mortgage, but Ebay got me the down payment)
98 Sunfire car
Furniture/home entertainment system
Now looking into buying a second car (something in the line of a late 70s Vette)
Of course, Ebay profits have also and most importantly helped to expand the business. Gone from about 3-4,000 worth of inventory on hand to about 40,000.
Here's hoping it stays this good. No guarantrees (which is why I keep the day job for now), but definately can't complain.
posted on August 23, 2001 06:13:29 AM
Gravid stole my list! Otherwise, books, frames & pictures, not alot else... cept for the neat business cards I splurged on the other day!
posted on August 23, 2001 07:05:54 AM
My husband and I went to Florida for 11 days last Feb. We spent time in the Keys and we went Bass fishing with friends at Stickmarsh.
I caught one almost 12# - definitely the fish of a lifetime!
I've also paid for lots of little things we wouldn't otherwise have been able to afford.
posted on August 23, 2001 07:05:57 AM
It's going to get me a new computer when my car is paid off! (Less than $400 to go!)
I was able to buy my daughter a DVD Player for her birthday (it was the only thing she wanted) and we eat out quite frequently (well not that McDonalds' and Burger King are 'eating out' with an 8 year old)...
posted on August 23, 2001 07:50:00 AM
eBay is our main source of income, so most of the profits go into rent, utilities, groceries, bills... but we have a nice house, a very cool car (a classic Firebird Formula 350), and enough money to pay our bills and still have a bit left over most months.
And most recently, it's paid for tickets to see Counting Crows at a sold-out concert next week in Orlando.
Rima
posted on August 23, 2001 08:08:29 AM
It pays for my daughter to continue her very expensive (Capriole will second this) riding career. It also pays for the two of us to spend a month in FL each winter doing the riding circuit there (poor Dad has to stay at home and take care of the horses here...ahhhhh).
posted on August 23, 2001 09:42:01 AM
New House
Cabin at the Lake
1994 Pathfinder
1992 Geo Metro
1998 Maxum Ski Boat
New Waterski
New Snow Skis
New Furniture
New Computer
New Cameras
New TV
Vacations to Jamica, Hawaii and Mexico
Weekends away
Hottub
New Deep Freeze
New Tag Watch
Large Savings Account
posted on August 23, 2001 10:11:10 AM
A husband for my daughter!
Well in a way anyway...her husband was previously married. He did a "do it yourself with help from a legal assistant" divorce. Only problem ws..it was never finalized. this was found out a few weeks before the wedding so mom popped for the lawyer fees to get the divorce finalized. 6 months later he was finally free and they got married. All is well now...he is a great guy, they are happy. (the first wife was a nut who didn't know a treasure when it stared her in the face!)
Ebay supplements our retirement income, paid off one car, made a sizeable down payment on another, and, like Packer, gives me more money to buy more ebay stuff! It has helped pay for one son's education, has helped another son when he lost his job. and gives me money to spend on the grandkids (including one adorable step-grandaughter)
posted on August 23, 2001 10:24:04 AM
Bail money for my stepkid, and I was also able to buy a pack of twizzlers from the vending machine at work yesterday!!
posted on August 23, 2001 10:31:50 AM
School tuition and piano lessons for my two kids. A trip to American Girl Place in Chicago last summer, Disneyworld coming up in late January (I think I'm more excited than the kids!). Also paid for my big dopey airedale Sam (and his vet bills, toys etc...). Unfortunately for Sam, my Ebay profits will also be paying for his neutering next week
[ edited by tootsiepop on Aug 23, 2001 10:33 AM ]
[ edited by tootsiepop on Aug 23, 2001 10:33 AM ]
posted on August 23, 2001 10:40:21 AM
I invest all of my profits after expenses. I have a broker I use at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. I do not do day trading or try to do any final investment decisions by myself. I believe in using the services of a professional. However I educate myself on my porfortlio and I spend the equivalent of one full day each week net searching the assets in the portfolio. My broker stays in contact with me on almost a daily basis and drives out to my rural home several times a month to meet with me. I can state with certainty, that even with the ups and downs of the stock market, that my portfolio that has accrued from eBay profits over the past years, the portion of the portfolio outside of the retirement funds, is now in excess of $300,000. Additionally, I have no mortgage, no car payments, no credit card debt, just the normal monthly bills.
posted on August 23, 2001 11:32:41 AM
I've paid medical bills, bought only absolute necessities for the house and kids, saved and invested the rest. (Insert a Smilie with a halo over its head.)
Okay, hubby's gone to work. The TRUTH: I've gone hog wild buying books for my collection (DH thinks they are for resale. HA!)
posted on August 23, 2001 01:11:17 PM
I think I've bought the best thing. Ebay paid for a round of IVF treatments that resulted in twins (boy/girl). Now it is paying for their thousands of toys... (all in mint condition, and the boxes in storage )
posted on August 23, 2001 01:12:20 PM
Paid a mountain of attorney's fees which resulted from a divorce from hell and a really, really stupid custody battle in which attornies got rich and one innocent child was the only one to get hurt.
And I won.
Now, for next year's eBay riches, there's the cruise, the ski vacation....
posted on August 23, 2001 02:46:40 PM
Hay, oats, stable boarding, vet farrier etc.
Eventer, girlfriend, you are spending way outta my league!
Whooo I have heard the cost of boarding down in that area of Florida...ouch.
Of course I funnel a lot back into loot to sell, but I am not full time, so I can be a little frivolous.
Plus savings...despite news to the contrary, folks grow old, it's one of my goals too.
ps Iswanson, pain! I have a friend who went through that. Sometimes, he said, all he wanted to do was call her up and say "let's act civilized."
$15k later, and no kids, it never got nice.
Yikes.
