Tuesday, September 16, 2014

To Craigslist...or not Craigslist. That is the question...



Whew ! My diabetic test strips arrived today. Just in time, as I’d have run out Thursday afternoon. I’d been a bit worried, because the VA website said I wasn’t due for a refill on those ‘til next month ! But they’re here, and I’m happy, which was good, because we also got a Hancock Fabrics mailer, too. (sigh) So many pretty colors and fun Halloween prints…


I’m enjoying using the fabric I have, and truly, I don’t need any more of anything. My main problem is having to dig through the abundance to find what I know I have, not that I don’t have enough of this type or that color. At this point, I should truly only buy anything for a specific project, and as little of it as possible. Like the brown fleece I’m gonna need if the last dress pattern alteration works out. And don’t even get me started on patterns ! But then I get a mailer, and all my best intentions waft away on a sigh.


Decided to list my three DP&M girls – Cinderella, Belle #2, and Anna – on Craigslist, see if someone local would like to buy them. Was gonna put them up on eBay individually, but that meant having $30. in mailing fees readily available, in case they sold. Which we don’t right now. Yeah, I know, the buyer pays shipping, but it can be days before PayPal fully credits my account, days after the buyer paid. I don’t like to make my buyers wait that long. I like to ship when I get notice I got paid, hence having funds available. Plus, I’ll ask a bit more than I want for them, leave room to negotiate.


Every single Craigslist seller I’ve ever had – save for one – has always asked for ‘just a few bucks’ off. I’ll never forget the guy who got me to shave $10. off my asking price for an excellent Gene doll and about $200. worth of clothes and accessories by pleading poverty – then when he came for pickup, bragged about his huge collection and how cheap he got it from stupid sellers. He then handed me the pocket change (for him) for the doll and climbed back into his huge $80K SUV. The money he gave me was our grocery budget for that month. He has a special name and place in my memory, and I don’t think you’d be surprised to learn that neither are very nice.


More recently, we tried to sell an $800. working stove – that’d go for at least $200. at a resale shop – for $50. One seller went back and forth, all worried that we were somehow ripping her off before she spent a dime, asking the same eight or ten questions over and over, that it wasn’t worth her gas money… when she arrived, she liked the stove, and offered us $30. for it. Beloved Hubby told her and her companion to get back into their $30K pickup and don’t bother to call again. And he wonders why I’m such a hermit.



Actually, remembering all those fails makes me pause to wonder if I should bother with Craigslist at all …


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