# Keep getting outbid!



## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

Oh the frustration. Every single train set I try to get on eBay. At the last minute I get outbid by a dollar. It is frustrating. 

Just venting a little.


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## pookybear (Feb 3, 2011)

It is the start of tax season. Just give it a bit and hopefully it will cool down a bit and some deals will return. 

Pookybear


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## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

Thanks pookybear. I hope I can get a ready to run set soon. I thought I had the last one. Looking at the time end, I was like. Yes! finally. Then it changed to "You got outbid" I was like. Wha? 

It was a good loco start set. MTH Santa Fe DCC ready, and lost by a dollar. 

I am trying to get my first set. I already got a used loco, but that is all. Nothing to run it on.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Welcome to eBay. How about a little help with your problem. You are being bushwhacked by a sniping program. I confess, I use one all the time, Gixen. It's great, you put your best price in and it waits until six seconds before the auction closes and then places your bid. You'll win a lot more auctions.

Gixen is free, and for peanuts you can add some features and also have the benefit of two different servers for 100% reliability.


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## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

Nice. Thanks. I will try. I hope I can find another great deal.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

NO warranty, but it sure increased my odds when I was bidding.


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## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

I think also part of the problem is that I have no idea if I am getting a good deal. I know this last one was, but I see lots of stuff, and do not know what I am looking at. If that makes any sense.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You just have to decide what you're willing to pay, and if you want to know what similar items are going for, just go to an eBay search and using the Advanced options, search Sold auctions. I do that all the time to see what items I'm looking for actually are selling for.


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## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

Right now I am just trying to get me a DCC control set. I have a used train an nothing to run it on. I am planing to do European Layout. 

Perhaps is best if I get the John Bull Train Set to start with.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Rock022 said:


> Right now I am just trying to get me a DCC control set. I have a used train an nothing to run it on. I am planing to do European Layout.
> 
> Perhaps is best if I get the John Bull Train Set to start with.


I am a little confused.

(1) The John Bull is a famous American train -- not a European train. Its history is well documented.

(2) The John Bull is a DC train, not a DCC train. The cars are too small to install a decoder in.

The John Bull (and the other 1830s trains produced by Bachmann) are TINY. The pick up wheels are so close together that they will stall on standard HO, un-powered, turnout frogs. You really need to run it on a layout without turnouts -- which is pretty prototypical for the 1830s.


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## Bwells (Mar 30, 2014)

I second that. If it is in a green box, don't touch it! Motor is in the tender and a driveshaft to the loco, terrible pickup as mentioned. Find a diesel for your starter.
You need to learn to snipe, don't show your hand until the very end. Count the time and match it to your watch. When it gets down to one minute, put in your bid and wait till 15 seconds left and then click submit. No one has time to outbid but you don't have time to bid again either. Try it.


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## time warp (Apr 28, 2016)

I do it a little differently, I know what I am after, and I factor in the time it would take me to find another one( If at all). I won't pay through the nose, but at times I am very willing to pay more than an item is worth just so I can get on with life. I've bid double what something was worth before, but never had to pay that much when it was said and done.

On the other hand, if I'm just trolling for bargains I'll bid maybe .50 over minimum. I win a good many that way.:sold:


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

I rarely, if ever, lose a auction unless I'm just funning around, and want to bid on SOMETHING,lol..I don't use any sniping programs, but do have a certain way I bid. And if I let my secret out, I'll be the one losing auctions,lol....


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

My methods is that I just decide the max I want to spend including shipping, and then close to the end of the auction I enter my max bid. If I win, I win.

I may try that Gixen service though... but still use my max bid method to choose my bid.

Also, just because you are getting outbid by a dollar doesn't mean that was the other guys highest bid, so don't sweat the details.


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## mjrfd99 (Jan 5, 2016)

flyernut said:


> I rarely, if ever, lose a auction unless I'm just funning around, and want to bid on SOMETHING,lol..I don't use any sniping programs, but do have a certain way I bid. And if I let my secret out, I'll be the one losing auctions,lol....


Same here. Hope we don't go after the same stuff 
Got a few good scores even before Christmas when the trains and slots get more action.


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## NAJ (Feb 19, 2016)

Take a look at the model train stores online and look at their prices, check your local hobby shop and any local train shows in your area (you may have to google your zip code to find them) and you can see what the sets are going for retail and then you will know if you are getting a bargain on eBay.

I snipe but do it myself if I am home at the time the auction ends, if not I just put in my max bid and if I do not win I know there will be another.

You can also purchase track, controllers, and loco's/rolling stock individually then you get exactly what you want.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/

https://www.walthers.com/

http://stores.ebay.com/OmniModels/


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

For a new train set, I suggest watching the online discount train stores rather than ebay.
They have good sales all the time. Last month I bought an O scale locomotive for a
great deal. Better than I would have got on ebay. I do watch ebay and like John said
watch "completed auctions" to get a feel for prices. This loco I bought had a 249.99 MSRP
Trainworld normally sells it for 179.99, good price, but they had a "super sale" on it for
129.99. That is 50% off MSRP. You have to know your prices and when you see a deal
jump on it.


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## DavefromMD (Jul 25, 2013)

Check out MB Klein for the best prices on NEW stuff.
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/

Trainworld is another resource for low cost new stuff.
https://www.trainworld.com/

Both have very extensive inventory.


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## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

All the above is good advice.

Here is what I do. Know what you want and know what you are willing to pay including shipping.

There is your max number, stick to that and no more.

U will win some and you will lose some, but you wont feel guilt over them.

Do not get involved in pee pee measuring contests, as that is what bidding wars are and you lose.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

3.8TransAM said:


> Do not get involved in pee pee measuring contests, as that is what bidding wars are and you lose.


I'm always amazed when I see people bid more than they could just buy it for on amazon, or through another ebayer. That's where your research comes in... know what it's available for elsewhere before you start bidding. If it's not available elsewhere then that's where you have to decide how badly you want it. If it's not a one-of-a-kind item or very rare, it WILL come back up in the future, so don't worry about it. Make an active search in ebay and save it and you'll be alerted when another one is listed.

I also laugh at the bidders, often new members, who with 7 days left to bid will bid 1 dollar higher than the last bid, and then just keep doing that, bidding 1 dollar more over and over again... like they are going to win it like that.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Tom_C said:


> I'm always amazed when I see people bid more than they could just buy it for on amazon, or through another ebayer. That's where your research comes in... know what it's available for elsewhere before you start bidding. If it's not available elsewhere then that's where you have to decide how badly you want it. If it's not a one-of-a-kind item or very rare, it WILL come back up in the future, so don't worry about it. Make an active search in ebay and save it and you'll be alerted when another one is listed.
> 
> I also laugh at the bidders, often new members, who with 7 days left to bid will bid 1 dollar higher than the last bid, and then just keep doing that, bidding 1 dollar more over and over again... like they are going to win it like that.


There's a misconception here. People don't just bid 1 dollar over the max. Say a item has a bid on it for $10 bucks, and you put a bid on it for $15. The price of the item will reflect an increase of the price of the item by .50 cents. So that $10 item now has a high bid of $10.50. If you lose a item, if you're the last bidder, you'll always see the loss at .50 cents over your last bid.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

flyernut said:


> There's a misconception here. People don't just bid 1 dollar over the max. Say a item has a bid on it for $10 bucks, and you put a bid on it for $15. The price of the item will reflect an increase of the price of the item by .50 cents. So that $10 item now has a high bid of $10.50. If you lose a item, if you're the last bidder, you'll always see the loss at .50 cents over your last bid.


Correct, except that at some price point, the increment increases to $1.00. I think there are larger increments at higher prices, but I don't buy very expensive stuff, so I'm not sure where the higher increments take effect.

Another tip for the original poster: Add a few cents to your maximum bid. If your maximum bid is $20, put in $20.10. If you are winning at the current price of, say $17, and somebody comes along and bids $20 at the last minute, you will win the item.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

flyernut said:


> I rarely, if ever, lose a auction unless I'm just funning around, and want to bid on SOMETHING,lol..I don't use any sniping programs, but do have a certain way I bid. And if I let my secret out, I'll be the one losing auctions,lol....


No secret, just bit $10,000 on any item and you'll usually get it.


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## Rock022 (Jan 2, 2017)

Okay I feel a little better. After listening to you guys and sleeping. 

I thought I was getting an awesome deal, but it was not as awesome as I thought it was. I was bidding on a Santa Fe F3 Fright deluxe set. When I looked at the price online, I found a lot of prices over $200. I was wining the bid at $72. I lost to $73

You guys mentioned Trainworld.com and they have it for $134.99. So I was looking at the wrong sites for prices. Thank you guys. 

What is a good DCC starter set if I want to get an expensive loco latter? I am not too familiar with the brands.

Oh, and I had mentioned that I was thinking of buying the John the bull train set instead of the DCC I was looking for, but it was just so I could get the dc controller and some track for the used loco I bought, plus I like the old fashion trains. But something tells me that the John the bull train is cheap and may not run well.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

flyernut said:


> There's a misconception here. People don't just bid 1 dollar over the max. Say a item has a bid on it for $10 bucks, and you put a bid on it for $15. The price of the item will reflect an increase of the price of the item by .50 cents. So that $10 item now has a high bid of $10.50. If you lose a item, if you're the last bidder, you'll always see the loss at .50 cents over your last bid.


Yes, I know. What I meant in my reply was that the people WILL bid only X amount over the last bid, and then keep doing that over and over. You can tell by looking at the bid history and you can see the people who are only bidding a small amount over the previous bids and doing that repeatedly, vs the people who just bid one high bid and you will see in the bid history that they only placed one bid. You can also click to show or hide the automatic bids from the bid history, and will definitely show you the people bidding repeatedly vs those who only bid one high bid.

The inexperienced bidders will be the ones making multiple small bids, as opposed to the veterans who will make just 1 or a few large bids. That will show in the bid history.



MtRR75 said:


> Another tip for the original poster: Add a few cents to your maximum bid. If your maximum bid is $20, put in $20.10. If you are winning at the current price of, say $17, and somebody comes along and bids $20 at the last minute, you will win the item.


That's what I do. I've won several items for the additional few cents I've added to my bid.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> No secret, just bit $10,000 on any item and you'll usually get it.


:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh: You found my secret!!!!!


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

On E-Bay you can find the "Bid Increments", E-Bay doesn't make it easy to find. 
At the top of the page click on "Help & contact".
Then click on "Buying". 
Go to "buying basics". 
"How Bidding works".
"Automatic Bidding". 
And finally "Bid Increments"
And there you will find a list of values and the bid increment for each value. This is how I found it, there may be short cuts that I don't know about. If you want to refer to it often, bookmark the page, and then use the book mark to get there. 

One thing that will definitely help is to know what you are bidding on, if you don't know for sure, don't bid, there is a good chance that the seller doesn't know what he is selling. 

When I bid on something, I always wait till the last few seconds to bid, unless the bid has gone higher than I am willing to pay. Yes I'm a sniper, but I figure that if the other bidder hasn't placed his maximum bid in order to get a bargain, then that bidder deserves to loose the item. 

When looking at the item, click on the box "place bid" without placing a value in the other box, this will open a window with a timer that will count down the last minutes and seconds till the auction closes. If you put a value in the box you can click the button to place the bid in the last few seconds, you might win if your maximum bid is higher than the other bidders, if not you will loose and will have to try again on another item. 

It also helps to be able to read the "bid history" but if you want anymore tips on that, it will need to be in a PM.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I wait for the last few seconds as well, I just let Gixen do it for me so I don't have to worry about getting up at 3:00 AM when an auction finishes!


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> No secret, just bit $10,000 on any item and you'll usually get it.


Yes you might win a lot of auctions, but you might end up paying a lot more than you should. If the 2nd bidder bids crazy you would be bidding to outbid a crazy high bid.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I wait for the last few seconds as well, I just let Gixen do it for me so I don't have to worry about getting up at 3:00 AM when an auction finishes!


I have found that most auctions close in the evening of eastern time, only a few close at other times. At least that is the case with the auctions that I watch.


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## Tom_C (Jan 8, 2016)

thedoc said:


> One thing that will definitely help is to know what you are bidding on, if you don't know for sure, don't bid, there is a good chance that the seller doesn't know what he is selling.


Also, if you are in the search for something, search for misspelled items, or items that have the wrong model number, etc.

The more you look on ebay you will notice how people list items and will start to see how they also misspell words. Do searches for those words and you'll be surprised what you find.

Yes. I need a life.


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## MtRR75 (Nov 27, 2013)

Rock022 said:


> Something tells me that the John the bull train is cheap and may not run well.


It is not cheap, but very tiny and delicate. These trains were produced a number of years ago, and what is selling now is either used or new old stock. This means that they may need some cleaning and lubrication. Bachmann produces at least 5 different trains. I have four of them. Two run quite well, but not perfect. The other two have a few issues, but still will run most of the time. I don't run mine on my main layout, due to the turnout issue that I mentioned earlier. Instead, I set up an oval track with no turnouts on a table and run them there one at a time.

These trains are really more like collectors' items. I bought them because of their interesting histories, and because they represent the earliest railroads in this country. Most of my family and friends are not railroad people (model or otherwise). But when they visit my layout, they are always fascinated by the small trains and their histories. They end up learning something. And my wife thinks they are cute.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Knowing what things should cost, or can be bought for elsewhere, is key. Case in point. My son and i just got back from the Amherst show. One of the first places we stopped had Tangent models, marked MSRP $59.99. Show Special: $39.00. My son thought that was a great deal, until i went to the Tangent website and looked. MSRP is $39.99. That crook got none of our business.

Gotta know the real value!


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Tom_C said:


> Also, if you are in the search for something, search for misspelled items, or items that have the wrong model number, etc.
> 
> The more you look on ebay you will notice how people list items and will start to see how they also misspell words. Do searches for those words and you'll be surprised what you find.
> 
> Yes. I need a life.


Yes, misspellings can be quite a problem, another thing is the unscrupulous seller who lists an item and claims it to be a more valuable item. I usually just overlook that seller, especially if I suspect that they are doing it on purpose.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

thedoc said:


> Yes you might win a lot of auctions, but you might end up paying a lot more than you should. If the 2nd bidder bids crazy you would be bidding to outbid a crazy high bid.


And then you don't pay..Retract the sale/bid as a mistake...Many people do not realize it but if a seller/buyer has put in negative feedback, you CAN have it removed... I've done it.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

flyernut said:


> And then you don't pay..Retract the sale/bid as a mistake...Many people do not realize it but if a seller/buyer has put in negative feedback, you CAN have it removed... I've done it.


But a seller can only post positive FB for a buyer, and it has been this way for several years. That is why I don't pay much attention to FB for a buyer, and for a seller I only look at what people are complaining about, if it's not the product, it really doesn't matter.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You can only get certain feedback removed. If eBay feels it was justified, it's going to stay. 

I've only ever had one negative feedback, and I did get it removed. The bozo leaving feedback never even bought anything, so I didn't understand how he got to leave it at all! I withdrew a listing because of a major error in the description, and he somehow posted negative feedback because he had bid on it. However, he wasn't out anything, no money changed hands, so I complained and it was removed.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I don't bid till 12 to 18 seconds before auction is over. Really no need to, unless you can't be around for auction end. That's where one of those bidding programs would be nice.
Bidding early is like playing poker while showing everybody your cards. 

Most of the time the "buy it now" prices are high. Some sellers are in La La land. They
are fishing for that one buyer that has to have it now or a buyer that could care less about a deal.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> You can only get certain feedback removed. If eBay feels it was justified, it's going to stay.
> 
> I've only ever had one negative feedback, and I did get it removed. The bozo leaving feedback never even bought anything, so I didn't understand how he got to leave it at all! I withdrew a listing because of a major error in the description, and he somehow posted negative feedback because he had bid on it. However, he wasn't out anything, no money changed hands, so I complained and it was removed.


In the early days (when I first joined) anyone could leave feedback for anyone, no matter what. Then they linked all feedback to a sale. Now the seller can only leave positive FB and the buyer can leave all FB Positive, neutral, and negative. Makes FB by a seller rather useless.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

mopac said:


> I don't bid till 12 to 18 seconds before auction is over. Really no need to, unless you can't be around for auction end. That's where one of those bidding programs would be nice.
> Bidding early is like playing poker while showing everybody your cards.
> 
> Most of the time the "buy it now" prices are high. Some sellers are in La La land. They
> are fishing for that one buyer that has to have it now or a buyer that could care less about a deal.


Or the buyer who doesn't know what the item is really worth, and just can't wait.


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> You can only get certain feedback removed. If eBay feels it was justified, it's going to stay.
> 
> I've only ever had one negative feedback, and I did get it removed. The bozo leaving feedback never even bought anything, so I didn't understand how he got to leave it at all! I withdrew a listing because of a major error in the description, and he somehow posted negative feedback because he had bid on it. However, he wasn't out anything, no money changed hands, so I complained and it was removed.


I recently had a buyer leave a neutral FB for an item that he complained cost too much, but he placed the bid and payed the price. I really don't understand what the problem was, and I just left it be.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

thedoc said:


> In the early days (when I first joined) anyone could leave feedback for anyone, no matter what. Then they linked all feedback to a sale. Now the seller can only leave positive FB and the buyer can leave all FB Positive, neutral, and negative. Makes FB by a seller rather useless.


Yep, I don't bother with FB as a seller, what's the point?


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## RonthePirate (Sep 9, 2015)

thedoc said:


> I recently had a buyer leave a neutral FB for an item that he complained cost too much, but he placed the bid and payed the price. I really don't understand what the problem was, and I just left it be.


doc, I think some people just have to gripe.

Maybe they do it so it gets rid of their buyer's remorse faster.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Rock022 said:


> Oh the frustration. Every single train set I try to get on eBay. At the last minute I get outbid by a dollar. It is frustrating.


Think of all the money you're saving and be thankful.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

thedoc said:


> I recently had a buyer leave a neutral FB for an item that he complained cost too much, but he placed the bid and payed the price.


That's pretty amusing, was there someone there with a gun to his head forcing him to bid? :laugh:


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Cycleops said:


> Think of all the money you're saving and be thankful.


Quite, when I get outbid on an item, I tell my wife, "our money is still safe."


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## Lemonhawk (Sep 24, 2013)

Add up those missed bids and proclaim them "savings", similar to all that you saved on that great discount you got on the mink coat!


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## thedoc (Oct 15, 2015)

Lemonhawk said:


> Add up those missed bids and proclaim them "savings", similar to all that you saved on that great discount you got on the mink coat!


What I don't understand is, since I saved all that money, why am I not rich?


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

thedoc said:


> What I don't understand is, since I saved all that money, why am I not rich?


Your wife spent it when you weren't looking.

Either that or you sent your kids to college....


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

You probably blew all your money on the frivolous things....like food, shelter, clothing, etc, etc......


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## sanepilot (Mar 11, 2012)

*Ebay buys*

Hi,all..I had a problem about 4 yrs ago on a piece I was bidding on. Ebay or the sellel was shilling the bid on a coupla things. It isn`t done to me anymore. I called ebay and dressed them down. Don`t know whether it was the seller or ebay.Paypal messed me up royally and I don`t use them anymore.

I bid my highest bid. If I get it or not. No big deal with me. I`ve waited all my life for a lot of things. Always comes to him who waits,sooner or later.. Have a good week,enjoy it might be your last,sanepilot


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