Saturday, November 26, 2011

Craig's List Killer (Deal That Is...)

I swear some days there's like a target on my forehead.  The word in the middle is always a bit different, and today's word would be "Sucker!"  Let me back up just a bit...  The kids have been complaining (nothing new here) that there's never anything to do.  We have no neighbors for them to hang out with, none of their friends live near us, and blah, blah, blah.  So, being the mother of the year, I decide that Santa should arrive a little early this year.  I started searching the ads last week in hopes of finding a pool table/ping pong combo at a reasonable price.  Upon showing my friend Sarah some that I found, she plants the Craig's List seed in my brain.  See on Craig's List I can get something better that someone else no longer wants.  For the first time EVER, I find myself searching the Craig's List ads and actually find a great deal.  This pool table is a professional, stellar deal.  I'm excited!  I call the lady, who is older and seems legit, and arrange a time to meet.  This was last week, by the way.  Because I did watch the Lifetime movie about the Craig's List Killer (granted that was a different transaction about to transpire, but still...), I text all of the lady's information to Kent before the meeting.  I also tell Sarah that if I'm not back in an hour, then I'm probably dead and she should call the cops.  I go and meet the lady's renter, who ends up being very nice.  The pool table is just as great in person as it was on the ad.  Plus it comes with all of the accessories!  I'm psyched about my soon-to-be purchase.  I talk the lady down from $400 to $275.  I'm that good.  The table was originally $1200.  I was taught to be a wheel and dealer, and never settle for anything less than a good bargain.  My husband has to rent a truck, and does so for this morning.  He's enlisted two of his friends (thank you so much Garrett and Brett!) to help with the move.  I drive Garrett on over, with Kent and Brett following in the truck.  Of course, I have a waxing appointment and can't stay and help with the move.  I wish I could've, but it wasn't in the plans...  (slight smile here...)  I head off to my waxing appointment, and leave the three guys to do the heavy lifting.  What I didn't realize was this beast weighs a good 800 pounds.  I'm lying on the waxing bed as the chick is ripping the hair from my eyebrow, when my phone goes off.  I contemplate for a second as to whether or not to answer it.  "Want to get that?" she asks me, and I reply, "No."  After all, I wouldn't want to be rude.  I finish up and call my husband.  He's practically gasping for breath and tells me there's no way these guys can get this beast down in the basement.  They barely got it into the garage.  I arrive at my home, with Starbucks in hand, and see the ensemble I purchased in the garage.  "There's no way to get it down there?" I ask handing one Starbucks to my husband.  Always go into a situation bearing gifts and the outcome will more than likely go your way.  "Babe, have you seen the table?"  "Yes, when I looked at it.  Looked great to me!"  He brings me out to the garage and lifts up the tarp.  I didn't see the 2" slate that was under the green.  Oops.  "We were lucky to get it here--there's no way to get it down in the basement without one of us hurting our backs."  "Can't just man it up?"  Wrong thing to say.  Another oops.  He grabs his phone and starts calling some pool table companies to see if they can move this thing and set it up in our basement.  And they can--for $250!!  Seriously!  So my Craig's List deal cost $275 + $60 (truck rental) + $250 = $585.  Yep, just another day in paradise...

2 comments:

  1. You didnt say if the kids were happy with that or not?

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  2. They just saw it tonight when they came home from their dad's. They're both ecstatic, even though it's not even set up yet! The pool guys are coming on Wednesday for installation. =) I'm happy that they are happy. =)

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