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| See? Howitzer |
A truck was on a huge vacant lot with goods spread on and around the truck. I pulled over and exbf and I got out of the car. As I wandered around, I saw little that interested me. Exbf asked me if I saw the ammunition boxes. NO! So, he pointed them out and told me that one held howitzer shells. I had never seen such a thing and tried not to let my mouth hang open, gaping at the writing on the box. I walked away so as not to appear too interested. When the owner of the goods had finished with another customer, exbf rushed over and asked how much the ammunition boxes were.
I looked them over more closely and saw that the rope handles were all replaced. Some of the wood on the box was new, also. I pondered the value. In the meantime, exbf told me they were $7 for the two boxes.
Still, I was thinking. Exbf and I walked in different directions. When we were about 15 feet apart, he found something and yelled to me.
Exbf had walked to the bed of of the truck, and very loudly said, "This looks like something you would love." He held something high as he yelled at me. I cringed and went over. It was a half gallon decorative square jar with a top that had a removable rubber gasket, glass top, and metal closure--airtight. Yes, I would like that. Exbf held it high again and yelled to the guy and asked him what was the cost. $1. At this point, I knew I could never get it for 50 cents.
The guy came over where I had come back to the boxes. Exbf said to the guy, "You should have seen her eyes bug out when I showed her the box held howitzer shells!" Feeling defeated, deflated as well as being very tired, I just decided to leave.
Right now, I have no idea if I would have bought anything there, but I feel as though my bargaining power had been stripped away by exbf. I had no power, no bargaining power.
Never act excited to find something. Be cool. Stay low key. Do not hold an item to your chest, and sob, overwhelmed you finally found the doll just like the one you lost. If you do, the price goes up or just never comes down. Jump up and down after you get home! Cry your heart out--just not in front of the seller.
Got it?
I shopped with a female friend all the time for several years. I would be bringing her an item because I knew she wanted it or was looking for the item. She would turn and get all shrill, saying that she wanted it so why did I get it first. This idiot thought she should have first dibs on anything I saw even when we were on opposite sides of a yard sale. Needless to say, she paid top dollar for everything I brought her because she was so loud, proclaiming her love of the item. She never caught on.
Neither has he. We have had the discussion several times.
He has been "instructed" before on yard sale cool. I was too tired to be nice and not get shrill and terse. So, I let it go. I said nothing to him about what he had done. I suppose I will have to remind him every time we stop to be low key. He cannot hold things over his head and yell that this is something I will want....ever....ever...again. I will lose my cool.
Your turn
Do you ever have a shopping companion ruin a good deal by being eager for you? Or, for herself? Or, for himself? Do you ever lose it and express your delight before you pay for an item?
No, I usually go by myself. Just haven't been to any this year because I don't need any more 'stuff'!
ReplyDeleteMaybe that's why he's your exbf! LOL! Blessings from Bama!
Bama Girl,
ReplyDeleteI did not need the ammo boxes either. The glass container? I could have used that.
Many reasons why he is ex!
I usually go alone, too. Sometimes I just have to look!
I would have grabbed those ammo boxes. They're worth their weight in gold.
ReplyDeleteMy ex and I were car shopping. There's the art of the deal, and everyone knows the rules of combat.
But my ex read the sticker price and said "We'll take it."
God how I hated him at that moment.
Lotta joy,
ReplyDeleteYou think I should buy them if I can find the guy?To my mind the printed boards were worth more than the whole box that was mostly reconstructed, not even very well.
I have asked him twice to play the heavy when I was buying something. He just stood there, very politely and in front of the salesman and said, "Linda, I think you ought to get it since you really want it so bad." I wanted him to say, "No, we are not getting that. It is too expensive." Then, the salesman would have come down like I wanted him to.
The only time I don't engage the person in combat is when the person is so obviously poor and the deal is already good. I don't have the heart. Plus, when esx-husband and I went to Mexico, the prices for trinkets was so cheap that I had no stomach for dickering.
Otherwise, I am a master.
Exbf had a car tear up this last year. He had a neighbor drop him off at a used car lot. I almost died when I heard that. He overpaid by about $2K for a 98 GrandAm. The car dealer had him and he knew it. Read the post about $12K I saved him. I am posting it later this week.
Discretion is the better part of valor.
ReplyDeleteSue,
DeleteSo true! Besides, we have had the discussion before. He thought he was helping.