It’s time to start shopping for my son’s birthday.  He prefers a gift instead of a big party, something of Lego Star Wars.  Off to eBay!

Want to see something scary?

Ouch!  Can Legos really cost that much?  Why do all Legos have to be themed now?  Where are just the plain Legos?  It seems like everything these days is sponsored by someone.  Please send $15 to me for your trashsociety.com and iembracechaos.com Lego bricks.  Free shipping!!!!  LOL, okay I’m joking, unless I can find a way to make Legos from 100% recycled materials.  Currently Lego doesn’t not do this, but I did find a petition site for this topic.

Shopping online?  Online shopping 101:

Know the retail price.

Don’t shop on craigslist or eBay without knowing the retail price of what you’re buying.  Sometimes when you add in the shipping and/or pick up, it’s really not much of a deal.

Haggle, or at least ask for the best price.

I really don’t like the word haggle, but asking for a lower price is not a bad thing.  I guess haggle is more like argue.  Ask nicely, know what you are willing to pay, and sometimes you might get something cheaper than what you set out to pay.  Asking increases your chances by 100%.

Shipping and pick up.

Know the current shipping prices and approximate weight of the item to know if you’re getting a fair deal on the shipping.  Look at the price of the item and shipping together to do your “good deal cost analysis”.  If it’s a local pick up, be safe by taking someone with you or meeting the person somewhere.  If you have to drive far, calculate your time and mileage into the price.  I got my AC filters yesterday and I met the guy at Kohl’s near my house.  He was on his way home from work and it was easy for both of us.

Ask questions.

Most sellers in general are honest about the condition of their items.  Pictures also tell a lot.  If you’re buying used, ask questions.  You know what you want and what ‘used qualities’ you’re okay with.  Several years ago, I bought a treadmill at a yard sale for $125.  It was a really nice one and was a good deal.  When I got it home, it had a funny smell I could not get clean.  It was too big for my room so I decided to sell it.  I listed it on eBay, along with a detailed description of the smell issue.  People asked questions and I answered honestly.  I sold it, full disclosure, for $200.

I could probably go on for hours here, but I think these are the big ones.  If you’re just not sure, it’s probably not a good purchase to make.  Happy trashsociety.com style shopping!