Thrill of the HUNT

I am still in awe of our new purchase. No it is not a new home built to my specks. Nor is it an awesome new van, yes van, with navigation two DVD players, and auto folding seat, oh and did I say new. It is a used swing set purchased off Craigslist for a steal, yes I feel like stole this baby. It was $50 bucks, um yeah, $50 bucks.

In April of last year I wrote a post, FrugalB How To, that outlined what being frugal meant to me.  One small section was about hunting, where I mention Craigslist stalking.Which is what I did to score this baby. However I did not mention some of the challenges you may face when you are buying ala Craigslist. Most of which I faced here.

Craigslist is the best invention in this decade, in my opinion. It allows me to shop 24/7, haggle the price, and and be very specific about my thrifty/second hand hunt. No more shelping out Saturday morning with my fingers crossed that I find something, shoot anything, garage saleing. I can sit in the comfort of my home and just pick and choose what I want to inquire about.

I had been attempting to find a used in great condition swing set since baby number  2 came, that was 7 years ago. We did not have a truck or van but I was determined. However swing sets in my area are hard to come by. And when I did find something worth looking at it would be snatched up by another buyer before I can shoot them an email or text.

Approximately 2 weeks ago there was a perfect set in my town, up the street for $150. I responded to the ad 20 min after it was posted. We were ready with our truck (yeah), rope and bungee's. I just knew I was first. Well it was a no go, someone was picking it up at that very moment:( Boy was I sad. But it just gave me renewed hope that my $200 swing set budget was possible.

Well Monday, MLK holiday, I was again paroozing Craigslist for baby items, no new kids just a new venture, and I see the swing set above. The listing said "house sold and the swing set had to go, must haul, first come first served, $50, and there was a picture". Um, what, $50? This had to be a joke! Joke or no joke I shot the lister an email a few hours after it was posted, fingers crossed.  Again a day late or and a dollar short, I was to late. She had sold it. I mourned my loss, yes full on grieving , and moved on.

Then I got an email at 11pm that said that the first person could not pick it up the following day and if I could it was mine. Done and done. I got hubby to meet me on his lunch break, canceled my plans, and we took that baby apart while my two youngest played in the listers yard. Yes I brought my babies, it was the only way I could make it happen.  2.5 hours after our arrival I was driving home with a full swing set in the bed of our truck, half put together!

Thanks honey for forgoing lunch to help ME!!!!!

 My husband was really worried about me driving it home. But the alterntive was to have it in the back of his truck at his office. Not a good look. So off I went at 25 MPH on the back roads. And now it sits waiting for the weekend to put it together.

!!!I WIN!!!