I’m perusing the local upcoming auctions. Back in the day, I often went to auctions for cheap fun. I rarely went home with anything but had a good time watching the show. In fact, I went to an auction about 25 years ago to maybe buy an antique trunk I saw listed in the flyer and ended up buying my farm, but that’s a different story.
Most personal property auctions now are online. I was looking at the items in one estate auction and the people had 27 punch bowl sets! How could one even acquire so many? Why? And who’s going to buy them? Almost all of them have a minimum $1 bid, with the auction closing in 3 days. Now’s your chance to hydrate with style.
Here’s the original post I made about buying it. Basically, I saw the flyer. I’d been thinking half-heartedly about moving. I was unhappy where I was boarding my horse and wanted him with me. I didn’t have my old house on the market or anything, just idly wishing. I went to the auction - I got there late because someone’s emus where loose in the road and I helped corral them. The original farm was 500 acres and had been in the same family since they originally settled the land in the early 1800’s. It was broken up into lots, most about 10-15 acres. There were a couple other folks bidding on my tract, and they were planning on tearing down the farmhouse and building a McMansion on it. I was the winning bidder at $66K. I soon moved in and sold my old house. Moved my horse out here and got him a companion. I haven’t done nearly what I’d like to my house, but it’s livable and I’m not really particular.
ETA: I didn’t end up buying the trunk. I had to pay 10% down by check the day of the sale, and didn’t have the cash in my checking account to clear the check. My parents were out of town. I went to my uncle, showed him the flyer and said, “I just bought this house, and I need $6K until I can get it from my 401k.” He pulled out his checkbook and said, “Are you sure you don’t want $10K?”
How: By going to local auctions. Why: You name it & folks collect it. These folks have punchbowls but no Legos. The house down the road a piece has the opposite.