How to Find Great Bargains on eBay

Better

Rhiannon Ally: We’re always looking for the best deals but there’s a big difference
between being a bargain hunter and having those strong and clever
bargaining skills. Annie Korzen, author of Bargain Junkie Living the
Goodlife on the Cheap is here to help. You have some great tips today
we’re so excited.

Annie Korzen: Great.

Rhiannon: Now you’re going to give us some tips by showing us the deals you found.

Annie: Um-hmm.

Rhiannon: Now the first one tells us about your bracelet.

Annie: Okay a lot of people shop on eBay. I wanted a silver bracelet. I got this
one its signed its Mexico is worthy about $200 and I got it for $10 because
instead of looking for silver on eBay I spelled it sliver and there was no
competition. A lot of sellers misspell their products so if you look up
Channel with 2 N’s or two L’s or Louis Vuitton and leave the “U” you
will find a lot of misspelled items that no one else is bidding for $10.

Rhiannon: What a great idea so just leave one letter out or just misspell it a little bit.

Annie: Exactly.

Rhiannon: That’s a great tip I love that one. Anyone can do that.

Annie: Sliver bracelet.

Rhiannon: Now tells us about the evening gowns you found?

Annie: I had to go to my son’s very formal black tie wedding in New York and I
needed a really good gown. I live in L.A. and I saw the paper that CBS
was selling out their wardrobe department. I ran over there. The price was
still on a $1200 Carmen Marc Valvo Sequined Gown. It was $1200. I got
it for $20.

Rhiannon: Wow so even if you don’t live in L.A. maybe check local theatre
companies or other places like that.

Annie: Yeah.

Rhiannon: What a great tip. I love that one. Now your dining room chairs?

Annie: They were old and tarred but I love them and I wanted something special.

Rhiannon: You didn’t want to get rid of them.

Annie: I didn’t want to get rid of them and just. I didn’t want to go and just get
some commercially made thing that everybody else has so I asked my
husband if he could take some paint and refurbish them and now each one
is an original work of art.

Rhiannon: They look brand new.

Annie: It just adds a lot of tone to my dining room.

Rhiannon: Now the next step I really enjoy because every one has different skills
even in your neighborhood and you said you actually barter things with
your neighbors?

Annie: I bought goods and services with friends and neighbors a lot and I don’t
love to cook. I have a neighbor who loves to cook.

Rhiannon: I don’t either.

Annie: We’re the same. And she needed some public speaking kit classes so I
gave her some coaching, private coaching for which I would ordinarily
charge maybe $100 an hour she brought me a 5 course chicken dinner
with home made bread, home made pie enough food for the weekend. No
many change hands and we each got a great deal.

Rhiannon: Tell us about the garbage dump.

Annie: I was in Denmark. My husband is Danish. I was at my sister-in-law who’s
a wealthy women and she said he’s dump day you want to go so I thought
“why would I want to do that?” Well, we got there and in the middle of
the dump is this A-Frame building where people put things that they don’t
want anymore but are too good to throw away and you just take whatever
you want and I got this mid century ceramic Danish teapot is probably in a
mid century store is probably worth $125 and I think every apartment
building should do this, every school, every church.

Why are we throwing things out? Why not just keep recycling them?

Rhiannon: Great tip and you have a lot more in your book as well. Thank you so
much and for lots of other great bargaining tips including those amazing
deal catches go to our website at Better TV.com and click on the link.