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  • JThw8

    Nov. 16, 2011 7:40 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

    After years of Ebay, live auctions etc you take for granted some of the skills/tactics that go into auction life.

    Tonite my wife went to a fundraising auction for her professional organization. One of the big prizes was a fully paid, airfare, hotel and tickets, trip for 2 to see the Eagles play Dallas in Dallas next year.

    Her brother is a big Dallas fan so it was deemed a great Christmas gift but valued at $3000. Her folks bought in for a bit, and I offered a bit and she had to make up the rest. Our max mid should have been around $650.

    So she called me as the bidding is starting then hands the phone to her friend so I had to listen while she LOST HER FREAKING MIND.

    First off she was just all bid early, bid often, not letting things cool off, then she proceeded to go waaay over the allotted budget because she HAD to win. She still came in way under the value of the package but it was painful.

    Thankfully we have a her money/my money arrangement and we dont ever fight about money. I'll give her what I promised, her folks will do the same but she bit off a big chunk for herself that she now has to live with.

    It was just painful to listen to her make all the "auction excitement" mistakes without being able to stop her......ugh.

  • Nov. 16, 2011 7:46 p.m. TRoglodyte HalfDork

    Write the check and fuggedabotit, you now have a free pass for your next automotive ADD moment

  • mad_machine

    Nov. 16, 2011 7:48 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

    good point, TR.

    Auctions ARE exciting. Much more so than anything Online.

    I see the same thing here in Atlantic City at the poker tables. People who play well on the online games lose their minds when they are sitting around a real table with fellow players, a REAL dealer, and chips.

    The Alcohol does not hurt

  • cwh

    Nov. 16, 2011 7:50 p.m. cwh SuperDork

    Nononono- The Alcohol does not HELP!!

  • JThw8

    Nov. 16, 2011 7:56 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

    TRoglodyte wrote:

    Write the check and fuggedabotit, you now have a free pass for your next automotive ADD moment

    Like I said, we maintain separate accounts so the money doesn't stress me, it was just frustrating to see her go into the feeding frenzy and not be able to slow it. My next automotive ADD moment will pay the tab on this if she got herself into a bind and she's learned that long ago so I don't get too much grief :)

    cwh wrote:

    Nononono- The Alcohol does not HELP!!

    She was sober, of that I am sure. She needed a little crazy excitement so good for her. I vent here so I don't vent when she gets home. I already called her mom and warned her because she's gonna go apeE36 M3 when she hears the final price. I told her "she is very happy about what she was able to do for her brother so just let her be happy about it" No point in any of us putting a downer on what has made her very happy. I think she's just trying to one up me because without her knowing I bought BIL and his GF a very nice gift last christmas. The holiday spirit overcame me and it was something they really wanted.

  • Cole_Trickle

    Nov. 16, 2011 8:00 p.m. Cole_Trickle Reader

    I got in over my head at an auction this summer. I got bailed out during the auction for the autographed Joe Montana jersey. My excitement let me get to $800 before the other guy threw down a big number. Looking back, I am so glad that I didnt win that one. I did win a Corvette Stingray lithograph that was a low number piece for under a hundred bucks.

  • Nov. 16, 2011 8:01 p.m. TRoglodyte HalfDork

    It's only money.

  • JThw8

    Nov. 16, 2011 8:04 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

    TRoglodyte wrote:

    It's only money.

    I agree, and the money doesnt bother me one bit. If I have to write a check for the whole thing then so be it. She had fun and is very happy with herself. We've had some setbacks recently in family and health so she deserves all the fun she can get.

    It was just the insanity of watching(listening) to my very conservative restrained wife just loose her freaking mind that has me shocked. Heck Im actually kind of amused by it. If I was there I'd have bid it up too so its no sweat, I just know it could have been played better for a cheaper outcome.

  • pinchvalve

    Nov. 16, 2011 8:04 p.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

    You couldn't pay me $3000 to watch the Eagles.

  • JThw8

    Nov. 16, 2011 8:20 p.m. JThw8 SuperDork

    pinchvalve wrote:

    You couldn't pay me $3000 to watch the Eagles.

    That's the really funny part, we've both been on an NFL boycott for a few years now. But she doesn't impose her values on her family and her brother loves Dallas. More importantly he and his long term GF could use the vacation together so even if they skip the game its a great weekend away.

  • 914Driver

    Nov. 17, 2011 5:42 a.m. 914Driver SuperDork

    It's for a good cause ....

  • HiTempguy

    Nov. 17, 2011 1:03 p.m. HiTempguy SuperDork

    JThw8 wrote:

    of watching(listening) to my very conservative restrained wife just loose her freaking mind that has me shocked. Heck Im actually kind of amused by it. If I was there I'd have bid it up too so its no sweat, I just know it could have been played better for a cheaper outcome.

    Sounds like tonight would be a good time to experiment after hours, if you know what I mean.

    Giggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggity giggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggity giggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggitygiggity

    GOO!

    I'm spent/

  • Cone_Junky

    Nov. 17, 2011 1:24 p.m. Cone_Junky HalfDork

    My wife co-chaired an auction committee last year and is chairing the committee this year. I witnessed a lot of the same behavior last year at our kid's school auction. Especially since she is chairing this year, I hope a lot more people get excited and spend lots of money too. After all...it's for the children!

  • integraguy

    Nov. 17, 2011 3:40 p.m. integraguy SuperDork

    In my only experience in a "live" auction, I bid an unbelieveably small amount for a government surplus Fairmont wagon. I figured, who wants this car? (It was a baby blue, 6 cylinder-powered, vinyl upholstered box of a car. You were alIowed to "inspect it", but you couldn't start or drive it. I bid all of $35, and it sold for like $125-$200.

  • wbjones

    Nov. 17, 2011 4:09 p.m. wbjones SuperDork

    my only experience with a live auction was 30 some yrs ago at an art auction... not very well advertised or attended.... bought several pictures, all but one at opening asking price... one that I wanted very much ( a near match to another I'd already purchased) was also wanted by someone else.... my strategy ( I call it that ) was as soon as the other bidder opened their mouth I made the next bid... very calmly ... but very instantly .... after about 4 bids from the lady trying to buy the picture she just gave up

 
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