Anyone else made a lifestyle out of craigslisting/ebaying? (claim thread)

blong131

blong131

Active member
I'm kind of a freak when it comes to craigslist/ebay flipping, and now im wondering if theres others out there (i think there are, there has to be!). check it:

I wanted to get into mountain biking back about 2 years ago, so i bought a GT Saddleback on craigslist for $60. I beat the shit out of it on the trails, but learned a lot of great mechanic skills fixing it back up. i was ready for a better bike in about 2 months (of hard riding), so i sold it back on craigslist...for $120. this is when i knew i was on to something.

raw profit: 2months of fun + $60

Upgraded to a Cannondale f900 with hydraulic discs. thing was freakin sweet. it was $300. I rode it hard. hit my first drops, took some big falls. learned a ton more about bike mechanics. sold it in summer 2010 for $610 on ebay.

raw profit: 1 year of fun + $310

Picked up a Fuji Supreme from the free section. got $100 velocity fixed/free wheelset with some nice tires included on craigslist. picked up a KMC chain for $10, chopped the bars, and had a baller fixed gear. ripped it hard on the streets of nyc for 1.5 years, just sold it to some hipster for $420

raw profit: 1.5 years of fun + $310

This ones complex. Needed a roadie, picked up a nice trek 1000 for $350. came with speedplay pedals and shimano shoes (used once), and mad other accessories. Used the shoes for a year till i upgraded to sidis, then gave them to my sister. I still use the pedals/clips on my current setup (you'll hear about it later), and still use all the tools and accessories. Sold the bike for $400

raw profit: 4 months of fun on trek 1000 + 2 years(and counting) of sick speedplay pedals and other tools + shoes for me and sister + $50

Found ultegra brifters on craigslist for $40. originally was going to put these on my current roadie, but decided to sell. sold them immediately on ebay for $160

raw profit: $120 (sorry no fun on this one!)

Went to the philly outlets looking for a new oakley jacket. Found the perfect tiger camo goose down puffer, and almost shit myself when i saw the price tag of $35. I asked if they had any more in the back, telling them i'd buy every single one. they only had one, it was size xl. put the xl on ebay when i got home. someone bought it that week for $80.

raw profit: free oakley puffer for mad fun in the deeps + $10

Wanted to get into DJing since i saw the doubles at my local mountain bike park. Picked up a 24" for 120 thinking this was what i wanted for jumping. while it was fun for campus cruising, it sucked for jumping. i traded it on craigslist for a PS3. sold that ps3 on ebay for $210.

raw profit: 1mo fun campus cruising + fun intro to jumping + $90

was at the sierra trading post outlet during vaca this winter (sick place if youre in tahoe) and saw some px12Ti's on the clearance rack for $45. knew i had to have em. was gonna put them on my new bibbys but suprise, i found a better deal on some jesters. sold em on ebay for $150

raw profit: $105 (sorry no fun on this one either)

overall profits shown from these few stories: 2+ years of endless of FUN! + $1035 + sick oakley puffer + speedplay pedals + bike shoes

I have TONS and TONS of other stories like this(i know i've moved 22 bikes through the house in the past 2 years!), im just going off the dome right now cuz its late night and im bored. id really like to make a flippers cult and talk to other people who do this too. As you can imagine, i have mad toys right now that i got for cheap on craigslist and could go for much much more money. just look at this thread I made a while back.

https://newschoolers.com/ns/forums/readthread/thread_id/546292/ that guy now has gold braided Jagwire cables, odi lockons, raceXlite tubeless rear (it was already tubeless on the front, new tires, eggbeater pedals, and selle san marco saddle, all from the clearance section of pricepoint, or craigslist.

Ive also got an absolute beauty of a roadie, a 2003 Bianchi Giro, upgraded to racelite wheelset and carbon post, jag cables and stella wrap on the bars. thing retailed at $1499 without the upgrades, im in $350 at this point.

I dont think what i do is at all immoral (i know the subject would likely come up) cuz i always put having fun over making money. if i would have lost all $300 on my f900, i wouldnt have minded, i still had a year of damn good times with it. but hell, if i can throw it on ebay and make coin, well why not? Also, i always do everything i can to be sure my goods arent stolen. cuz thats absolutely immoral.

I have a ton more flips that arent as impressive, but basically craigslist has allowed me to always keep my head above water cash wise. i think of something i love, do what i love, then figure out how to cash out (usually to upgrade) later. its the basic market principle of inflows>outflows.

does anyone else do this, or am i a wizard?

sparknotes: none. if you dont wanna read, i dont care.

/claim.

 
i used to flip bikes, id like to do it again . I made 400 bucks on a cannondale road bike in 2 days, it was dope.
 
its a stupid profitable market. the ones i dont ride make much more money, but i dont have time to be flipper like that (ive done it on a few occasions when i need cash fast).

i buy stuff to genuinely use, then just sell it for way more after i beat the crap out of it. hell, its even worked on 4 iphones (sold broken ones for more than i paid new, just so i can buy new ones!)
 
i worked an internship on wall street during this time. want to know how much i made from that? dont care, not telling you. but i can assure you its a little more than a few meals in libya, and thats as an intern.

what im trying to say is ive "created" money by having fun. thats the beauty of my lifestyle.

yeah, i am a wizard. /cockyness
 
i think what he meant was that this is more of a hobby.

A lifestyle would be what you do, how you make a living, etc. You don't fully support yourself by flipping items, so its more of a side hobby if you're making your real money with an internship or job.

quite cool, nonetheless. I'd like to do it, but i know i don't have the patience nor time to.
 
word i feel you. its a damn fun hobby though, and the fact that money can come second is awesome. id like to make a lifestyle out of it, where ideally im always living just above $0 but always having fun. aslong as im having fun\n and can afford to have fun at all times, why not? now i just need to have more fun, so i can make more money, right?

Wise words to everyone:

Money cant buy happiness, but happiness can definitely buy money!!

agree or disagree?
 
Your-a-wizard-Harry.jpg
 
its these situations where NS needs a "like" button, its such waste of a top-post just for me to agree.

inb4 "NS isnt facebook"

/"like"
 
I flip skis and old electronics and make bank I bought a pair of skis for 50 bucks and sold it for 225
 
I've taken two go kart that I got for free, slapped a 6 hp engine on one that I got for $20 and a 250cc dirt bike engine that I got for $50 on the other. Total I was $70 in, had to pit another $30 of parts in so now $100. I sold the 6 hp for $400 and the shifter kart for $800. With some mechanical skill you can do a lot of stuff. Also bought a 2007 kona stinky the other day for $400, it has a box er
 
*boxxer fork on it, which in itself is worth $1000. I'll probably sell it soon but it's a pretty fun bike to have so idk
 
i've flipped camera gear before and made profit. bought a camera for 730 sold for 800 bought it again for 600.
 
thats how i always feel. im like ooooh i could flip this, but its sweet. so i have fun on it instead, then sell it when i find something even better.

keep it dude, it will be a fun bike. thats a great find.
 
I do it all the time with old cars and bikes.

Bought an 81 Honda CB650, thing was literally a piece of junk, in restorable shape, but it needed carb cleaned, parts, new wiring harness etc. Bought it for $300, flipped it for $400.

Also did that to a 74 Honda 450 Four, great bike in awesome condition, bought for $400 sold for $650.

Its a great money maker if you do it right.
 
I've done it with cell phones a few times. I bought an 8 gig iPhone for $125 and used it for like 4 or 5 months. Sold it for $165. The day I sold it I bought a blackberry curve for 50 bucks and sold that the next day for $125. That same day I Bought a 16 gig iPhone for $150 and sold it for sold it for $200.

165 bucks for a few days of flipping on craigslist isn't too bad. It was a lot of luck though with people wanting to buy my shit so fast and I doubt I could do it again.
 
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