confession time....

[seedcorn]

Raised on fixing junk, I've had to learn to buy quality when you buy. If it's something you use. Went through way too many tillers-plus the aggravation of constantly fixing-bought quality, get more done, easier, and in long run cheaper.

 

[thistlebloom]

I agree Seed. When we buy tools for our businesses (dh and I that is )
we always buy the best quality we can afford.
Dh bought me my weed whip 22 years ago, more or less and it Stihl runs like a top.

 

[journey11]

I traded work for a used leather couch that I gave kid#1 for his apartment, and traded work a few years ago for an elliptical. That one was regrettable, because even though it was a spendy item when my client bought it, I traded way too much labor for it.
I did end up being able to sell it last year to pay for most of my new truck tires.

You probably didn't even need the elliptical after all of that hard work!

 

[AMKuska]

Seedcorn - I've also learned to question marketing. You can spend a lot of money on something, but that doesn't necessarily make it high quality. Case in point - I recently tested a bunch of deshed conditioners by comparing my dogs normal shed rate to his shed rate after using a deshedding conditioner. I was surprised that some of the top deshedding conditioners didn't seem to work at all, where others eliminated shedding almost completely. Price didn't turn out to be a factor. The cheapest and the most expensive performed the very best, where the middle of the road price range wise didn't work at all.

 

[seedcorn]

Agree price isn't only factor, ie-highest isn't always the best. If something is way cheaper, buyer beware! Had to buy UTV for work. Almost bought a brand that is famous for mowers (heavy, well built), it used a Honda engine-again quality. They used a Detroit transmission-again quality. & it was $1,000+ cheaper. Didn't. Glad now as parts are impossible to get for it.

 

[Nyboy]

My dad also grew up durning the depression, as kids if we wanted to throw something out we had to hide it in the trash. Like Journey said " to be thrify VS lack of time, working 7 days a week, my time is very limited. What I do is the barter system, I love it, I have about 10 business I barter with.

 

[bobm]

My dad also grew up durning the depression, as kids if we wanted to throw something out we had to hide it in the trash. Like Journey said " to be thrify VS lack of time, working 7 days a week, my time is very limited. What I do is the barter system, I love it, I have about 10 business I barter with.

FYI... the Senate issued a law for the IRS to consider bartered items as income and has to be reported as such on your annual tax returns. I would consult with a reputable CPA regarding this.

 

[seedcorn]

IRS will have hard time here as long as all involved do not report any losses or gains in the transaction. But if I exchange labor for an item, then try to expense it or depreciate it out, they will consider it as income. Which it is.

 

[baymule]

SHHHHH............

 

[freedhardwoods]

I buy lots of my tools and machines at auctions and yard sales. Here's a couple (out of many) examples.

I got my big grinder for $5 at an auction. It has a 2" shaft and weighs over 200lbs. It came with 3 extra wheels. New wheels cost over $100 each.

I got my welder for $25. The comparable model today cost $300