Smarter Ebay sellers..... nope DUMB Ebay buyers

[TrailBeast]

I dumpster dive for all kinds of stuff. I will add this to my list.

We get aircraft sheetmetal on pallets where i work. Theres heavy duty paper placed between each sheet. I roll it up and take it home and use for auto body masking paper. Also under the bottom sheet protecting it from the pallet theres usually 1/8" thick masonite or a little thicker like 3/16" i used the 1/8" to make the trunk divider panels and package trays for both cudas i have, and the 3/16" to make spare tire boards for both cudas as well. Free, and all i needed was my jigsaw, a sander, and the old shot pieces for templates.

The pallets come with heavy duty corrugated cardboard flat sheet on top to protect the top sheet during transport. I save this too, because i have used it to construct special sized boxed to ship parts in.

The package tray in the Wife's 72 Dart was disintegrated and the one in my car came out in three pieces, so I duct taped it all back together and made a template that I used to make new package trays for both cars. (with the 6x9 speaker cutouts)
When I put the stereo in the Wife's car I put the 6x9 4way speakers in from underneath the metal and covered the new tray board with 1/4 foam padding and then black speaker face material.
That made a nice smooth perfect tray surface with basically invisible speakers, and it came out really clean.
We'll see how long the material holds up, but we don't put anything back there and the 3 rear windows in my car are limo tinted so that should be good for years.

 

[barbee6043]

Some of us were raised in various financial situations, is part of it. I just had an x brother in law, leave this morning, he spent yesterday with us, while on a vacation trip seeing the country. He is sorta of a brother I never had. Anyway , he was raised in SW Ga in log house on a dirt floor, literally. Raised poor. He is 75. He got out of the air force, got a degree in accounting, worked in high paying job, wife taught school. I am sure he has savings of a million or two. He I a generous person, but so tight he sqweeks when he walks. He was raised that way and never got the mindset to not pinch pennies.

 

[moparmat2000]

I wasnt raised dirt poor, but we were a 1 income family growing up in the 60s-and 70s. Mom went back to work full time after i was a bit older. Since we were a single income family my dad always bought used cars, then would detail them up like new, and drive them as long as he could. He bought his first brand new car in 1985. A chrysler fifth ave. He pinched his pennies, and all 3 of us myself and my 2 older brothers were taught to work and save for what we wanted. I learned to work odd jobs as a kid and save my money for anything i wanted.

When i got my first car in 1985. A 68 dodge charger with bad floors, and needing everything for $400 of my own hard earned cash, my dad showed me how to do most of the work on it. He also started me on my love for auto salvage yards. We got an A/C controller for it out of a 68 dodge coronet at the local salvage yard. After that i was hooked. I loved hitting salvage yards for whatever treasures i could find to fix up my charger, and eventually other cars i bought over the years. I have found a lot of good stuff to refurb and reuse at those places over the years. Even bought whole cars to fix and flip for a profit. To this day its still a rush for me to go "junkyarding".

I wanted a house when i was in my late 20s so i scrimped and saved. I did this along with putting money in my 401k for retirement. When i had enough to put about half down i went looking. Found what i wanted in my price range at age 35, and paid it off by age 45. No need to pay on a house till you die. I have bought 3 new vehicles in my lifetime. Still have all 3. Pop taught me at an early age if you take care of your stuff it will last a long time. My first new vehicle is 24 years old and has 160k on it. Still runs and drives like new. My DD is 10 and has 108K i will drive that one till it dies. Heck its payed for too lol.

I look at money as a means to an end, nothing more. I dont get excited about the latest new trinket. I tend to repair stuff instead of just replacing it. I got these values from my dad, as well as my start with mechanical knowledge of cars. These are values i want to pass on to my son. I tried and am trying this with my step daughters but they dont seem to get it. My son however at age 5 seems to be hardwired like me.

Just remember one thing. Life is like a **** sandwich. The more bread you have, the less **** you have to eat.