Timeline of a Craigslist Transaction

AKA: Swingset Saga

Oh my goodness.  Craiglist drama at our house today!

I have been looking for a swingset on Craigslist for Adam’s 3rd birthday in July.  And yesterday, I found one.  A great deal, even!  Only $100 for this guy:

(Maybe I should wait to post this until the deal is done…If any of my readers snatch it out from under me I’ll never forgive you!)

Sunday, 1:49 PM: Craigslist ad was posted.  $100 swingset, about an hour away from me.

6:32 PM: I emailed about the swingset.

6:34 PM: Bart said he couldn’t go with me, so I called my dad to see if he could.

9:05 PM: received reply from seller: “Yes it's still available, but I have a few people who want to look at it tomorrow.  I'll be home tomorrow after 5:00.  Please call my cell anytime tomorrow if you want to stop by,”

Aunt Rosie and Uncle George’s amazing slide!

 

   

Today (Monday)

11:31 called seller and left message.

1:39 emailed seller again

talked to dad a couple times in between to coordinate things

2:32 called seller and finally talked to him.  He gave me directions to his house.  I told him we were just coming to look because my dad donated blood and couldn’t lift anything.

2:37 called Dad to verify – he said he DIDN’T donate blood, and therefore we COULD pick it up tonight.

2:38 called seller and agreed to disassemble and take home tonight.

2:40 texted Bart and told him we were going to use his pickup and his new trailer.

showered

2:59 Bart called and said we couldn’t use the new trailer with the 1/2 ton truck (which is the extended cab truck with the carseats.)  And, since we’re having gale force winds, we decided today was not a good day to haul a swingset an hour!

3:01 Called Dad again to tell him we couldn’t take the trailer.  Decided to just go look at swingset to make sure it was in decent shape.  Dreaded calling seller AGAIN to change plans AGAIN.  He must think I’m nuts.

3:05  - 3:15  I thought.  And I thought some more.  And I got to thinking – the slide itself is over $100 new.  And the kit to build this thing is over $100 on amazon.  And the wood to build it is about $500.  Even if it wasn’t in great shape, chances are that we’d get $100 worth of swingset! It was such a bargain, and I was afraid someone else would buy it if we didn’t seal the deal tonight.  But after calling seller so many times to change plans already, I wasn’t eager to call again.  After some thinking, another phone call to Bart and another to my dad, I decided to offer the seller $100 via paypal and we would pick up the swingset another day.

3:20 Called Seller.  He said he’d hold it for me, no payment necessary yet (I was the first to respond to the ad) and we could come and get it tomorrow night.  Dad said Tues. or Wed. would work for him, so I that sounded great.

3:22 Called Dad.  Turns out, he said Tues. or Wed. would NOT work for him.  I misunderstood.  Darnit.

3:26 Called Bart to see if HE can go with me tomorrow night.  He’s not sure.  He’s cleaning out turkey barns and at the mercy of the manure removal trucks’ schedules.

Adam’s in the orange – he loved playing on Grace and Alex’s swingset Saturday!

Now, I’m waiting until tomorrow to contact the seller again.  I’m going to cross my fingers that Bart WILL be able to go with me, and when we know for sure, I’ll call the seller again, if necessary.  What an adventure!  If there wasn’t the prospect of saving hundreds of dollars, I’d say forget it and just buy a new swingset!  Oh, the things we do for our kiddos!