Bargain hunting with Windows Mobile

Call it what you will—garage sale, yard sale, or tag sale—this perennial standard is making a comeback. Garage sales are perfectly suited to the times. They offer cheap entertainment that’s also green. For the price of a double latte, I can spend Saturday morning hyped-up on caffeine, bargain-hunting with friends and family. Plus, re-using others’ surplus items not only keeps them out of landfills but also saves me money.

I take the hunt seriously. My strategy relies on three weapons: timing (early arrival is key), Windows Mobile (invaluable for gathering pre-hunt intelligence and communicating in the field), and Uncle Nick (not an ounce of shame in him—the man is a haggling master).

The procedures presented here were written using a Samsung Omnia from Verizon Wireless running Windows Mobile 6.1. Although most Windows Mobile phones operate in the same way, some differences do exist between carriers and/or devices. Please refer to your phone’s documentation for device-specific instructions.

Friday evening, I gather the expedition members (Uncle Nick, Karen, Gary, and myself) at a local restaurant. Over wings and beer, we plan our attack. First, we identify our quarry. At the top of the list is a birthday gift for my friend Cecelia. Nick is looking for a wood-burning stove for his shop. Kenny shouts out for a waffle maker. I decide to create a Note with these items, just to be safe, before the next pitcher of beer arrives.

To create a Note:

After identifying our prey, we find where it lives. We scour local papers and online resources, like craigslist, to locate yard sales. Then we use Windows Live to get directions.

To get directions with Windows Live Search:

By the evening’s end, we’ve decided to target four garage sales. Since these sales are on opposite sides of town, we’ll split into two teams of two to be certain we hit the sales as early as possible.

At the designated time on Saturday morning, Karen picks me up, and we head to the first sale. En route, I text the other group to make sure they’re up and out too. They reply instantly, saying they’re just leaving the drive-through espresso stand.

To send a text message:

Karen and I arrive at the first sale, happy to see just one couple searching among the booty-laden tables and blankets. A quick check with the seller confirms that none of our targeted items are on offer. Still, we stroll through the yard—you never know what unexpected treasures you might find.

And what did we find? A set of iron fire implements: tongs, poker, ash pan, and broom. We figured if Uncle Nick found his shop stove, these would come in handy! I took a picture and sent it to him via MMS (multimedia message).

To take a picture and send it via MMS:

Soon after sending the message, as we picked through various cooking utensils, we had our answer: “Na, too fancy. Thx.” With no other treasures to be found, we jumped back in the truck and headed for the second sale on our list.

At sale number 2, I spot a utilitarian metal-drum-turned-wood-stove that I’m certain Uncle Nick will want—so, I text him again.

While we mull about, awaiting a reply, I find a vase for Cecelia’s birthday. It looks like the type of schlock she collects—sort of “country grandma does shabby chic,” but what do I know? Regardless, I’m convinced she’ll treasure it.

The tag on it (hence the name tag sale) demands significantly more than I want to spend. I ask the seller what his bottom line is, and it’s still way too high. (I know, I should barter. It’s almost expected in such situations. The seller won’t be offended. But I just don’t have it in me. I’m way too polite to argue with strangers, in general, and I certainly won’t argue about money.)

While returning the vase to its table, my phone rings. Uncle Nick is excited about the stove and lets loose a barrage of questions: What are the dimensions? Is the venting included? Does it have the fire bricks? And on and on.

Having not a clue to the answers, I head over to the seller. Thanks to mobile technology, Uncle Nick can get his info straight from the horse’s mouth. And maybe I can get that vase. As I walk over, I quickly inform Uncle Nick about the vase and how much I can afford.

I tell the seller I have a possible buyer on the phone with some questions. I hand over the phone and then stand back. To be honest, I almost feel sorry for the guy. But I want that vase.

For the next several seconds, I hear the seller’s end of the conversation. Comments like: “Venting not included.” “About eight feet of four-inch pipe. Good shape.” “Used it last fall, works fine.” “Perfect for a shop.” “One-hundred and twenty-five. Firm.” “Heavy, but I can help load it.” ”Way too low.” “Who wouldn’t want a wood stove?” “Not a trash can, a metal drum.” “If he pays cash and takes it with him.”

And then I heard what I was interested in: “The vase? It’s a collector’s item.” “Don’t know the maker.” “Lots of interest.” “Sorry, no way.” “Times are tough for everyone.” “Niece’s birthday?” “You can do better.” “For both of them?” “OK. Fine.”

The seller hands the phone to me. Uncle Nick tells me know how much to give the man. I hand over the cash, and he helps me load the stove and venting into the pickup, and I keep the vase with me in the driver’s seat. Everyone’s happy!

With our quarry safely stowed in the bed of the truck, I call Uncle Nick and Gary to let them know the hunt had been successful! We’d worked up quite an appetite on the chase and decide to rendezvous over breakfast.

Since we were on the north side and they were down south, we picked a place in the middle—one of my favorite downtown diners. It’d take us each about 20 minutes to drive there. The only issue was that I wasn’t sure it’d be open on a Saturday.

Actually, with Windows Mobile, it wasn’t really an issue. I used Live Search to locate the restaurant and call them. Turns out they were indeed open and had eggs Benedict as the breakfast special. Mmmmm.

To find and call a restaurant with Live Search:

A little more than an hour later, we sat around the table, full of breakfast and full of ourselves. With a bit of planning, a bit of luck, and the help of Windows Mobile, we’d successfully acquired a shop stove and a thoughtful gift. And it wasn’t even noon yet!