# Food Auctions



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

As many of the veterans around here know, we frequent auctions. You can find incredible bargains at auctions. With that thought in mind we went to a food auction expecting to add to our food reserves cheaply. WOW! We're we disappointed.  Now I don't know where these people shop for groceries, and there were nearly 200 people there, but we got the impression that they do all their shopping at the 7-11 or other convenience stores. There were NO bargains to be found. In fact some of the items were bid up to and beyond regular store prices. We were dumbfounded. Now I don't know to the penny what everything costs at the store but I have a general idea. One thing I did know was a package of brownie mix. There are 4 bags in the box to make 4 batches. At BJ's this box will run you $4.25. These people ran it up to $9.00.  We left empty handed after about an hour.

The point being; if you're going to an auction, know what the stuff costs at regular stores. Some of these people probably spent 3 times what they had to on their food bill.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

Wow! That's sad.

I think when I first joined PS, you had put out a thread that challenged people to know the cost of different food items at the grocery store. And you were right - I thought I was pretty good, but after reading that thread I realized I really didn't know as much as I should about what I was paying at the store.

This past year and a half I've definitely learned. When you have to be frugal, you know.  Hopefully those folks will learn soon, too.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

I make my living buying and reselling, and can tell you that the dilettantes are out in force more than ever. It's a two-edged sword; one the one hand, these folks make it harder to buy at auction - because they know nothing, they bid up _*everything*_ ; on the other hand, I've been passing my cards around and have bought out many wanna-be-merchants (ie. flea marketers :lolsmash: ) that have depleted what little they had left because they had no idea what they were doing. I have no sympathy for stupidity, and I surely don't reward it.


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## longtime (Nov 22, 2009)

We go to transport salvage auctions and your right the new comers don't even know the retail price. It was once possible to buy for less than $.10 on the retail dollar. Now, a lot is over retail and most to very near retail. 

No more bargains, to bad.


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## partdeux (Aug 3, 2011)

I have soured on auctions. Stupid people and shills make it very difficult to get a good deal anymore.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I've never even heard of an food auctions before ...:dunno:


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

We looked through a lot of the stuff. Some things had damaged boxes or dented cans. A lot of items were within 6 months of the exp. date. By the type of packaging it appeared most was originally sold at the big box stores. It's a shame because we were expecting the same good deals we find at estate sales.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

UncleJoe said:


> We looked through a lot of the stuff. Some things had damaged boxes or dented cans. A lot of items were within 6 months of the exp. date. By the type of packaging it appeared most was originally sold at the big box stores. It's a shame because we were expecting the same good deals we find at estate sales.


Why would you possibly think that? They're completely different animals (commercial auction vs. estate sale). In Ohio these types of auctions aren't even open to the 'general public'... that doesn't stop halfwits from infiltrating tho


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## DJgang (Apr 10, 2011)

Never have luck at any auctions of any sort.


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