Well, I have FINALLY been able to achieve a goal I set out to do a while ago….I was able to purchase a saddle without spending any money to do it. So yes, I got a very nice saddle, for free! It is not brand new, and it has been used, but that just means someone else did the break in work for me! And although it may not be ready for the A Rated Circuit of the Hunter Ring, it would definitely work for schooling and local horse shows.
I figured out a way to make extra money so I would be able to buy a new saddle. Because let’s face it, quality saddles are very expensive, and I am not wealthy, so I can’t just go out and buy a new saddle because I want one. However, I am very motivated, so I thought about how can I get a nice saddle and not have to pay a lot of money for it?
So I decided to find a way to get a nice saddle without spending money to do it. This was not something that was done overnight. It took time, and dedication in my part. But with my goal of a saddle always being my point of focus, I was determined to make this happen.
I started by going through the tons of ‘stuff’ I have accumulated. I found things around my home and in the barn that I was not using, or no longer needed, and I listed them for sale on eBay.
I had about 35 different auctions going on, and I just kept saving the money I would get from the auction sales until I found the saddle that I really wanted.
I was also fortunate enough that I had a few people contact me to build horse jumps for them, so the money that I made (the profit portion) from the sale of horse jumps went into my saddle fund as well.
I started watching auctions on eBay of saddles that I was dreaming of. Saddles like Antares, Devoucoux, CWD, and others were on my list. And then I did some general searches, and I found out about Schleese saddles. These are very nice Canadian made saddles, and I found a couple of them on eBay that were very reasonably priced. And then, I found this saddle, which was a very low price!
I watched the auction, and it had a few days left, so I just watched it, I did not bid on it, even though I really wanted too! But if I would have bid on it, the other bidders would push my bid up, and I would end up paying more for the saddle than I needed to.
So I waited until there was 1 minute left in the auction, and I put in my max bid.
While I was waiting, the time seemed to pass so slowly! That was the longest minute I have ever experienced!!!! But, in the end it worked out. I won the auction, and got the saddle for a total cost of $585.00!
And this is how I approach everything I buy when it comes to my horse supplies and tack. I want to get the best quality, however I do not want to pay retail price AND I want to earn extra money so I get the most for the money I have earned, and I didn’t go into debt to get what I wanted.
I apply this way of thinking to any of my larger purchases, especially when it comes to my horses. I do this because I am not made out of money, but I also want to have the best quality that I can afford. I usually accomplish this by purchasing older, used equipment. Just because it is older does not mean that it is obsolete, even when it comes to showing. As long as the equipment is in good condition, it seems that most high quality tack is timeless, and is appropriate for daily use, as well as transitioning to the show ring.
So how can you earn extra money on eBay to fund your horse passion? It is relatively easy, you will need to have an account on eBay. This is simple, just go to the eBay site, and sign up for an account. You will have to provide some information in regard to a bank account, and credit card (this can be a debit card too) in order to start selling. You will also need to set up a PayPal account so you can get paid for the items you sell. If you go to eBay’s website, all of the information you need is there in order to get started. It is not something instant, it will take time and some work on your part, but I promise you when you are able to get the saddle you have always wanted, it will be so worth it!
So what are you waiting for? Go clean out that closet, or your tack room! Find some items you aren’t using, and list them for sale! Your dream saddle is waiting for you!
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