No Patience

Need to change out an oxygen sensor and can't find my socket. Oh well, off to Harbor Freight. They have one for $7.95+++. They also are having some kind of sale and the two lines were about eight customers deep. No way I'm doing those lines.

Instead, spent a couple of hours, and how much gas, canvassing the pawn shops without finding a socket. Somehow I don't think this would pass an efficiency test.

While at the pawn shops, just happened to glance over the firearms for sale. A .22 revolver is on my want list but the only one I saw was $400, black chromed, and with imitation mother of pearl grips. Um, no; not a pimp. The clerks did comment than it has been "crazy" lately for firearm sales. These are small stores and say they are doing background checks by the dozens.

One place had a very clean Mosin for $199. Nothing special, round receiver but intact with bayonet (I'm in no way a Mosin expert). The clerk was down to $160 at my first sign of resistance.

What was possibly a fantastic buy was a Nikon DSLR with two lenses and a nice accessory bag for $220. Since I already have a DSLR I didn't bother to have them bring it out of the display.

One thing I did learn in the car biz was the stark difference between need and want. The toughest customers were those who needed a vehicle. The ones we made money on were the "want" buyers.

I make even small financial decisions on the basis of want or need. Being one of the cheapest s.o.b.s on the planet, I find this works for me. YMMV

The oxygen sensor? That will be around $8 at the pull it yourself salvage yard. A new one for $45 or so isn't guaranteed to last longer than a used one. On the vehicle that needs it, it is a ten minute job.