Prudence and patience and knowing when to make a move

There was a Hushamok baby hammock on eBay recently that I bid on and didn't win. I had a maximum bid of $200, which is 1/3 of retail, and I was winning at $110 for the whole week, then at the end, within the final 20 minutes, I was outbid. I didn't get caught up in the last-minute battle because I'd determined early on what I wanted to pay, and I wasn't going to pay more than that.

I'll still keep my eye out for a good deal, but I know how much I want it versus how much I'm willing to pay for it, so I don't feel any kind of pressure. If I don't get it, we just go the "traditional" route of static sleeping; besides, ThinkGeek had an awesome sale and we were able to get this funky bouncer at an AMAZING price a few weeks ago.

This is how I tend to operate: I decide I want something, I research, and I wait. It helps not to be in a position of desperation, which is where being a gleeful planner really helps.

James once had a car die and borrowed cars from friends until that wasn't an option, then got a new job and HAD to have reliable transportation, so he ended up with the car he has now, which he does not love and which he particularly hates because his need put him in a position to pay a lot more than he wanted to pay. This happens. It sucks, but it happens.

I have always loved Chevy Astros and have known that eventually I wanted another one. My car was quirky with the reverse, but it was drivable. When the a/c went out, though, I knew I didn't want to put any money into the car and started looking for Astros. Fortunately, this happened during the fall and not during the summer or else I would have had to make a more prompt decision. As it turned out, I found a van I liked, but it was $10,000 and it was in Kansas City, so I'd have to pay to have it transported.

Because I was in a position of leisure, I waited... and then happened across the van we eventually bought through Craigslist. It was the same age but with lower miles and 1/3 of the price of the first van. And at that point, we were in the perfect position to purchase it.

It's been that way with a lot of the baby stuff, too. I'll find something I want, and because I have time, I'll wait. I did a lot of research on carriers and slings and ended up deciding on one that eventually came up on Zulily, which was also 1/3 of the cost. Also, the rug we ended up getting for the nursery (which was part of the baby bouncer deal). And the bookshelves I bought for our room because I wanted to get rid of James' old black shelving.

Last but definitely not least, it's kind of the way it was with James, too. I've mentioned (often and at length) that I had an unrequited crush on him in high school. I really did make a play for him, but right as it was hitting its crescendo, he started dating another girl. I waited and went for it again two and a half years later, as he was going into the Navy. We wrote when he was in training, and I did my best to flirt via the USPS with him. But he ended up falling in love with someone else. Again.

The next time I tried to see if we could work something out was in late 1997. By the time he wrote me back, it was my turn to have met someone else. In typical James fashion, when I told him this, he asked, "So? What does that have to do with me?" Ah, yes, I love his boldness.

Finally, in 2012, I got the awesome deal I'd been waiting for. I have to say, I'm even happier with it than I am with the van, and I adore that thing.