Debits:
500 #10 envelopes = ($7)
500 #8 envelopes = ($7)
1000 first-class stamps = ($370)
eBay fees = ($15)
Total = ($399)
Credits:
eBay winnings = $542.89
17" LCD monitor = $299.99
rebate on monitor = $70
public domain horror movie = $0.85
DVD-ROM drive = $59.99
DVD+-RW DVD burner = $99.95
Linksys 802.11g card = $59.95
rebate on card = $20
remaining BB credit = $6
Total = $1,159.62
Net Profit/Loss = $760.62
Well that's not bad. It did take some discipline, though. Lots of envelope sealing and shelling. Lots of peeling and sticking BB tickets to strips of paper so that you're not dropping giant piles of tickets on the counter at BB. And plenty of counting and stacking, ebay-ing, and paypal-ing to make sure that the 20+ auctions all got paid and shipped immediately.
Still, it was fun.
Things I learned:
- Do everything early. McDonald's tickets are still selling on ebay, but they're not going for anywhere close to the $27-per-hundred average I was making.
- Print out the rules. The local Best Buy was convinced that you could only spend $5 worth of BB credit at a time, although the rules state that you can spend up to $300.
- Don't peel 'em. The odds of you getting a ticket to win *anything* is about 320,000-1. To quote "Wargames", the only way to win is not to play :)
