When I first got involved in buying on ebay I didn't realize that there were different bidding stratagies and personalities I'd be bidding against.  After I ended up on the short end of a few auctions, I got angry and decided to muscle my bids so I wouldn't see "my" treasures flying away. 

      I now look back and see that I threw away lots of money...not just because I put in higher bids right off...but because I would get so incensed that I would allow myself to be sucked into bidding wars.  Sometimes I would get so pissed off that I would find myself  just  bidding against someone for the satisfaction of beating them.  "I'll show you!" "I'll pay an extraordinarily high price for something I didn't want that badly in the first place!"  Then I'd really get even, leaving feedback that raved about the item so they would be sorry they messed with me.  After awhile, as all that useless stuff started piling up, I decided to change my bidding strategy.  I realized that bidding on an item early was really more like a dog marking his territory. Someone would know I was there but could just pee all over my bid if I wasn't there to bite them. So I tried the fox strategy and would lay low and not bid until the last few hours.  I figured I had to be the only one who would be hovering around my auctions.  Other people were going to work or spending time with their families.  And wasn't I smart!?

     It quickly became clear to me that I wasn't the only one spending my cold winter days in front of my computer.  Rats!  So I had to keep track of items I REALLY wanted to win and be...what?...patient?  I learned what sniping meant from another ebayer and developed a real hatred for those nasty snipers.  I would never do that to someone!  Well, I actually found myself sitting in front of a BIG clock at my keypad counting the seconds to jump in and SURPRISE those other silly people.  The surprise was on me after realizing that, in order to win at the end, you still had to have the highest bid and I still ended up having to place a high bid to win.  I would place high, high bids to make absolutely sure and found that there were folks out there as stupid as I.  So my pile of (not as useful as I thought) stuff  I paid too high a price for , got bigger.  My anger was unbridled and I learned that I could vent by going after a winning bidder and sneak in and win other things that buyer was also bidding on.  I showed them! That pile of stuff I didn't want in the first place, that cost way too much, so that I couldn't buy the things I really wanted  got EVEN...

 bigger.

     I listened to my husband telling me he wanted his garage back and found myself  hiding  boxes and invoices and realized I was hooked.  I had to stop myself ... but I really enjoyed my ebay life...all the nice people...all that great feedback...all those interesting things my friends would comment on...all my great new decorating ideas.  How could I give that up?

     It came to me in a dream one night!  Why not think about what each item is worth to me BEFORE I get all emotionally invested in the battle?  And...in the same dream...I whispered to myself  "why not allow yourself the freedom to LOSE?"  I began watching for the things I wanted at the price I wanted to pay.  And I've found that there are very few items I want that there is only one of.  Most things always come around again and if  I wait patiently (God, that's hard) I often get it for far less. 

     I've begun spending time with my family again.  Before I leave the house I check to see what is on my watch list and bid my actual high bid and skip out the door.  I look back on "those" days and try to think of it as the cost of entertainment because as I try to sell it all off or re-gift it I know I will never be able to recoup what I paid.  Now I just have fun and enjoy watching others making fools of themselves!

     This may not have been helpful to you but I enjoyed laughing at myself!