It's Good When You Win It, BUT It's Better When You've SOLD It!

In about March of this year I applied for a coupon for a Digital TV Converter from the government. I knew the time was coming when just turning on the TV without cable would not work. It was supposed to be in June. About 2 months later my coupon came. I went to Walmart, got the converter, (I had to pay $10 dollars...the converter was in total $50, the coupon was for $40), plugged it in and waited for the digital change to come.

I have a TV in the kitchen; no cable, but nice to have and listen to while I cook and clean in there. The picture was never great, but I knew when the digital change came, the picture would BE GREAT.

The day came, my TV did not work at all! No sound, no picture. I don't know what the problem was. I think it has to do with living right up on the mountains. Somehow I got a stroke of genius (or maybe it was a lack of stupidity) and realized I had a cable splitter with an open "plug" to my cable for the family room. I bought a cord for about $5, plugged the cord into the splitter, plugged the other end into the TV. The kitchen TV then worked GREAT! I had cable, I could see and hear. It has been very nice.

So, what to do with that converter box??

On Tuesday I finally picked it up, took it to Walmart, waited in line, asked to please return the box. No she said. No receipt, no return. They would only exchange for the same item. That did me no good. I didn't want the thing.

I actually turned around to all the people in the waiting line; about 5 at the time; and loudly said, "does anybody want this, they can just have it?" Everyone just stared. One woman called out in her southern accent, "sell it on craigslist!"

I came home, chose ebay, put it up for sale, and today I got a note that it sold! I got my $10 back plus $4 for my troubles. How nice. I wrapped it up and it is on it's way to NY.

I currently have the set of World Book Encyclopedia's up at ebay. We'll see if they make me rich.