Penny #3 Back On Track

     Just a quick post to let you all know that the newest item in The Penny Race has now been posted and can be viewed on the Penny #3 page.  I'd like to thank Trevor again, for making an offer I couldn't refuse and for continuing the trade even though there were a few issues with the items involved. 
     It's been an interesting last few weeks, with 2 new trades made, the end of the penny in Canada, and even an email and phone conversation with a producer at CBC Winnipeg!  Follow Penniestoadream on Twitter and Facebook to stay updated when new trades are happening.

Double Trade

     2 trades in a week!  Sort of.  You may remember that last weekend, a trade for the 2-way radios was made.  Due to unforeseen circumstances, the originally traded item had to be returned, but a replacement trade will still be made.  You'll probably see the item for Penny #3 posted next weekend, but a new item in Penny #2's path will be seen posted within the next couple of days.  I'll do my best to get it posted ASAP.  Don't forget to check out Penny #1 and let me know if you're interested in trading for the low-flow sprayer.
    

2013

 

 

     Now that the snow storm is over and the temperature has plummeted to the deep freeze level us Winnipeggers are used to, The Penny Race continues as we watch the 3 pennies trade their way up to 3 final items (10th trade is considered “final item” and will be sold for cash).   

     Over the past few months, there have been offers for the 2-Way Radios, some of which I was considering trading for, but unfortunately these fell through and trades were not made.  Some interest was also shown for the Vertical Adventures Pass and the Low-Flow Sprayer, but I didn’t feel the offers were any better than the items at hand.  I’m fairly certain that with a bit of patience, all 3 items will be traded up to new items, so I’ll continue to re-post each item to Kijiji every week to give them all the chance they need to catch the eyes of new traders.

     If you’re the type of person that searches Kijiji for great deals and interesting posts, you might notice an increase in folks attempting to do their own trade-up journeys soon.  I would attribute any influx of new posters to the recent airing of Barter Kings, where 2 guys make the “trade-up” game appear easy.  When there are so many people on Kijiji attempting the same success in their trades, the difficulty level could go up a notch, as this could become annoying to some Kijiji users and could quite possibly discourage some from making any offer.  Even though there is a possibility of this happening, I enjoy watching others on their journeys and have even been looking around my apartment for items to offer to help them out on their quests.  I just wish more of these quests were shown through a blog.  It’s fun to see the path an item takes to get to something fantastic and to also meet the people that help the journey by making the trades.  I’ve enjoyed meeting all of the traders in The Penny Race thus far, and look forward to meeting new traders as well.      

     A little tip to anyone out there that might be considering making an offer for one of the items in The Penny Race….Bigger & Better doesn’t always mean more expensive.  If I feel that a less expensive offered item has a better chance at attracting new traders, I’d make the trade.  The goal is to get the most expensive final items as possible and each penny is taking it’s own unique path to get there.  So far, Penny #1 has been leading the race and is only 1 trade away from reaching it’s final item, which will end up being sold for a cash value and have the profits divided up amongst those that traded in it’s path.  There’s really no telling what items Penny #2 and Penny #3 will be once they reach the same amount of traders, but it’s fun to imagine what they could be. 

     Also, Please send photos of your offered item(s), that would be greatly appreciated.  It gives me a better sense of what it is that you are offering and the condition it is in.  But most importantly, Have Fun!  and keep your eyes open for any up-coming bonuses, where more ITT can be earned for making an offer I can’t refuse.

     I hope everyone has a great 2013 year and that we can continue to trade these items up, so that when the final items are sold for cash, everyone receives a bit of extra cash and we’re able to donate a sizeable amount to Winnipeg Harvest, so they can continue to do the amazing work that they do in Winnipeg.  Let’s Trade, Winnipeg!!!

The Penny Race!

     The Bonus has ended and now all InCENTives To Trade percentages that will be earned are back to normal.  (Check the ITT tab at the top of screen to get the low-down on what the ITT is and how it will be used to determine how much each trader will earn at the end of the race.)

     Anybody that makes a trade in The Penny Race will earn themselves a predetermined percentage of the profits once the 10th item in their trading path has sold for a cash amount.  The goal is to get all 3 pennies to the 10th trade and then see which one sells for the highest amount.  The penny with the highest profit will be deemed "the Winner" and a jackpot of all remaining bonus percentages will be made.  This is just a way to say "Thank You" to all of those people that have made their generous offers that I've accepted.  

 

     The more valuable the "final items" are, the more money each trader will have earned.  Make me an offer for any of the 3 items in The Penny Race and get yourself into the race!  As you might have already heard me mention in my kijiji posts or in other posts on this blog.....this race is inspired by Kyle MacDonald's OneRedPaperclip journey where he had taken a single paperclip and, after only 14 trades, traded his way up to a house in Kipling, Sask.!  

     All offers are considered and appreciated.  Not 100% sure about what's going on here?  Send me an email with any of your questions and I'll be sure to get back to you ASAP.  Don't know if your item would be "good enough"?  Let me know what you have....like I said....All offers are considered!  But most of all.....Enjoy The Penny Race and let's trade, Winnipeg!

Happy Birthday PTAD!

     2 years old!  Wow!  I'm having trouble coming to terms with the fact that I've been holding this trade-up race for this long and I'm excited to see what the next year has in store for each of the pennies.  Patience and persistence have both played their roles in each of the trades and things can only get better from here.  There's been ups and downs, highs and lows, and compliments and even insults.  But through all of this, The Penny Race is still going strong.  I'm reposting each of the items once or twice a week (but I try to wait at least 5 days in-between posts....I don't like seeing daily re-posters on Kijiji, it's a bit annoying).  

     Barter Kings came out this past year and has shown people a new way of getting the things they want.  There's been an increase in other people's postings and I've even noticed numerous people having their own trade-up adventures....although very few of them are posting their journeys online.  Too bad, I enjoy seeing how someone can start with something small and end up with something Bigger & Better and more valuable.  

     Twitter and Facebook followers and fans have increased, which makes me very thankful to all of the supporters that I've gained over the past couple of years, and because of the generosity of  strangers, I've been able to take 3 little pennies and trade them up to items that are pretty unique and valuable.  Thanks again to all of the Winnipeg businesses that have joined the race by making a trade with me....I love seeing the business communities show an interest in this journey.  I'll continue to promote your businesses and if'/when I ever need anything that your business offers, yours will be my first choice.  

     Now for the best part....it's been a long time since I've offered up a bonus ITT (InCENTives To Trade), but I'm happy to say that, if any trades are accepted and traded for between today (Aug.29/2012) thru Sunday (Sept.9/2012) an additional 2% ITT will be added to your already earned percentage.  There is one bonus for each item in the race.  At this time, the landscaping/paving for Penny #1 is already being worked out for a trade, so this bonus will be applied to the next item and will have the same time duration applied to it for the bonus after it gets posted.  

     Bonuses come and go and there are only a certain amount of bonus percentages left to give out, so right now is a great time to make your offers for either the Vertical Adventures 1 year Pass or the 2-Way Radios.  Keep updated with the trades by following on Twitter, Facebook, and through email updates.  What over the next week to find out what the Landscaping labor has been traded for.  Secure your spot in the race by making me an offer I can't refuse and earn yourself an addition 2% of the profits once the final item sells for cash.  

      By clicking the tabs at the top of the page, you'll be able to see what 3 items are currently in the race and available to trade.  FAQ tab should answer some of your questions.  If you have any other questions that can't be answered on the FAQ page, don't hesitate to email them to me and I will respond as soon as I can.  Let's get these items traded and move onto the next items!  The better the items become, the more money I can hand each of you at the end of the race, plus the donation size to Winnipeg Harvest will also increase.  Thanks, Winnipeg!

The Current Items in The Penny Race

     So, here's a little video that shows the 3 current items in The Penny Race.  More videos will be coming, showing each penny's path and how each was traded from a single penny up to what it is now.  Hope you enjoy.  Feel free to leave comments or send me an email with any offers or even if you just have a question about The Penny Race.  Also, check out the new FAQ page, where some of your questions might already be answered there.  I hope you're all enjoying the race so far and that you'll continue to drop by to see if any new trades have been made, or you could even add your email to the mailing list, where you'll be sent automatic updates as new posts a made.  Remember to follow on Twitter (@Penniestoadream) and also to Like on Facebook (Pennies To A Dream).  

Back on Track

   

 (Image from http://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/winnipeggers-set-record-with-living-flag-1.664651)

     The premiere of the new TV show called Barter Kings was last month and it has made for a significant increase in Winnipeggers posting on the Swap/Trade section of Kijiji, not to mention a few others that have started their own "Trade-up" journey to something Bigger & Better.  I'm not sure if this will help or hinder The Penny "Trade-Up" Race, but what I do know is....we made another trade this past weekend!  Not only did we make a trade, but after less than a week being posted on Kijiji, the response has been very positive and I've received numerous replies for another trade to something Bigger & Better, one of which I've accepted and

Climbing up

     The trade has been made and now there's a new item in Penny #2's path.  The Garmin eTrex Venture HC GPS traded it's way up in the 6th trade.  Justin made me an offer I couldn't refuse and has earned himself 1% of the profits from the final item in Penny #2's path once it's sold for cash.  Confused?  It's actually very easy.  Make an offer that I can't refuse for one of the items in The Penny Race and, if your offer is accepted, you'll earn yourself the predetermined percentage of the profits (Check the InCENTives To Trade page for percentages to be earned).  

     If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.  This is a fun social experiment and is to benefit not only my daughter Farrah, but will help out Winnipeg Harvest and You as a trader in The Penny Race.  Let's see what we can trade a couple of pennies up to, but most of all

 Let's Trade, Winnipeg!

Just a little Update

     Such great news!  Another trade has been scheduled and will happen tomorrow (Saturday).  I've probably said this too many times, but every time an offer comes in that I accept, all I can think is how amazing it is that a couple of pennies can trade their way up to such cool things.  Just think, in September of 2010, I had 3 pennies.  Now, Pennies To A Dream has been able to trade those 3 pennies up to a mini flip camcorder,  a Garmin GPS, and $1500 worth of landscaping/paving labor.  Now, the GPS is getting traded tomorrow!

     This trade should be fun and I can't wait to work with this Winnipeg based business that made me such a generous offer.  Please stop by the blog tomorrow night to see what offer was made that I couldn't refuse. 

A little goes a long way

     

     With the recent changes to the InCENTives To Trade, those of you that have viewed the ITT page may have noticed that 20% of the profits from each penny will be donated to Winnipeg Harvest.  With over 50% of the people that need Winnipeg Harvest being children, Pennies To A Dream has decided that this organization is one of the charities in Winnipeg that is in most need of donations.  They do amazing work for Winnipeg and handled about 11 Million pounds of food for the 2010 year, feeding over 55,000 people...29,000 of those being children.  I'm sure you've heard the statements "People Gotta Eat" and "No Child Should Go To Bed Hungry"....both are more true than most of us think and help is needed now!  If you've ever been extremely hungry, you've had a small taste of what a very large number of Winnipeg families face every day.....some days eating nothing at all.  This is where Winnipeg Harvest helps out, but at the same time, Winnipeg Harvest needs our help too!

     Donations of food and/or money can be donated through the Winnipeg Harvest website, and you can even apply to volunteer your time to help out this amazing organization.  There is an urgent need for food and we can all do our part to help.  Make a trade in The Penny Race, so that we can increase the values of each item.  The Bigger & Better the final items are at the end of the race, the more we can donate to this great non-profit organization. 

     Please take the time to visit their website and see more information about this great group.

Just a little update!

     It's been an interesting couple of weeks and have some good news....another trade is being arranged for this weekend for the Ceiling Fan, so stay tuned to see what it's getting traded up to.  This trade was accepted before the end of the Easter/Birthday Bonus, so this next trader will be receiving the bonus even though the trade is a week later.  That's an extra 3% InCENTive To Trade!   I also enjoyed the trade from the Tattoo to the $1500 worth of Landscaping/paving labor and can't wait to see what that will trade up to.  I can only imaging the amazing ideas that the next trader will have for his or her yard, and with summer quickly approaching, this trade came at the right time.  Now, I just need to find a trader for the Mini-Flip Camcorder and this month will be ultra-fantastic!  Let your friends and family know about The Penny Race, and make me an offer I can't refuse for one of these amazing items in the race.  Changes are still being made to the ITT, which will benefit future traders, so stay tuned for the changes by adding your email address to the mailing list.  Don't forget to follow Penniestoadream on Facebook and Twitter for all updates.  Don't miss out!  I love hearing from all of you, so please don't hesitate to leave a comment on the bottom of any of the posts. 

Tattoo has been Traded!!!

The Tattoo from 3 time award winning artist Fat Phil at Rouge Tattoo has been officially traded!  I'll be working rigorously to get this next item posted ASAP and should have it up tonight (Saturday April 14/2012).  I'll also be working on getting the updates completed to the InCENTives To Trade, where I'll show you how the percentages will be split for each Penny once the "final" items sell for a cash value.  This is something that I've been procrastinating on for way too long and can't wait to let you all know the new breakdown.  I'd also like you all to take note that the Ceiling Fan in Penny #2's path has been put on hold awaiting a trade that has been accepted and, if all goes well, will be traded next weekend.  I'm still hoping on some offers coming in for the Mini Flip Camcorder, as there is still an Easter/Birthday bonus available for this item until Sunday night, so if you know of anybody....please mention The Penny Race to them.Stay tuned for these new items entering the race.  It's truly fascinating what a penny can "buy" these days with a little bit of patience and hard work. 

Easter/Birthday Bonus!

EXTENDED UNTIL MIDNIGHT APRIL 15th!

Until midnight April 8th, if an offer for either the Ceiling Fan or the Mini Flip Camcorder is accepted, I will add 3% InCENTives To Trade (ITT) on top of the ITT that will already be earned for making the trade.  That means that if you make an offer that I accept in trade for the Ceiling Fan (Penny #2), you'll earn yourself a total of 4% of the profits once the "final item" is sold for cash.  That's 3% bonus and 1% earned ITT for making the trade.  Or.....if you trade for the Mini Flip Camcorder, you'll be earning yourself a total of 5% of the profits from Penny #3's final item once it's sold for cash.   That's 3% for the bonus and the 2% you'd already be earning for making the trade.

With Penny #1 holding a fairly strong lead, and only being a few trades from winning the race, Penny's #2 & 3 need to get a move on!  So take advantage of this bonus and become part of The Penny Race.  Make me an offer I can't refuse.  Email your offers to:
penniestoadream@gmail.com

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend, and a special thanks to those that wished me a Happy B-Day!   I couldn't have been happier this year.

Weighing The Options

 

 Over the past few weeks, I've received numerous offers for the tattoo.  I was fairly impressed by the number of offers coming in, and while not all offers were Bigger & Better than the tattoo, there have definitely been a few that I'm going to have to consider.  I need to be cautious as to which offer I end up choosing, so I've decided to continue letting offers come in until I feel I've had enough time to weigh all of my options.  And although I can only choose one offer, I've had a blast so far seeing all of the different ideas that people have to trade.  

If you have something in mind that you would like to offer in trade for this amazing tattoo coupon, please take into consideration that the offered item should be Bigger & Better than the tattoo.  This coupon is valued at approx. $700 and the person that makes me the offer that I can't refuse will be able to enjoy it for a lifetime!  Not only that, but once the 10th trade has been made in this penny's path, that final item will be sold for a cash value and percentages of the profit will be divided amongst the traders (Refer to InCENTives To Trade for more details).

 The tattoo not your thing?  Don't forget about the other 2 items in The Penny Race!  They've been waiting for new traders for a while now, so please make me an offer and we'll see what comes of it.  Get yourself involved in this unique journey by making an offer for one of these 3 awesome items.  All offers can be sent to me at:

penniestoadream@gmail.com

Don't hesitate to email if you have any questions on how The Penny "Trade-UP" Race works.  I love seeing comments too, so please leave a comment if you have the time.  Thanks and good luck!

New Trade in Penny #1's Path

     It took quite a while, but the Car Stereo Package was finally traded up.  Thank you so much, Fat Phil, for making the offer you did and for making the trade today.  It was great meeting you and everyone down at Rogue Tattoo and Piercing.  You guys have a great looking shop and with your experience and location, I can only imagine how busy things can be there.  
     For making this trade, Fat Phil will be receiving 2% of the profits for Penny #1 when we reach the end of the race.  It appears that Penny #1 is holding strong in the lead, but who knows what could happen, especially with new changes coming soon to the InCENTives to Trade.   But for now....check out the new item in The Penny "Trade-up" Race...........

Where did the days go?

    

     Where do I even begin?  So much time has past since the last trade and, unfortunately, there haven’t been many offers for any of the items in the race .  Because of the lack of offers and interest, I had kind of put the race on the “back burner”.  And although I still post the items on Kijiji every second week, I really found that the hustle and bustle of the holidays had sort of sucked me in. 

     From Thanksgiving and Halloween to Christmas and New Years, fun plans and good times have been had in the past few months.  Halloween was definitely a highlight for me, with carving the pumpkins and watching Farrah, my 21 month old daughter, going door to door and having a blast learning about this fun day.  As for the pumpkins, they weren’t so lucky, as I try to create a new and even more terrifying and bizarre pumpkin each year.  This is one of the creations this year...Stitches.

 

 

     November is a blur.  It seemed to fly by so fast with Christmas quickly approaching.  Although I usually find that time of the year to be one of the more stressful, it completely makes up for it once the holidays begin and the time spent with family and friends rekindles the fire in the hearts.  We also really enjoyed watching Farrah rip through her gifts and enjoy all of her new toys. 

 

 

     As for New Year’s Eve…..we decided this year to take it easy and ring in 2012 at home.  No big parties this year, just a nice and quiet evening with the wife and kid.  Loved it!!!  Very relaxing.

     Resolutions?  Anybody?  I would love to hear what yours are, if you’ve decided to make one this year.  Mine?  I really haven’t decided yet, but being more active with the blog should probably be one of them. 

     Anyways, I just wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy 2012.  May it be a prosperous and wonderful year for everyone. 

Finally Traded The Printer

     Can you believe it?!?!  I have to admit, I was beginning to think that the Brand New Printer would never be traded.  Not only has it been an extremely long time since I had traded the Chronicles of Narnia Collector's DVD for the printer, but the last trade offer that had been arranged for the printer had a no-show at trade time.  I was starting to doubt

No Show = No Go

     I should start out by apologizing to the traders in Penny #2's path.  There was a trade arranged for Friday evening, but because of a no-show, the trade wasn't made.  Unfortunately, these things happen and it's something that is out of my control.  So, the Brand New Printer is back up for trade.  The Oh, Canada! Bonus still applies to the Mini Flip Camcorder and the Brand New Printer, plus, there will still be a T-Shirt draw once these 2 items have been traded.  

     If you're looking for a little extra from us here at PTAD, I invite you to check out my Review/Giveaway site @ ptadgiveaways.blogspot.com.  BudgetGadgets.com has provided me with an opportunity to review some of their gadgets and in turn keep them.  Instead of keeping them for myself, I'm hosting giveaway contests for the gadget that is being reviewed.  Our first review ends today (Sept.5/11), so get there fast to take a guess at how many pennies are in the bowl.  Super easy contests without the need to "Tweet" or "Like".  Our next review will be posted very soon, so be sure to check it out.  

     The start of September marks our first year of The Penny Race.  Started with just 3 little pennies, we've traded our way up to some great items....but is it the end?  I hope not.  An email will be sent out soon to each of the traders in the race to see if they would like to end the race or continue pushing on to see what new trades will come next.  Anything is possible in this adventure....so we'll see how each of the traders feel. 

1 Down and 2 To Go.

 

 

The first of the 3 items in the Oh,Canada! Bonus Giveaway has been traded!  A VERY generous offer was made  by Brad for the Home Theater System.  A trade like this gives me even more hope that a simple social experiment started with only 3 little pennies can work and that I get to meet some really great people along the way.  I still find it amazing that a single penny can be traded up to a Car Stereo Package worth almost $1000!  And...it really is exciting to hear the offers from all of you.  Please remember, though, not all offers will be accepted, just the offers I can't refuse because I get a feeling that it would trade up to another person easily.  I've had some pretty interesting offers that have put me on the fence, and have made me think if I should trade or not, but I'm going on instinct alone, so please don't get offended if your offer is declined.  

As I might have mentioned in other posts, some of the more interesting offers I've had are a California King Snake, a Chinese Jade dragon/tiger pendant, a hamster, 3 shiny new pennies (so I could start all over again), and someone's virginity (Oh, how I hope this person is kidding...lol).  Some people didn't read The Rules before making an offer.  hahaha  But, it's been a lot of fun so far, and I can't wait to see what comes next.  :)  

As for Brad, he's now entered into the T-Shirt giveaway ,where a draw will be made once the other 2 items (At Home Photo Lab and Mini Camcorder) are traded.  The draw will be between those 3 traders only.  1 down and 2 to go!

The other part of the the Oh, Canada! Bonus giveaway is the extra 4% Incentives To Trade.  Brad has now earned himself 4% ITT Bonus and 1% ITT for being the 6th Trader in Penny #1's path.  That means that at the end of the race, once I sell the items that the traders and I deem fit to be considered the "Final Item", Brad will receive 5% of the profits made from the item in Penny #1's path.  Good luck to all of those that have traded so far.  I really hope that Penny #2 and #3 are able to catch up, as Penny #1 is definitely winning this race.......so far.  Give your penny a better chance by spreading the word about The Penny "Trade-UP" Race at Pennies To A Dream. 

Oh, Canada! Giveaway!

 

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend and was able to celebrate Canada Day the way it should be.  I ended up going for a week long vacation in Hanna, AB where I grew up.  It was great to see Farrah get the chance to interact with her grandparents out there that she only gets to see a couple times a year.  We stayed in my parents new camper at Prairie Oasis for almost the entire week and tried to get to town to visit all of our old friends when we could.  It's amazing how towns change.  Old friends move, your favorite stores close down or get changed so much that they become unrecognizable, and there ends up being more new faces than familiar ones.  While sad, it's nice to see that small towns like Hanna can grow and prosper.  It's crazy to think that at one point in my life I couldn't wait to leave that town and now, even with all of the changes, I find myself sort of missing the small town life.  

Because I was away for the past week, I didn't really have the opportunity to make any new posts on the blog.  I enjoy having the odd bonus Incentive To Trade come up to give to the next traders and since I missed my chance to have a little fun with a Canada Day bonus, I've decided to have a bonus anyways.  This bonus will end in a giveaway.  It's PTAD's first ever giveaway, so bare with me as this takes shape. 

THE BONUS

The bonus is fairly simple...very similar to the others that I've had.  The first trader from each item will be rewarded with an additional 4% ITT on top of the percentage that they will already earn just for trading for that item.  Super Easy!!!  There is 1 bonus for each of the 3 items in the race....4% to the first person to trade for the Home Theater System....4% to the first person to trade for the At Home Photo Lab....and 4% to the first person to trade for the Mini Camcorder.

This bonus will last until all 3 items have been traded!  Once all 3 items have been traded for something Bigger & Better, I will hold a draw for those 3 traders involved.  The prize for the draw between those 3 people will be a one-of-a-kind Pennies To A Dream T-shirt from Vistaprint.ca.  I ordered the shirt in an XL size, this should help in making sure that it fits the person that wins the draw.  :)  Here is a view of the shirt....

  Yes, PTAD is already fairly unique and there's no reason why a little extra fun can't be had.  This is the FIRST giveaway that we're having and probably won't be the last.  Join The Penny Race by making me an offer that I can't refuse for one of the items and secure one of three spots in the draw for this one-of-a-kind T-Shirt from PTAD.  All three traders will receive a Pennies To A Dream fridge magnet too.  How can you go wrong?  :)  

I'd also like to take the time to congratulate Winnipeg for breaking a World Record on Canada Day 2011!!!  Way to go!!!!!!  I wish I would have been here to partake in THIS. (link to Chrisd.ca)

If you have questions or just want to let me know that you stopped by the site, feel free to email me at penniestoadream@gmail.com.