How much effort does it need to be before we consider it no longer free? Last year, I wanted to upgrade my foosball table and add game counters. They look like this:
For new counters, they cost $50 (not including tax and shipping) for 2 sets. That's more than I want to spend for something so simple. I kept my eyes peeled and eventually saw a home model Tornado foosball table for sale for $100, which is a fantastic price. I messaged the guy immediately with a "I'll take it, I can be there in 25 minutes, I have cash and I have a vehicle that can haul it". He replied that he had lots of offers and asked me if I really wanted it. I replied immediately with a yes and headed off to get it. The place was 20 minutes from my house. I can see why he was a little hesitant. The table was not going to be in playable shape, but you couldn't tell from the pictures or description and I bet he had lots of folks wanting a playable table. The laminate was peeling away, but since I was buying it for the game counters, I hoped I could resell the other parts.
I brought the table home and stripped it. I listed the following on ebay and sold:
- Foosball men - $55
- Bumpers $25
- Bearings $30
- Feet $25
- Extra game counter discs $12
After ebay fees, I broke even. I had "Free" game counters.
The score counters I got was the second set you see in front of R2D2. Those are used to track how many games you have won (usually tournaments are best 2 out of 3, or 3 out of 5)
and I created a plaque I'm going to get some master players signatures on.
I thought I could give away the empty shell of a table, but there wasn't any takers so I had to dispose of it.
So, it all worked out and it was essentially a free upgrade, but I had to risk an outlay of cash initially, and I probably took 3-4 hours labor to do everything. All this to save $50.
I think I've said this in the past, but I attempt to keep my arcade and gaming hobbies self sufficient. I've definitely gotten caught up chasing something free and spent way more time and effort than it was worth (hacking a keyboard comes to mind). The question is, to you, was this adventure worth it?