<p>Sure its possible, but doubtful in this case. Purchased it 6 years ago when one student was at Stanford (on a sweet “need based aid” scholarship) and maybe the other was already at Chicago also on FA (dont recall the dates offhand). So when one is qualifying for tip top need based aid but is otherwise bragging about a 6 figure income, private banking, successful stock investments and well funded 401 Ks, expensive meals, camera equipment, vacations, and now an expensive watch, yet claims to be “dirt poor”. Puleese. Its the best leg-pulling seen on cc in a long time.</p>
<p>Those of your “ilk” should read more carefully.</p>
<p>** ETA: If child #2 was still in HS 6 yrs ago when the expensive watch was purchased, why would someone who knew they would be facing two in college spent that kind of $$ on bling while at the same time claim they have little discretionary income. Its nonsensical, unless perhaps as a way of reallocating assets.</p>
<p>I have no problem with folks whose financial situations change over time. I DO question folks who make a huge purchase and then claim to scrimp to buy food, claim they are dirt poor, claim they are lower class and AT THE SAME TIME spend money on very discretionary things…and qualify for need based financial aid.</p>
<p>Sorry…but I don’t understand this.</p>
<p>I don’t begrudge folks who can afford a nice piece of jewelry buying it…but the key is…they can afford to do so without carrying on about their financial status.</p>
<p>Pizza…I have a stainless and gold rolex that I have had for 9 years and I adore it. It self winds and I wear it in the shower, any body of water, and it has been a champ. No matter what you choose, consider buying it out of state if you are going to be traveling or live fairly close to a state line. They will have to ship the watches to you, you can’t “carry” them across the line but on an expensive watch it can save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars.</p>
<p>I agree with thumper. Its perfectly fine for those who can afford luxuries to buy/enjoy them. Houses, cars, full pay college, purses, jewelry, high end clothing, vacations, you name it. Great!! Enjoy!! But to claim poverty and get significant “need based” aid when there appears not to be “need” is offensive to those who truly have need.</p>
<p>PG- you can have an empty box shipped to the out of state relatives. Seems like the same kind of thinking as those who claim to be dirt poor and get need based aid yet purchase luxuries of all sorts.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, I hope after all this you will give us an update on your purchase… with pictures! And I hope you’ll also tell us about the reaction to those watches. I want to live vicariously through your fun shopping & gift giving.</p>
<p>Ok. Point taken. Didn’t read/remember those other threads.</p>
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<p>Could also be a passable negotiator with the seller IRL or on places like CL. Did it passably myself on CL with many computer and electric guitar/amp purchases/giveaways.</p>
<p>This is not a purchase for either ebay or Craigslist; the possibility for fraud is simply too high. h has resigned himself to having to pay retail, though with negotiations!</p>
<p>I was looking for some football tickets on craigslist once. There was a seller who claimed he was out of the country on business but would be happy to sell me his tickets if I would pay internationally. Oh, and the first pitch of the football game was at 7 pm :rolleyes:</p>
<p>If they are going to try to defraud someone, they should get their sports info correct.</p>
<p>I know I’m stepping into quicksand here, but it’s not going to stop me. Have followed the thread, and don’t get posts that try to talk OP out of her choice of gift. I have nothing to add to a discussion of brands of luxury watches because I have absolutely no familiarity. </p>
<p>Thank you, SOG for posting a link to Illinois tax department, because that is the discussion that got my attention. In my state we pay either actual sales tax on out of state purchases or a percentage based on income. It’s getting harder to avoid sales tax on out of state purchases so I wonder whether the relative would get a bill months later, but more to the point, if you can afford to make a luxury purchase why would you not give the tax collector his due? Just a rhetorical question.</p>
<p>Huh? Why would the relative get a bill? How does the retailer know it’s not a gift for my relative, or that we aren’t going to visit this relative and pick up the gift there? Indeed, I haven’t even said when / where they’ll get it.
It’s perfectly legal to ship things out of state. </p>
<p>PG, the production date of the time piece is a key factor to consider here. If you go to someone who is losing the “authorization”, may be what they have are of old inventory. I was told these self wind or automatic watches need to run regulraly to keep parts lubricated. Sitting at one position for a long time such as in an old inventory case might not be good for the long term service of the time piece.</p>
<p>As I suggested before, get the serial number and call Omega to confirm the production date if the seller can’t produce document.</p>
<p>In post #243, collegeshopping suggested that having an expensive watch sent to another state when purchased could save “hundreds and hundreds of dollars.” It sounded like that meant that having the item sent out of state is a way to avoid paying sales tax on the item. Do I understand that correctly, and if I am wrong, where does the savings come from in having the retailer ship the item out of state?</p>
<p>I don’t care about the oldness of the inventory in the sense that if the watch was produced in 2010 or 2011 or 2012, it’s all the same to me. If these watches can’t handle sitting for a while unworn, that doesn’t sound very promising.</p>
<p>I travel to PA regularly to visit family. Often I will order clothes online for myself and have them delivered to PA which avoids sales tax, which in my state is almost 10%. PA has no sales tax on clothing. Why would you NOT do this?</p>