What Did I Do With My Price is Right Prizes? – Part 2 (Camcorders & Cash)

August 31, 2013

with the TPiR $96 check!
with the TPiR $96 check!

So, I’ve talked about the car.

As far as the camcorders… When I was on the show, they seemed so cool. “3D camcorders?! It’s the future in the present! I’m gonna start taking more home movies.”

Then I read a bunch of reviews online, and basically couldn’t find a positive one.

I never saw the camcorders being sold anywhere for anything even close to the suggested retail price.

There are only instructions to work with PCs, not macs. The camcorders are known as not mac-compatible. Although, I guess technically they are, if you go through extra steps and such.

But no one wants to buy a camcorder they need to struggle to get to work with a mac – when they could just go buy a camcorder made to work with one.

I put the camcorders on Facebook, Craigslist, and Ebay (and told everyone I know that I wanted to sell those camcorders).

Nothing.

No one wanted them – no one in the world wanted these cameras. I had a couple friends who said they wouldn’t even take them for free. No one felt they’d use them.

Well, okay then.

Finally, after literally not even being able to give them away to some people (and certainly not being able to sell them for even half the suggested price to anybody), I just donated them to charity, hoping that at least that write off will help with my large tax bill.

My old roommate works closely with a charity that has the goal to use creativity to help heal people who’ve had traumatic experiences. He said they’d make good use out of the camcorders.

So, I said, great. Take them.

If I would’ve known more about the camcorders, I probably would’ve just forfeited them so they’re not taken into account in my prize total when it comes to taxes.

So, I should’ve looked into that right after the show taped. I forget how much time you have to forfeit something, but I believe you do have a few days to decide.

(I'm sorry. I've just exhausted all my TPiR photos and love this one.)
(I’m sorry. I’ve just exhausted all my TPiR photos and love this one.)

I really don’t want to sound ungrateful in the least. I LOVE The Price is Right and everything they’ve done for me. I’m just saying the reality of the situation. (And warning you to really think about each prize and whether you want to accept it if you’re a TPiR winner.)

As far as the $96, I’d like to do something special with that money. I got rid of everything I received from the day (the camcorders and car). So, I’d love to buy something with that prize money that helps me remember it, whether it be a TPiR mug or sweatshirt or even something non-TPiR related that’s just a lovely prize. But I haven’t landed on anything yet.

I’d really love to make one jewelry splurge. I don’t own a single piece of jewelry. But I would love to own something from the Caliber Collection – which is made from pieces of illegal guns, and proceeds go to fund gun buyback programs.

So, I’d love, love, love to buy myself a little splurge-y gift and think, “This is my physical Price is Right prize.” But the cheapest cuff option (and actually the one I want) is $150. And I really wanted something that was $96 or less, so I could say I won it with my Price is Right money.

(Yes, i know I made thousands off the car, but it feels like different money to me for some reason.)

I did win $40.15 on another game show (which I’ll talk about very soon). And I got paid $50 to help producers try out a new game show (Million Second Quiz). So, if you put all that together, I have more than enough to pay for a cuff and call it my “game show bracelet.”

I don’t know if that’s what I’m going to do or not. But I just really wanted to have some sort of physical representation – and have it be something I loved – that came from that TPiR $96. And if you have any ideas, please let me know!

2 thoughts on “What Did I Do With My Price is Right Prizes? – Part 2 (Camcorders & Cash)”

  1. If you win & donate the camcorders (and make sure the charity gives you a receipt!) it should be neutral as far as taxes go.

    It won’t cost you the full $96, but go buy a trilobite fossil. IMHO everyone should have one–the remains of a creature which lived & died over 250 million years ago give us some good perspective.

    1. Huh, for some reason I thought donations to charity were taken off one’s taxes at some kind of percentage – I thought something like 50% of what someone gave is the amount actually deducted. But I guess I’m wrong on that. So, that’s fabulous that it’s just a wash. Yay! 🙂 I’m sure I will learn a lot more and everything will become a bit clearer come tax time.

I'd love to hear from you! So whaddya say?