Rick writes, '...even if you don't "win" a particular item, another one will show up that may be better and most likely cheaper.'
That one hit close to home. I recall a time when I would bid outlandish sums for items I wanted in the mistaken belief that "it's my only chance." I cringe inside sometimes when I see how cheaply those very same items are selling on eBay today. Don't fret if you miss out on an item the first time you see it on eBay, or even the second, third, or fourth time. You will see it again...and again. Eventually, you'll get it on your terms, and that will make it seem all the sweeter.