(6 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)
Loading ...A man wanted to trade a paperclip for a house.
It took him a year, but he did it. On July 12, 2005, an unemployed Canadian by the name of Kyle MacDonald announced to the world, on Craigslist, that he had one red paperclip, and he was willing to trade.
He first traded this paperclip for a fish-shaped pen. For the next year, he would go on to trade for: a hand-sculpted doorknob; a Coleman camp stove; a Honda generator; an ‘instant party;’ a Ski-doo snowmobile; a two-person trip to Yahk, British Columbia; a recording contract; a year’s rent in Phoenix, Arizona; one afternoon with Alice Cooper; a motorized KISS snow globe; and a role in the film Donna on Demand.
The town of Kipling, Saskatchewan then traded him a two-story house. They also gave Mr. Kyle MacDonald the key to the city, declared July 7 to be One Red Paperclip Day, and elected to build the largest statue of a paperclip in the world. They also threw him a gigantic party.
At his housewarming, Mr. MacDonald proposed to his girlfriend with a wedding ring attached to one red paperclip. She said yes.
To Learn more about this inspiring story I recommend this book available through Amazon. One Red Paperclip: Or How an Ordinary Man Achieved His Dream with the Help of a Simple Office Supply
59 Comments Received
January 14th, 2008 @2:42 am
I heard of this story. Truly an amazing one.
January 14th, 2008 @11:25 am
this story is really amazing one thanx for sharing it
jasmine
tech-chek.blogspot.com
January 14th, 2008 @11:45 am
Genius, luck and a lot of work.
January 14th, 2008 @12:40 pm
He didn’t actually trade for most of those things; once the media caught the story everyone was trying to give him stuff to get publicity. You think the town traded him the house because it was a good trade? They did it so they could build their stupid tourist destination, which is just a large paperclip. If he had done it without media support it would be an amazing story, but he didn’t, so it is just a glorified marketing stunt.
January 14th, 2008 @1:02 pm
Hey Sandy,
Whats it feels like to be so negative?
If it is not an amazing story, you must have a few traded houses as well! Good for you!
January 14th, 2008 @1:28 pm
I’m pretty sure this guy’s set up his own site now, soley for the purpose of people trading stuff.
January 14th, 2008 @1:44 pm
This story is so old, why is it getting a mention now? It was fun to follow a few years ago but now it makes this site look as timely as a hand-written letter that got lost in the mail!
January 14th, 2008 @2:17 pm
I agree with sandy, his success is a glorified media stunt and furthermore his motivations - the basic idea that he wanted to keep ‘trading up’ until he gets a house - are pathetic. What he is essentially saying is that he wants to progressively rip people off until the accumulated ripoff unbalance exceeds 6 figures. Thankfully publicity WAS involved, at least the town got something back from him for the biggest trade, which was the house.
If it were a woman with this same motivations and goals, she would be called a gold digger. The fact that anyone respects this loser is ridiculous, and sad.
January 14th, 2008 @2:38 pm
Publicity got hold of the story which certainly helped him along but I say well done to him. Maybe what a lot of you negative commenters are missing is that he is not the only one who does this.. he is just the one that got noticed.
I personally have traded old singles and LPs over the past year or so and now have a mint condition set of ALL the Star Trek DVDs, great viewing (me a geek, sad I know
Friends of mine have traded up from books to new cars, others have traded up from stamp collections to home cinemas.
The trick is to find a niche, someone seriously wants a 7″ metallica picture disc, I traded a “Metallica - fight fire with fire” picture disc for the complete Red Dwarf series on DVD. He may have got the better of the deal if he’s willing to wait 20 years (rarity value) but it still depends on someone wanting it enough.
All value is based on desire, why do you think the Mona Lisa is so valuable? It’s not a great piece of art but many people want it bcause of it’s history and THAT creates it’s value.
Look in your attics, in your cellars I can Guarantee that there is something there that someone is willing to pay over the odds for.
January 14th, 2008 @3:03 pm
It wasn’t really him doing anything, but good for him that he got a new house from a paper clip. That’s pretty damn cool.
I still agree with Sandy though, and for all those who are saying this guy had a great idea and others are just jealous they didn’t think of it first… umm seriously?
It’s not a great idea, anyone could think of trading random crap for other random crap, and the rest came AFTER publicity. Let’s face it, no one would make a trade where they were losing money, unless it was just an act of generosity for their cause OR publicity. Much less 15 people consecutively trading with the same person on a trade where, in most cases, they probably weren’t coming out on top.
This has nothing to do with a good idea, if it was a GOOD idea- any one of us could take a red paper clip and do the same thing… but why can’t we? Cuz unless we knew people with websites or media connections, we won’t get anywhere.
But either way, he got a house out of his random idea. Good for him.
January 14th, 2008 @3:59 pm
The basic idea that he started out with was to simply trade his way to something better. I wouldn’t say he was out to rip people off. He was simply offering something that they may need for something they could do without.
Granted, once the media got a hold of the story, things changed. That is just the way things work in this world. He started out with a goal to get a new house, and got it. Kudos!!!
January 14th, 2008 @4:06 pm
I don’t understand why someone would react negatively to this story. He didn’t hurt anybody, and anything that makes life a little more interesting ought to be appreciated. So what if it’s a media stunt? He’s not trying to prove anything to you.
January 14th, 2008 @4:19 pm
As usual I agree with the negators, simply because it is SO obvious that this was purely a media stunt that took off due to the popularity that craigslist can generate. On another note, I’m trading my college tuition for actual money, any takers?
January 14th, 2008 @4:28 pm
Sandy, you took the words out of my mouth.
Damn, when will people learn?
Now, my local radio station got a couple of groups of teens to do something similar, like they were able to start with a 1$ bill and trade up to a pinball machine. And there were some other interesting things they got also. I only know of the pinball machine.
But what a lame way to propose to your fiance… i mean… what is this girl thinking? she says yes… he’s unemployed, he’s made his life by being a bum. And accepting handouts. You’ll now live in a house that was given to you… and you now expect to depend on this guy for a husband.
I feel bad for some people. But people like this, it’s their own fault.
January 14th, 2008 @5:43 pm
Sandy, et al,
You are a bunch of unromantic schmucks.
Stick with the story! See the beauty. See how boring it will be for the guy to live in that town. Desperation combined with paperclips. Staples ought to sponsor this story.
I eat with a chopsticks only when I’m at a sushi place. I eat with my hands when I’m leaving the toilet.
Scream “Flesticle!” eight times today for your health.
January 14th, 2008 @5:45 pm
I am a bully. I was a bully. I will always be a bully.
Does that mean I can speak from the bully pulpit?
I screamed “Flesticle” 81 times this morning and got thrown out of Harrods.
January 14th, 2008 @9:27 pm
He really didnt trade just a paperclip for a house. He also traded a year’s worth of hours. Which makes this feat much less spectacular.
You have to subtract his time from the net worth of the house to get his true gain,
January 14th, 2008 @10:45 pm
it’s amusing as to the amounts of people and the limits they go for any small fragmentation of intellectual debate, to do so and might I add so negatively to something so small, yet funny is in that of itself “pathetic”
this guy rocks, it doesnt matter if it was a glorified media stunt or if it was honest bartering he fucking started with only a paper clip and ended up with a house, exactly as he said he would by any means involving “trade” that in of itself is success alone, but wait he got more. A party? fucking key to the city? publicity?! dare I say he exceeded his aspirations? well he did.
stop being little bitches and get a life you losers, stop hating on those who succeed.
people always yearn for that which they can not have, with that said and your obvious distaste for “success” I deem you “losers”.
think I’m wrong? wheres your free house? wheres your free party? wheres your free publicity? where the hells your key to the city? left them in your other pants? I see.
January 14th, 2008 @11:21 pm
Amazing idea but yeah it is pretty self-explanatory that some of the trades relied entirely on the fact that media was heavily involved. Someone should try this without all the publicity.
January 15th, 2008 @1:21 am
who would want to trade an afternoon with alice cooper for anything??
January 15th, 2008 @6:35 am
I think its pretty obvious none of you have ever been to Kipling Saskatchewan. If anyone got taken advantage of it was Kyle MacDonald. You can buy a house pretty similar to what he got right now for about $18000. Keep in mind the economy is booming now in Saskatchewan,although primarily urban Saskatchewan. When he got his house you would be lucky to get $1000 for it. Kipling is a town in the middle of nowhere with no economy to speak of and a population of about 500 seniors. The town gained a tax payer. At the same time he got his house there were several similar towns here “selling” houses on serviced lots for $1 to gain the tax payers. Rural Saskatchewan towns of that size are vanishing due to increasing farm size (less people in area) so then there are less people to support businesses in these small towns, so no jobs, people move away. It is very common were I live for people to buy houses in these small towns and have them moved to larger centers because you can do it cheaper than building or buying. And as I said the economy is booming in the larger centers.
So who took advantage of who? Everything from the door knob up was probably worth more than the house.
In case your interested here are some link to a place you can still get lots for $1 . Some likely have houses. I’m sure Kamsak Saskatchewn would welcome you.
http://www.town.kamsack.sk.ca/about/?PHPSESSID=502f0fb0bf50636c640330e6eec9aaef
January 15th, 2008 @11:25 am
haha this guy’s the man!
wicked
you guys all need to put a fuckin smile on it, geeeeeze
January 15th, 2008 @12:12 pm
#24 No Comment.
January 15th, 2008 @4:53 pm
What a cool guy! Much jealousy here, for some one who started with nothing and has made something of himself….from a paperclip…..good on ya dude! You are a successs!
To make something from nothing…surely a story! And if its old hat, and boring…why dont you think of something that could bring you something similar! Stumble away all your lives…but did it get you a house?
If hes bored and unhappy, or whatever..thats a different and personal issue to the dude in question.
I wish you all love, and happiness…and err…success! Just takes one flickering idea…and then to put the idea into action.
January 15th, 2008 @5:39 pm
Alright, I will say it. But it has a but. Yeah, it was a media stunt for like 80% of the people who traded in it, BUT!!!, who the hell cares. I don’t think that Kyle does. I took advantage of the system and got a 2 story house out of it, his 5 minutes of fame (more than that actually), a great way to propose to his wife, and people bickering. I don’t care that it would of barely been possible, or impossible if the media wasn’t attached, this guy still rules for using the media workhorse machines.
Way to go Kyle
January 16th, 2008 @1:29 am
sierously, how dumb can people be?
Did they donate the house to a charity so it could be used for a halfway house for the homeless?
no
Did they give a dying child who wanted to see alice cooper before he/she died
no
They gave all this stuff to freeloading Canadian for publicity, under the guise of charity.
This guy ripped off the system for doing nothing, and people call it a “Heartwarming story”
That is a total load of crap
January 16th, 2008 @3:42 am
anarchist, your an idiot a golddigger is someone who goes after someone with money in a deceitful way with no feelings for that person your just jealous you didn’t think of it as am i. i would think a true anarchist would be proud of him or does someone need to explain what anarchy is.
January 16th, 2008 @3:56 pm
Why is everyone thinking this guy is ripping people off. He ended up with a house…
In KIPLING, SASKATCHEWAN! There are plenty of towns in Saskatchewan that have houses for next to nothing.
It isn’t like he got anything of any real worth.
January 16th, 2008 @4:00 pm
PS:
They didn’t donate it to homeless or charity for the above stated reasons. There are no homeless….there are no people in a tiny village in Saskatchewan.
You wouldn’t understand unless you were Canadian I guess, most of us would consider a free house in a place like that a liability.
Cool idea and story nonetheless
January 16th, 2008 @6:33 pm
I think this is really cool, except, why the heck are they giving houses away?
January 16th, 2008 @7:53 pm
What’s that giant sucking sound? Must be all of the crass, depressing people that can’t enjoy anything. Yes, the media got a hold of the story, but it all started with an idea, and one person.
January 16th, 2008 @8:35 pm
Sandy, et al:
You are all idiots. Of course the town got a good deal:
They WANTED the PUBLICITY, morons.
Posts like yours only prove that the majority of people are incapable of rational thought. Why don’t you do yourself a favor and keep your jaded mouth(s) shut? Everyone is laughing at you, idiot, because you not only want to shit on someone else’s parade, but you do so by using an argument that only proves itself.
Seriously, get off of the internet. And this planet.
You suck.
January 17th, 2008 @3:17 am
People saying so-and-so “lost money” on any of these deals are missing the point entirely. If you ignore the media hype, which unfortunately made his job much easier and spoilt what could have been an interesting exercise, this is just bartering. Bartering was around way before any concept of money or intrinsic value, and it involves trading something that isn’t valuable *to you at the moment* for something that is - things have different values to different people at different times, for example a hungry person will be willing to trade more for food than someone else.
Ironically, “exploitation” of that fact is what anti-capitalists seem to find most disgusting about capitalism, even though it’s arguably harder to do when money is involved than it is with direct trade.
January 17th, 2008 @2:03 pm
HAHAHA, i think its well funny, reading the comments on this article. Starts with “wow, he did really well, such a good idea, good for him”……… ends with “everyone is a homo, and dick eating??” … i love the internet!
January 17th, 2008 @8:21 pm
Well said, Justin from comment 19.
It’s a cool story, how could it possibly offend or annoy the whiny commenters?
The glass isn’t half full or half empty, it just has fucking water in it. The paperclip guy got a house in Saskatchewan, he just acquired it in a strange way. It’s a neat story. Get the sour grapes out of your asses.
January 18th, 2008 @4:12 pm
This guy needs to get a job…. like the rest of us!
Stop encouraging being a deatbeat.
January 18th, 2008 @8:08 pm
Wow! Man…that’s epically cool
Even if they did give him the house for the publicity, he still got away with a totally awesome deal. Not to mention all the other stuff!
Good job Paperclip dude!
January 18th, 2008 @10:46 pm
I went to an October fest in 99 we stayed in a tent and there were 1000s of people there and one night i went out with a pop tart looking to trade for something better and when i was done i had a black garbage bag filled with food . If your not afraid to ask someone if they want to trade anything is possible!
January 19th, 2008 @5:51 am
it’s a great story but july 7th is my birthday, does this mean i should be a giant red paperclip?
January 20th, 2008 @4:45 pm
Yeah, this is stupid. If it wasn’t for media coverage, it would have never happened. Almost every person traded him something considerably more valuable for what he had.
January 22nd, 2008 @9:21 am
Now now!
I think he did very well.
For a Cunt.
January 24th, 2008 @2:20 am
Sounds like a lot of sour grapes on this message board. Instead of trying to make yourself feel better by tearing down others’ accomplishments why don’t you try and lift yourself up by going out and doing something impressive yourself.
January 25th, 2008 @7:22 pm
anarchist January 14th, 2008 at 2:17 pm”I agree with sandy, his success is a glorified media stunt ”
the mediastunt was the point!
January 25th, 2008 @7:45 pm
Now he can vegetate in his new house laying in his feces. Holding up a paper clips to his crying wife and telling her to go trade it for some pizza and beer. HAHA!
January 28th, 2008 @9:47 pm
It truly amazes me to hear people complain about something as trivial as this and try to insult others by not sharing the same beliefs. The guy had an unique idea and followed through with his plan. It was all about trading folks, not money, not fame, no violence, no crime, just a crazy idea to get a house!
January 29th, 2008 @12:52 am
Hey NEGATIVE NANCY… oh, I mean SANDY. Stop raining on our parade!
February 1st, 2008 @1:13 pm
It’s “Nerdo Nancy” not “Neddie Nannie!”
Get a life Nancy!
February 2nd, 2008 @5:08 am
Wow! What a blessing!! I wish things were that simple for all of us. Lucky dude. God blesses the less fortunate.
February 4th, 2008 @8:58 pm
amazing what time and effort can get you..and of course a little help from the internet
February 6th, 2008 @4:21 pm
One thing the article failed to mention: he has to pay taxes on the difference in value between the paperclip and the house, so yeah. Free house technically, but Uncle Sam will get his share.
February 8th, 2008 @9:07 pm
Why should we give a toss? ok some bloke trades all this crap for more crap.. whats the big deal?
February 29th, 2008 @4:20 pm
Wow, Canadians are truly amazing! This has to be one of their greatest accomplishments in modern history. When people find a red paper clip they will automatically think of the Maple leaf and a moose.
March 19th, 2008 @12:48 am
If you were to look at it from an economic perspective, it makes perfect sense. 2 people have an item that the other person values more, so they trade for it. Personal utility does not always reflect the market price of a good. If they are both happier after the trade, then no one is getting ripped off.
Example: Say farmer A fixes up used crop sprayers for extra income, but also needs a combine to harvest his crop.
And lets say farmer B fixes up used combines for a living, therefore he has all these extra combines in his yard. Person B realizes he needs a crop sprayer for the season, so he trades a combine to farmer A for a crop sprayer. Both farmers are better off!
This could also be examined through the production possibilities frontier.
March 12th, 2009 @2:41 am
This story is photo shopped (obviously)
March 26th, 2009 @12:12 am
The whole thing was photoshopped. you can tell by the pixels.
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