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I started off buying nothing.
Then I bought twice as much nothing.
Then half as much nothing with a whole lot of nothing.
At the end, only half of what I was buying was nothing.

What was I buying?.

Hint:

While I was buying, I grew another two feet!

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    $\begingroup$ Looks like you were buying nothing. gg ez $\endgroup$
    – Alpha
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 2:14
  • $\begingroup$ It might be too broad... Depending on what you've hidden by 'nothing'. Only what I see is that it's a wordplay, which I couldn't figure out yet. But in any other case it may be too many different things which can be clarified as 'nothing', especially food, as you tried to point in comments (tofu, salad, empty soda cup which can be then re/filled...) $\endgroup$
    – Cockabondy
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 16:33

5 Answers 5

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You bought:

storage (e.g. hard drives), which are supplied empty. You fill them with your own data after purchase.

Lines from the poem, followed by explanations consistent with my answer:

  • I started off buying nothing.

You bought a hard drive, say 2TB capacity.

  • Then I bought twice as much nothing.

You then bought a 4TB hard drive.

  • Then half as much nothing with a whole lot of nothing.

Then a 1TB hard drive, also empty.

  • At the end, only half of what I was buying was nothing.

Although the drives are empty, they still occupy physical space.

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  • $\begingroup$ But . . . If the hard drive I bought was empty, then it would have been full of nothing. I'll grant that could be "a whole lot of nothing," but how is only half of that "nothing?" The other half would be nothing as well. So, sorry, but no. I'll give you the same clue I already gave: While I was buying, I grew two more feet. $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 15:59
  • $\begingroup$ Forgot to @ you. Sorry. And I shouldn't give you the idea you are completely wrong, because you hit on a key element of the puzzle. What I was buying sort of fits what you said, but it would also fit if you had said "things." A little more specificity is needed. $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 16:17
  • $\begingroup$ (Commenting on a post automatically pings that post's author. Also, just "@" alone does nothing - so if it didn't automatically ping, neither of your comments here would have. Ping by name, as I've done here: @R.Dye) $\endgroup$
    – Rubio ♦
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 20:41
  • $\begingroup$ @R.Dye one half was the space; the other was the container. $\endgroup$
    – Lawrence
    Commented Oct 11, 2017 at 13:05
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Music Media.

First I purchased LP's and 45's. One hole.
Then I purchased cassette tapes. Two holes.
Then I purchased CD's. Back to one hole, but now it was digital, so there were lots of zeroes.
With digital files, you have lots of 1's and 0's, so "half-nothing."

"They say it's not" is a clue for "naught," or "0."

"While I was buying, I grew two more feet," literally, as I purchased my first record very young.

I'll be trying not to let the door hit me on the way out, now. I tried to delete the President Trump anagram, but couldn't. For those I have offended, I deeply apologize. I really enjoyed the riddling, and I think missing it will be the price I pay.

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  • $\begingroup$ NIce one! I thought your 2-feet might have referred to a long time between purchases, and should have twigged to the older storage media. I was trying to shoehorn the old aero chocolates into your clues. By the way, what Trump anagram were you referring to? $\endgroup$
    – Lawrence
    Commented Oct 12, 2017 at 3:14
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    $\begingroup$ I don't think there's any need for self-inflicted punishment for what was an honest mistake. No harm was done and the issue was resolved. Please remember that any negative votes you receive are a reflection of the puzzle (and not yourself), and are used to try and improve the community as a whole. $\endgroup$
    – Alpha
    Commented Oct 12, 2017 at 22:55
  • $\begingroup$ POTUS like all public figures is fair game, The President Donald Trump anagram has appears to have been successfully deleted, it was not particularly offensive, not as bad as droplet mid underpants for example. $\endgroup$
    – Jasen
    Commented Oct 17, 2017 at 1:42
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Perhaps you are buying a

Doughnut (though not!)

EDIT: After being told the first one is not a correct answer, here is another one:

It is COTTON that you are buying, as

I started off buying nothing.

Nothing = O

Then I bought twice as much nothing.

Twice of nothing is OO

Then half as much nothing with a whole lot of nothing.

half as much nothing is C (half of O) with whole lot of nothing is NOT

At the end, only half of what I was buying was nothing.

in the word COTTON, half of its NOT, as per the title of the riddle (Not can be used for nothing)

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  • $\begingroup$ But that isn't "half-nothing," usually. I won't say you couldn't make a donut that was half-nothing, but this isn't what I had in mind, and I don't think it fits as a valid answer for the riddle overall. Still, I have to admit, what brought you to "donut" is somewhere in the forest . . . @Mea Culpa Nay $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 3:20
  • $\begingroup$ Wow, but that is interesting reasoning! Sorry, though. You were better off staying with what led you to "donut" in the first place. (I'm guessing at your reasoning, of course, but I'll bet I'm right!) perhaps I should help you out. While I buying, I grew two more feet! 8-) $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 12:00
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I think you were buying

The number 8

I started off buying nothing.

Could mean you have 0

Then I bought twice as much nothing.

Meaning you had 00 which is still nothing.

Then half as much nothing with a whole lot of nothing.

You used your two zeros 00 which is a whole lot of nothing to purchase half a 0 which may be o, essentially a smaller zero.

At the end, only half of what I was buying was nothing.

If you had purchased an 8, half of that eight would be 'o' which is still nothing. So half of what you bought ( the 8) is nothing (o).

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  • $\begingroup$ I paid money for what I was buying. In a store. $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 4:19
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Edited

I think you buy

Heel extension

I started off buying nothing.

1 set of heel extension and doesn't use it so nothing happen

Then I bought twice as much nothing.

2 sets

Then half as much nothing with a whole lot of nothing.

many sets

At the end, only half of what I was buying was nothing.

after buy you use it so height is up only half of sum of all heel extension

Review pls.

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  • $\begingroup$ But what were they buying? That's the question, after all. $\endgroup$
    – boboquack
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 9:21
  • $\begingroup$ @Thanat Univision How did I buy the contents of an empty cart? You mean, you think I was buying "shopping carts?" That . . . is . . . an interesting idea . . . but . . . sorry. No. $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 11:47
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    $\begingroup$ Some markets do require you to pay a penny for using a cart, then when you finish shopping and bring it back, your penny is returned. $\endgroup$
    – Cockabondy
    Commented Oct 10, 2017 at 11:56
  • $\begingroup$ Ummm . . . what? I'm guessing you mean "shoe lifts" of some sort? two feet worth!?! Sorry, but . . . no. $\endgroup$
    – user41265
    Commented Oct 11, 2017 at 14:11

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