I used to have the same problem when I was hunting down specific vintage Pyrex for my kitchen collection last year. Missing those last few minutes is the absolute worst, especially when you have a strict budget like yours. Honestly, I'm very happy with just using the official eBay app notifications on my iPhone these days. It is the safest way to go since you arent giving your login info to some random third-party site. You just go into the app settings, hit notifications, and make sure auction ending is turned on. It usually gives me a ping about 15 minutes before the end. I did try a tool called Gixen for a while. It is free and basically snipes the bid for you at the very last second so you dont even have to be there. While it definitely works well and I was satisfied with the results, I am a bit cautious about account security. I ended up moving away from it because I prefer keeping things strictly within the official ecosystem. Tbh, for something simple like your teapots, I often just use the built-in Reminders app on my phone. I literally just tell Siri to remind me ten minutes before the auction ends. It is totally free, incredibly simple, and I've had no complaints using it for months. It keeps me on track without needing to install anything sketchy. Between the official app alerts and a manual reminder, you should be totally fine... just make sure your volume is up so you hear the ding.

Oh man, vintage teapots! This brings back so many memories of when I first started out and got totally obsessed with the hunt! It is seriously the best feeling when you find that perfect piece but the stress is real. Honestly, PriceDropCatch is pretty solid because you dont even need to make an account to use it, which is amazing for staying low-key. Your story totally reminds me of the absolute saga I went through with a set of mid-century espresso cups last year...

• First, I found the perfect set for my brothers housewarming and spent weeks watching the price like a hawk.
• I had this whole plan to bid at the last second, but then my cat decided that was the exact moment to get stuck behind the fridge.
• I spent the final three minutes of the auction upside down with a flashlight while my phone was buzzing in the other room.
• By the time I rescued the cat and got back to the screen, the cups were gone and I was covered in dust bunnies and hair. It turned into this massive ordeal where I had to track down the winner and beg them to sell to me, which they obviously wouldnt! Then I found out shipping from their location was gonna be like fifty bucks anyway, which was way over my cost limit. It was such a nightmare but also kind of a hilarious memory now. Vintage hunting is just wild!

I've tried many trackers over the years but I'm always cautious.

• Set an iPhone alarm manually 10 minutes early.
• Check PriceDropCatch for safe price monitoring.