Skip to main content

The postal route

Image
By
We meet many people through selling our excess stuff. Some are fascinating. Some funny. Some odd. Some a little weird.

Today a local buyer declined to pick up their desired item. Or to have me bring it to him/her. I say him/her because even their profile name sounded more like a code name, giving away no information.

The instructions were to wait for the all-clear and then deposit the item at a designated letterbox (presumably theirs). The money would be in a side compartment.

This was definitely a first. Unexpected and a little strange. I might not have done it, but being very local I did it during my afternoon walk. I'll probably never know who the buyer was - or why they wanted this secretive method.

In my free ebook Less Clutter More Cash I said selling to people can be fun and interesting. At the time I didn't expect that to include doing a spy-like drop-off to a secret identity.

Now that I've done it, I think they're onto a pretty good idea. Letterboxes are handy for local transactions. No need to arrange a mutually convenient time. No waiting around when someone's late. The buyer only travels as far as their letterbox. At first it's odd, but now I like the idea of discarding my excess stuff and collecting cash from neighbourhood letterboxes.

Like a reverse vending machine - I deposit the item and take the cash
Like a reverse vending machine
I deposit the item and take the cash
Read more about:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Monopoly, money and you

By
One of the most well-known board games can also be a great way to learn about money and investing - according to this book. Perhaps one way to teach kids (and maybe ourselves) about finance is to play a board game. In so many ways, the game parallels our own financial life - and we can practice financial decision-making without losing any real money. Is monopoly like life? Yes and no. We manage our cash, negotiate, make deals, make choices, go through tough times, make investments, pay tax and reap rewards. To do well we have to make investments. It's very hard to win just by collecting $200 each time you pass go. There are rules, and wise moves. The better we know them, the better we do. However, in real life, you can win without forcing others into bankruptcy. Principles that work in the game and life Diversify. You might have hotels on the two most expensive properties on the board, but if no-one lands on them, you still might lose. Investments have a price and a value. They are...
Post a Comment
Read more

Four Thousand Weeks - Time and How to Use It

By
First question. Why 4000 weeks? That's the average human lifespan. If you're reading this you've probably used up 1000 already. If you're a bit older you may have only 2000 left. Maybe just 1000. That can be a startling thought - given how quickly each week goes by. There's so much wisdom in this book, it's hard to summarise it briefly. But I'll give it a go.... Face the Finitude If time was infinite, we could work for 40 years and not miss out on anything. We could spend frivolously as we could always earn more money later. But in the real world there are time limits. Even if we have enough money to escape the nine-to-five, our time (though more plentiful) is finite. Just like money, we will run out if we fritter it away on low-value options. "Face the Finitude" has become one of my internal phrases now. It's my reminder that I don't have infinite time to waste. It may be helpful to think of it like money. eg. I might like something, but d...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to never worry about the share market

By
The Ulysses Contract doesn't sound like a book about investing. The subtitle "How to never worry about the share market again" is what grabbed my attention. The book is mostly about the mindset and strategy of investing in shares. The obscure title refers to Greek mythology, the temptation of the siren songs, and the measures Ulysses took to keep his ship and crew safe - including being tied to the mast of the ship, to hold himself to his own plan. In the book, Michael Kemp outlines the temptations (siren songs) in the share market, gives some solid guiding principles (the mast) that investors can secure themselves to, and outlines his idea of a Ulysses contract for investing. The temptations include spending too much on consumer items (it's hard to invest if we spend all our income) doing what everyone else is doing (when the crowd is selling, it might be the best time to buy) expert predictions (not worth that much, and can be wrong as much as right) market-timing, ...
Post a Comment
Read more