Minimalism is kind of my thing. Less is more. I definitely need to stitch that on a pillow. But then I'd probably get rid of the pillow, because it would be taking up room and cluttering some surface somewhere.Mind you, don't come over to my house right now. You would laugh in my face at how much crap I have laying about, and then I'd be a hypocrite in your eyes, and then I'd have to erase your memory MIB style. So, just take my minimalism stance as the truth and we'll all be happier.
Anyway, most of the stuff that's been driving me crazy right now is the toys. The massive amount, the can't even walk in my basement without stepping over, on, or around a toy. So I decided to get rid of some of them. My brilliant idea was to take some of the lesser-used toys and sell them on Amazon. Then I could take that money made and put it toward something that we would use. See? Brilliant!
So I put a toy up for sale, priced it at $15. Amazon gives you another $6 to cover shipping, and when your item sells they take $4 as their little cut. So my profit should be $17. Simple math.
Said toy sold. Hurray! I rushed down to the shipping store to send it off. After they packed it up in bubble wrap and packing peanuts, I gave them the address (someone in New Jersey) and they rang me up.
"It will be $20." Huh? "Is that the cheapest form of delivery?" "The delivery is $13, the packing material is $7." My brilliant, money-making plan got dim really fast. (And? Thanks a lot, stinking Amazon, for painting the picture of $6 shipping!)
So, not only am I out a toy, I'm out $3. Merry Christmas, New Jersey stranger! From here on out, I'll stick to my usual D.I. routine. It'll be better for me in the long run, anyway, because then my obituary can read "philanthropist minimalist" instead of "cluttered entrepreneur". (But I think I'm still going to cry myself to sleep on my stitched pillow.)
11 comments:
That stinks!! Why is it any time we try to make a little money we get further behind?
Sorry that did not go as planned. Have you tried ebay?
You are so funny, you really should be published. I am serious. Then you could have shampoo commercials on the side of your blog. And then you would get your three dollars back!!
You are a total crackup. Dude, you should have taken said toy to Once Upon a Child. I did that in San Diego with a bunch of unused toys, and I made a cool $60. No packing involved. They pay more for toys at those places than clothes.
Do you know of anyone with a company that does a large amount of shipping??? (can I give you a hint? :D His name sounds kinda like Sandy Rtark and he was in our ward growing up) They get KILLER rates on shipping. It probably would be more around the $6 rate :) Just give him a call! He's super nice about it.
"philanthropist minimalist" instead of "cluttered entrepreneur"....so funny! You sure have a way with words even if you don't have a golden touch for business.
That made me laugh so hard, it was worth the $3.00 cost to you!!!
Once upon a child buys toys.... :) My favorite store
This all sounds like the "Spracher" curse. Grandpa and Grandma came up with that when they or we did something and the outcome was less than desirable. I chuckled and chuckled.
as everyone else has said, you are hilarious.
and i know you were totally saying that line about your pillow in a So-I-Married-An-Axe-Murderer-Scottish accent...am I right???
"Heeeeed! Ponnnnts! Neoww!!!!"
Very interesting. I applaud your effort in trying to raise money for something your really want or could use. As you know our (meaning Marci's) thrifty ness pushes us toward garage sales. We have had several in our married life, and I still think it's easier and cheaper to take the stuff down to the DI, get the yellow paper for a tax credit, and buy ice cream for the boys on the way home. I figure I still end up money ahead compared to the 25 dollars I would have gotten from teh garage sale. Even better than that is taking stuff to the dump.
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