excommunicate.net

Day 145 of 365 new ways to a new you. Congratulations, you have made it this far. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Are you ready for tomorrow? This is part of a series that is going to span 365 days. Some things will be subtle other activities will be more involved. At the end of the 365 days even if you do only 20 of these things you will be a new person, for better or for worse.

Before I begin with day 145, I must defer you to our Terms and Conditions .

Have you always wanted that new digital camera but couldn’t afford it? Maybe you just wanted to give that touchscreen iPod a try before committing yourself.

Day 145: Buy something, use it, then return it
Go ahead and buy something that you know you can return later. Movies, DVDs, are exempt from returns so avoid those. However you can buy most electronics use them for two weeks then return them. If there is an important project, movie you wanted to make but don’t have the money for it? “Buy it” and use it for the alloted amount of time before it’s too late to return it. Finish that filming and get your money back. Consider this policy much akin to renting to own except you get a 100% refund if not satisfied.

When you return your item, say a digital camera you used for two weeks on vacation, be sure to format the card before return. Place it in it’s original packaging as close to untouched as you are able. Bring it back to the store you bought it at. It helps if it is a Megalocorp, their customer return policies are more lenient than local mom and pop stores; in so much as you can return goods. You can tell them it wasn’t what you needed or even your brother got a better one from your parents for his birthday.

Why go to such elaborate ends just to “rent” something? It gives you experience in maintaining a facade, skills in memorization, and teaches you about the corporate world.