We all get 200 pieces of junk mail a day, the overwhelming majority being credit card offers: official looking letters that reveal themselves to be nonsense as soon as the envelope is ripped open.
So it’s no surprise that so many of us just throw away (or recycle) these kinds of letters on sight. My husband is one of them. Barely a glance to confirm it’s nothing but a credit card offer and into the recycling bi it goes. But a few years ago, we got some mail that changed the way I see those sneaky official looking envelopes, forever impacting which person in the B household would check the mail. (Hint: it is now always me.)
Unlike Mr. B, I tended to open every letter when I was the one getting the mail. Mostly because I wanted to shred the credit card applications that had our personal info on them. I’m paranoid that way. And on this fateful day, I opened a letter to discover a check for $38 for a settlement we didn’t even know we were a part of. Since then, I make sure I am always the one to check the mail. I open every single letter, because you never know if some Disney Fund money is hiding in that boring looking mail. In the years since I started doing this, we’ve been sent settlement checks, rebates, freebies rewards, and high value coupons that make items free. All dressed up like regular old mail.
Last week, I went to check the mail and Mr. B stopped me, “Oh, I already got the mail. It was all garbage.”
“What kind of garbage?”
“Just credit card offers. It’s all in the recycling bin.”
So cut to me, fishing for our mail in the recycling bin, because I have to see those letters! You never know!! And, vindication!!! I was right: while there were four nonsense credit card offers, there were also two decidedly non nonsense missives. One was $10 Kohl’s cash. Which, I have no idea why they sent it. I don’t really shop at Kohl’s. I bought a blanket during the holidays because there was a great deal, but if a free $10 is my reward for purchasing a cozy blanket, I’ll take it. The second letter was a $10 gift card from Costco as a thank you for our membership auto renewal. Mr. B protested over that one for like 15 minutes. “It had a card shaped bulge! I thought it was Costco trying to offer us a new credit card! How was I know??” Truthfully, he couldn’t have known. That’s why you gotta check that mail!
That’s $20 worth of Disney Fund that could have been recycled if I had not been diligent!
So my tip is a simple one that costs you no money and very little time, but could net some major rewards: check your mail! Check each and every letter, because you never know which one could have some hidden Mickey Bar money in it.
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!
Linda says
Thanks