When Junk Mail Isn't Junk

I'm sure a lot if not most of you are in a similar situation when you go to the mailbox.  If you are lucky you have at most one piece of junk mail for every item you actually need to look at.  With our schedules as hectic as they are, you probably give it a quick glance and toss it in the recycling - you do recycle, right?

Perhaps a second glance is in order.  The other day I had what looked like a flyer from the electronics store Conns.  I was about to throw it away when I realized that there was something in it.  Curiosity got the better of me, and I found a $50 promotional gift card.  I looked it over for the catch, but I didn't find anything.

So I stuck it in my wallet and went to our local Conns a few days later.  Thinking I knew what "the catch" was, I asked a sales clerk if there was a minimum purchase required to use the gift card.  I was shocked to find that the only stipulation was that it was a one use card.  That is if your purchase only amounted to $5, you lost the remaining $45.

I thought that was a pretty good deal so I looked around to see what they had close to $50.  The answer was not much; however, for $49.99 I saw a 1 Gb iPod Shuffle.  After finding nothing else I decided that was a good way to take advantage of their gift card.  I was prepared to pay the taxes, but much to my surprise I didn't have to.  Not bad at all.

I don't know how my of these things Conns sent out, but I can't believe that they have any iPod Shuffles left in their case.

So, the next time you get a load of junk mail, make sure it's really junk before you throw it away.  You never know what's going to be in there.

Until next time...

PH