Comments on: Putting Out the Word http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: kristine http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-805494 kristine Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:30:28 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-805494 Patience is key. If I need something, I will wait until I see it posted on Freecycle. Does it mean I have to do without for a while? Sure. Sometimes a month or two. But things waited for are more appreciated.

]]> By: anne http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-805354 anne Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:14:04 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-805354 this is such a great post

what popped into my head was how at work the other day a friend of mine was saying she has nothing saved for retirement, it’s too late, she seemed so sad and resigned about it. she’s 58, and it’s late, but i really don’t think it’s too late.

but in my car i happened to have david bach’s book “start late, finish rich” so i gave it to her- i didn’t lend it to her.

in the past this friend and i have just given each other so many things, but never expecting immediate or any reciprocation. like i just love antique linens- i brought in a bunch i had just bought on my way to work to show her, just because i was so excited, and she laughed and said if she only knew i liked that stuff she’d have given me tons of it. then the next day or so she brought in a huge box of fantastic handmade and crocheted linens she had inherited but didn’t want.

when her son was stationed in iraq i helped her mail the care packages to him, and i gave her some costco sized packages of her son’s favorite snacks and treats to send in her packages.

and when he was coming home she didn’t have a curtain for his room and said she was going to tack up a bath towel, so i gave her a curtain that i knew would fit the window.

and she LOVES gilbert gottfried, so i took her to see one of his shows.

she is always so generous w/ people, it just makes you want to give back to her.

i feel this way about a lot of my friends and coworkers, but she’s who i thought of first.

trent- i’m sure that’s why people go out of their way to help you- you’re probably always giving to them, too.

]]> By: deRuiter http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-805289 deRuiter Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:14:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-805289 Great Post Trent! This also helps the giver who does not want the object any longer but doesn’t want to see it go to waste, and hasn’t had the energy, time, or mind set to get rid of the unwanted thing. Helps the environment too! I run estate sales, and at the end, we put the unwanted things on the curb, and post on Craigslist what’s available. It’s amazing how fast the stuff gets adopted. It’s necessary to keep updating the Craigslist info to accommodate what’s been adopted and what’s just been dragged to the curb. It’s loads of fun to watch the curbside shopers making their selections!

]]> By: Matt http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804983 Matt Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:44:48 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804983 The key with value exchanges is to not put any scoring mechanism in mind or time frame. If people feel obligated immediately to exchange value, I don’t think you’ll get what you desire as much as the patient approach Trent talks about. During moving we were quite surprised when we had 14 people to make a normal 4 hour move take 1 1/2 hours. I had helped members of my in-laws family move multiple times and didn’t expect as much as help as I got- but I’m very thankful for the value exchange.

]]> By: Gabriel http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804982 Gabriel Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:42:32 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804982 By putting out the word, I was able to furnish my new apartment for under $100. So many people were happy to unload their clutter on me!

]]> By: Vicky http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804972 Vicky Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:55:06 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804972 This is amazing!

Let it also be said that strangers will also be happy to lend a hand!

When I first started to learn how to sew, I made a post on CraigsList saying that I was looking for scraps of fabrics that I could buy. I was also looking for old sheets or curtains that someone didn’t mind me destroying. :)

The end result? There are A TON of people who donated a LOT of materials to me that I could practice on and learn how to sew with. Most of them were happy to help – some even offered patterns to me so I could get better, some offered a few basic tips and advice, some gave me books, and a LOT of people gave me scraps of fabric that they had sitting around.

]]> By: John DeFlumeri Jr http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804951 John DeFlumeri Jr Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:32:44 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804951 It’s networking, it works, and the principles that apply to business work in all other things.

John DeFlumeri Jr.

]]> By: Tyler Tervooren http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804949 Tyler Tervooren Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:25:11 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804949 Trent, you say the main lesson here is patience, but to me it’s the importance of giving. Do you think your friends would have readily offered things to you if you hadn’t fostered that relationship with your friends in the first place by providing for them?

Patience is obviously a virtue, but you probably did a lot of giving yourself to build relationships that would eventually help you out.

]]> By: RC@Thinkyourwaytowealth http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804945 RC@Thinkyourwaytowealth Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:01:07 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804945 Very true- and for the younger generation, facebook and twitter can be a great way to let your network know you are looking for something, or alternatively, have something to give away that someone might want. My wife just picked up a piece of furniture we were looking at buying for free from a friend b/c her friend asked if anyone was interested in it on facebook.

]]> By: Susan http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/11/07/putting-out-the-word/#comment-804939 Susan Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:51:57 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=4542#comment-804939 I see this as an example of how relationships between people bring the most joy in life – much more so than ‘things’. I love being able to do things for my friends!

It amazes me constantly how when I need something, if I am patient, the item I need will be given to me or I will find it for pennies on the dollar at a thrift store. This has happened for me time and time again.

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