Sunday, April 02, 2006

I am a junk flyer reader...

Yes I really am.

I don’t throw them in the garbage until after I read them first: Li always chucks them with out a second glance.

I used to be a chucker but then I realized that I can actually READ the flyers. I can actually UNDERSTAND the flyers.

The flyers tend to be written mostly in katakana and hiragana with only simple kanji added. Generally I can’t understand anything written in Japanese but the flyers I almost can. That and there is usually a lot of pictures.

Well my flyer reading has actually come in handy on a few occasions and has saved us money.

First: I discovered a really cool child’s stuff resale place that buys and sells used, but quality, clothes and toys. I found ToddlarJi’s katakata there. (I am packing this and bringing it back with us.)

Second: I have come across the occasional coupon for cheap restaurant eating and these are always welcome.

Third: THE GARBAGE MAN!!!!

The Garbage Man has turned out to be a real gold mine.

One day, about a month ago, there was a flyer stuck in our door and it immediately caught my attention. It said that these people collected garbage electronic goods FOR FREE!! One of the first kanji I learned when I came here was the free kanji and it has come in VERY HANDY.

I showed it to Li when he got home and he gave me the look that said, “Damn woman but I am proud of you.” Slight head swelling moment. Hehehe.

In Japan we must recycle EVERYTHING but some things cannot be thrown out with the regular recycled garage. This includes all electronic goods and appliances. What you need to do is call the collectors and pay A LOT to have them take things away. Fifty dollars is the starting price for most things.

Well we had to get rid of:
-an air con
-a dead TV
-a computer TV
-a dead VCR
-a stove top
-a still working toaster oven

We were looking at almost 200bucks in garbage pick up charges and I was having mild heart palpations about this. AND that 200 was not counting the money we needed to pay to have them safely remove the air con from the wall: damn freaky inside gas!

Li called the flyer number on Saturday morning and the guy said he would come by to look at the stuff on Sunday morning before Li headed out to work.

Well I am soooooo happy to report that they are going to take everything AND remove the air con from the wall safely, all for the brilliant price of SIXTY DOLLARS!!!

To put it mildly,
Li and I are thrilled!!!

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Posted by (Top)Andrea::4/02/2006 :: 18 Comments:

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