There is that old phrase ‘one mans trash is another mans treasure’. Going through your so called junk you hope that anybody on a selling website such as Gumtree or Ebay will find your crap interesting and they’d want it enough to part with their hard earned cash.

I love the way the Gumtree commercial had money raining down on the couple that had fantastic success selling all the stuff they didn’t want, hallelujah, we’ve sold our junk, lets go to Bali.

What a shock that the TV commercial doesn’t actually depict reality. It’s like the car commercial where they show a very good looking person driving through glorious mountains on a gorgeous day with the car handling beautifully, then at the end of the commercial in small writing Superman couldn’t see it says ‘actual model not available in Australia’.  Great, I’ll move to Germany.

As I’m contemplating my new car I’ll get back to selling stuff. Trying to sell things on Gumtree is like dealing with Muppets. Yes, you get the occasional ‘normal’ person, who is actually dare I say it, normal. They say they’re interested, yes I’ll buy it, what time can I come over, here is the cash, thanks very much. It’s like how it really happens in the commercial, it’s like magic.

But when you deal with Muppets, they exhibit Muppet behavior. How big are the wheels? Read the ad. How much does it cost? Read the ad. Will you take less? Does it say negotiable, read the ad. I’ve lost the TV remote, where is it? Read the ad. Urrggghhhhh!

Finally after a twenty question and answer session, ‘I’ll meet you tonight, I’ll come after work not to buy it, but to have a look’. Crikey, would you like a cup of tea as well, I’ll have biscuits too. I’m selling some wheels, not the Mona Lisa.

Eventually a ‘yes, I’ll buy it’ arrives. Then, wait for it, “I’ll offer you ….”, which is less than the actual price. Oh joy, lets haggle like we are in a street market in Phuket. At about this time I’d like Barney the friendly Rottweiler or Darth Vader to show up and solve all my problems.

But alas, with no Barney I’m left to my own devices. Ah, what the heck, I’m booking my flight; I’m off to Germany to buy my new car so I can drive through some glorious mountains trying to convince myself that advertising really does work.