let's make a deal

In my past life, as a manufacturing engineer, my job duties included participation in contract negotiations with suppliers.  It was my job to know where every penny of every part's cost came from.  To this day, I look at "things" and sometimes mentally rack up an estimated cost to make them.  The high price of eyeglass frames, for instance, baffles me somewhat.  Manufacturing cost and market value are certainly NOT the same thing.

Supplier negotiations weren't my favorite part of the job, but they were bearable.  If nothing else, they prepared me for parenthood.  Geesh, it seems like every freaking day includes some wheeling and dealing where money is not the only medium of commerce!  I've been known to actually say, "Negotiate with me!  And do it with out whining (dammit)!"

In those old professional days, the concern was to "not leave anything on the table" once the contract was signed.  And that's where I am now. 

I'm tired of all the stuff on the table... and the floors, and the shelves, and the closets, and the etc.

There are totes and boxes and hodge podges of stuff that our kids haven't used in years or at least months.  It's occurred to me that the main function of these piles is to provide a barrier to me, as I'm the only one that moves them around or even seems to notice their existence.

I want them out and I'm willing to pay.  It's come to that.  Yes, I'm willing to pay hard earned cash for the privilege of throwing stuff away.

I have done similar with favorable results.  I've paid them a dollar a pound for anything they purged (within reason).  This time, I've just gathered up the disagreeable materials and have an offer on the hopefully soon-to-be cleared table. 

And don't tell them, but I'm willing to go higher.  Notably higher.

In my days as a cost engineer, I got to negotiate contracts worth millions of dollars.  This particular deal is worth much more than that, though.  Namely, my sanity!


Update:  They got me for twice my original offer.  Still a total bargain!
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