Thursday, January 20, 2011

Snow Day Give-Away!!!

That's right.  I'm doing a give-away.  Because that's what people with blogs do, right?  But first, you have to put up with a bit of crazy.

I love Runner's World.  It is my favorite magazine.  It is full of inspiration in the form of stories and pictures of hot people.  But for the longest time I have felt that the people behind Runner's World are trying to screw me.

Two years ago, when renewing my subscription, I thought to myself that it would make more sense to do a two year subscription because it was less expensive per issue and I wouldn't have to mess with it again in a year.  So I paid for a two-year subscription.  I have no proof that what I say is true.

Imagine my surprise when I received a letter last year informing me that it was time to renew my subscription, along with a bill of $24.00 for the next year's issues.  $24???  Please.  They are always offering this magazine for like $12 a year.  No way am I paying twice as much. 

I know there isn't a huge difference between twelve dollars and twenty-four dollars.  But please remember that I totally paid for a two-year subscription the previous year... of which I had no record.

I almost didn't renew.  But I really really love that magazine.  So I did it.  I paid the stupid $24 and swore I was going to get a better deal next year.  Which is this year.

I received an email close to the beginning of January that offered me a twelve month subscription for $12.  Thank you!  That is what I want.  So I clicked on it.  I filled in my information.  Then there was a little box I could check to do one year for $12 or two years for $24.  Heck yes I'll do two years!  So I clicked the box.  I confirmed all of my information and thought I was done. 

Then another page popped up offering me a Runner's World running journal with a HUGE box that said "Yes!  I accept!" and a teensy tiny box that said "No Thank You."  I went to click "no" and my mouse slipped and I accidentally hit the ginormo-yes-box. 

The next page that popped up was just a confirmation of my order ---> two years of Runner's World and the GD Running Journal... which was an extra $15.64!!!!!  There was no way to un-do the mistake because they already had my credit card info.  Those gypsies got me again!!!

Here's the thing:  I love running journals.  I get one every year.  I get the same one every year.  So no.  I do not need another one.  Especially one that costs $15.00.

These are mine.
I wait every year until after the first of the year to purchase one because by that time they go on sale.  See???  I am super cheap.  I would not buy one on a whim.  I plan these things out.

On a fun note, when I pulled these out to photograph them, pictures from my first race fell out:

Wichita 1/2 Marathon!
Back on track!!!

Since I obviously don't need this running journal...

You win this one, Runner's World.
... I'm going to give it to you!  Not only will you receive this super awesome running journal (I have to admit it is pretty nice)... but you will also receive the Special Report from Men's Health titled, "Who Ever Dreamed You Could Get So Big So Fast!" that came with it.  Because I know you want that.


But that's not all folks!  Enter now and you could win this dog!

"Wait.  What?!"
No, I'm just kidding.  You can't have my dog.  You probably don't want my dog. 

BUT, since I know some of you aren't runners, if you win I will also include in your prize package a batch of cookies of your choosing, baked by me.  Your choice: vegan, gluten-free, or Jamie-style (full-fat, extra sugar).  To further entice you, please click here, here, or here.

TO ENTER just leave a comment on this post.  Bonus points if you tell me a funny story about a time you've been wronged when making purchases via the internet.

Contest will close Sunday at midnight.  Winner chosen at random and announced Monday morning.  To make things easier on you, I'm momentarily going to take off the word verification thingy, so if porn-bots invade my blog, please do not click on their links.  Good luck!

***Oh, and I printed out the order confirmation page this time.  So when RW comes knocking at my door next year, I've got proof that I paid for two years.

12 comments:

Katy said...

I want a running journal!!! I almost bought one at Barnes & Nobel a few weeks ago, but I didn't want to spend $15... I guess I am cheap too. :)

One time I was wronged online by Amazon. I purchased a $25 bag of what was supposed to be organic, free trade ground coffee. When it came in the mail, it was whole bean, not organic and Kirkland brand! What?! I later saw it at Costco for like $10. Luckily I emailed Amazon about it and they refunded me AND I got to keep the coffee. So really I got free stuff out of the situation, but whatev.

Jessi said...

Maybe this win could convince we to run. You could change my life.

Muchos margaritas +
Vino +
You and Mya +
Google =
$60 Furminator that does not work for me.

This story has got to win it for me: http://www.jessicamcniece.com/2011/01/cautionary-tale.html

Anonymous said...

I was totally prepared to respond, "It's great that you're doing a give-away, but I will sit this one out and save the journal for someone who will truly use/need it". BUT!!!! Then you had to throw in the thing about a dozen cookies!!!!! I will stop at nothing to win this giveaway! Pick me, pick me, pick me!

Anonymous said...

This technically isn't an internet buying mishap, but I think it's still funny....Remember those old school mail-order CD buying club things? You know, you get 10 CD's for only $10, but every CD after that is like $39.99? When I was like 13 I started sending those things in and receiving tons of CD's, and of course, tons of bills and notices, too. They were even starting to send threatening letters. So I typed up a letter about me being a minor and it was illegal for them to threaten me like that, and I never heard another word from them again.

Anonymous said...

Over Christmas I ordered 3 garden flags to give as gifts. THey were supposed to come with the flag poles as well, but they didn't. I called Amazon and they sent 3 more, still no poles. I called yet again. 3 more flags, but at least I got the 3 poles too. $30 got me 9 garden flags (unfortunately they're all identical) and 3 flag poles. Oooh, maybe I could do a giveaway on my blog with these garden flags!

Brooke said...

So this isn't a buying mishap, but an internet mishap nontheless. After the X-Mas card incident this year it won't suprise you. About a month into the semester at K-State I decided to change my major once again and needed to add an easy class to fill a genereal ed requirement. Long story short I signed up for a class and paid my money online only to figure out about a week later the class had already been in session about a month. Apparently I cant read dates when they are listed in numeral form. Of course the drop date had passed and I had to write to the dean of the college to get my money back and to not get an incomplete on my transcript...oops!

I want cookies!!!

Kaitlin said...

I too am lured by the cookies. I eperienced a buying mishap today actually, only I was the lucky person in it. Some other unfortunate Kaitlyn purchased some tickets from Amtrak online, and the genius (who puts a Y in Kaitlin?) managed to give them the wrong email address. Waiting in my inbox today are roundtrip tickets from Kalamazoo, MI to Dearborn, MI leaving on January 21st. How about I give you the tickets, and you give me the cookies. Not only do these tickets have an $80 value, but there appears to be a snack car on this baby. And it's a train!

Trophy Wife said...

I'm lured by cookies but more by that pamphlet about how to get bigger. I'm nothing if not trying to get bigger. Oh, wait, that's just cause I'm not running and I'm eating. Alot.

So...funny story...internet screwing me over...you'd think I have one. But I don't. No bonus points for me.

Lauren Grier said...

Although I would love some COOKIES and a JOURNAL...I unfortunately don’t have an internet disaster story. Bummer. But, I thought I would share one that happened to my mom that is absolutely hysterical.

My dad loves glass/crystal pieces of artwork. So for their 30th anniversary my mom saw a glass vase with a women’s face sketched into the side while shopping online. Very glam and pretty. She was thrilled and ordered it. When the package arrived two weeks later (now keep in mind she thought she ordered a Grande coffee cup size of a vase) so when she opened the box and pulled out a glass lady, not a vase, that was the height of two Veinte coffee cups, she was like what the hell. The best part was that the glass lady had huge breasts complete with nipple definition. Nothing says I love you like a naked glass lady with pointy nipples.

Jamie – I think you should send the cookies to my mom and me the journal:)

Callie said...

I hate running, so I def don't want the journal (please don't pick me). I just wanted to share an awesome online mishap.

My friend's mom was trying to buy the last remaining piece of her china on ebay. A teapot for $15... instead of typing in $15.00, she forgot the decimal point and her bid was $1500. Whoops!! That's one expensive teapot.

Just Jana said...

Now think about how convenient it would be for you if I were the winner of this give away? You see me every week anyway...why not make it easy on yourself...and pick me. Do it for Cade. :)
I enjoyed reading about everyone's mishaps. Hilarious.
Myself? Well, we all know the Amazon story...which technically wasn't my fault...but I'd rather discuss magazine subscriptions in general. The only magazine I truly will make time to read is Real Simple. Love that thing. But I must have been in a really cheap mood when I got my credit card bill and saw that they had automatically deducted for the next year's subscription without asking (I'm sure I had authorized it at some point...but I still felt violated). So I called up and canceled. I'll show them. But I miss the magazine and now will occasionally just buy individual issues at Wal-mart (because I shop there) which is way more expensive and totally defeats the purpose. If only my in-laws would buy me the subscription. They buy us magazine subscriptions as gifts all the time...Newsweek, Guidepost, Better Homes and Gardens, and Martha Stewart. Do I want to read any of those...no. Please don't let them have clicked on this comment thread...

Some kind of Jennifer said...

You KNOW I need to be running, and I even referenced wishing I knew how many miles I'd trekked in my yearly wrap-up post, so I'm a natural fit. And I'm pretty sure you threw in the lure of gluten-free cookies for my benefit...so...pick me.

Internet ordering snafu...gotta give that one to Mr. X. Years ago (remember how old I am...) in the stone ages of ebay, Mr. X decided he needed a vintage Atari. After a vicious bidding war at the end of the listing, he thought he'd scored quite the deal when he won the auction for somewhere in the range of $40. A week or so later, a small box comes to the door. It's his Atari...paddles. He'd paid waaaay over the going rate for a pair of paddles for the Atari -- that he didn't own.

Dork.

No wonder I divorced him.