Feng Shui Your Financial House — Day 28

𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟖’𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤? 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐟 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥.

You probably know in your gut whether something is too good to be true, not tempting at all, or a win-win for both parties.

If in doubt, here are two rules of thumb:

1. The normal discount for liquidity starts at 25%. If it ain’t cash, it takes a haircut to monetize it.

2. Know the risk factors that affect a deal’s price:

• expiration date

• transferability

• agent vs. principal

• fraud

• headache

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐩:

I belong to a Facebook group of local foodies. We post requests for restaurant recommendations, pictures of impossibly complicated dishes we’ve cooked, and ask whether real bagels can be found outside of NYC.

Yesterday someone offered to sell on behalf of a friend a $400 gift certificate to the Umstead Hotel and Spa for $375.

“𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐡!” 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞.

First of all, that’s B.S. It’s not just like cash. Secondly, that is a TERRIBLE deal.