We live in a fairly new neighborhood. Not sure when the first homes were built here, but there are still homes going up daily. So I guess it's a new neighborhood. Apparently our newness makes us a great target for door to door solicitors, salespeople, annoyances really! I hate to be mean or rude to anyone and am always getting backed into a corner where I commit to buy whatever they're selling and then have huge regrets. The very little bleeding heart in me knows that these people are just doing their job and trying to pay their bills and I'd love to help them. The Dave Ramsey follower in me knows that I don't have the money built into my budget to buy something or anything from every person who knocks on the door!
This first happened to me in February, I think. We hadn't been here long and at 8pm or so one of these solicitors rang the doorbell selling some sort of cleaning solution. I was freaked out and in my trying to get the ultra freaky, too many personal questions asking, walking right into my house man away, I wrote him a check and took a bottle of his cleaning solution. I didn't sleep that night and even had my neighbor come walk the perimeter of my house to make sure creepy guy wasn't still lurking. I googled the company name and that made my apprehensions and fears even worse! I immediately knew what a terrible mistake I had made handing him a check with my account number on it so I called the bank at midnight and stopped payment on the check. The next day I was boxing solution up and mailing it back to Illinois or somewhere. I should insert that I've seen way too many Lifetime Movies so my imagination of the after effects of these kinds of situations tends to run wild!
Another of my annoying solicitors - this one I think broke the common decency code - was a salesman for our local newspaper. He had already been to the house once and I already had a subscription to the pretty much worthless paper. The day he came back for no real reason that I can figure, he rang the doorbell about 5 times and knocked the same number. I have a glass front door so it was obvious with the kids running around that we were in the house. However, after I didn't answer with a ring and a knock, why was there no hint taken? (said glass door is pretty, but not practical when dealing with unwanted knocks at the door!)
Two days ago I was faced with yet another salesperson - a very nice, polite young guy selling pest control services contracts. This guy spent 20 minutes or longer standing outside of the house trying to sell me pest control services and admiring the kids and talking about his girlfriend that he's saving to buy an engagement ring. I told him several times that the few bugs we see here don't really bother me, but he kept talking and kept pulling out all his sales tactics. By the end, I decided I would at least take his deal and think it over for a day or so and cancel before the first service, voiding the contract, if I couldn't see the real value in spending this money. Well, today, I called the company to tell them that I had thought it over and wasn't ready to commit at this point. 2 minutes later the sales guy's cell phone number shows up on my phone. I didn't answer it because I have nothing further to say to this guy. I haven't even listened to the message he left. Here's the kicker, where I'm really annoyed and consider calling the BBB filing a harassment complaint - he shows up at my house this afternoon. Same as before, the kids are crazy in the house, I'm hiding in the kitchen and they're yelling "it's the same guy that was here the other day." I think F2 even started trying to open the door! After a couple of knocks and a couple of doorbell rings he left, but it seemed like I was trapped in my kitchen for an eternity trying to keep the kids from opening the door for their new friend.
Now, am I being a total jerk for not going to the door or am I being jerked by people who refuse to take no for an answer? I don't know, but as soon as I can get a piece of paper, a sharpie marker and some tape, there will be a No Soliciting sign attached to my door!
I really have struggled with this whole issue of whether or not I should always open the door when strangers knock or how I should handle these things. I've never wanted to be one of these rude people who shuts out the world of little kids who are selling candy bars or cookies, but at the same time some of these peeps who show up are creepy and rude and impossible to get away from the door. The kids always go nuts when the doorbell rings so I don't feel like I can even be on guard if some true wacko shows up. The boys know that they're never to open the door unless it's one of our neighbors that they know and with whom we have a good relationship. I may need to install an additional lock so F2 can't open the door! No telling who she'd let in!
I'm definitely learning my lessons on let your yes be yes and your no be no! It's just easier if you don't have to speak to them at all!
What's your method of dealing with these people?
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