Saturday, January 11, 2020

How Bespoke Post has Helped Me

OK, first of all, I would like to say that this is not a paid post. I wouldn't even know how to go about getting sponsored for my articles, and I don't think that my viewership is high enough for anyone to even consider paying me to write articles for or about them. That disclaimer out of the way, let me explain how I feel that the Bespoke Post has helped me in my life.


For those who don't know, Bespoke Post is a monthly subscription box thing. It's hard for me to define exactly what kind of stuff they offer. The boxes are usually custom-tailored to your specific tastes. When you sign up for their subscription they ask you a few different questions about things you like or are interested in, and they try to pick boxes that they think fit your interests. 

One really nice thing is that the monthly boxes are all the same price ($45 a month, plus shipping, so about $50 a month), no hidden fees or anything if you want to keep what they have sent you. There is also a 60-day return policy in case you don't want to keep something that they have sent you.

Their website has a few different boxes that you can check out all of the time, and you can order a box whenever. You can also skip a month or two if they don't have a box that interests you, or if you're like me and between jobs.

So how has Bespoke Post helped me?

Well, one thing that they sent me was a really nifty knife that can double as a kind of camping shovel. I was able to use this knife on the job doing cable installations - or more accurately troubleshooting and trying to find where a cut line was underground as well as burying the line again so it wouldn't be hit again. I wouldn't have had the knife to help me on this job if I hadn't been getting a monthly box.

Yes, I could have still done the job, but it would have been a bit longer. 

I was also sent a hammock and a camping blanket. I've yet to use the hammock, but I did use the blanket after a major earthquake knocked out the electricity in my apartment a little over a year ago. I was able to use the blanket to keep myself warm until a friend was able to pick me up and take me to their place for the night since they still had electricity and heat.

Other items that helped me during the earthquake were the Weekender Bag, and the Refresh Dopp Kit. It should be obvious how those helped out because one held my clothes for my overnight stay, and the other held my toiletries. At this point I did not have any other luggage or bags to use, so yes, these items legitimately helped me out of a tight spot.

Other items that haven't necessarily helped me out in life, but gave me a greater appreciation for life when I was feeling very depressed include some whisky glasses and these ice ball things, and an aging cask for liquor.

This past summer was very, very, very hot for Alaska. Add to the fact that most homes do not have central air and it made for a very hot summer inside as well. It was not unusual to find me sitting outside, so I could at least catch a breeze, sipping on either some whisky or maybe some apple juice with one of those huge ice ball things in the glass to help cool me down. Seriously, this past summer was way too hot. And I know it sounds kind of funny, but I only have a mini-fridge, so I don't normally have ice, or even room for ice trays because I have ice packs for my migraines taking up the minuscule space for freezing stuff.

The liquor cask I was able to age some scotch in just in time for Christmas. I had just lost my job and decided that the best pick me up was a bottle of scotch to age and enjoy come Christmas. Was it wise to spend my money on a bottle of scotch right after losing my job? Yes. Yes, it was. Because I had nothing to really look forward to come Christmas day, aside from going to church - a fine endeavor by itself - some aged scotch would hit the spot just right. Not to drink all at once, but to sip on throughout the Christmas season. It just so happens that a good friend of mine also had nothing to do on Christmas so he swung by mine and took me to a cigar club. I brought with me some of my aged scotch to share with my friend while we smoked cigars. It ended up being a very well spent Christmas as well as very well spent money on a bottle of scotch.

I'm not saying I was suicidal or anything like that, but I was very depressed. Hell, I still am. But at the least the cask I received from Bespoke Post helped me for at least a day to forget my worries and connect with a dear friend of mine. The blanket kept me warm. The luggage helped me to spend the night in comfort. The knife helped me on the job. The ice helped to keep me cool this summer.

There is a lot more that Bespoke Post has to offer than just the boxes I've mentioned, they have a whole store. And while the store doesn't offer the same discount as the $50 per box, there are some items that do have a member discount. And these aren't just niche items that I'll use once or twice and then put away in a box and forget about; these are items that I'll use regularly, if not every day.

I really look forward to whatever I may get in the future and to see how I can use the items to help enrich my life. And if anyone from Bespoke Post reads this, I wouldn't be opposed to a free box finding its way to me... Just saying.

No comments: