This week, we had thrilling instances in our house as my husband obtained a test from Huntington Financial institution in Philadelphia as a part of a class-action settlement from Apple. 

Although it was despatched by first-class mail, the test, for a whopping 16 cents, took its time to search out us because it was dated Dec. 1.  

Take a second and ponder on that, however this isn’t in regards to the mess that’s most class-action lawsuits.

It is in regards to the prospects of 16 cents and the place such a sum may lead. As soon as my husband deposited the test, I began dreaming of the way he might spend the windfall appropriately — presumably as a present for me? Reality be advised, he is a wonderful reward giver. 

He stated he does not take into account himself a fantastic reward giver normally however he works exhausting at discovering what the individuals he is aware of and loves need. I consider his gift-giving prowess comes from listening to and remembering what individuals say they need. Then, he’s on a mission to search out it — regardless of how obscure. He is a giver by nature and spends time and vitality seeking to discover what different individuals actually need. 

Nonetheless, this time round, discovering one thing inside his funds is difficult enterprise. I do like the concept of buying and selling up between individuals, alongside the strains of Canadian blogger Kyle MacDonald, who traded his method from a single pink paperclip to a home in a sequence of 14 on-line trades over the course of a 12 months. You possibly can examine his experiment on his weblog One Crimson Paperclip. 

Nonetheless, for the needs right here at present, I made a decision to make use of common retail costs and went on the hunt.

For instance, contemporary fruit is all the time a beautiful reward. Pears are my favourite, however they have been properly out of his worth vary. So, I checked out grapes, which have been priced at $3.49 a pound. I measured out a pound (62 grapes for me) and figured that my husband might afford to purchase me three of the inexperienced globules. 

The grocery retailer was having a sale on blueberries — an 18-ounce container for less than $4.79. Based on my calculations, that made blueberries lower than a penny every. He might have purchased me 18 of them, however there was no method to purchase particular person blueberries — in order that they have been out.

The most affordable banana I discovered domestically was 34 cents, which means that bananas have been additionally out of his worth vary.

I discovered an apple for 72 cents — nonetheless method out of his funds.

Ramen noodles, which acquired me by way of two of my school years, have been additionally out of his worth vary at 49 cents a pack. 

Throughout my search, I did not even discover particular person items of bubblegum which may have match the invoice. 

We wanted to look additional afield. Why not get some journey concerned? Nothing will get my juices flowing like researching for a visit.

My husband would love to go to Vietnam, the place his 16 cents could be 3,752 Vietnamese dong. It nonetheless would not purchase me a Coke in Vietnam, which prices about 8,974 dong, however it will afford me 16 bananas — and nearly a complete contemporary pineapple, however not fairly. (Even so, I will take this chance to share that in the event you ever have the chance to attempt a freshly harvested pineapple, it is one thing it’s best to do. I like most any pineapple, however the contemporary ones are like a unique species.)

South America can be on our checklist. Why not Argentina, the place that very same 16 cents might convert to 29.30 Argentine pesos? There, I might purchase a single potato or two onions.

We like potatoes and onions, however in Paraguay, a spot I’ve needed to go to for a very long time, we might have the ability to convert his 16 cents to 1,185 Paraguayan guarani. I might be priced out of onions and potatoes in Paraguay, however I might purchase a quarter-pound of rice and nonetheless have cash left over.

Perhaps we’ll take that 16 cents and begin planning our subsequent journey for south of the equator, the place we’ll you should definitely get pleasure from some potatoes, onions and rice.

Or, in the event you’ve acquired one thing you wish to promote me for 16 cents, do let me know. I can observe MacDonald’s lead and see how far that 16 cents might go.

Electronic mail Jan Risher at jan.risher@theadvocate.com.