My husband and I connect on many levels, one being 'Things To Do Before I Die' (more recently referred to as a Bucket List). This, like a lot of things for us, has become a theme so to speak. Case in point ...

Heart attack - check, stopped smoking - check, being sold to by a vacuum cleaner salesman - double check. For over 3 hours we watched small sections of various parts of our house being cleaned. A square foot of carpet, 2 cushions, 2 spots on the mattress and a small stretch of skirting board. I now know that my house is officially filthy (these bits excluded of course).

It took 3 hours for us to be suitably impressed by the machine and, as my husband said afterwards, "I was quite excited. It's a tool. It's silver". So he was being a typical male and enjoying the noise and the size and the power of it all, while I was wondering how so much dirt could be in such a little spot. In the end we decided that a bigger TV might suite us more because at that price we'd want to display it like a piece of artwork.

My point, after all this, is that why didn't we just say no after the first 30 minutes? I was cursing my sister-in-law who gave them my name when I came to a more realistic conclusion, why did I say "Yes, eight o'clock this evening will be fine."? Do I really have a problem saying no to salesmen or is their technique so good that I didn't stand a chance from the beginning?

My issue is that I don't like to hurt people's feelings. Which, I believe, is a good issue to have, at least for the 'other people', but not always for me. I find it hard to say 'no' to the guy trying to sell me beaded charms on the side of the road because it looks like he is trying so hard, shame. But after our 3 hour sales pitch I came to the conclusion that perhaps a 'no' right in the beginning saves everyone a lot of time and money.

While I process this new thought I am aware that I am not always this 'nice', it all depends on how I'm feeling that day and how they make me feel. I have been known to stop a telesales pitch mid flow and say "no thank you", and more so with telemarketers who are abrupt themselves or reading off a script. Maybe it comes down to 'if you treat me as an individual rather than a number or a target to be obtained then I will reciprocate in kind.

Now don't all rush to call me and be nice thinking I won't be able to say no, I said no to the silver, dynamo cleaning machine didn't I!