# Those Prizes or Cash-type ads in youth magazines **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 4, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328 "2005-05-04T04:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/1 "2005-05-04T04:45:50Z")
Did anyone here participate in such a thing as this? I remember seeing all of the ads with astonishing regularity, and wondering toward my later years or seeing those ads just how the company made money, i.e., how the deal was gaffed, if it was. I’d like to know how all of this worked, whether anyone made out well with this, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/2 "2005-05-04T14:23:16Z")
I did. Sold a big bundle of gift wrap to a uncle. That’s it. Just one big order. Not enought to get any item. As I recall, they pretty much made each item worth .50, and placed each prize at something like a 40% price increase. ---
**Author:** ![YellowTail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5ac83/32.png) [@YellowTail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowTail)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/3 "2005-05-04T23:27:16Z")
I tried to sell enough seeds to get a kit of magic tricks. As I remember, I sold exactly one pack to a neighbor. My parents just sent enough money to the company to get the magic kit (which probably could have been had for half the price at KMart). But after that they wouldn’t let me do any more of those things. I always wondered what the hell Grit was. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/4 "2005-05-05T00:02:40Z")
> [@YellowTail](#): > > I always wondered what the hell Grit was. 😕 Same here, until I saw their website last night at [http://grit.com](http://grit.com) . I’ve read also, last night, that it resembles a supermarket tabloid in appearance, with inspirational success stories, etc. within—hence the title. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/5 "2005-05-05T00:08:04Z")
Grit is still around? My grandmother always seemed to have a subscription to this. Back then (early 70’s) it was all black and white. ---
**Author:** ![I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8edcca/32.png) [@I\_can\_t\_believe\_that\_s\_butter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_can_t_believe_that_s_butter)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/those-prizes-or-cash-type-ads-in-youth-magazines/302328/6 "2005-05-05T00:27:39Z")
I remember reading old back issues of _Boys’ Life_ from the early 1980s and thereabouts, and there would always be an ad or two soliciting delivery boys for _Grit_. The kid in the ad would invariably have either a seventies-type bowl haircut and/or elbow-patched sportcoat with Samsonite briefcase. they always caught my eye, these advertisements for a magazine that was seemingly geared to rural residents. Boys’ Life was once a lot like Old Farmer’s Almanac than its current self (at least, compared to 1993 or so, when I ceased to receive the magazine).