Delivering Newspapers- past and present [Split from Weather]

[Hockey_Ninja]

And I have to deliver papers in this weather. Wohoo!

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

And I have to deliver papers in this weather. Wohoo!

As a former (nominee) for newspaper carrier of the year myself, I pity you. I heard that builds character, but sleeping in and not going out in the cold also builds character, albeit a weaker more comfortable one!

[macker]

^
Former Calgary Herald 1988 pin recipient chiming in. Today's carriers have it easy. The once a month collecting money at the door used to be brutal. Did that in the cold too and learned every money dodging excuse in the book while finding out who smoked marijuana on my route. Carry on!

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Slava

As a former (nominee) for newspaper carrier of the year myself, I pity you. I heard that builds character, but sleeping in and not going out in the cold also builds character, albeit a weaker more comfortable one!

They used to have carrier of the year? Boy have the times changed.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Hockey_Ninja

They used to have carrier of the year? Boy have the times changed.

I have no idea how I got nominated or anything. I guess they looked at how many complaints you had and things like that? I don't even know how a paper route works now though? Is it still something kids do or do you need a car?

I would say being a paperboy was amongst my most hated things, but at the same time I had a route during the Olympics. I can't recall the details, but I was lucky enough to get a some pretty cool stuff like hockey pins, a coin and other collectibles. As a kid, to earn that on your own, was pretty wicked!

[Northendzone]

Due to the early morning delivery times, I doubt many kids are delivering the paper these days.

Back when I delivered the paper in the mid 70's the cost of home delivery was $1.50 - the first Christmas I delivered the paper I can recall going collecting and several customers giving me a $20 and telling me to keep the change.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Originally Posted by Slava

I have no idea how I got nominated or anything. I guess they looked at how many complaints you had and things like that? I don't even know how a paper route works now though? Is it still something kids do or do you need a car?

Kids can't deliver unless they can handle going out at1 in the morning while going to school. And up until the snow hit I delivered on foot using a big garbage bin with wheels to carry my papers around. It goes much faster with a car though.

[albertGQ]

I used to deliver the Sun (as well as flyers). Collecting was the worst. Got screwed a bunch of times by people that would never pay.

[Slava]

Now that it has its own thread I feel like I should post! I delivered the Sun as well as Herald and I was a carrier back when the Sun as 6 days a week. I remember when the US attacked Iraq during the first Gulf War, or Desert Storm because the Sun ran a special Saturday paper. I was less than impressed!

[WhiteTiger]

Used to deliver the Sun in a small town near here. Got up every morning, grabbed my bike and off I went. Hated collections time, too. Always so many excuses. Lasted doing it for about 3 months before I figured out better ways of making money.

[frinkprof]

I had a paper route from ages 9-15.

[Hack&Lube]

Kids don't deliver the actual paper anymore but they do deliver flyers and advertising to homes that don't receive the paper. Delivery isn't that bad. The brutal part is the sweat shop that becomes your home foyer because you have to put the damn flyers together as they all come separate. Can't machines do this?

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Kids don't deliver the actual paper anymore but they do deliver flyers and advertising to homes that don't receive the paper. Delivery isn't that bad. The brutal part is the sweat shop that becomes your home foyer because you have to put the damn flyers together as they all come separate. Can't machines do this?

I did the flyer thing back in the day as well, had to be 15+ years ago now. I clearly remember always thinking of ways to get rid of the flyers so I didn't actually have to deliver them. The company said they "checked" with people to make sure they were delivered, but I figured that was probably just a threat. Near the end of my run I was ditching most of them into various sewers along the route! And I'll never forget those rare, sweet and certainly special times that were free sample weeks! They only came along a few times a year, but boy when they did let's just say I made the most of it. I remember one time it was little boxes of some sugary cereal (and my Mom was a sugar nazi) and I literally kept at least 100-150 of those boxes for myself, I was eating that sh** for months!!

I also had some weird obsession with stealing peoples Christmas light bulbs around the holiday season, collecting up a bunch of them (my buddies were doing the same thing) and then we'd get together and throw them at things. And yes, I remember the hell that was "assembling" the flyers, that was easily the worst part of the process.

Good times!

[burn_this_city]

My brother and I delivered the Calgary Mirror for two years. I think we got two cents a house and we had to assemble them. We were lucky to make $1 an hour when you do the math.

[Angelamc]

I had a flyer route when I was in grade six. When the weather was cold it turned me into a terrible person. I would double up flyers to some homes, ditch some in trash cans in an alley, bury some under a big pile of snow (yeah, didn't think that one through). I tried the route with the free canvas shoulder bag they give you, it went down to my knees and was so heavy. I went out and bought one of those four wheeled shopping cart things from Consumers Choice I think? It was useless in the snow, but good for torturing my younger brother and sister who I would drag along to help me. I would stick them them in it and push them down the hill. Haha. Man I was a terrible person but honestly if you think of the time spent stuffing your flyers & delivering vs the pay you're getting! Even in grade six I could figure out how awful it was.

[bc-chris]

i delivered the globe & mail in the early 80's (when i still lived in ontario) - i didn't mind it. i was usually up pretty early anyway, so why not jump on my bike and make a little coin??

my dad used my route as a reason to get out for an early morning walk. he did all my houses on his walking route and left the waaaaaay out houses for me to do on my bike - it worked out great. we were usually home about the same time and then ate breakfast together.

i wasn't a huge fan of collecting and managed to convince all my customers to pay the paper direct so i wouldn't have to collect for them. i remember my first christmas doing papers. pretty much all my houses left a card and $$ in an envelope. it was awesome. i must have received $300 - $400 which was HUGE back then. i was in grade 5 or 6 so i felt like i could buy anything in the world with that!! ha! ha!

[albertGQ]

Inserting the flyers were the worst too. I worked for Netmar. Took advantage of all the samples and good coupons (eg, buy a drink at Subway and get a free six inch sub).

I delivered the Sun instead of the herald because I didn't want to deliver seven days a week. Then shortly after I started, they started their Saturday delivery service.

[browna]

At what point did the Herald stop the delivery papers in the afternoon and switch to morning? Had to stop in the mid 80's but I recall that, and although was far far too young (7-9 years old), I recall our route was available and thought that it would be cool to be making money after school.

[btimbit]

Used to deliver the Peace River Block Daily News in Dawson Creek back in the day. That got cold! I started doing it because of all the money my friend was making by doing it, but of course he had the rich part of town and I had the ghetto (Which was 98% of that city, what a dump)

Around Christmas time he was getting tips of $50+ on one house.... Ford dealership gave me a quarter..... Woo.

[Hockey_Ninja]

Lol nice move by photon to make this its own thread. Oh and stuffing papers with inserts are a pain. I wish they would all burn in a endless sea of flames.