There are times in everyone’s life where points of fate intersect at a perfect angle. Those times that actually make you believe things are meant to happen. I felt it the first time I heard a drumbeat that stopped me cold and my eyes fell upon the woman I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I felt it when I held each of my sons for the first time.

And I feel it every time I write a tweet for UsedRegina.

This job was made for me. You see,“used” and I go way back. I have always had an affection for the old and interesting, not to mention a serious crush on getting a deal. I’d be combing through the UsedRegina site a few times a day even if I wasn’t writing for them.

And I don’t just look. I buy and sell. In the last two weeks alone I’ve purchased a trombone, a bookshelf, some Neil Diamond tickets and six garden gnomes. And I’ve sold everything from insulation to Il Divo tickets (I won them in a contest. I want it made perfectly clear I did not purchase Il Divo tickets. Nor would I ever). And I have learned a lot of things about what makes a good Used experience. And it can be boiled down to one golden rule that should be followed by buyers and sellers alike.

First let me say this rule is more of a Ms. Manners-like absolute for good buyer and seller decorum. I won’t talk about the important safety tips you should also consider when making a deal. Fellow blogger Katie Bresner already did that wonderfully with her post Safety First. Read it.

My rule is a simple eight words that should be followed in our day-to-day too:

Do what you say you’re going to do.

That’s it. Sounds pretty easy huh? If you’re a buyer and you say you’re going to go check out an item and you can’t make it or change your mind, email the seller. They could be holding that item for you and turning down serious offers waiting for you. And if you’re a seller and you say you will hold an item until a certain time, hold it until then. Or if you say you are going to be home at certain time so a buyer can come by, be there. Or let them know if you can’t. A twenty-second email can save a lot of time and trouble.

And when you commit to a price, either as a buyer or a seller, honour it. Don’t try a lower offer or hold out for more once a deal is made.

See? Doesn’t sound that difficult, but you’d be surprised how often we fail at this. I’ve done it myself. But if we all just remember what we’ve basically been told our whole lives – honour your commitments and tell the truth – we’ll all save ourselves a lot of grief.

I’m not a fan of grief myself, so I think I’ll give it a go.

Follow Brodie on Twitter: @usedregina