NationStates Jolt Archive

Anyone found any great bargains recently? If so, do tell :)

What inspired me to do this thread was picking up a pair of these (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=32255&doy=20m7) in my local Maplin store. in-ear headphone thingies. now, the sound quality is good - its not the best i've heard music comes out a little bit flat (but with good bass) - but for 6 quid i was astonished and very well pleased :cool:

i also bagged myself a rather decent in car GPS sat-nav thing from there a couple of months back for 100 quid. it does the job spiffingly and is - in some ways - better than the fancy Dell one my dad has. very pleased with that :)


anyone else nab anything at a price they couldn't refuse?

I got a pretty good deal on AAA batteries at Rite-Aid the other day. Something like $5.99 for a pack of 12, though I don't remember exactly. :)

Saw three packs of pull-up tissue paper with free cotton buds for less than a dollar. Thought about buying one, but mistakenly believed to have supplies at home. Now I don't have pull-up tissue. :(

There was a dammed good bargain on a laptop last week on Empire Direct, but until I know I've got a place at uni, there's not much point in getting one. Shame, really.

I gave the 17 year old spotty till jockey at Argos a really simple order which he managed to mess up and I got a £29.99 game for free. Not quite a bargain, but it made my day to get out of the shop before he realised his mistake:)

I got a six cd set of everything Blind Willie McTell recorded for £11.95.

I should have cleared the store of batteries when Suncoast was closing. FYE had bought out Suncoast and was closing the one in the mall with the FYE. Everything was discounted by 75% (except movies and their discount didn't make them worth buying because Best Buy was cheaper. Movies are the only thing Best Buy has good deals on) making everything excellently priced. I got an AAA 12 pack for $2. And a 3'x2' Snakes on a Plane poster for $2 as well.

Nice. I've only ever seen a Suncoast in the mall, and malls usually mean marked-up prices to me. But a close-out is alwaysa great find. :)

I got a pretty good deal on AAA batteries at Rite-Aid the other day. Something like $5.99 for a pack of 12, though I don't remember exactly. :)
I should have cleared the store of batteries when Suncoast was closing. FYE had bought out Suncoast and was closing the one in the mall with the FYE. Everything was discounted by 75% (except movies and their discount didn't make them worth buying because Best Buy was cheaper. Movies are the only thing Best Buy has good deals on) making everything excellently priced. I got an AAA 12 pack for $2. And a 3'x2' Snakes on a Plane poster for $2 as well.

I picked up a boxset of Beethoven's symphonies for £5 at a closing down sale in London once. Pity I didn't have more money with me, I would've bought more things.

I picked up a boxset of Beethoven's symphonies for £5 at a closing down sale in London once. Pity I didn't have more money with me, I would've bought more things.
wow :eek:
I gave the 17 year old spotty till jockey at Argos a really simple order which he managed to mess up and I got a £29.99 game for free. Not quite a bargain, but it made my day to get out of the shop before he realised his mistake:)

lol... if only Amazon would do that :P


man this thread is making us look like a bunch of cheapskates :p

Nice. I've only ever seen a Suncoast in the mall, and malls usually mean marked-up prices to me. But a close-out is alwaysa great find. :)

Everything that wasn't movies was priced to move. I would've bought candy but some guy had came in and cleared out their entire imported candy section the week prior.

Everything that wasn't movies was priced to move. I would've bought candy but some guy had came in and cleared out their entire imported candy section the week prior.

Damn. Discount batteries *and* candy. I would've been like Gary Oldman toward the end of "Leon."

"Give me all of it."
"What do you mean 'all of it'?"
"AAALL OF IT!!!"

Intense. :p

Edit: Updated for youTubeness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0xumu3nA0g

:)

And discount blank CDs and DVDs (which I also bought) and posters and shirts and probably toys.

Though there wern't many good posters left. My friend got out with a map of Middle Earth and I with the good Snakes on a Plane poster (the movie symbol instead of the Sam Jackson holding the big snake). Though they had a couple Superman symbol posters. They were loaded down with the Da Vinci code posters, trying to sell them for like a dollar or less.

And discount blank CDs and DVDs (which I also bought) and posters and shirts and probably toys.

Though there wern't many good posters left. My friend got out with a map of Middle Earth and I with the good Snakes on a Plane poster (the movie symbol instead of the Sam Jackson holding the big snake). Though they had a couple Superman symbol posters. They were loaded down with the Da Vinci code posters, trying to sell them for like a dollar or less.

Ugh. I can imagine having some difficulty unloading DaVinci Code posters. Retail can be frustrating. :p

Back in December when I moved I had no furniture, no money, and a lot of time, so I started cruising Craigslist for free stuff.

I got a futon, two end tables, one of those lamps thats a single pole reaching floor to ceiling, a wardrobe, a cabinet, one of those old stereos thats also a cabinet, a tv stand, a five disc DVD player, and a 50" TV (SD) all for free.

Ugh. I can imagine having some difficulty unloading DaVinci Code posters. Retail can be frustrating. :p
Yeah, they were discounted even more than the other discounted posters. Bin was still full of them.

I need to see if I can hunt down a new computer chair for free - mine is too high for my desk and even with my work discount at Office Max, the crappy chairs cost over $100.

Back in December when I moved I had no furniture, no money, and a lot of time, so I started cruising Craigslist for free stuff.

I got a futon, two end tables, one of those lamps thats a single pole reaching floor to ceiling, a wardrobe, a cabinet, one of those old stereos thats also a cabinet, a tv stand, a five disc DVD player, and a 50" TV (SD) all for free.

Well, that was pretty smart. But probably not as much fun as raiding old office buildings for their discarded furniture. :p My old place looked like Lou Grant's office with a bed.

http://www.ijpc.org/poughkeepsie%20journal%20film%20story_files/bilde.jpeg

Gotta love it. :)

Most outstanding bargain of recent times was last week. I went to 360, a big organic store in the middle of Central, Hong Kong, for the first time ever.
Wasn't expecting much except vastly overpriced goods.

Instead I found they were selling organic (duh) freetrade coffee for $2HK (25c US) a 250g packet. Marked down from $82HK (~$10.50US).
They were near their useby date, hence the sale. So exactly why freezedried coffee in vacuum sealed bags have such a short useby date is beyond me.
Anyway, suffice to say I'm set with coffee for about the next year or two.

Not particularly bargainish, but I found a Yamane store in HK recently and they have awesome clothing there. Yamane's a Japanese designer. I bought a very cool pair of jeans there that has an embroided dragon up one entire leg. Also a gorilla face on the butt. Cost $200US, but eh. The quality is superb.

I need to see if I can hunt down a new computer chair for free - mine is too high for my desk and even with my work discount at Office Max, the crappy chairs cost over $100.

I suggest (yet again) raiding an old office building. You'd be shocked at the high quality stuff produced generations ago - real leather, oftentimes. And comfortable. They really knew how to upholster back then. Makes today's plastic and polyester crap really look bad. :p

I was able to net a 250g tin of Hubei Province Keemun Ji Hong from Upton for only $17.40...that's a hell of a deal for such a wonderful tea.

And I was also able to buy a 15g sample of Hao-Ya 'A' Keemun Classic, which is pretty much one of the best Keemuns available for only $4.50. Most of the time, it's already sold out but I was able to buy a sample for a wonderfully low price.

I was able to net a 250g tin of Hubei Province Keemun Ji Hong from Upton for only $17.40...that's a hell of a deal for such a wonderful tea.

And I was also able to buy a 15g sample of Hao-Ya 'A' Keemun Classic, which is pretty much one of the best Keemuns available for only $4.50. Most of the time, it's already sold out but I was able to buy a sample for a wonderfully low price.

I suggest (yet again) raiding an old office building. You'd be shocked at the high quality stuff produced generations ago - real leather, oftentimes. And comfortable. They really knew how to upholster back then. Makes today's plastic and polyester crap really look bad. :p
Not any "old office buildings" around here.

I got a privately printed arms and armour book from the 1930's for £8 at a car boot... it's valued in the region of £500+ if in mint condition. Mine is a little less than mint but it is still in fairly good nick.

Thats a bargain.

Not any "old office buildings" around here.

A university is just as good, if you have one handy. It's worth it, believe me. Ricardo Montalban couldn't sell the crap Staples tries to sell as leather nowadays. :p

A university is just as good, if you have one handy. It's worth it, believe me. Ricardo Montalban couldn't sell the crap Staples tries to sell as leather nowadays. :p
We actually talked about that during Assembly class once. Apparently our University won't let people take stuff they are throwing out any more.

Back in December when I moved I had no furniture, no money, and a lot of time, so I started cruising Craigslist for free stuff.

I got a futon, two end tables, one of those lamps thats a single pole reaching floor to ceiling, a wardrobe, a cabinet, one of those old stereos thats also a cabinet, a tv stand, a five disc DVD player, and a 50" TV (SD) all for free.

Why were the TV and the DVD player free?

Especially the tv.

We actually talked about that during Assembly class once. Apparently our University won't let people take stuff they are throwing out any more.

Well, that isn't right at all. You could fill a warehouse with the stuff my old school left lying around common areas for disposal - it would've been a real waste just to trash it. :(

i bought a panasonic lumix dmc-fz50 online for $350. (digital camera with 12x leica zoom lens)

i hope it wasnt stolen.

i just bought plane tickets to aruba for november for $483. it was $650 for months then suddenly started dropping until i couldnt stand to wait any more.

Why were the TV and the DVD player free?

The DVD player was because it sometimes didn't read DVDs. I asked the guy if he had tried a lens cleaner. He said no. I asked if he wanted it back because his problem was a $20 fix. He said he already replaced it.

The TV is a giant piece of furniture and they had upgraded to HD flat screen. They just wanted it out of the house. Selling it would have been an ordeal (I guess, but to give it away meant that from posting the ad to having it out of their house was two and a half hours.

I missed out on a 70" hd that someone had ripped the chord out of when he was moving it to sell.

If you got nothing but time and a vehicle that can haul, Craigslist has a lot of cool stuff. If my van could fit a piano or organ I'd have a player piano and B3 organ as well.

I got this chair I'm sitting in now for $25 at the government surplus store. $150 normally, and the chair was in perfect condition. Also another note: if you want a copy of the seventh Harry Potter book, go to your local Wal-Mart. I got #6 the day after it was released at about 1/2 the price it would have been at a bookstore, and they had 3 large stacks of copies just sitting there.

Anyone found any great bargains recently? If so, do tell :)

What inspired me to do this thread was picking up a pair of these (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?TabID=1&ModuleNo=32255&doy=20m7) in my local Maplin store. in-ear headphone thingies. now, the sound quality is good - its not the best i've heard music comes out a little bit flat (but with good bass) - but for 6 quid i was astonished and very well pleased :cool:

i also bagged myself a rather decent in car GPS sat-nav thing from there a couple of months back for 100 quid. it does the job spiffingly and is - in some ways - better than the fancy Dell one my dad has. very pleased with that :)


anyone else nab anything at a price they couldn't refuse?

You need poundshops in your city/town. I got some headphones for a quid that have reasonable sound quality. Beware though, some poundshops are rubbish

Back in December when I moved I had no furniture, no money, and a lot of time, so I started cruising Craigslist for free stuff.

I got a futon, two end tables, one of those lamps thats a single pole reaching floor to ceiling, a wardrobe, a cabinet, one of those old stereos thats also a cabinet, a tv stand, a five disc DVD player, and a 50" TV (SD) all for free.
you win this thread.

Nice. I've only ever seen a Suncoast in the mall, and malls usually mean marked-up prices to me. But a close-out is alwaysa great find. :)

So is a close out an American name for a closing down sale?

I gave the 17 year old spotty till jockey at Argos a really simple order which he managed to mess up and I got a £29.99 game for free. Not quite a bargain, but it made my day to get out of the shop before he realised his mistake:)

Aww that's cruel, shops only allow you to make a tiny amount of money's worth of mistakes a day/week - he's probably gonna have to replace that out his own pocket :(

So is a close out an American name for a closing down sale?

I think so. I'm pretty loose with language, but that's what it means to me. ;)

If you got nothing but time and a vehicle that can haul, Craigslist has a lot of cool stuff. If my van could fit a piano or organ I'd have a player piano and B3 organ as well.
That's assuming craigslist is decent in your area - aka your city is really big.

If I had the room, I would grab a pool table this weekend. At least 2 yard sales are trying to offload one.

That's assuming craigslist is decent in your area - aka your city is really big.

If I had the room, I would grab a pool table this weekend. At least 2 yard sales are trying to offload one.

You'd need more than just room - those things are really, really heavy. I wouldn't mind never moving one ever again. :p

Not exactly a bargain, but still cool:
Last night I was walking towards the ferry from LKF (Lan Kwai Fong in Central: a well known area full of bars) and bumped into my ex-neighbour who was hailing a taxi to take him down to the ferry. So we ended up sharing a taxi (actually that itself was also a bargain as he insisted on paying).
He was with his brother who was visiting. During the taxi ride his brother, Tim, mentioned he lives in Beijing - and had been there 20 years now (they're originally from Yorkshire). He's written a book about his experiences doing business in China and gave me a copy. Even signed it for me.
So now I have a free signed copy of "Mr China" (http://www.amazon.com/Mr-China-Tim-Clissold/dp/9870405878/) - a spirited and informative account of how a Wall street banker, an Englishman who could speak fluent Mandarin and an ex-Red guard found out the hard way (to the tune of $418 million US) that China business doesn't play to Western rules.

I got some spiffy boots* for £12 at a closing down sale last Tuesday and I got some funky jeans from Matalan for half, half price mostly due to the fact that it was a bitch finding my size (the day before the sale but still good)

*the yellow kind that make you look either smart or outdoorsy (yes I'm assured that is actually now a word:p)

If my van could fit a piano or organ I'd have a player piano and B3 organ as well.

Hmmm... B3.

*drools*

I got Pelican's album The Fire In Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw for £6.60 on Amazon, including postage from America. Considering it was £13 in HMV, I was quite pleased with that.

I haven't purchased anything in months. Well, except for those two CDs, but isn't $11.00 the norm when it comes to CD prices?

Hmmm... B3.

*drools*
That one hurt a lot. I had to stop looking for a while.

That's assuming craigslist is decent in your area - aka your city is really big.

If I had the room, I would grab a pool table this weekend. At least 2 yard sales are trying to offload one.

Well, I live in the birthplace of Craigslist, so I got that goin' for me.

A couple of months ago I got 3 PlayStation 2 games for under 10 quid ($US20). You may be thinking they were bad games but I'll list them for you:

Metal Gear Solid 3 - Snake Eater
Black
Final Fantasy X

Now that's a bargaing considering I then paid 30 quid for Final Fantasy XII.