Bargain Shopping
January 27, 2004 12:05 PM Subscribe
What's your favorite place to look for bargains on the web, and/or free stuff?
slickdeals.net
techbargains.net
fatwallet.com
Careful with those. I've bought things I really didn't need, because the price was just so damned good.
posted by duckstab at 12:14 PM on January 27, 2004
techbargains.net
fatwallet.com
Careful with those. I've bought things I really didn't need, because the price was just so damned good.
posted by duckstab at 12:14 PM on January 27, 2004
Craigslist "Free Stuff" (if there's a craigslist near you). I've got an url-minder set up to email me when there's a change in a page that queries for a free piano. I'm going to get that free piano.
Also, Anandtech Hot Deals. And for coupon codes to many, many, online stores, NaughtyCodes.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 12:27 PM on January 27, 2004
Also, Anandtech Hot Deals. And for coupon codes to many, many, online stores, NaughtyCodes.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 12:27 PM on January 27, 2004
In addition to those mentioned above, there's also Hotdlz.com. And FreeAfterRebate.com, which is a slightly different affair.
Also KingDeal, which I actually haven't checked in a while.
posted by arco at 12:41 PM on January 27, 2004
Also KingDeal, which I actually haven't checked in a while.
posted by arco at 12:41 PM on January 27, 2004
A newgroup called Annexcafe.Freebies is another source. Posting can be sporadic, but there's some fun stuff to be had.
(Sorry there's not a direct link, don't know how to link to a NG.)
posted by deborah at 12:48 PM on January 27, 2004
(Sorry there's not a direct link, don't know how to link to a NG.)
posted by deborah at 12:48 PM on January 27, 2004
I use pricegrabber.com a lot. Dealtime.com used to be decent but sucks now. I think it became shopping.com, owned by someone or other.
posted by Sinner at 12:56 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by Sinner at 12:56 PM on January 27, 2004
An aside: That annexcafe group mentioned seems to be a private group on a private server, not a Usenet group. Google Newsgroups has never heard of it, but there does seem to be a news.annexcafe.com NNTP server.
In any case, a lot of these deal sites seem to be predicated on rebates. Unfortunately, in my experience, nobody ever sends the rebate checks. There are several rebates I have been waiting years to receive. If you're looking for actual deals, as opposed to hypothetical deals, make sure you're shopping around for discouts rather than rebates.
I second pricewatch for computer hardware. It truly is unbeatable. For games, I likeddragon.ca but it seems to have gone away since the last time I checked it.
posted by majick at 1:02 PM on January 27, 2004
In any case, a lot of these deal sites seem to be predicated on rebates. Unfortunately, in my experience, nobody ever sends the rebate checks. There are several rebates I have been waiting years to receive. If you're looking for actual deals, as opposed to hypothetical deals, make sure you're shopping around for discouts rather than rebates.
I second pricewatch for computer hardware. It truly is unbeatable. For games, I liked
posted by majick at 1:02 PM on January 27, 2004
BookCloseouts.com is good for, um, closeout books. You can't go there expecting to find a particular book, but if you browse and search for authors you like you'll often stumble across some nice finds.
posted by staggernation at 1:43 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by staggernation at 1:43 PM on January 27, 2004
For DVDs, you can't beat DVD Price Search. You can compare prices for multiple items at many online stores, and it'll compute the lowest price, with shipping. Combine that with the DVD bargain forum at DVD Talk, and you'll always get the best price. If you buy a lot of anime, Anime On DVD is worth checking out, too. They run some great weekly specials and coupons from Right Stuf and others... sometimes as cheap as $30 for an 8 disc DVD set.
posted by vorfeed at 2:08 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by vorfeed at 2:08 PM on January 27, 2004
Somewhat related - booksalefinder.com when I'm hunting for local library sales (always bargains to be found, though all the shopping is, of course, done offline).
posted by Sangre Azul at 2:22 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by Sangre Azul at 2:22 PM on January 27, 2004
For Criterion DVDs I go to DVD Planet (all are 35% off MSRP). For just about anything else I check ebay first.
posted by dobbs at 3:55 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by dobbs at 3:55 PM on January 27, 2004
dealmac.com and dealnews.com and dealink.com and they've got dealram and dealcoupon that I haven't checked out. I have consistently gotten the lowest prices on computer hardware, computer peripherals and printer ink from them. I also like craigslist but they don't reach out to Vermont. Local industrial materials exchange places are interesting for weird stuff and industrial stuff cheap. VBMEX is my local site. I'm also partial to isbn.nu for comparing book prices.
posted by jessamyn at 5:08 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by jessamyn at 5:08 PM on January 27, 2004
www.bestwebbuys.com for books or movies. (They do other stuff which I haven't tried.) A price comparison site.
posted by callmejay at 6:32 PM on January 27, 2004
posted by callmejay at 6:32 PM on January 27, 2004
I'd second Fatwallet and I do agree with duckstab that you'll probably find yourself buying more as a result of reading that site. There's a particularly hot thread about Dell computers on their Hot Deals forum that might interest anyone looking for a new PC, as well as regular analysis of bargains found in weekly ads from Staples, OfficeMax and others.
I also like the MyCoupons.com message board because there's a good section on local bricks and mortar store finds. There are a lot of women there shopping for their families, so it's a different vibe from many of the typical bargain sites.
posted by MegoSteve at 7:20 PM on January 27, 2004
I also like the MyCoupons.com message board because there's a good section on local bricks and mortar store finds. There are a lot of women there shopping for their families, so it's a different vibe from many of the typical bargain sites.
posted by MegoSteve at 7:20 PM on January 27, 2004
I'm a fan of Bookpool for technical books. Their prices are discounted, usually by about 37%. They also offer a free shipping option for orders over $40 US, so if you're patient you don't have to blow the discount savings on shipping. Oh, and their website is pleasant to use.
newegg is a good place to go for computer hardware. They are more expensive than Pricewatch, but they're very pleasant to do business with. I've never had a problem returning a defective part, and I've built over a dozen computers out of parts I bought from them. I've had bad return experiences with vendors I found on Pricewatch.
posted by amery at 10:38 AM on January 28, 2004
newegg is a good place to go for computer hardware. They are more expensive than Pricewatch, but they're very pleasant to do business with. I've never had a problem returning a defective part, and I've built over a dozen computers out of parts I bought from them. I've had bad return experiences with vendors I found on Pricewatch.
posted by amery at 10:38 AM on January 28, 2004
Response by poster: One of my favorites I forgot to post:
niftyness
posted by mecran01 at 6:00 AM on February 5, 2004
niftyness
posted by mecran01 at 6:00 AM on February 5, 2004
This thread is closed to new comments.
shopping.com
froogle.com
posted by scarabic at 12:08 PM on January 27, 2004