Valuetimes Day
November 2, 2010 8:08 AM Subscribe
My boyfriend's birthday is coming up and I'm stumped about gift ideas. I'm also broke. Luckily, he's obsessed with getting as much bang for his buck as possible.
Basically, this kid is a freak for deals, bargains, values, freebies, coupons, liquidation sales... you get the idea. He's a lovable cheapskate! Is there anything I could get him that is either a ridiculously good deal in and of itself (a year's supply of something awesome?), or something that would help him get better deals (short of a stack of Pennysavers or something equally annoying)?
Homemade gifts don't really cut it (although I'm sure I'll cook him a nice dinner or something), and he's already an avid subscriber to things like Groupon, Livingsocial and their ilk.
He's also into videogames, graphic design, 3D animation (making it and watching it), computer periphery and other general nerdwad stuff. He's got a ridiculous sense of humor, so I've toyed with the idea of some sort of joke-gift, but that's probably the ultimate money-waster in his eyes. Useful AND funny?
Thanks for your tips!
Basically, this kid is a freak for deals, bargains, values, freebies, coupons, liquidation sales... you get the idea. He's a lovable cheapskate! Is there anything I could get him that is either a ridiculously good deal in and of itself (a year's supply of something awesome?), or something that would help him get better deals (short of a stack of Pennysavers or something equally annoying)?
Homemade gifts don't really cut it (although I'm sure I'll cook him a nice dinner or something), and he's already an avid subscriber to things like Groupon, Livingsocial and their ilk.
He's also into videogames, graphic design, 3D animation (making it and watching it), computer periphery and other general nerdwad stuff. He's got a ridiculous sense of humor, so I've toyed with the idea of some sort of joke-gift, but that's probably the ultimate money-waster in his eyes. Useful AND funny?
Thanks for your tips!
A year's membership to Costco/Sam's Club/BJ's? Not funny but useful. Although if you really need it to be funny, you could decorate the gift card holder to make it look like its a gift card to a really odd store...
posted by lovelygirl at 8:19 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by lovelygirl at 8:19 AM on November 2, 2010
Oh and if the $50 for a Costco membership seems like too much to you, look at this. Costco sells lots of giftcards to other retailers at a discount so over time, it can virtually pay for itself. He can use his membership to get giftcards to restaurants the two of you like or places you both want to go to, so its a super-useful gift all-around!
posted by lovelygirl at 9:08 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by lovelygirl at 9:08 AM on November 2, 2010
Response by poster: Neither of us has a car, so Costco/etc. isn't the greatest fit.
We're in Philly, if that gets the idea train rolling.
posted by timory at 9:15 AM on November 2, 2010
We're in Philly, if that gets the idea train rolling.
posted by timory at 9:15 AM on November 2, 2010
Best answer: What about an Entertainment Book? The 2011 edition should be out by now (I think they run November to November), and it should be full of coupons that you two could use together on date-type outings. (It does look like there are a couple of Philadelphia editions, though.)
posted by alynnk at 9:35 AM on November 2, 2010
posted by alynnk at 9:35 AM on November 2, 2010
Sign up for Groupon and whoever else is doing the same thing in your city. A great deal may come up.
posted by dripdripdrop at 9:42 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by dripdripdrop at 9:42 AM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
A subscription to:
http://www.thegrocerygame.com/
?
Teri's List is a weekly publication of the lowest-priced products at your supermarket or drugstore matched with manufacturers' coupons and specials - advertised and unadvertised. Teri does all the hard work and research, and presents it to you in a straightforward format. Log in each week and print your list!
...
The cost for a 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.
posted by de void at 9:43 AM on November 2, 2010
http://www.thegrocerygame.com/
?
Teri's List is a weekly publication of the lowest-priced products at your supermarket or drugstore matched with manufacturers' coupons and specials - advertised and unadvertised. Teri does all the hard work and research, and presents it to you in a straightforward format. Log in each week and print your list!
...
The cost for a 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.
posted by de void at 9:43 AM on November 2, 2010
Response by poster: Sign up for Groupon and whoever else is doing the same thing in your city. A great deal may come up.
Thanks, but like I said, he's already signed up for all of those services, and he buys their deals regularly.
posted by timory at 10:08 AM on November 2, 2010
Thanks, but like I said, he's already signed up for all of those services, and he buys their deals regularly.
posted by timory at 10:08 AM on November 2, 2010
How about this: Redbox now rents video games for $2 a night (at least here in Portland, OR). Get him a gift card with the Visa or Mastercard logo that he can use to rent video games whenever he desires. I use my debit card for Redbox, so I assume any sort of logo'ed card will work, but you might want to test it. A $50 card would give him 25 nights of video games.
It saves him the cost of paying for full video games, plus it's flexible.
posted by tacodave at 12:20 PM on November 2, 2010
It saves him the cost of paying for full video games, plus it's flexible.
posted by tacodave at 12:20 PM on November 2, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Throw down a greasy breakfast - Mickey's generally opens around 6 - and hit the sales. Do it allllll day. Give yourselves a goal - vintage Atari games, comic books, whatever - but start early because that's when the dealers will be there. Homeowners generally want to start yard sales around 8 a.m., so dealers wake them up at 6:30 and carry away everything good.
To wrap up the day, pick a cool club that has a cover charge that starts at X p.m., and the both of y'all slide in there at X-minus-five. Drink whatever's on sale and dance your butts off.
Happy Birthday! The best part of this day is that he spent it with you, his best pal who put some thought into fun times and the things he loves best.
posted by toodleydoodley at 8:18 AM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]