For your vicarious bargain hunting pleasure – two recent “gloats” from readers who scored some major deals!
For the past year, I have been planning on buying a new TV for my bedroom (the old one took 7 minutes to show a picture). I planned on getting a 32″ LCD 720p (my receiver is standard def anyway) and I was not going to spend more than $300.
I found a website called Liquidation.com that has auctions of various types of items. Some of the auctions are for multiple items. I began to track the auctions and see what what TVs were going for. I found an auction that had 4 Vizio TVs (32 inch, 26 inch, 22 inch, and 19 inch). I placed a bid of $480 and won. After sales tax and something called a buyers premium I spent $549 on the 4 TVs. I put the 32 inch TV in my room (looks and works great), and sold the other 3 TVs ($200 for the 26″ $150 for the 22″ $100 for 19″) for $475. So, for about $75, I got my 32″ TV.
The description of the TVs on the auction site said they had good screens and some mine frame damage. After getting them, I was unable to find any damage to any of the TVs (although the 22″ was missing the remote).
Sorry about rambling. Keep up the good work. I visit your site daily and love seeing what you find.
Then there’s the story about losing a cell phone:
Dear Bargain Babe, My husband just lost his iPhone on a ride at Disneyland. Any ideas on how to get a new one at a discount price?
I replied:
That’s awfully tough because they are so in demand. Definitely check eBay and if you can, wait until closer to the holidays. It’s likely there will be a new product – which means later models will probably see a price drop. Good luck!
She updated me:
We just got back from the AT&T store. A great thing we learned, if you already had an iPhone and lost it, they will give you the new 3G worth $500 for only $99! But you have to pay tax on $500. Still a HUGH savings, we were pleasantly surprised :O)
What’s the best deal you’ve scored? Send me your story.
I am wondering if the person who lost the iphone at Disneyland checked into their lost and found dept? They are fabulous at finding and returning lost items. We lost a walkie talkie on a stormy New Years Eve 1999. There were so many people that day you could barely walk. We reported the missing walkie talkie and they mailed it to our home when they found it!!