GasBandit
Staff member
Hrm.. It's a little blurry... can't quite make it out... I'm going to need more photographs of your butt. For verification.
[Thread Game] Have you splurged on yourself lately?
- Thread starter Tinwhistler
- Start date
(I'm the zebra)
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I really like the cyclocross bike. It's a really good bike for light trails and mud, yet it has the gearing and ride position of a road bike. That it's designed to be carried over the shoulder is really useful for carrying it up onto the dam fire road by me. There are usually cheap organized cyclocross races you can join on the weekends.
I live on a gravel road, and being able ride on that to the pavement and take off would be nice. That's my main motivation for getting one. There are some nice MTB trails near me where a nice MTB would come in handy though. My guess is I'll get more use out of the cyclocross bike.
That's our plan too! I never thought the idea of a new mattress could feel exciting.
I shop online more often than I should. I just purchased a Fallout hoodie and fallout t-shirt from Bethesda. I guess that's splurging. I needed a new hoody, don't really need a new t-shirt right now but they were 50% off.
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Staff member
First thing we did when I moved from academia to private industry: Buy a new mattress.
We'd already sawed the box spring when we lived in Boston because it wouldn't fit up the stairs of the old house we were renting, so it was niiiiice.
Negotiate heavily when buying a mattress. They usually have 5X markup or more.
I've gotten a $1900 mattress for $800 before, and they still made plenty of profit.
It's easier to negotiate with a floor manager, as the sales guy won't want to give up his commission, whereas the manager's bonuses come from total sales.
Don't get suckered in by the pressure of a "limited time sale". All mattress places run sales all year round. I've never driven by a mattress place that didn't have a sale going on. And you can use that fact as leverage in your negotiations. I told a guy once "This is what I want to pay, and Mattress Warehouse is a quarter mile up the road and will give it to me. But I'm in your store, and don't want to drive down there if I don't have to. But I will--so meet me on the price. Some commission is better than none." Bang, $250 off on the spot.
I've also called ahead to 5 different mattress stores to pre-negotiate, and told each one: "I'm calling these X stores...I have cash in hand. You all sell Serta. I'm buying from the guy who gives me the best deal." Sometimes they won't deal with you on the phone that way, but sometimes they will.
That said: Don't be afraid to walk away. There are a million mattress stores out there. Call and shop around. You will eventually get a better deal than if you just buy one without negotiating.
Source: Used to do computer work for a furniture store, and have been to the big annual furniture convention in Tupelo Mississippi. I know what stores really pay for stuff and so am confident in negotiations.
I've gotten a $1900 mattress for $800 before, and they still made plenty of profit.
It's easier to negotiate with a floor manager, as the sales guy won't want to give up his commission, whereas the manager's bonuses come from total sales.
Don't get suckered in by the pressure of a "limited time sale". All mattress places run sales all year round. I've never driven by a mattress place that didn't have a sale going on. And you can use that fact as leverage in your negotiations. I told a guy once "This is what I want to pay, and Mattress Warehouse is a quarter mile up the road and will give it to me. But I'm in your store, and don't want to drive down there if I don't have to. But I will--so meet me on the price. Some commission is better than none." Bang, $250 off on the spot.
I've also called ahead to 5 different mattress stores to pre-negotiate, and told each one: "I'm calling these X stores...I have cash in hand. You all sell Serta. I'm buying from the guy who gives me the best deal." Sometimes they won't deal with you on the phone that way, but sometimes they will.
That said: Don't be afraid to walk away. There are a million mattress stores out there. Call and shop around. You will eventually get a better deal than if you just buy one without negotiating.
Source: Used to do computer work for a furniture store, and have been to the big annual furniture convention in Tupelo Mississippi. I know what stores really pay for stuff and so am confident in negotiations.
Harder to negotiate on consumer electronics and labor.
But trust me, I'm going to try
This sounds like the best advice for going into any sort of negotiation.
--Patrick
For my whole family it would be our trip to Maui in May. It'll be our first family vacation.
Zappit
Staff member
Picked up the New 3DS XL today, then had to go get a micro SD card from Best Buy. Had to find one for me and one for my brother. There was one store in the (seemingly) entire region that had any left, and as of their closing last night, they had two left. Got there around opening today, and boom - both were still there. I haven't set it all up yet, but that's on the to-do list tomorrow.
Due to my near 3-year joblessness back in 2000, I have such a hard time replacing things like socks if they have even the most minimal usefulness.
I finally bought 2 packs of socks at Walmart the other day, and threw all of my old, holey socks away that I've had since I got married. My wife was overjoyed.
I still haven't replaced the XXL knit boxers I have that I can now pull up to my armpits. It kills her.
You're going for the totally Bacchanal lifestyle, I can tell.
GasBandit
Staff member
I am terrible at haggling. I paid $200 for an ottoman and I'm pretty sure I overpaid, upon later reflection.
But it does make it much more comfy to watch TV from the couch.
If they're out, see if they have any hassocks.
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PLEASE do not sit in the garage revving the engine. I know it's new, it will still be waiting for when you can legitimately take it out.
Can't take it out right now because mother nature finally read the weather forecast, but eeeeeeee.
--Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
That's how I lost my mother.
I assume, however, that SHE was not doing so because she was overcome with excitement for her new vehicle.
--Patrick
GasBandit
Staff member
That would be a correct assumption.
Today I splurged: I got 2 cans of this, a tall Monster, a bag of gummi sharks...... plus 2 donuts
Oh, are we counting things that have to be bought now? If that's the case, we splurged the hell out of ourselves last weekend when we paid all of our late bills and made my paycheck last almost as long as @Dave's.