Discover 5% cash back category is wholesale clubs (Sam’s, Costco, BJ’s).
While Costco is Visa-only in store, go to the website and you can buy stuff, or better, Costco gift cards, and pay with Discover. Then use the GCs in store.
Also, you can buy Sam’s gift cards (pay with Discover for 5% cash back) and use them at Walmart.
Also included is “select streaming services”. This includes:
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Music
Apple Music
Apple TV+
AT&T TV Now
BET+
CBS All Access
DAZN
Disney +
ESPN+
Fubo TV
Google Play Movies & TV
HBO Max
Hulu
Netflix
Pandora
Philo
Peacock TV
Showtime
Sirius XM
Starz
Sling
Spotify
Vudu
YouTube TV
@ruouttaurmind Unfortunately, almost all streaming services won’t let you prepay amounts on a card payment. So you can pay for 1, 2 or maybe 3 months on the card, but that’s about it.
The only way to get consistent savings is to buy discounted gift cards for the service. And if you did that (like me), you’re carrying a credit on your account, so your card won’t be charged when the category rolls around.
I wish you could prepay, like Amazon does, but Amazon doesn’t have sales on Prime. Unless you count the rare sale on their “Gift of Prime” that you gift to yourself. And Amazon won’t let you prepay beyond your current Prime subscription year. So you have to sit on your “gifts” until your subscription expires to apply it (while cancelling the auto-renew which you cannot opt out of - you have to cancel after it charges you for the year, or cancel just before it runs out.
The month-to-month no prepay option (buy in bulk) model for all the streaming services sucks.
@mike808@ruouttaurmind It’s also 5% at gas stations. It would probably work buying gift cards off the rack.
Amex has deals on streaming services that can be used for 3 times. I rotate services, so that works well for me. I had HBO Max for three months at $8 a month ($7 cash back), them dropped it. The current deal is $5 back on $9 or more for Paramount+.
@craigthom@ruouttaurmind Many C-stores now code their inside registers as a C-store, and only the pumps (AFDs) code to “gas/fuel” on the transaction. So buying GCs in the C-store won’t count as a “gas/fuel” transaction. Basically, the issuers have gotten wise to this loophole and closed it.
@craigthom@ruouttaurmind
Call Discover customer service. They know the drill and will transfer it to the warehouse category for your rewards without pushback.
On C-store GC purchases, Visa is coding gas only for the pay-at-the-pump, and coding register purchases as C-store.
Sam’s has 5% gas all year, Costco 4%. The 0% or 1% difference isn’t worth it, IMO. I do target my spend on the other store types in the category, though.
Grocery stores also don’t code (at least their own GCs) as GCs so when Grocery stores are in the category, you can stock up on GCs to get 5% savings the rest of the year. After that, it is 3% Amex Blue Everyday (no fee) for the rest of the year.
That reminds me, Amazon prime visa 5% rewards at gas stations and travel starts 5/15 through August something. Must activate the offer on your account on the credit card site.
@craigthom it came in my email. The link there appears to have a ton of tracking crap in it of course, but maybe try chase.com/mybonus and see if you get anything there?
If one of the mods pass by here, would you mind deleting that broken linky on the bottom of this post? I was trying to figure out how to post a Amz hosted vid and ran out of edit time.
Attention soda heads. Or coffee heads. Or store brand Icee heads. It’s not heavily advertised at most locations I’ve seen, but if you are into drinks from convenience stores and have circle k stores near you you should check out Sip N Save.
Pay $5.99 and you get a month of drinks, one a day of your choice. It’s a drink subscription service. Fountain drinks, frozen drinks, and coffee are all pictured on the signs, but me, I’m a diet Dr Pepper kind of guy most days. At 89 cents a pop (eh?) it doesn’t take long to get into savings territory.
@ruouttaurmind howdy, stranger! I’ve noticed you seeming scarce around here, hope it’s because the world outside of Meh is so awe-- well, cool, that you don’t have time for us anymore. Or an equivalent level of good anyway.
@djslack Heh. No, same old awe-- coolness to IRL. Just a bit of a existential crisis maybe when it came to digging up and posting deals. Or maybe I was just bored.
Speaking of deals… Remember those toolboxes we got from Lowe’s a while ago? They’ve come out with a new version of it. Which surprises me since the Kobalt toolbox line seemed to be displaced with all the Craftsman junk. This new version has a different drawer configuration. And they dropped the Kwikset Smart Key locks again. It’s currently $100 more than we paid back then, but knowing Lowe’s, it’ll be on clearance soon enough.
@ruouttaurmind hmmm… That kobalt looks suspiciously similar to the $1200 gladiator box they also sell, minus the manly trim pieces. Looks like a good deal if anybody’s in the market. My jury’s out on the drawer arrangement, I suppose neither is perfect for most people’s tool assortments. I do kind of like the little drawers for small stuff so it doesn’t get buried.
I had a look back at that deal thread, I bought sooo much stuff that month. Maybe it’s a good thing you burned out on deals
I do kind of like the little drawers for small stuff so it doesn’t get buried.
Totally agree. This new one has too many deep drawers. Though I do like the split deep drawer layout in all but one drawer.
I needed another big toolbox for my power tools, accessories and whatnot. Since the Kobalt had been sold out, I wound up committing to the Dewalt ToughSystem 2.0 lineup. Nice thing about this one is the workshop racking system. It lets you stack up instead of out. It’s less than half as wide as my Kobalt box, but the rack goes from floor to ceiling, allowing me to keep more tools in the narrower space. The toolboxes come in a variety of sizes and functions. XL, medium, small, organizers, 2-drawer boxes, multi-battery chargers, radios, even a cooler if you’re so inclined. Also, all the pieces will latch together and ride on a wheeled cart for when you take them out of the shop.
The American South, West, and Southwest seem to have the best c-store/gas station chains.
Because these areas are a very vehicle based culture w lots of miles needed to travel? Maybe. Dunno.
But, fwiw, most large fuel labels and c-store chains and truck stop chains seem to have their own “loyalty” fuel savings or “points per purchase” or other purchase/savings plans.
Many of these are free to join. Some have a monthly fee, or have both free and paid versions, but if you gas up at that chain often, you’ll prob get your $ back.
The Buc-ee’s chain doesn’t have this sort of program, so far. But they usually have the cheapest fuel around, and always have the cheapest fountain drinks and bulk ice bags, and the stores are simply fun to visit. So they don’t need a loyalty program yet.
Anyways, check out what’s local to you.
Also:. The GasBuddy app will find the cheap gas nearby or along a route (crowdsource-based, relies on members to report prices). And they also have ways to save a few cents per gallon on fuel, as do some of the loyalty programs.
@f00l QuickTrip (QT) has an app that has more or less weekly coupons for their kitchen items (sandwiches, pizzas) and combo deals. I’ve saved a ton. And you can use multiple mobile coupons at one time.
QT is in the midwest in Missouri from STL to KC, mostly along the I-70 corridor.
@f00l Buc-ee’s loyalty program involves porcelain furniture and plumbing in completely enclosed stalls, with full time cleaning staff. They could charge $5 cover at the door and people would still go. They had a billboard just east of me that said “Only 186 miles to Buc-ee’s. You can hold it!”
@mike808 QT is good, we just got one location and a second will open here within the next few weeks, maybe more in areas of town I don’t see regularly. I’ll have to check out that app when the one that’s pretty much on my way to work opens. They tend to be very nice and promote good experiences. I believe they’re based out of Atlanta.
I like the Speedway loyalty program. I use the points for Amazon gift cards.
A little bonus is that some stations give 3¢ off per gallon with the card, but the big bonus is that i get the lowest gas price of the day (so far). Price goes up 20¢ everywhere that morning? I get the previous price.
I also use their app to look at prices. I ditched Gas Buddy because of the ads and because the prices were wrong half the time.
I’m guessing that you have visited But-we’d in Texas, as opposed to Alabama?
So, coming from LA, you are first getting to the one in Baytown or the one in Terrell?
The largest ones I have visited are in New Braunfels, in N Fort Worth, in Waller, and maybe? in Texas City (between Houston and Galveston). These are pushing towards toward Walmart Supercenters size (minus the Walmart Garden Centers sf tho)
(Tho I’m not a great judge of square footage.)
I think I’ve been to most of the Texas locations, including the few older itty bitty ones SW of, or around, Houston.
No idea about the size of the ones in FL, AL, and GA.
Rumor has it that they are aiming at locations in Tenn, NC, SC, MS, and LA. So maybe someday it won’t be 180+ miles for you.
@f00l I’ve been to (at least) Terrell, Madisonville, Bastrop, Temple, I think maybe Denton and Ennis too. Was just in Foley week before last. There’s supposed to be one on the way in the Baton Rouge area, not sure about more or how long it will take them to come to the north side of the state.
Terrell is the one the billboard referred to and I believe still the closest one to me.
Foley appears to be regulation size, but the travel density there and “attraction factor” mean that it could easily be twice as big, at least on weekends and during beach season. They have permanently installed temporary barricades (at least since 2019, seems close enough to permanent for me) to route traffic around the parking lot and it can be a mess.
The secret that beaver is hiding is that his tail seems to contain a regulation size money printing press.
@djslack@f00l That beaver tail is not a money printing press, it is a money siphon. At least in Foley. It doesn’t bring in new money to that area, it siphons money from the existing businesses before the visitors can spend it on the beach.
It is to the gas stations and C-store mom & pop franchises what Walmart is to the small towns they destroyed.
That said, I will still stop at Buc-ees and spend a shitload of moolah there. I’ll just have to spend more in town.
My fav one might be supposedly the biggest one in New Braunfels, v close to the Guadalupe River and all the river sports, esp tubing and rafting.
The only thing I don’t like about that one is that it’s in the middle of town, and so the traffic getting in and out of it can be extreme.
And that that portion of i35 is under apparently permanent construction. And it’s therefore a completely horrible drive.
—
The Terrill, Waller, and FW ones are enormous but less individualized.
The Bastrop one is a real fav of mine.
The Temple, Luling, and Madisonville locations are earlier versions, They are simply too small for the traffic they get. Eso on weekends. But still good.
Some of the recent Texas ones (such as Denton, Melissa, Royce City, Ennis, Katy, etc locations) have scaled back a bit on ‘ginormous’. Altho many still have 120 fuel pumps.
And these are packed all day long on weekends. So I’m hoping the interior store slightly smaller size means that eventually more locations will be built along those highways, perhaps 100 miles out or so, to service the fanbase in a less congested manner.
There was a rumor of one planned for Bryan/College Station, and got one in/near Waxahachie. No word yet.
Waxahachie as a loc is problematic unless they go out of town a little further; I35 is under what appears to be endless construction there also, and getting on/off can be a nightmare.
Yeah I understand the biz model. They create something so attractive, economical, or useful, that it kills off the local competition. The way Walmart has.
@djslack@f00l Too bad they don’t have charging stations. It’s not hard to spend a half hour or more at Buc-ees. Beats the far end of a Walmart parking lot three miles off the interstate.
And “economical” is debatable when the taxpayers are paying for that attractive usefulness in tax giveaways where apparently, Buc-ees, like Walmart doesn’t have a sustainable, viable business model, “but for” those sweet, sweet, TIF dollars. And sticking the taxpayers with the bills for police dealing with increased traffic, crime, and emergency responders, as well as (at least for Walmart) low-wage jobs where the healthcare insurance orientation is “how to fill out Medicaid and social aid programs to make up for cheaping out on your wages”.
Afaik Bucees stores have pretty much always been profitable, with or without tax breaks.
It’s true that they don’t, afaik, turn the tax breaks down. But they don’t always get big local concessions either. Or so I’ve heard. (I know a few people who were involved on the city/county side when BUCEES selected certain locations)
I’m not an expert on how hardball Bucees gets with local governments, but I’m not hearing the sort of local growsing one sometimes hears about businesses getting preferential tax breaks.
And they don’t pay lower-than-standard local wages; they pay higher. At least, they do everywhere any local or national financial press news report over I’ve seen has covered the matter.
They publicly post their wages in fairly conspicuous places in every store I’ve visited, and their starting wages are always a good bit above any local norm for similar jobs, according to press reports. They offer lots of OT. Not mandatory afaik. Regarding OT, employees have the option of getting paid or taking comp time.
I think employees who want to skip their vacations can just keep working and get a cash bonus instead, or something like that. I’m not certain of the details.
They supposedly offer decent healthcare, retirement, vacation packages (when compared to corporations of similar size and orientation), according to press reports.
As employers, they are said to “not suck”, and employees seem to like the
employment deal offered, and are said to be there for the long haul, in the way that Costco employees are.
I’ve seen no documentation that these stores generate increased crime problems, emergency response needs, or police time.
And the locs don’t have that sort of “feel” They’re not WalMart. They’re inherently pleasant for most visitors, for the most part. The locs are pleasant, safe, and incredibly clean, with a slight “family fun” atmosphere Families go there because going to the stores feels like a version of a mini-visit to a mini-theme-park.
However, BUCEES c-stores do certainly take business away from local competitors.
@djslack@f00l I would agree. QT is another employer that I’ve heard “doesn’t suck” and pays decent. The comparison to Walmart was mainly about the out-of-town money siphon and destruction of locally owned competitors. And Buc-ees competes in more than just gas. They’re practically a full-on grocery store and multiple different cuisine restaurants combined.
They bailed in Baton Rouge and in North Carolina over not getting TIF concessions. It’s not their M.O., but it’s also not beneath them to hustle the local government for some more squeeze.
I also doubt BR will ever get a Buc-ees and LA got black-balled. To be fair, LA has long been a hotbed of political corruption and training ground for the rest of the country. Huey Long, Edwin Edwards, Bill Jefferson, and many political family dynasties across the state. So I can’t blame Buc-ees on that one.
I’ve heard that QT is decent as an employer. I know some people who are past their first decade working there; they seem not to resent the way they are treated.
Same for newbie employees.
As for the Bucees food: The grilled cheese and Reubens are v good. And so with much of the other stuff.
And the “candy and nut wall” is great fun.
But they can’t compete in quality with dine-in. The food is quite good compared to typical c-store and drive-thru, but it’s not “destination good”.
How about some really good and really cheap Bluetooth earbuds?
The Enacfire E90 are my new favorite for Zoom calls because they have solid mics that seem to do a good job of isolating your voice, but they also do a bang up job with music. Bluetooth 5.0, 8 hours playtime and USB-C charging. The only thing I don’t like is that the position they are stored in the case feels unnatural to take them out and rotate them to how they go in your ears. That’s a pretty minor quibble for how great I think these are. List is $40, they usually sell around $35 and this listing currently has them for $25 and change. Clip the 10% off coupon and get the 15% off code shown under Promotion Available (A65CM94N - thanks, incognito mode!) and these can be in your ears for less than $20. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FMH8W66/
Also great are the G10 for very small and light, and the E60 if you want a Qualcomm chipset with AptX and a wireless charging case. Both of those can be had in the low $20s currently, but neither has a double stacking deal like the E90 right now. They do happen, coupon codes and clippable coupons seem to rotate through all their models fairly regularly. I don’t know how you watch for that other than manually, as I don’t think camel^3 tracks coupons or offers, just prices.
There are a few other sellers with similar prices, but HD is the lowest price I found, and offers free shipping. The other low prices charge shipping.
Pay with your Chase Freedom card to earn 5% cashback on this purchase, effectively lowering the price to $47.50.
The DEWALT 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Manual Air Hose Reel is suitable for industrial, contractor, or household use. It is equipped with a quick release pin lock for easy removal from wall or workbench and is designed to keep your air hose neatly wrapped for quick smooth pull-down operation. The rubber air hose stays flexible to work with, even at 40°F below zero, yet still takes the heat up to 150°F without swelling or bubbling. The bend restrictor provides ease of use and hose protection. The hose is kink-resistant under pressure and has a 3/8 in. x 4 ft. lead in the air hose for easy compressor connection. The DEWALT 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Manual Hose Reel is the perfect accessory for any air tool and any air compressor that operates at 300 psi or less.
Bend restrictor for ease of use and hose protection
Quick release pin lock for easy removal from wall or workbench
3/8 in. x 4 ft. lead in air hose for easy compressor connection
Flexible in cold weather temperature range: -40°F +150°F
Oil and kink resistant
3:1 safety factor (burst pressure versus working pressure)
This is the iconic Buck lockback your grandfather probably had. None of that liner-lock, G10 plastic handles, Tanto semi-serrated blade or belt clip here. This one includes a classic Buck leather belt pouch. Best of all, Buck 110 folders are made in the good 'ol US of A* and include a “forever” warranty.
Razor sharp clip point blade- 3-3/4 inch 420HC stainless steel clip point blade has excellent strength, edge retention and is corrosion resistant; the clip point blade has a very sharp controllable point, and is good for detail work, piercing and slicing
Strength and safety - easy to open with a nail notch on the blade and the lock back mechanism locks the blade open for reliable strength and safety while you work
Responsible - partnering with Taylor guitars, the 110 folding hunter has sustainable sourced genuine ebony handle inlays and brass bolsters that provide a perfect combination of beauty and balance
Convenient carry- includes a genuine high quality protective leather sheath with snap fastener and integrated belt loop allows for safe and secure carry on your belt for easy access; the 110 folding hunter is a perfect hunting companion
Stands the test of time - the 110 folding hunter, after 50 years is still one of America’s best selling knives, and one that’s handed down from generation to generation
Made in USA
*Leather belt pouch may be sourced from non-US manufacturers or include items manufactured outside the US.
@ruouttaurmind This may be my favorite all-around knife. I received one as a gift back in high school (1982? 83?), then picked up another on clearance around 2000 when a local Ace hardware store was relocating. The second one has never even been out of the package.
This is a very basic device. It has none of the features you’ll find on the Bosch Blaze or Leica Disto tools. You push the button and it comes on. Push the button again and it shoots your measurement. That’s all it does. But sometimes, that’s all you need, innit. It’s super tiny, about the same size as a Zippo lighter but a bit thicker. It also has a rechargable battery, and it’s rubberized case is weather resistant. Accuracy is about the same as any other low end laser distance measurer. But if all your doing is calculating how much paint or flooring or gravel or pipe or whatever, 1/4" at 50’ is more than adequate.
Pros:
Easy to use
Very bright backlit display
Extremely compact size
Rechargable battery
Works great to drive my dogs crazy with the laser chase game!
You won’t cry if it’s stolen from your toolbox, 'cause hey, it was a double sawbuck, right?
Cons:
Rechargable battery (if it dies on you, you’ll be sitting around waiting vs. just flipping in a couple more AA batteries)
Zero features
Ineffective in bright, outdoor situations
You have to think back to your trig classes and dig up that good 'ol Pythagorean equation to measure an outside edge of something.
Do you have an Amazon Echo device that is acting up, but still technically working? You may be able to trade it in for an amazon gift card plus 25% off a new Echo device. https://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=17316686011
@medz I did this with my Kindles and Fire tablets. When they had a discount, like during Prime week, they used to take it off after the 25% off so you could make out like a bandit. I think my last waterproof Paperwhite cost $35. I’m not sure if this is still a thing.
I’ve never seen postage stamps on sale before. Not sure when this expires, but you can buy USPS Forever Stamps - 100 Pack, regular price $ 54.99, sale price $49.99 + Free US Shipping. Use Code MWB5 For $5 OFF $49.99. They do charge tax.
The gold standard for fast and accurate instant read thermometers, certified accurate within 0.7°F and readings in 2-3 seconds. You can certainly get the generic version cheaper but not the real deal. Splash proof, backlit, auto rotating display for use in any position and powered by regular AAA batteries.
I will say last time they ran a special like this was five or six years ago. I bought my Mk3 then. A few weeks later the MK4 came out. My old one is still going strong but if anyone’s in the market, take advantage of this.
@djslack I’ve got the previous version, with a cover with magnets, so it sticks to my fridge. I can’t justify buying the Mk4, even though this is a great price.
Fake Instant Pot, $25 at Best Buy. Six quarts, great ratings. I’m replacing the one I got in an irk because it hates me.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insignia-6qt-multi-function-pressure-cooker-stainless-steel/6263602.p?skuId=6263602
@sammydog01 This is a great deal and Insignia makes good products. Thanks!
@sammydog01 I see $59.95
@radi0j0hn The sale is over. You snooze, you looze.
@Barney @radi0j0hn I snost and lost.
Discover 5% cash back category is wholesale clubs (Sam’s, Costco, BJ’s).
While Costco is Visa-only in store, go to the website and you can buy stuff, or better, Costco gift cards, and pay with Discover. Then use the GCs in store.
Also, you can buy Sam’s gift cards (pay with Discover for 5% cash back) and use them at Walmart.
Also included is “select streaming services”. This includes:
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Music
Apple Music
Apple TV+
AT&T TV Now
BET+
CBS All Access
DAZN
Disney +
ESPN+
Fubo TV
Google Play Movies & TV
HBO Max
Hulu
Netflix
Pandora
Philo
Peacock TV
Showtime
Sirius XM
Starz
Sling
Spotify
Vudu
YouTube TV
@ruouttaurmind Unfortunately, almost all streaming services won’t let you prepay amounts on a card payment. So you can pay for 1, 2 or maybe 3 months on the card, but that’s about it.
The only way to get consistent savings is to buy discounted gift cards for the service. And if you did that (like me), you’re carrying a credit on your account, so your card won’t be charged when the category rolls around.
I wish you could prepay, like Amazon does, but Amazon doesn’t have sales on Prime. Unless you count the rare sale on their “Gift of Prime” that you gift to yourself.
And Amazon won’t let you prepay beyond your current Prime subscription year. So you have to sit on your “gifts” until your subscription expires to apply it (while cancelling the auto-renew which you cannot opt out of - you have to cancel after it charges you for the year, or cancel just before it runs out.
The month-to-month no prepay option (buy in bulk) model for all the streaming services sucks.
@mike808 @ruouttaurmind It’s also 5% at gas stations. It would probably work buying gift cards off the rack.
Amex has deals on streaming services that can be used for 3 times. I rotate services, so that works well for me. I had HBO Max for three months at $8 a month ($7 cash back), them dropped it. The current deal is $5 back on $9 or more for Paramount+.
@craigthom @ruouttaurmind Many C-stores now code their inside registers as a C-store, and only the pumps (AFDs) code to “gas/fuel” on the transaction. So buying GCs in the C-store won’t count as a “gas/fuel” transaction. Basically, the issuers have gotten wise to this loophole and closed it.
@mike808 @ruouttaurmind not the ones I go to. I just checked my Discover activity, and indoor purchases are in the “gasoline” category.
@craigthom @ruouttaurmind
Call Discover customer service. They know the drill and will transfer it to the warehouse category for your rewards without pushback.
Costco.com sometimes doesn’t code correctly too.
@craigthom @ruouttaurmind Oops. I meant if you bought Costco GCs on costco.com and Discover didn’t tag it as warehouse.
On C-store GC purchases, Visa is coding gas only for the pay-at-the-pump, and coding register purchases as C-store.
Sam’s has 5% gas all year, Costco 4%. The 0% or 1% difference isn’t worth it, IMO. I do target my spend on the other store types in the category, though.
Grocery stores also don’t code (at least their own GCs) as GCs so when Grocery stores are in the category, you can stock up on GCs to get 5% savings the rest of the year. After that, it is 3% Amex Blue Everyday (no fee) for the rest of the year.
That reminds me, Amazon prime visa 5% rewards at gas stations and travel starts 5/15 through August something. Must activate the offer on your account on the credit card site.
Deals thread, I’ve missed you.
@djslack where do i find that? I’m looking at the Chase site and don’t see it.
@craigthom it came in my email. The link there appears to have a ton of tracking crap in it of course, but maybe try chase.com/mybonus and see if you get anything there?
@djslack Thanks, that worked. I checked and didn’t see any email. Weird.
I’m already halfway through my 5% gas station cash back with my Discover card, so this will get me another couple of months.
@djslack I had the Points & Perks email disabled. That was probably the reason.
Pretty sure you all need this…
Amz: The Screaming Goat (Book & Figure) Paperback for $9.40 and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order.
Is that a deal? As long as you believe it is.
@ruouttaurmind I got it. My niece loves that damn goat!
@ruouttaurmind that’s hilarious. I ordered this just this morning!
As long as some of you are in the mood to piss away your hard earned dollars on novelties
Amz: UFO Cow Abduction: Beam Up Your Bovine (With Light and Sound!) Book and Figure for $11.66 and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order.
A few bucks more than the goat, but does that mean it’s not a deal? The truth is out there…
Make sure you check out some of the vids posted in the reviews for this one. What a hoot!
@ruouttaurmind IT PICKS UP THE COW!
Amz: Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Guy Paperback and Waving Figure for $6.79 and free Prime shipping or free shipping with $25 order.
If you appreciate Tube Guy’s wacky charm, this one is definitely a deal.
{VMod edited.}
If one of the mods pass by here, would you mind deleting that broken linky on the bottom of this post? I was trying to figure out how to post a Amz hosted vid and ran out of edit time.
@ruouttaurmind I bought a two pack of these once at Meh.
@ruouttaurmind @sammydog01
Reminds me of one of my favorite videos:
I especially love that the inflatable guy is Jack Skellington.
May, why do you have so few deals?
Attention soda heads. Or coffee heads. Or store brand Icee heads. It’s not heavily advertised at most locations I’ve seen, but if you are into drinks from convenience stores and have circle k stores near you you should check out Sip N Save.
Pay $5.99 and you get a month of drinks, one a day of your choice. It’s a drink subscription service. Fountain drinks, frozen drinks, and coffee are all pictured on the signs, but me, I’m a diet Dr Pepper kind of guy most days. At 89 cents a pop (eh?) it doesn’t take long to get into savings territory.
@djslack
Nice. We got circle k.
@djslack @f00l I wish we did.
@djslack
Because I got out of the deal posting biz for the most part?
@ruouttaurmind howdy, stranger! I’ve noticed you seeming scarce around here, hope it’s because the world outside of Meh is so awe-- well, cool, that you don’t have time for us anymore. Or an equivalent level of good anyway.
@djslack Heh. No, same old awe-- coolness to IRL. Just a bit of a existential crisis maybe when it came to digging up and posting deals. Or maybe I was just bored.
Speaking of deals… Remember those toolboxes we got from Lowe’s a while ago? They’ve come out with a new version of it. Which surprises me since the Kobalt toolbox line seemed to be displaced with all the Craftsman junk. This new version has a different drawer configuration. And they dropped the Kwikset Smart Key locks again. It’s currently $100 more than we paid back then, but knowing Lowe’s, it’ll be on clearance soon enough.
@ruouttaurmind hmmm… That kobalt looks suspiciously similar to the $1200 gladiator box they also sell, minus the manly trim pieces. Looks like a good deal if anybody’s in the market. My jury’s out on the drawer arrangement, I suppose neither is perfect for most people’s tool assortments. I do kind of like the little drawers for small stuff so it doesn’t get buried.
I had a look back at that deal thread, I bought sooo much stuff that month. Maybe it’s a good thing you burned out on deals
@djslack
Totally agree. This new one has too many deep drawers. Though I do like the split deep drawer layout in all but one drawer.
I needed another big toolbox for my power tools, accessories and whatnot. Since the Kobalt had been sold out, I wound up committing to the Dewalt ToughSystem 2.0 lineup. Nice thing about this one is the workshop racking system. It lets you stack up instead of out. It’s less than half as wide as my Kobalt box, but the rack goes from floor to ceiling, allowing me to keep more tools in the narrower space. The toolboxes come in a variety of sizes and functions. XL, medium, small, organizers, 2-drawer boxes, multi-battery chargers, radios, even a cooler if you’re so inclined. Also, all the pieces will latch together and ride on a wheeled cart for when you take them out of the shop.
The American South, West, and Southwest seem to have the best c-store/gas station chains.
Because these areas are a very vehicle based culture w lots of miles needed to travel? Maybe. Dunno.
But, fwiw, most large fuel labels and c-store chains and truck stop chains seem to have their own “loyalty” fuel savings or “points per purchase” or other purchase/savings plans.
Many of these are free to join. Some have a monthly fee, or have both free and paid versions, but if you gas up at that chain often, you’ll prob get your $ back.
The Buc-ee’s chain doesn’t have this sort of program, so far. But they usually have the cheapest fuel around, and always have the cheapest fountain drinks and bulk ice bags, and the stores are simply fun to visit. So they don’t need a loyalty program yet.
Anyways, check out what’s local to you.
Also:. The GasBuddy app will find the cheap gas nearby or along a route (crowdsource-based, relies on members to report prices). And they also have ways to save a few cents per gallon on fuel, as do some of the loyalty programs.
@f00l QuickTrip (QT) has an app that has more or less weekly coupons for their kitchen items (sandwiches, pizzas) and combo deals. I’ve saved a ton. And you can use multiple mobile coupons at one time.
QT is in the midwest in Missouri from STL to KC, mostly along the I-70 corridor.
@f00l EXCUSE ME WE HAVE WAWAS.
@sammydog01 Is there a cure for that?
@Barney
/giphy WAWA
@Barney Let me try that again.
/giphy WAWA
@f00l @mike808 QT is great! They are in about 12 states from Arizona to the Carolinas. Love their pretzels!
@f00l Buc-ee’s loyalty program involves porcelain furniture and plumbing in completely enclosed stalls, with full time cleaning staff. They could charge $5 cover at the door and people would still go. They had a billboard just east of me that said “Only 186 miles to Buc-ee’s. You can hold it!”
@mike808 QT is good, we just got one location and a second will open here within the next few weeks, maybe more in areas of town I don’t see regularly. I’ll have to check out that app when the one that’s pretty much on my way to work opens. They tend to be very nice and promote good experiences. I believe they’re based out of Atlanta.
@djslack @f00l I think QT started in KC. Seems to be a decently run company.
I like the Speedway loyalty program. I use the points for Amazon gift cards.
A little bonus is that some stations give 3¢ off per gallon with the card, but the big bonus is that i get the lowest gas price of the day (so far). Price goes up 20¢ everywhere that morning? I get the previous price.
I also use their app to look at prices. I ditched Gas Buddy because of the ads and because the prices were wrong half the time.
So the loyalty card has made me loyal. Win-win.
@mike808 my former CEO who lived in Atlanta was the one who told me that. So I did the research. You’re closest. It’s Tulsa.
https://www.quiktrip.com/About/About_QT
Still good stores. And they say their strategy is to dominate, so I would expect to see more around me now that they’ve entered my market.
@craigthom lowest price of the day is a nice perk some days!
@djslack @mike808
QT came to N TX maybe 10-15 years ago? They have been my fav local city gas station brand ever since.
Recently they invaded Austin and San Antonio. Seem to be v popular there also.
Racetrac had also gotten classy in their new locations.
Where I drive, I also like CEFCO, Stripes, Circle K, and the truck stops.
Remember when truck stops were kinda disgusting? They are now mostly pretty nice
Stripes was bought out by 7-11 and the rebranding is ongoing.
But Stripes, including those “now rebranded to 7-11” locations, is better than “old 7-11”
If you can’t find a Stripes, try searching for “Laredo Taco”. That’s a Stripes.
If you are there when the taco bar is open, get some.
@sammydog01
I hope that’s covered by your medical plan?
(Ahem)
Do they have Tacos?
Do they have locations in Texas?
No?
Then of what value are they?
@djslack
I’m guessing that you have visited But-we’d in Texas, as opposed to Alabama?
So, coming from LA, you are first getting to the one in Baytown or the one in Terrell?
The largest ones I have visited are in New Braunfels, in N Fort Worth, in Waller, and maybe? in Texas City (between Houston and Galveston). These are pushing towards toward Walmart Supercenters size (minus the Walmart Garden Centers sf tho)
(Tho I’m not a great judge of square footage.)
I think I’ve been to most of the Texas locations, including the few older itty bitty ones SW of, or around, Houston.
No idea about the size of the ones in FL, AL, and GA.
Rumor has it that they are aiming at locations in Tenn, NC, SC, MS, and LA. So maybe someday it won’t be 180+ miles for you.
@djslack @f00l There’s one at the Hwy 59 exit to Foley, AL (just east of the Mobile bay) and to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach.
Seems to be “normal” sized - for a Buc-ees.
@f00l I’ve been to (at least) Terrell, Madisonville, Bastrop, Temple, I think maybe Denton and Ennis too. Was just in Foley week before last. There’s supposed to be one on the way in the Baton Rouge area, not sure about more or how long it will take them to come to the north side of the state.
Terrell is the one the billboard referred to and I believe still the closest one to me.
Foley appears to be regulation size, but the travel density there and “attraction factor” mean that it could easily be twice as big, at least on weekends and during beach season. They have permanently installed temporary barricades (at least since 2019, seems close enough to permanent for me) to route traffic around the parking lot and it can be a mess.
The secret that beaver is hiding is that his tail seems to contain a regulation size money printing press.
@djslack @f00l That beaver tail is not a money printing press, it is a money siphon. At least in Foley. It doesn’t bring in new money to that area, it siphons money from the existing businesses before the visitors can spend it on the beach.
It is to the gas stations and C-store mom & pop franchises what Walmart is to the small towns they destroyed.
That said, I will still stop at Buc-ees and spend a shitload of moolah there. I’ll just have to spend more in town.
@djslack
My fav one might be supposedly the biggest one in New Braunfels, v close to the Guadalupe River and all the river sports, esp tubing and rafting.
The only thing I don’t like about that one is that it’s in the middle of town, and so the traffic getting in and out of it can be extreme.
And that that portion of i35 is under apparently permanent construction. And it’s therefore a completely horrible drive.
—
The Terrill, Waller, and FW ones are enormous but less individualized.
The Bastrop one is a real fav of mine.
The Temple, Luling, and Madisonville locations are earlier versions, They are simply too small for the traffic they get. Eso on weekends. But still good.
Some of the recent Texas ones (such as Denton, Melissa, Royce City, Ennis, Katy, etc locations) have scaled back a bit on ‘ginormous’. Altho many still have 120 fuel pumps.
And these are packed all day long on weekends. So I’m hoping the interior store slightly smaller size means that eventually more locations will be built along those highways, perhaps 100 miles out or so, to service the fanbase in a less congested manner.
There was a rumor of one planned for Bryan/College Station, and got one in/near Waxahachie. No word yet.
Waxahachie as a loc is problematic unless they go out of town a little further; I35 is under what appears to be endless construction there also, and getting on/off can be a nightmare.
@djslack @mike808
Yeah I understand the biz model. They create something so attractive, economical, or useful, that it kills off the local competition. The way Walmart has.
@djslack @f00l Too bad they don’t have charging stations. It’s not hard to spend a half hour or more at Buc-ees. Beats the far end of a Walmart parking lot three miles off the interstate.
And “economical” is debatable when the taxpayers are paying for that attractive usefulness in tax giveaways where apparently, Buc-ees, like Walmart doesn’t have a sustainable, viable business model, “but for” those sweet, sweet, TIF dollars. And sticking the taxpayers with the bills for police dealing with increased traffic, crime, and emergency responders, as well as (at least for Walmart) low-wage jobs where the healthcare insurance orientation is “how to fill out Medicaid and social aid programs to make up for cheaping out on your wages”.
@djslack @mike808
Afaik Bucees stores have pretty much always been profitable, with or without tax breaks.
It’s true that they don’t, afaik, turn the tax breaks down. But they don’t always get big local concessions either. Or so I’ve heard. (I know a few people who were involved on the city/county side when BUCEES selected certain locations)
I’m not an expert on how hardball Bucees gets with local governments, but I’m not hearing the sort of local growsing one sometimes hears about businesses getting preferential tax breaks.
And they don’t pay lower-than-standard local wages; they pay higher. At least, they do everywhere any local or national financial press news report over I’ve seen has covered the matter.
They publicly post their wages in fairly conspicuous places in every store I’ve visited, and their starting wages are always a good bit above any local norm for similar jobs, according to press reports. They offer lots of OT. Not mandatory afaik. Regarding OT, employees have the option of getting paid or taking comp time.
I think employees who want to skip their vacations can just keep working and get a cash bonus instead, or something like that. I’m not certain of the details.
They supposedly offer decent healthcare, retirement, vacation packages (when compared to corporations of similar size and orientation), according to press reports.
As employers, they are said to “not suck”, and employees seem to like the
employment deal offered, and are said to be there for the long haul, in the way that Costco employees are.
I’ve seen no documentation that these stores generate increased crime problems, emergency response needs, or police time.
And the locs don’t have that sort of “feel” They’re not WalMart. They’re inherently pleasant for most visitors, for the most part. The locs are pleasant, safe, and incredibly clean, with a slight “family fun” atmosphere Families go there because going to the stores feels like a version of a mini-visit to a mini-theme-park.
However, BUCEES c-stores do certainly take business away from local competitors.
@djslack @f00l I would agree. QT is another employer that I’ve heard “doesn’t suck” and pays decent. The comparison to Walmart was mainly about the out-of-town money siphon and destruction of locally owned competitors. And Buc-ees competes in more than just gas. They’re practically a full-on grocery store and multiple different cuisine restaurants combined.
They bailed in Baton Rouge and in North Carolina over not getting TIF concessions. It’s not their M.O., but it’s also not beneath them to hustle the local government for some more squeeze.
I also doubt BR will ever get a Buc-ees and LA got black-balled. To be fair, LA has long been a hotbed of political corruption and training ground for the rest of the country. Huey Long, Edwin Edwards, Bill Jefferson, and many political family dynasties across the state. So I can’t blame Buc-ees on that one.
@djslack @mike808
I’ve heard that QT is decent as an employer. I know some people who are past their first decade working there; they seem not to resent the way they are treated.
Same for newbie employees.
As for the Bucees food: The grilled cheese and Reubens are v good. And so with much of the other stuff.
And the “candy and nut wall” is great fun.
But they can’t compete in quality with dine-in. The food is quite good compared to typical c-store and drive-thru, but it’s not “destination good”.
Bucees is a " destination experience" tho.
How about some really good and really cheap Bluetooth earbuds?
The Enacfire E90 are my new favorite for Zoom calls because they have solid mics that seem to do a good job of isolating your voice, but they also do a bang up job with music. Bluetooth 5.0, 8 hours playtime and USB-C charging. The only thing I don’t like is that the position they are stored in the case feels unnatural to take them out and rotate them to how they go in your ears. That’s a pretty minor quibble for how great I think these are. List is $40, they usually sell around $35 and this listing currently has them for $25 and change. Clip the 10% off coupon and get the 15% off code shown under Promotion Available (A65CM94N - thanks, incognito mode!) and these can be in your ears for less than $20. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FMH8W66/
Also great are the G10 for very small and light, and the E60 if you want a Qualcomm chipset with AptX and a wireless charging case. Both of those can be had in the low $20s currently, but neither has a double stacking deal like the E90 right now. They do happen, coupon codes and clippable coupons seem to rotate through all their models fairly regularly. I don’t know how you watch for that other than manually, as I don’t think camel^3 tracks coupons or offers, just prices.
Because @djslack misses the temptation of all the deals I used to post…
Home Depot: Dewalt 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Manual Air Hose Reel for $50 and free shipping or free in-store pickup.
There are a few other sellers with similar prices, but HD is the lowest price I found, and offers free shipping. The other low prices charge shipping.
Pay with your Chase Freedom card to earn 5% cashback on this purchase, effectively lowering the price to $47.50.
The DEWALT 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Manual Air Hose Reel is suitable for industrial, contractor, or household use. It is equipped with a quick release pin lock for easy removal from wall or workbench and is designed to keep your air hose neatly wrapped for quick smooth pull-down operation. The rubber air hose stays flexible to work with, even at 40°F below zero, yet still takes the heat up to 150°F without swelling or bubbling. The bend restrictor provides ease of use and hose protection. The hose is kink-resistant under pressure and has a 3/8 in. x 4 ft. lead in the air hose for easy compressor connection. The DEWALT 3/8 in. x 50 ft. Manual Hose Reel is the perfect accessory for any air tool and any air compressor that operates at 300 psi or less.
Lowe’s (via Lowesforpros.com only): Classic Buck 110 Lockback Folding Knife for $30.70 and free in-store pickup where available, or $6 ship to home.
This is the iconic Buck lockback your grandfather probably had. None of that liner-lock, G10 plastic handles, Tanto semi-serrated blade or belt clip here. This one includes a classic Buck leather belt pouch. Best of all, Buck 110 folders are made in the good 'ol US of A* and include a “forever” warranty.
*Leather belt pouch may be sourced from non-US manufacturers or include items manufactured outside the US.
@ruouttaurmind This may be my favorite all-around knife. I received one as a gift back in high school (1982? 83?), then picked up another on clearance around 2000 when a local Ace hardware store was relocating. The second one has never even been out of the package.
Yup, more tools. Because apparently tools are my life since I gave up on drones (FAA, FTW!)
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Home Depot: Dewalt 55 ft. Pocket Laser Distance Measurer for $20 and free in-store pickup
This is a very basic device. It has none of the features you’ll find on the Bosch Blaze or Leica Disto tools. You push the button and it comes on. Push the button again and it shoots your measurement. That’s all it does. But sometimes, that’s all you need, innit. It’s super tiny, about the same size as a Zippo lighter but a bit thicker. It also has a rechargable battery, and it’s rubberized case is weather resistant. Accuracy is about the same as any other low end laser distance measurer. But if all your doing is calculating how much paint or flooring or gravel or pipe or whatever, 1/4" at 50’ is more than adequate.
Pros:
Cons:
Features:
Do you have an Amazon Echo device that is acting up, but still technically working? You may be able to trade it in for an amazon gift card plus 25% off a new Echo device.
https://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=17316686011
My refurbished 1st Gen Echo Show that is having some audio issues is worth a $30 gift card and the 25% discount!
@medz I did this with my Kindles and Fire tablets. When they had a discount, like during Prime week, they used to take it off after the 25% off so you could make out like a bandit. I think my last waterproof Paperwhite cost $35. I’m not sure if this is still a thing.
I’ve never seen postage stamps on sale before. Not sure when this expires, but you can buy USPS Forever Stamps - 100 Pack, regular price $ 54.99, sale price $49.99 + Free US Shipping. Use Code MWB5 For $5 OFF $49.99. They do charge tax.
https://www.dailysteals.com/products/usps-forever-stamps-100-pack
@heartny Costco and Sam’s have discounted forever stamps as well.
Last day, Thermapen Mk4 on sale for $69. https://www.thermoworks.com/Thermapen-Mk4
The gold standard for fast and accurate instant read thermometers, certified accurate within 0.7°F and readings in 2-3 seconds. You can certainly get the generic version cheaper but not the real deal. Splash proof, backlit, auto rotating display for use in any position and powered by regular AAA batteries.
I will say last time they ran a special like this was five or six years ago. I bought my Mk3 then. A few weeks later the MK4 came out. My old one is still going strong but if anyone’s in the market, take advantage of this.
@djslack Definitely also recommend the silicone cover as well. Same here. Use mine all the time.
@djslack I’ve got the previous version, with a cover with magnets, so it sticks to my fridge. I can’t justify buying the Mk4, even though this is a great price.
@craigthom they’re back to $99, but I’m in the same boat. My old one is going strong so I’m sticking with it.
I should have bought my dad one for his birthday while they were on sale.
@craigthom @djslack The new silicone covers are also magnetic!
Picked up 2 and 2 covers.
@sammydog I guess this is a June deal, but did you see they’ve come out with a Minion Fitbit?
![enter image description here][1]
Well, it’s for kids, but if you have small wrists maybe you could use it.
[1]:
@Kyeh I do have small wrists. Probably even child sized wrists. I need to go find a review. Thanks!