My New TV

Once I finally got furniture for the living room, it (the furniture) wanted more reasons for me to sit on it.

I haven't owned a game console since the original Nintendo, so I used my stimulus to buy a PS3 (and GTA IV).

The PS3 has been asking for a new tv. It says, "I know I should be happy to have a home, but this 36" Sony WEGA makes my Blu-ray player cry in shame. You don't even have HD!"

I've been shopping for a new tv for about 4 months now. I decided that I wanted the Sony 46" XBR4. The new models (XBR5 and XBR6) have started arriving, and the only difference between the old and new model at 46" is the warranty (goes from 12 to 18 months) and an additional HDMI input (2 to 3). That said, I'm willing to save $900 or so and slum it with last years model, since this is the picture that I want.

I decided not to do anything about the TV until school was over. Earlier today, I was preparing for tv shopping by scouring the internet(s) for coupons or other deals, and I saw that Best Buy had their XBR4s on unadvertised clearance. I decided to stop at BB Tysons on my way home (to meet my study group), and found out there were only 2 left in the entire district. Since BB has 0% interest for 24 months (Circuit City is 18 months and Sears is 12 months), I really wanted to get it there. I drove out to Bailey's Crossroads, where the last remaining TVs were: one was new, one was open box, both were buried back in the warehouse.

Earlier than expected, I bought my new TV. I haven't brought it home yet, or told the PS3. I need to decide on a tv stand, and I need to get an HD receiver. That said, I'm glad I don't have to worry now about it selling out.

Wii Arbitrage

I suppose Black Friday madness is good for something: I found myself in possession of 1 more Nintendo Wii than I needed, so I decided to get rid of it on eBay.

Posted: 11/24 9:59pm
Sold: 11/24 11:27pm
Method: Buy It Now
Price: $400.00

I wanted to price it for a quick sell, so I used eBay's shipping calculator to charge the actual shipping, and not gouge the buyer like most sellers do. I looked at what Wiis were selling for: $360.00-$450.00.

This is how it broke down:

$419.58 Seller Paid ($400.00 + $19.58 Shipping and Insurance)
- $ 12.47 Paypal Fees
--------------
$407.11 Received from eBay
- $262.49 Cost of Wii + tax
- $ 17.35 eBay fees
- $ 29.00 USPS shipping (I was late getting it off so I sent it Priority Mail at my expense)
--------------
--------------
$ 98.27 Profit

So stand in line this holiday season, and make yourself almost $100 free and clear.

Bargains, bargains, everywhere

I apologize in advance for the lameness of this post, but after an insane summer schedule followed by surgery and a three week recovery, "the funny" (or "the angry") is going to take a minute to regenerate.

Right after surgery, a letter came addressed to the previous homeowners. It said something about "GE Appliance"-something, so I figured it was something I should open and look at. It turns out, I was right:

Over several years, normal use of liquid rinse aid in some models results in a concentration of rinse aid on the wires inside the dishwasher door. In the affected models, the rinse aid can degrade the insulation on the wiring inside the door, which can cause an electrical short, overheating or fire if the wire comes in contact with the metal door. You should stop using these dishwashers immediately until you obtain more information.

I mean, who wants a flaming dishwasher?

Since Home Depot was having a sale, and GE was going to give me another $150.00 to replace a 6-10 year-old dishwasher, I decided it was probably the right thing to do. The deal broke down like this:



While I wasn't planning on spending any money on a dishwasher, it was likely that I'd have to replace mine sometime before I sold the house. $180.00 delivered and installed to do that is a pretty good deal.

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You may recall that I turned the WRX in last January, and ended up with my parent's 2002 Honda Accord. I've noticed that if the car sits for a day or two, it has trouble starting (but once I drive it, it charges right back up). I don't think that battery has ever been replaced, so I decided to start looking around for battery deals.

My first stop was Sears, even though they have pissed me off the last several times I've attempted to buy anything there. A Diehard Gold for the Accord is $109.00, which seemed a little high to me. I decided to do some looking around online, and I found this little gem:

Most auto batteries are made by just three manufacturers, Delphi, Exide, and Johnson Controls Industries. Each makes batteries sold under several different brand names. Delphi makes ACDelco and some EverStart (Wal-Mart) models. Exide makes Champion, Exide, Napa, and some EverStart batteries. Johnson Controls makes Diehard (Sears), Duralast (AutoZone), Interstate, Kirkland (Costco), Motorcraft (Ford), and some EverStarts.

So Sears and Costco batteries come from the same manufacturer, huh? How much is the comparable battery at Costco?

$54.49

I had to drive to two different Costco's last night, but I found one. Now I just need to put it in and I'm good to go.

My poor American Express.