The King of Queens Complete DVD Series $89.99 (61% off $232.95)

For fans of Kevin James the "The King of Queens" can it get any better than this (well, if they gave it away free would be better, but saving over $140 isn't bad)?

Right now Amazon.com is selling the Complete Series in a great IPS Truck design box at $89.99. That's 61% off the retail of $232.95.

It features all the episodes of this long-running series, as well as:
- Audio Commentary from Kevin James and Michael Weithorn
- Kevin James: A Day in the Life of an International Superstar
- Series Retrospective
- Thanks to the Fans
- 200th Episode Celebration
- The Writers of King of Queens
- Character Profiles

The price won;t stay this low at Amazon for long, so if you're interested, click the link below quickly.

Star Wars Items at $9.98 or $9.99 at Amazon (up to 75% Off)

For any Star Wars collector or anyone who like to play with Star Wars inspired toys, here are some items right now at Amazon that have been discounted to below $10.00. The original retail is as high as $39.99 so you can be saving as much as 75%.

The items include:
- Star Wars Science Jedi Projector $9.98
- Star Wars Force Action Obi-Wan Kenobi Lightsaber $9.99
- Star Wars Darth Vader Force Action Lightsaber $9.99
- Star Wars Science Optical Command Unit $9.98
- Star Wars Science Jedi Telescope $7.98

You have to order a few (or order these together with other items) to get over the $25.00 for free super saver shipping.

Free Harley Davidson® 2010 Calendar for Veterans and Military Personnel; Free Posters and Postcards for Anyone

If you are into Harley Davidson® and happen to be a veteran or currently in the miltary, they are offering free 2010 calendars for you. The calendar features Harley rider and U.S. military supporter Marisa Miller.

They also have the images available as posters and postcards, and are giving those free to anyone.

You have to go into a participating dealer to get yours (for the calendar you must have some sort of military I.D.). The offer is valid in the U.S. only.

To find a participating dealer near you, click this link.

Free 2010 Technoframes® A-10 Warthog Calendar

If you'd like a free calendar for the upcoming year and want something a bit out of the ordinary, here's one you can request for free. Technoframes® Ammunition Cases is offering their A-10 Warthog Calendar free to anyone who requests it before November.

This is a big wall calendar, measuring 27" x 19", with all the months in a black bar across the bottom.

To take a look and request one, click this link.

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition $49.97 (68% Off Retail of $159.95)

If you're a fan of Monty Python (or know someone who is and want to give a great gift), this is a stellar offer. Buy.com is selling The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition for $49.97 right now. This retails for $159.95, so you're getting $109.98 (over 68%) off. Plus free budget shipping is included.

This set really contains it all, packaged inside a special decorative box -- four seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus, two new-to-DVD documentaries, two Monty Python Live performances, and six Personal Best compilations.

"Before the Flying Circus" has rare vintage footage to explore the influences that shaped six young lunatics into the world's most innovative comedy troupe, while "Monty Python Conquers America" documents their tremendous American success. The six "Personal Best" collections highlight the best sketches and songs, as selected and hosted by the individual Pythons themselves. "Monty Python Live" entertains you with what happens when absurd TV sketches are performed to live audiences. This more-than-complete collection includes every single episode from the legendary show's four-year run on the BBC. For fans who crave even more Python material, the set offers a "Pythonism" glossary and an art gallery of Terry Gilliam's animations.

The whole great package and the decorative box includes a total of 21 discs. That's a ton of laughter!

If you're a Python fanatic (or know one) this will be something to enjoy and treasure. To take a look, click the picture below.

Free Golden Age Stories Pulp Fiction Collector’s Edition Bookmarks

Here's a nice freebie that's a collectible you might want to use while you're doing all that reading at the beach this summer. Golden Age Books (by L. Ron Hubbard) is offering a free set of collectible bookmarks featuring Pulp Fiction type images.

It's part of a page that is looking for people to join their book club, but the bookmarks are available free with no obligation. To take a look and request your set of bookmarks, click this link.

Buy Five Items for $20.00 at NBC/Univerrsal On-Line Store

For fans of TV and the movies, here's a way to pick up some fun collectibles or DVDs of movies and shows for a nice final price. The NBC/Universal on-line store is offering a deal where you get five items for $20.00. Some of these originally cost as much as $22.00 apiece so this deal can get you a nice assortment.

There are bobbleheads of Hiro and (talking bobblehead) Howie Mandel (host of "Deal or No Deal"), a Monk snow-globe, calendar and drawings from "The Office," T-Shirts from various shows and lots of magnets. There are also DVDs from a large number of movies as well at TV shows such as "Friends" and "Saturday Night Live."

Shipping is $6.95.

Lots of items are available, so if you're a fan of NBC's or Universal's shows and movies (or want to buy gifts for people who are), click this link to check them out.

NCAA College Small Rugs $5.00 at Walmart

There are just a few schools available so this isn't for everyone's school, but Walmart is having a clearance sale on small rugs featuring several NCAA College logos. They're priced at just $5.00, reduced from $9.96. These would be handy for anyone attending one of the schools or for sports fans who follow them too.

The schools available are Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, Tennessee and USC.

The rugs measure 20" x 30", are machine washable and the fabric is polyester.

You can find them in stores (maybe take a look while you're getting your free ice cream tomorrow from 11 am to 4 pm), pay to have them shipped home or get them shipped to your nearest Walmart for free ship-to-store.

To check them out, click here.

Free Bottle Opener from Blue Moon® Beer

If you could use a new bottle opener (or want to keep a spare in your cooler), here's a deal that can save you the couple of bucks you might pay to buy one. Or maybe you just want to add a collectible to a breweriana collection. Blue Moon® Brewing Company is offering a free bottle opener if you join their Blue Moon Crew®.

It's free to join, and you can check off a box on whether you want to receive future e-mails or not (I would still use a secondary e-mail address to join any of these free offers). The free bottle opener offer is shown on the left side as the website loads, and after you enter your date of birth and enter, you just click the link for 'join' at the bottom of the page. It's a quick registration, with just the basic contact information, and in a minute or two, you're on your way to getting the free opener.

Yo check out the offer and pick up this freebie, click this link.

Today Only: Hockey Caps from Minor League Teams $3.00 (88% Off Retail) -- Unusual Team Names

If you're a hockey buff, or would just like to pick up some baseball caps from some interestingly named hockey teams, you might want to quickly hop over to HockeyOverstock.com. They have an array of CCM-brand caps that retail for $24.99 which they're selling for $15.00. But for today only (Friday the 22nd), if you add promo code ccm0522 to your order, you get an additional 80% off. That makes the caps just $3.00.

These have some unusual names: Shawinigan Cataractes, Brandon Wheat Kings, Quebec Remparts, Kootenay Ice, Gatineau Olympiques, Saskatoon Blades and more. For a collector of caps these will make a nice addition to your collection.

Shipping is via FedEx Ground so costs vary based on destination.

To take a look at this unusual cap selection at a great discount, click this link.

Smirnoff Ice® Limited Edition Cooler Pack $5.00 Shipped

Smirnoff Ice® is offering a free limited edition Cooler Pack, with a $5.00 cost for shipping/handling. The Cooler can hold a 12-Pack of your favorite flavor of Smirnoff Ice® (or other beverages if you prefer).

The offer is open to those 21 years old or older but excludes residents of CA, UT and PR. The Cooler is available while supply lasts.

To check it out and fill out the information to order one, click here. You'll need to enter your birthdate and then on the next page, you'll see a picture and link for the free cooler offer.

Lenox Disney Thimbles $4.95 with Free Shipping (80% Off)

If you are a Disney fan and like collectibles, there's a clearance going on right now at Lenox -- they have reduced the price on their Disney Thimbles from $25.90 down to $4.95 for a pair of character thimbles -- yes, two thimbles at this low price. That's a savings of 80%. And free shipping keeps it a great deal too.

The pairs of thimbles available at this price are:
- Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh
- Donald Duck and Aristocats
- Snow White and Goofy
- Simba and Dumbo
- Pluto and Sleeping Beauty
- Hunchback and Minnie Mouse
- Bambi and Daisy
- Ariel and Alladin
- Belle and Lady
- Pinocchio and Cinderella
- Pocahontas and Alice
- Baloo and Peter Pan

They also have a display case for the Disney Thimbles reduced from $98.00 down to $19.95 as well.

For someone who adores the world of Disney, these small size collectibles can bring big smiles. To check them out, click this link.

The Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition for $68.99 (Over $90.00 Off!)

If you're a fan of Monty Python, you can never get enough. Now you can have it all -- the Complete Monty Python's Flying Circus Collector's Edition is on sale right now at buy.com for $68.99. This retails for $159.95, so you're getting $90.96 (over 56%) off. Plus free budget shipping is included.

This set really contains it all, packaged inside a special decorative box -- four seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus, two new-to-DVD documentaries, two Monty Python Live performances, and six Personal Best compilations.

"Before the Flying Circus" has rare vintage footage to explore the influences that shaped six young lunatics into the world's most innovative comedy troupe, while "Monty Python Conquers America" documents their tremendous American success. The six "Personal Best" collections highlight the best sketches and songs, as selected and hosted by the individual Pythons themselves. "Monty Python Live" entertains you with what happens when absurd TV sketches are performed to live audiences. This more-than-complete collection includes every single episode from the legendary show's four-year run on the BBC. For fans who crave even more Python material, the set offers a "Pythonism" glossary and an art gallery of Terry Gilliam's animations.

The whole great package and the decorative box includes a total of 21 discs. That's a ton of laughter!

If you're a Python fanatic (or know one) this will be something to enjoy and treasure. To take a look, click the picture below.

Free Inauguration Cover of The New Yorker Magazine

Here's a little freebie for someone who's collecting historical tidbits about the upcoming Inauguration: a free commemorative cover from The New Yorker magazine. They're known for great cover art and this issue's cover may be something to frame and hang if you're interested.

It's free just by registering at their website. Of course you can subscribe while you're there too, but that's not required. Requests must be made by the end of the month but quantities are limited so if this is up your alley you may want to do it now.

This is for the cover only, not for a full issue. To register, click this link.

Things You Never Knew Existed 15% Off $30 or More

There's a catalog/website that's always a lot of fun to peruse, called Things You Never Knew Existed. They specialize in the unusual, arcane, creative items that amuse or sometimes even fill a need in a unique way. These can be great for gag gifts, or unique gifts for a collector, or also to get particular handy household items to make your life more comfortable.

If you spend a bit of time looking through their website, you'll see what I mean. Now through the end of the year, if you use the link below, they'll deduct 15% off any order totaling over $30.00.

Click on it and you can start searching -- you might be surprised by what you can find!

Have Beckhamania??? Save on David Beckham Jerseys

Updated July 19th -- Found a listing that says you get 30% off if you use one of these coupon codes: LKS17A3C or EMEB7CA2. I tried to verify but you have to go all the way through checkout to see if it applies. But if you're going to buy one of these, maybe these codes give you a better deal than the $10 off...

One of my readers let me know about a deal he found on jerseys for soccer mega-star David Beckham. If you have to ask, you don't have Beckhamania.

Here's his message: "I am finding myself falling for the David Beckham mania and am purchasing a jersey from a website that I found after doing a lot of comparison shopping. I figure a lot of people may be doing the same thing, and could use this piece of information.

The Beckham jersey by Adidas (the only official Beckham jersey you can get) retails for $80 on any of the websites (such as www.shopadidas.com or www.mlsgear.com) that would sell that type of thing. However, I just found a site that is offering $10 off any orders of $75 or more and that gives discounts on shipping multiple items. The online store is called Eastbay, and is at: http://www.eastbay.com/

At checkout, apply the following code to receive the $10 discount on the final total: IPEB7775. The code for $10 off is valid from July 16th through 11:59pm CST on July 22nd.

There is no sales tax in NY but I'm not sure about what other states that would apply for, and the standard shipping rate (for delivery in 7-10 business days) is $6.99 for the first item and $1.99 for each additional item, so it makes some sense in my opinion if you want to order 2 or 3 items, as most other sites (such as www.mlsgear.com) will charge at least $11 for shipping a single item."

Thanks for the tip for any of our David Beckham fanatics on this side of the pond.

Ebay -- Some tips to use it well

I figured it's about time I write about ebay. It's really changed the face of buying and selling products, and it comes with its own benefits and drawbacks. It lets you buy items from around the world which you otherwise might not have found, but you are also dealing with sellers who are somewhat anonymous. I've been able to find some great deals and also to use it for selling some things effectively too. Along the way, I've learned some ideas about using it well.

So here are some tips to consider when shopping on ebay, in no particular order...

Use the feedback system. Each seller has compiled a rating that gives you some sense of their trustworthiness and whether their customers have been happy. But don't just look at the number and presume the higher the number the better the vendor. Look at the percentage of positives and click on the feedback number to pull up some detailed feedback. If I have a seller who has a small percentage of negative feedback I try and find some of the negative postings and read what the complaint was. Based on that, I can infer whether it was a particular customer's problem or whether it's a wider issue. Gives me a sense of whether I'd feel comfortable doing business with that seller. The amount of feedback I check usually corresponds with the amount I may need to spend.

Do a real good search to see if there are several of that item on ebay at the same time. One of my early tendencies when I started with ebay was to keep increasing my bid on an auction I had already gotten into, instead of conducting a new search. The result was I sometimes paid more than if I had just gone to another auction and started bidding there instead. Once you are around ebay you will see whether certain items keep popping up, so that if you miss out on the item this time you know it will come up again soon. Unless you need the item quickly you might save if you wait for the next go-round and hopefully have fewer (or no) other bidders.

Two other ways to help yourself do that: do a search-by-seller, and include completed auctions in the search parameters. The same vendor may often offer the same items over and over each week or so. By checking this you will see whether that's the case and the range at which his/her auctions ended. Also do an advanced-search on the item and search for completed listings. This will show you the final prices people got for the same item over the last thirty days. So as you bid, you can gauge whether the bidding has gotten too hot and it's worth backing off.

Do factor in shipping costs. This can be the make-or-break between a good deal and a bad one. Because ebay's seller commissions are based on the sales price, there is an incentive for dealers to settle for a lower auction price and jack up shipping to make it up. Ebay frowns on the practice, but determining what's a "fair" shipping cost is not easy for them to judge. So you will occasionally see a seller listing a small item for $0.99 and having a shipping cost of $12 for something fairly light and not fragile.

But aside from that, if there are multiple sellers of the same item (i.e. DVDs you might buy) then check the net final cost to you if you win. Sometimes you'll find the seller with a $1 higher bid but whose shipping is $3 less. It's the final total you have to pay which matters after all.

Search creatively. Look for items that might have different ways of describing them and check for both. For example, I've seen similar items described as statuettes and figurines, and one word might draw more bidder searching than the other -- and the more competition/bidders, the higher the auction will probably end.

Search for possible misspellings, if there is a word or name that people might get wrong. It isn't frequent but it does happen occasionally and you may be one of the few people who finds that item and gets in on the bidding.

If the item can be spelled as one word or two, do a check with both possibilities. Some people might write lawnmower and other might write lawn mower. Some people might write Spiderman as Spider man. The search engine won't see them as the same thing, so if you find the less common way to list it, you might get less competition.

Before you bid, do a regular internet search for the item and see what the comparative price is at other on-line stores. It's not uncommon for prices to drop at a retailer and ebay sellers are still selling at older higher prices. Also, if an item has a rebate at an on-line seller, generally the rebate isn't valid if you get the item on ebay -- so your final net might be higher.

Read the item description to make sure it's the exact item and that it's in the condition you want it. For machines and electronics, pay note to whether the piece is brand new or factory-refurbished. I wouldn't say not to bid on a refurbished item, just to be aware and go in knowing that's the deal. Read all the payment and shipping details as well. Since many of the sellers aren't regular traditional stores, the policies can vary far and wide.

If there's any detail of which you are uncertain, ask the seller before bidding. You really don't want to try and rescind a bid because you found something out after the fact. It can lead to poor feedback being left for you, possibly giving you some issues with future transactions as others may be hesitant to deal with you. I figure asking questions also gives me another view into the reliability of the seller. If he/she doesn't have time to answer my questions, I'm not sure I would be comfortable doing a transaction with him/her. (I'm not suggesting just asking a question for the sake of seeing his/her responsiveness -- ask if/when you really need to ask).

Ebay is its own world and this is just a quick primer into some of the tips to use it well. I'll revisit ebay again soon, and focus on how to use it well as a seller too. Stay tuned. And have fun the next time you go on ebay!

Auctions - Worth Visiting?

About six years ago after moving to a new area, a neighbor mentioned a local auction house as a must-see. After a few visits I wished I had known earlier before we had bought some of our furniture! The deals I saw sometimes were jaw-dropping! One time I saw an 8-piece sectional sofa/loveseat/ottoman piece unused and still with Bloomingdales tags go for $85!!! Another time, a gorgeous kitchen table with inlaid woods for $2!!! I've seen plenty of beautiful items go for way less than what you might pay at retail. I've found unusual items that you wouldn't have even known existed. And antique machines/items that would make nice collectibles/displays...

But auctions have their own ups-and-downs, in-and-outs. Within the same location, some weeks might have a treasure trove of items and other weeks not so much of interest (since they're subject to whatever is consigned them for auction). Prices are always subject to who else is bidding. Still, I'd say they are definitely worth checking out, and there are plenty of ways to use them to your advantage. Here are some things I learned along the way:

The first thing is obviously to find out if there are local auction houses in your area. You can check newspaper classifieds, because in at least some places, auctions are required to place a posting for upcoming sales. You can certainly check the yellow pages, but also talk to neighbors, maybe a tourism office in your area, etc.

Once you've found one, you may want to attend some auctions to get its feel, get information on any buyer fees etc. When I started visiting my nearby auctioneer, buyers did not have fees added to purchases (only sellers paid a commission fee on what was sold). Since then they added buyer fees of 10% so when you bid you have to keep that in mind.

Find out when they have pre-auction inspection where you can look at items closely, examine them for cracks or chips, look for names/brands, etc. This way you know if you're bidding on a quality item or something that has some flaws. Pay attention to the size of crowds, what kinds of items draw interest, whether bidding is brisk or slow, whether auctioneers are quick to say "sold" or leave plenty of time for bidders to jump in, whether auctioneers start close to the final selling price, etc. Each auction house will have its own rhythm and probably each auctioneer too.

There'll probably be some antique dealers there as well, looking for inventory for their own stores. After a few visits you may recognize many of them. While having dealers may seem daunting, it can also help provide a good gauge if you see an item you like. If there is a piece of furniture you think would make a nice addition and want to purchase, here's how a dealer can be a resource:

First off, if the dealer has been bidding on other good-quality pieces and he/she is bidding on the same one you are, it carries some assurance that the piece has some value as a quality item.

Secondly, if you and the dealer are the last two bidding, the dealer has to drop out at the point he/she thinks they can't resell it for a good profit. They obviously can't be in business if they pay close to the price at which they'll be able to sell a piece. I would gather that they bid about 1/3 to 1/2 what they would price the item in their stores (depending on traffic, the demand for the item, their customer base etc.). But if the piece is an ideal fit for you, and you are the winning bidder over an antique dealer then you can be fairly sure you would have paid double or triple for the same piece if you found it in an antique store.

My own observation is that antique dealers don't generally bid as high for stuffed furniture like sofas as they would for wood furniture pieces. The size of the furniture can be a constraint for them, which is why a big wood kitchen table might slip through at a bargain price.

Auction houses often seem to have a wide variety of articles in different ranges of price/quality etc. At a main table they may be auctioning high-quality items of greater value and collectible interest. Elsewhere they may have boxes filled with items of more general interest, where the quality may vary or where the items may just not warrant individual auctioning at the main table. This also can be a source for great bargains.

Here it takes a bit more elbow grease, going through the boxes and looking to see if anything within a grouping jumps out at you. The advantage is that as the auctioneer is working on the boxes at one side of the room, you can still be looking through boxes he hasn't gotten to yet -- you don't only get that chance during previews, as with the better items.

By looking at some of the "lesser" items, I've found an old 1940s console radio that just didn't seem to draw attention that week and bought it for $1!!! I've found Hess Toy Trucks from the early 1990s for under $5 that fetched much higher on ebay. I bought an antique dental drill for $7 when it seemed to get overlooked -- another ebay winner... there are too many great finds to mention. It always depends on who else is looking and how high they're willing to pay -- but to be fair, I've also sometimes paid more than I should. Usually one of two reasons: either I got caught up in the auction hype and made it about me-vs.-the-other-bidder, or because I didn't examine the item during preview and wasn't aware of a blemish or flaw.

I've also found the auction visit a lot of fun. One of the local auctioneers will give some details about what he is selling, and I'll sometimes be amazed at what people invented or built to meet a need at some time in the past (one week I was tickled to see a mailer to send eggs through the postal system!). In modern times, it's nice to be reminded how things were accomplished in simpler times.

There's so much more to know about auctions, way more than I can cover in one blog entry, so I will discuss auctions again in a future entry. In the meantime I wish you fun and adventure if you decide to visit an auction house for a taste!