WebJunction

Thanks Carol for suggesting we start this discussion topic for folks to share word of good deals on supplies. Here's her request:

"Given the lessened economy and cuts to library budgets here's a topic about good deals or bargains to help stretch the dollar. I'm looking for those great deals that pop up here and there for a day and then are gone. If we knew about them in a timely manner we might be able to jump on them. In addition it would be good to know where people are getting good deals on supplies like toner, ink cartridges, what have you. It's good to have a recommendation of a company from a colleague.

For instance, I use a great deal of clear packing tape. I usually try ebay for the deal. I'll find a good priced "buy it now" and try to keep the price of each roll of clear tape to under .90. Ebay can be the source of many bargains but you do have to weigh apples to apples and figure out the high shipping rates. My director couldn't believe my $40+shipping rate but when I pointed out the total bill and price per roll, it was truly a good deal. Right now you could buy 72 rolls of 2", 25mil rolls of brown packing tape for less than .60 each. Not a bad price.

I know there's got to be more items like this. Books, cd's, dvd's. Where are people getting and finding the bargains?"

I always use bestdealsmagazine.com when I want to trial a magazine and see how it circulates before I commit to adding it our yearly subscription order. Over the years I've gotten some terrific prices on mags such as Ladies Home Journal, Body & Soul, Weight Watchers, Vegetarian Times, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, etc. Presently there's 69 magazines at the low cost of $4.69 and and additional 47 at less than $6.00. They offer a deal of the day and if you subscribe to their newsletter, there's usually coupon codes for an additional 17% off. The one time I had a problem receiving the magazine, customer service worked with me via email and resolved the issue to my utmost satisfaction.
Does anyone use another vendor for cheap magazines? How about free subscriptions?

You might want to see if there's a local craftsperson who can make them ... they're just cut/bent pieces of plexiglass.

In a library I worked at some years ago we found a fellow who specialized in that type of thing, and he did the work in his seniors' center hobby shop! They cost 1/2 of what was in the catalogs and he delivered for free.

I subscribe to several newsletters that run deals of the day. For instance, Amazon does have some daily deals that might be worth jumping on when they are offered. They frequently discount box sets for a short period of time. I find this a great way to fill in our dvd collection. The Teaching Company Courses offer specials each month at 50% discounts. I'd never be able to afford them otherwise.

I do get way too much email but have found some good buys along the way. Some offers may be come-ons but a bargains do lurk out there.

DVA - Distribution, Video & Audio sends closeouts via email a few times a month. Today's dvd's were up to 70% off and included these titles showing regular price and discounted price. I have found some good deals here over the past few months. You might find something here or in future lists.

The first time I placed an order, I did a live chat with the salesperson and got a free dvd. Perhaps you could do this too!

American History X $14.96 $6.99
Animal $26.98 $7.99
Apartment Zero $19.98 $8.99
Baby's First Year Volume 2: Bringing the Baby Home $14.99 $8.99
Bad $14.99 $9.99
Blow $14.97 $8.99
Bzots: Escape a Go Go $9.99 $6.99
Crossing the Line $19.99 $6.99
Cut Off $26.97 $12.99
Dan Aykroyd Unplugged on UFOs $19.98 $8.99
Danielle Steele's Vanished $12.98 $7.99
Davey and Goliath Volume 1 $19.99 $8.99
Day Without a Mexican $14.99 $7.99
Dead Girl $24.98 $7.99
Fight Night $14.99 $5.99
Fish Without a Bicycle $19.99 $6.99
Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus $27.95 $10.99
Get Shorty $29.98 $9.99
Girl of the Limberlost $19.95 $9.99
Greatest Story Ever Told $19.98 $9.99
Half Light $24.98 $8.99
Historic Traveler Great Destinations: Exploring the West $19.95 $6.99
Historic Traveler Great Destinations: Robert E Lee Country $19.95 $6.99
Informer $19.99 $8.99
Julien Donkey-Boy $24.98 $9.99
Korean War in Color $24.95 $9.99
Magical Mobiles and Lullabies $24.99 $12.99
Magnificent Seven $19.98 $9.99
My Family $19.97 $10.99
Notebook $19.96 $10.99
PBS: America's Houses of Worship $24.99 $12.49
PBS: Rhythm of My Soul: Kentucky Roots Music $24.99 $12.49
Perfect Witness $26.98 $8.99
Platoon $19.98 $10.99
Princess Bride $24.96 $10.99
Rebecca's Garden - Spring Gardening Volume 3 $14.95 $5.99
Road to Victory: Winning of WWII $19.95 $9.99
Roberta's Fitness for Kids $12.95 $8.99
Rock-A-Doodle $9.97 $7.99
Roy Orbison and Friends - Black and White Night (2 Disc Set) $24.99 $12.49
Savage Planet $19.97 $9.99
Shark Week - 20th Anniversary (4 Disc Set) $29.99 $14.99
Snap Decision $19.99 $6.99
Some Like It Hot $24.98 $10.99
Summertime (Criterion) $29.95 $9.99
Taking Back Our Town $14.99 $6.99
The Pleasure Drivers $26.98 $8.99
Thirteen Days $14.97 $6.99
Tom and Jerry Tales - Volume 4 $14.97 $7.99
Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry $12.97 $7.99
Video Voyeur: The Susan Wilson Story $14.99 $7.99
Walk to Remember $14.96 $7.99
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory $19.97 $12.99
Windtalkers $29.98 $11.99
World At Waste $14.99 $9.99

Can't believe I missed this one the other day. We've been waiting for Amazon to discount the entire collection of The Sopranos. We just were talking about it last Friday. So, I'm reading my email Tuesday morning after our day off for Martin Luther King and what do I see. Amazon discounted the set for $163.00 in their deal of the day on Monday. I hadn't read my work email Monday (very unusual for me), afraid I'll miss something and I did. That's a 63% savings and I missed it.
If anyone knows where I can get this price please let me know. I'm on the lookout once again.

THAT is a find. Thank you!

The DVD section of Daedalus (1-800-395-2665)recently opened. Click on DVD and then Great Deals and see what's on sale. I'm glad I had some AV budget left as after comparison shopping I did find some good buys, a few, even great buys. Quantities are limited.
Remainder prices on books and music too.

I'm a big fan of I Love Lucy and had bought the whole first season as a gift to our library some time ago. It is a popular series so I was excited to see Amazon's Gold Deal of the Day today. "The Whole McGillicuddy: All 9 Seasons! All 194 Episodes!" $84.99. I'm buying it for myself but know it will make its way to the library soon. In these bad economic times, a little laughter can go a long way.