Happy New Year! I started the year with a sweet bargain.

So, I ordered Dave a GPS from REI, and it was really more than I wanted to spend, but I really wanted to get it for him. We get it,and it turns out that Magellan just does NOT play nice with Macs, it was kind of a pain in the ass to figure out, too, blah blah blah, so I’m like "Dave, I’m sending it back, and we’ll keep looking." I mean, it is the thought that counts, right? I do some research, and settle on a range of Garmins, and poke around ebay, Amazon, etc looking for it.

Today we went to the LLBean outlet, to return some stuff, and they have a small case of electronics and knives and stuff, and it’s kind of jumbly, and I saw one in the back that was kind of like one I wanted, but I wasn’t sure, so we came home. When I got home, I realized that that would be a GREAT GPS, so I tell Dave "Hey, I’m going to go check it out again, I’ll be right back."

I go, they open the case, and I finally see the price: 249 marked down to 199, as it was a return. I had seen a "mention this ad for 10% off at the outlet" ad, and I asked the clerk if tha applied "oh yes!" and I had a $10 giftcard from an earlier promotion, and because I’m a cardholder, I figured I had some Bean Bucks. So, I do the math, and am thinking "well, it’s more than the other one, but it does more so… okay, I’ll get it." Kind of doubting myself on the way up to the register, I remind myself that I can always return it, so I figure I’ll get it and check eBay again, or whatever.

At the register, I tell the clerk (different one) "I saw the ad on the BDN site for 10% off?" She hadn’t heard of it, but I pointed to the lady I’d talked to at the case and said "she knew about it" so the woman was like "okay, cool" and entered it in. I gave her the GC, and said "I also think I have some coupons" (and I did, $30!) and she says "okay, that’s $72.46." Wha? What the what-what? Apparently, it’s part of the outdoor and hunting equipment sale, too, and it started at 119, not 199. Um, okay. I’ll take it!

In the end — a better GPS (this one has a MicroSD slot to add maps for driving directions and auto routing and stuff!) for HALF the price. Insane.

I love my LLBean Outlet.