Bargain basement
By Matt Worley

In recent months my electronics have been breaking down. My 11-year-old (and counting) rack system (which now only functions occasionally as a receiver and record player since the CD player and two tape decks have died), six disc CD changer (not able to change anymore, but it does play one CD slot), speakers, VCR, and car stereo all only work part time at best (well, the car stereo may be working fine, but it was stolen from me a few months ago). It's my fault, really. I think that these things should last a long time while performing their tasks multiple times a day. I'm beginning to think that these things are not made for people like me-those who actually use them constantly.

So I've been doing a bit of shopping lately since at some point these electronic appliances will stop just being temperamental and fall to their final ugly death. First on my list are a new receiver and CD player. I was planning to get them either at the same time or purchase the receiver first.

It's hard to explain, but my current receiver doesn't always come on when I push the power button. I've punched the front of it so much it has a caved in look. Funny, but punching it actually makes the thing work better. But I digress.

It's Saturday, and I've got a little bit of money to burn (well, not really, but I can afford to upgrade at least). I've been researching the sales and deals through newspaper circulars for the last three or four months to chart the fluctuation of prices and have realized that the prices don't usually change much at all. There was, however, a nice 100 watt per channel receiver on sale ($99) at a department store. Not a great piece of equipment, but I'm not hooking up a particularly primo set of speakers or accessories, so it doesn't matter. I just want something that will work. Earlier in the week I checked out the regular prices of the competition on this model and found $149 to be the next lowest price. Fifty bucks is a nice discount.

I don't always remember why I stop shopping at certain stores, but when I accidentally go back the reason always hits me in the face. I've cased out the electronic section of the department store in less than five minutes and realize that there are no more of the sale item in stock. There is one out-of-the-box receiver of last year's model for close to a hundred bucks, but why would I get the old one if the new ones are on sale? After trying to get sales people to talk to me for about fifteen minutes, I left. The sales people were much more interested in selling overpriced ovens and dishwashers to old people than a cheap receiver to a young could-be-hoodlum. So I went to the discount electronics store.

I was thinking as I walked in that I was there only to check prices again and maybe pick up the new live Nirvana CD. As I entered the audio components section, I noticed that there were quite a few reduced items on sale (mostly because they were missing the box and manual-although others were missing a remote control as well). While a few were tempting, the one that caught my eye (as well as another gentleman who entered the section at the same time as myself) was a 25 disc changer for $100. It was $60 bucks off regular price.

After a quick glance to make sure it had what I wanted (mainly random play, I'm easy), I cornered a salesperson (who was very nice-they are like that when they don't have to worry about commission) and walked away with my find.

The other gentleman had to live with his less than quick reaction to the deal.

And I realized what kind of life I lead. As a struggling freelance writer (this is the official title they give me at the bank--which I think signals all bank employees to charge as many fees as they can since that's the only way they'll make money off of me), I have to save money where I can. This means I know when deli and bakery food becomes day old at the grocery store (8 p.m. here in Albuquerque--I can get a whole roast chicken for $2.50 or a dozen donuts for $1.99). It means I go to dollar movies most of the time (thus seeing them a few months after they come out--unless they really suck which reduces the transfer time by at least a month). And I've never had to pay for a piece of furniture--we acquire it through generous friends or acquaintances.

Maybe it's a little cooler at my house during the winter (we have blankets), or warmer in the summer (we drink a lot of water and sweat). And maybe we try to fit too many people in a house so that our rent costs less, but that's what we have to do. Living the bargain basement life may seem strange to people who have enough money to buy chicken when it's first baked, but for the rest of us a dead bird is good to eat at any time--as long as it's after eight at night.

Matt Worley would also like to enthusiastically endorse the two for $.79 burritos available after eight--as long as you limit your intake to three or less. Four or more is just a gut buster.

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