Shopping Anyone?

My least favorite store in the whole world is having a sale on a laptop computer.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8878832&type=product&id=1210379318661

OK, maybe Best Buy isn't my least favorite store but I dislike it so much that I can't really discern my loathing for the place from Michael's, the other store I can't bear to walk into.

The good news is that you don't have to walk into Best Buy and suffer the incompetents or the greed in excess that they represent. (see I just can't help myself...I have no love for the place) You can get this laptop off their website. Do note that it's an outlet item. Meaning that it's either been refurbished or is a discontinued model. But it comes with full warranty and that's really what matters.

Dual Core AMD Processor, 3GB of ram, 200GB hard drive, 15" screen, DVD-RW and Vista Home Premium. $599

Two things to note: you won't be able to connect this laptop to the office network since its running a home version of Vista. But that can be upgraded for $99 once you get it, if you want it for work. If you're going to use it for home, it's all set. The other thing is that "supposedly" the stores are going to have a couple in stock with more RAM and a bigger hard drive.

One more item of shopping advice, those $349 laptops at Wallmart...don't do it unless you view the thing as disposable and aren't going to bring it into the office. We saw a few of those last year and the buyers spent more money fixing them up than they paid for it in the first place. In the end, not a good bargain. That was definitely a buyer beware item.

Happy Shopping and Happy Thanksgiving. I hope that everyone has a relaxing weekend.