Ka-ching

The economy is going to hell in a hand basket, thanks to eight years of Republican incompetence and mismanagement - but sometimes I make out just fine. You have to know how to kvetch to the right people though.

I am in the process of switching my TV/Internet/Phone provider, and, in the procedure, something got screwed up, and I lost my landline dial tone for several days (and, of course, I barely use that phone, but still.) So after a few rounds of bitching with the new company, I have gotten the following deals: the first month free (saving of $95); monthly fee dropped from $95 to $65 for the next six months (for a saving of $180); 12 free Movies on Demand ($60); a one-time rebate of $150; installation fee waived ($29); and one free year of a multi-room hi-def DVR ($228).

Ka-ching indeed.

Meanwhile, a few weeks ago I bought a new TV at Best Buy. In their Sunday newspaper ad this week, I saw they were offering $150 off their Geek Squad service to wire up a home theater system. I stopped in yesterday and asked if I could get that deal, even though when I bought the set the deal wasn't in place. The sales guy said services don't count toward their 30-day price match policy, only products, but he could just cancel my credit card purchase from 2 weeks ago and then ring it up again, as if I had purchased the set this week. Done and done - and as he did that, the register spit out a Samsung $200 rebate form, which also wasn't in place when I originally bought the set.

Sweet Baby Jesus. I need to go to Vegas soon.