The Cheapskate

If you're serious about rechargeable batteries, and saving money on disposables, this charging kit can't be beat.

(Credit: Amazon)

A battery charger is essential gear for any household with a game console (those controllers burn through AA's like nobody's business), childrens' toys, or anything else battery-powered.

Because, let's face it, you'll pay a lot more in the long haul for disposable batteries than you will for a good charger and some rechargeable batteries.

Of course, a good charger--one with features such as a heat monitor and status LCD--can cost you upward of $70 or more--batteries not included.

Today only, Amazon has the La Crosse BC-9009 AlphaPower Battery Charger for $34.99 shipped. And in addition to the kick-ass charger, you get four AA rechargeables, four AAA's, adapters for C and D cells, and a travel case.

What makes the BC-9009 so special? Start with four independent status displays, one for each of its four slots. They can cycle through stats like charge rate, discharge rate, elapsed time, and total battery capacity.

The charger also includes a heat monitor to prevent overcharging. And buyers certainly seem to like it: nearly 650 reviewers rated it 4.5 stars out of 5 on average.

Looks like a perfect gift for that hard-to-buy-for person (or blogger) in your life. I'm just hoping this doesn't sell out in five minutes like everything else I post these days. Dang holiday season!

Backup deal: It's that time of year when we clear out some space on the ol' iPod to make room for the holiday playlist. If yours is a little, well, played out, Amazon MP3 has Diana Krall's "Christmas Songs" album for just $2.99. It's a digital download, of course, in DRM-free, universally compatible MP3 format. Perfect for cozy nights by the fire.

The Xbox Wireless N Adapter is still overpriced, but at $79.99 it's slightly less outrageous.

(Credit: Newegg)

Microsoft has some nerve charging 100 bucks for its new Wireless N Xbox adapter, what with virtually identical Wi-Fi gear selling for as low as $20.

Yeah, I'm mad, and not just because today's earlier deal sold out in 27 seconds. (And then the backup deal went 27 seconds after that.) Well, OK, that's the main reason--but come on, Microsoft! $99.99?!

If you're really itching for one of these adapters, look to Newegg. It's got the Xbox 360 Wireless N Networking Adapter for $79.99 shipped. Not a huge bargain, but the lowest price I've seen.

CNET hasn't reviewed it, but you can get some hands-on feedback from Gizmodo. Bottom line: It's way faster for video streaming, but doesn't offer much of an impact on gaming.

Of course, if you really want a cheap way out, you can turn a cheap router into an Xbox Wi-Fi adapter. Cheaper still, use your laptop's Wi-Fi connection to feed your Xbox.

Me, I'd love to have the Wireless N adapter for my 360. But it'll be a cold day on the sun before I drop $100 on one. Or, for that matter, $80. Get a clue, Microsoft.

This mammoth monitor can be yours for under $200.

(Credit: TigerDirect)

Update (7 a.m. PT): Wow, I just can't win. This item disappeared from TigerDirect's site shortly after I posted it--a very common occurrence these days. My apologies. I'm going to think long and hard before posting another item from CompUSA/TigerDirect.

I can't quite decide which is better: two smaller monitors running side by side or a single gargantuan monitor.

If you're in the latter camp, TigerDirect has a refurbished Vizio VMM26L 26-inch LCD monitor for $184.99 shipped. (That's if you use Google Checkout--otherwise the price is $189.99.)

That's the lowest price I've seen on a monitor of this size, and check out the specs: 1,900 x 1,200 resolution (i.e. slightly better than 1080p); DVI, VGA, and HDMI inputs; a 3ms response time; and a USB hub with four ports.

Because this is a refurb, however, the standard 90-day warranty applies. Also, the monitor lacks speakers, so it's not ideally suited to pairing with game consoles or Blu-ray players. (You can do it; it's just BYO speakers.)

But if you're in the market for a big, huge monitor for your PC, this could be just the ticket. If it sells out, try checking back in a couple hours or even days--TigerDirect sometimes replenishes its stock.

Backup deal: Got N? Buy.com has an Asus Wireless N Router for $20.99 shipped (after a $20 mail-in rebate). It doubles as an FTP server and triples as a printer server.

This Aspire One Netbook sports a roomy 11.6-inch screen.

(Credit: Buy.com)

Quick note before I dive into today's deal: Because so many items sell out so quickly these days, I'm adding a "backup deal" to each post. Seems only logical, right? You'll find it at the bottom.

But don't skip ahead just yet. For the next 7 seconds or so (I'm guessing), Buy.com has the refurbished Acer Aspire One AO751H-1948 Netbook for $249.99 shipped.

What's the big deal? The big screen: whereas most Netbooks in this price range sport a 10-inch LCD, this One packs a 12-incher. (Actually, an 11.6-incher; in the computer biz they round up.)

Needless to say, that makes for a much more comfortable computing experience, in part thanks to the higher screen resolution (1,366x768 pixels). The 10-inch Netbook I use is livable, but definitely cramped.

The rest of the specs offer no surprises: an Intel Z520 processor, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and Windows XP Home.

The battery's a three-cell, so don't expect more than 3 to 4 hours of runtime. Also, because this is a refurb, the warranty expires at the 90-day mark. These aren't showstoppers in my opinion, just limitations worth considering.

Also, while CNET hasn't reviewed this exact configuration, the almost identical AO751h-1545 scored 3.5 stars. The big ding: slow performance. (News flash: All Netbooks are slow.)

At least you don't have to pay sales tax (unless you live wherever Buy.com is located) or deal with rebates. Bottom line: this is a mighty sweet deal on a spacious, comfy Netbook.

Backup deal: From now until December 15, Digiarty Software is offering WinX HD Video Converter absolutely free (it's normally $39.99). This Windows app can convert nearly any video format (including high-def formats) to nearly any other video format.

Inside this shiny black monolith: a whopping 1.5 terabytes of storage.

(Credit: Dell)

Storage junkie that I am, I loved seeing terabyte hard drives dip below $100 this year, and then drop as low as $75.

Today we've reached another milestone: Dell has a Western Digital Elements 1.5-terabyte USB hard drive for $99.99 shipped. Yowza.

That's an awful lot of storage for less than $100. In fact, it's probably more than most people need, though I'd rather have too much space than too little.

The Elements sports a USB 2.0 interface. Curiously, Western Digital doesn't list the speed of the drive itself, which leads me to think it runs at 5,400 rpm, not 7,200. Consequently, it's probably not a performance dynamo, though I reckon it's fine for everyday tasks.

You can pair the drive with a Mac or Windows system; I believe it comes preformatted for the latter. (Thus, Mac users would need to reformat it, which is no biggie.)

The only real catch here is that Dell shows a ship time of "6+ weeks." Sheesh! Well, as long as you're not in a hurry, this is without a doubt the most bang you can get for your storage buck.

Bonus deal: Today only, you can get a refurbished Epson Stylus NX110 multifunction printer for just $19.99 shipped (with coupon code SAV40). Unreal, right? Amazingly, it includes a one-year warranty. Sadly, I've seen some fairly scathing user reviews of this model, so even at $20 it might not be worth it.

Cyber Monday score! This new classic for the PC is on sale for just $4.95.

Sigh. Sellout blues today, people. But I'd like to see a digital download sell out!

As part of a Cyber Monday promo, Direct2Drive is offering the award-winning, uber-popular PC game Mass Effect for just $4.95.

How award-winning? How uber-popular? Check out GameSpot's review of Mass Effect, which awards it the rarely achieved score of 9.0. Average user score? About the same: 8.9.

In fact, the PC version of the Xbox 360 classic offers "streamlined combat and numerous minor improvements." (Sounds good to me: I prefer to game on my PC anyway.)

The game sold for around $40 when it debuted in summer 2008, so $4.95 is just too good to pass up--especially for fans of the action/RPG genre.

Direct2Drive's deal is good until noon (ET) Tuesday. Get it while you can!

Score a 22-inch Acer LCD for $109.99--and get a three-year warranty!

(Credit: Staples)

Update (10:10 a.m. PT): Looks like everything but the Dell laptop is sold out. Sorry, folks! It's worth checking back on the other items, though, as sometimes stock gets replenished.

Ah, Cyber Monday. Now this is a day of deals I can get behind. No crowded parking lots, no unruly mobs, no pushing and shoving. (What? The old lady got in my way!)

Of course, as regular visitors to The Cheapskate know, nearly every day is Cyber Monday--the deals keep coming all year 'round.

But this Monday is special, so I've rounded up four particularly sweet bargains that are good today only. And, as always, the sellout risk is high, so get your mouse-clickin' finger(s) warmed up.

1) In the market for a monitor? Staples has the Acer X213HBbd 21.5-inch LCD for $109.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). Specs include VGA/DVI (HDCP) inputs, a 5-ms response time, and a three-year warranty (score!). This is the lowest price I've seen on a new 22-inch monitor.

2) Need a desktop replacement? Dell has an Inspiron 17 laptop for $549 shipped. It sports a whopping 17.3-inch display, a Core 2 Duo processor, and Windows 7 Home Premium. You can customize just about every feature to your liking, but the base configuration is mighty solid. That's the best deal on a 17-inch lappie I've seen all year--not the lowest price, mind you, but the best bang for the buck.

3) Still shopping for the perfect portable PC? Best Buy has the Samsung N140-14R Netbook for $279.99 shipped (plus sales tax in most states). That's higher than other models I've posted recently, but this is a decidedly high-end Netbook. Specs include Intel's Atom N280 processor, a 10.1-inch screen, a 250GB hard drive, 802.11n, and a six-cell battery. The OS: Windows 7 Starter.

4) Here's a great stocking stuffer: Newegg has the Zune Premium Headphones for $9.99 shipped. I've had a pair for years; they're my preferred earbuds for travel. They do a great job isolating outside noise (like airplane engines), and they're extremely comfortable. Obviously you don't need a Zune to use them; they'll work with any phone or MP3 player. Microsoft sells them for $39.99, so I can't recommend this deal highly enough.

Well? See anything you like? If not, don't worry--there's always tomorrow. In the meantime, hit the comments to share your tales of Cyber Monday scores.

P.S. Anybody catch me on Good Morning America today? No worries: you can catch me daily on CNET's Holiday Help Desk at 1 p.m. PST.

If your eyes aren't crossing yet from reading about all those Black Friday deals (and if you follow The Cheapskate, we're guessing they aren't), we've got another bargain to tell you about on this pre-Cyber-Monday Sunday.

(Credit: Brother)

Staples is knocking $70 off the $119.98 Brother HL-2140 laser printer, which puts the device at $49.98 with free delivery. That adds up to a solid deal for this home and home office peripheral.

The monochrome printer measures 6.7 inches by 14.5 inches by 14.2 inches and weighs 15 pounds. It has a print speed up to 23 ppm and resolution up to 2400x600 dpi. It has an input paper capacity of 250 sheets and an output capacity of 100 and comes with a one-year manufacturer limited warranty.

More than 300 customer reviews on the Staples site added up to an overall 4.3-star (out of 5) rating for the device, with easy setup, fast print time, compact design, and sharp detail rating among commonly cited pros, and a few people dinging it for flimsy construction and easily jamming. CNET users weren't far behind, giving the printer an average of 4 out of 5 stars.

In any case, if you're looking to print out all those other deals you read about on CNET in the last few days, $49.98 isn't a bad deal for a printer by a reputable maker that appears to score well with consumers.

Got questions on how to choose a printer? Check out CNET's Printer buying guide. It breaks down printer users into various categories--home user, digital photographer, entrepreneur, budding novelist, etc.--to help you figure out what you sort of specs will best match your needs.

Real Tennis 2009 is one of eight games now on sale for 99 cents.

(Credit: Gameloft)

Remember a few weeks back when Konami cut its iPhone/iPod Touch game prices to 99 cents? (They're still available, FYI.)

Now Gameloft has followed suit, offering some (but not all) of its game titles for the appetizing price of a buck apiece--a significant savings in some cases. Here's the rundown (links are to CNET reviews where applicable, otherwise to the App Store):

• Blades of Fury (originally $6.99)
• Brothers in Arms: Hour of Heroes (originally $9.99)
• Castle of Magic (originally $4.99)
• Hero of Sparta (originally $5.99)
• NFL 2010 (originally $4.99)
• Real Tennis 2009 (originally $4.99)
• Shrek Kart (originally $4.99)
• Terminator Salvation (originally $9.99)

These prices are good until Sunday, November 29, so act fast if you want to stock up on some seriously good games for some seriously low prices.

Me, I'm grabbing NFL 2010, Terminator, and maybe Castle of Magic for the kiddos.