The Cheapskate

Update: Sorry, sorry! Looks like this is already out of stock. Try checking back later, but in the meantime I'll try to find you another deal for today!

Update #2: If you're still on the prowl for an inexpensive, BD-Live-friendly Sony Blu-ray player, here's an option for $199.99. Yep, it's the Sony PlayStation 3 slim deal from a couple weeks ago. Not quite $130, but you are getting a kick-ass game console as part of the bargain.

We've seen a few Blu-ray players for under $100, but most of those were low-end models from lower-tier manufacturers.

At the SonyStyle store, which has been cranking out some serious deals of late, you can grab a refurbished Sony BDP-S350 Blu-ray player for $129.99 shipped.

(The product page shows $249.99, but you'll see the lower price when you add it to your cart. Also, it's backordered right now, but you can still place an order if you don't mind waiting.)

What's the big deal about the BDP-S350? For starters, it's a lot more compact than most Blu-ray players, measuring just under 9 inches deep.

It also has an Ethernet port for firmware updates--and there's an update available immediately that'll enable BD-Live!

That much-ballyhooed feature lets you download/stream bonus content. I don't consider it a big deal, as I'm not all that into extras, but any serious videophile will insist on it.

Other perks include a quick-start mode (six seconds from power-on to operation), a built-in Dolby TrueHD decoder, and "very good DVD upscaling," according to CNET's review.

The one and only downside here is the warranty: a refurb-standard 90 days. Even so, I can't recall ever seeing a BD-Live-ready Blu-ray player for under $200, let alone for $130. If I was in the market for one, I'd hop on this like Kanye hops onstage at an awards show.

What's better than a brand-spankin'-new Sony PlayStation 3 Slim for $299.99? A brand-spankin'-new Sony PlayStation 3 Slim for $199.99, of course.

I suspect I'll get an earful for this, but the deal comes courtesy of our old friend, the Sony Visa card. When you make a purchase of $299 or more, you get a $100 credit in 8 to 12 weeks. Final price: $199.99.

All you do is sign up for the card, then head over to SonyStyle and drop a sweet, sweet 120GB PlayStation 3 in your cart. (I know it doesn't say "Slim" anywhere, but this is definitely the new model.) Watch CNET's video review if you want to learn more about it.

When your Visa card arrives, stick it in a drawer until the $100 credit appears on your statement. Then spend the money like you would cash. Then cut the card into pieces and burn the pieces.

Not interested in this kind of hoop-jumping just to save $100? That's cool. But think about it: This isn't much different than filling out a rebate form and waiting on a check in the mail. In fact, it's quite a bit easier overall, and you're much less likely to get burned.

Still not convinced? Then try this: Sony just lowered the price on refurbished consoles! Now you can pick up a 40GB PlayStation 3 for just $219.99 shipped. If you can live with a 90-day warranty, that's one of the best PS3 deals to date.

Of course, a new PS3 for $199.99 is even better. What do you think? Did you already pull the trigger on last week's deal (long since expired), or did your Cheapskate senses tell you something better was just around the corner?

Finally, a bargain price on a PlayStation 3. Get one before they're gone.

(Credit: Sony)

If you've been waiting patiently for Sony to drop the price of the PS3, wait no longer: the Sony Style store has the refurbished 40GB PlayStation 3 for $236.77. Shipping is free, though you'll probably have to pay sales tax.

Obviously Sony is clearing out old stock to make room for the new PlayStation 3 Slim, and at this price it's a safe bet these refurbs won't last long.

Indeed, this is the lowest price I've ever seen on a PlayStation 3 (not including that crazy credit-card promotion from last month, which many of you took as proof I'd lost my mind).

Because it's a refurb, the warranty expires after 90 days. The good news is that you can extend that to two years for just $19.99. Of course, at that point you might as well splurge on a new 80GB PS3, which is now selling for $299.99.

On the other hand, you could just roll the dice and put that 20 bucks toward, say, a Blu-ray movie. As most of you know, the PS3 doubles as a kick-ass Blu-ray player, with full support for Profile 2.0 and all the other goodies.

Given that standalone Blu-ray players with those capabilities still sell for upward of $300, a PS3 is obviously the better deal. It's like getting a game console for free!

So, what do you think? Is this price too good to pass up? Or is the 40GB model too limited for your needs? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Switch to Sony's Visa card for a few months and get $300 back on a PlayStation 3.

(Credit: Sony)

Some deals you have to work at, like sending in a rebate form or driving to a store. Then there's the $100 Sony PlayStation 3. It's a real deal, but with three hoops you have to jump through.

Here's how it works. First, you sign up for Sony's new, no-annual-fee PlayStation Visa card (click the above link), which offers instant online approval. Next, head to SonyStyle.com and order an 80GB PlayStation 3 for $399.99.

Sometime in the next 8-12 weeks, Sony will issue you a $100 credit, bringing your net cost down to $299.99.

In the interim (i.e., within three months), if you charge another $1,500 on your PlayStation card, you'll receive another $100 credit. And by charging another $1,500 before the six-month mark, you'll get a third $100 credit.

That brings your total PlayStation 3 cost to $99.99. So ultimately, you're getting 300 bucks' worth of credits (which are as good as cash, IMHO) by using Sony's Visa card for a few months. If you typically charge at least $500 per month anyway, why not make the switch?

Like I said, some deals involve a bit of work. This is without a doubt the best price you'll ever see on a new PlayStation 3, even if does require the full amount (and then some) up front.

What do you think? Worth the effort? Or too much hoop-jumping?

Sign up for a Sony Visa card and walk away with a PS3 and two controllers for $250.

(Credit: Sony)

So Amazon's Gold Box deal of the day is an 80GB Sony PlayStation 3 for $349.99. That's not bad, considering how rare it is to see the console selling below the $399.99 list price.

Then I got to wondering if Sony was still offering that credit-card deal, the one that nets you a $150 credit with a purchase of $299 or more. Sure enough, they just kicked off another promotion (this one ending June 20), which means you can get an 80GB PlayStation 3 for $249.99.

First, apply for the Sony Visa Card. You can do this online, get instant approval, and make a purchase (though just one) straight away.

Then head over to the PlayStation 3 product page and add one to your cart. (Bonus! Sony's offering an extra controller free of charge.) Pay for it with the new credit card.

Now for the "bad" news: You're not actually getting $150 off. Instead, you'll get a $150 credit on your card in 8-12 weeks. It's still money, of course, just not the kind you can put in your savings account. You'll have to spend it on food or gas or whatever.

The actual bad news here is that you have to pay shipping and probably sales tax, which for me added about $40 to the total (grrrr). Amazon's deal gets you out the door with no shipping or sales tax--but only one controller.

So, over to you: Which is the better deal? (Yes, you can vote "neither," but only if you back it up.) Given that the extra controller normally costs $55, I'm inclined to choose SonyStyle.

Either way, remember that you're also getting a top-tier Blu-ray player. If you want to learn about that and the PS3 in general, read CNET's review.

Want an Amazon Kindle but can't stomach the $359 price tag? (Me, neither.) This might be the next best thing: Borders has the Sony Reader PRS-505 for $199.99 shipped. (Apply coupon code SONY505READ at checkout to get that price.)

Like the Kindle, the Sony Reader is an e-book viewer. Though it can't download them wirelessly, Sony's eBook Store does carry about 100,000 titles as well as half a million public-domain works from Google. Alas, most of the commercial books are priced a few bucks higher than Amazon's.

Before jumping on this deal, you'll definitely want to read David Carnoy's review of the PRS-505. You can also see his video review up above.

Much as I'm liking this price, my e-book reader of choice remains my iPhone. I've gotten a surprising amount of flak for this (notably in this post about freebie books--many of which are still available, by the way), for reasons I don't fully understand, but I still can't see buying and carrying a separate, single-purpose device when I can read comfortably on the device I'm already carrying.

What do you think? Is $199 a good entry point for an e-book reader with a nice, big screen? If so, act fast: I'm not sure when this code expires, but probably quite soon.

Buy two used console games, get a third free from GameStop.

(Credit: Rick Broida)

It's the weekend, so why not stock up on some new games (well, new to you, anyway) for your Xbox, PS3, Wii, or other system? GameStop is offering a buy-two-get-one-free deal on used games for all consoles. Free shipping, too.

To take advantage of said deal, add three games to your cart, then apply coupon code B2G1FREE. After that, apply coupon code SAVER to get free shipping. (Sales tax may still apply.) Both coupons expire May 31.

You can mix and match on this: You don't have to stick with games for the same console. Thus, you could choose one game for Wii, another for Xbox 360, a third for Sony PSP, and so on. Obviously the freebie will be the one with the lowest price.

The good news is that all GameStop's used titles are guaranteed to work. The bad news is they're not guaranteed to come with a box or manual. What's more, many used games cost only a few bucks less than their new counterparts.

Of course, when you throw a free one into the mix, it all looks a lot more attractive. What do you think? Is this a deal worth jumping on, or are cash-conscious gamers better off with a subscription service like GameFly?