powhound: I believe it was here on Fark that I learned this little trick:

Step 1: Use Amazon boxes for cat litter
Step 2: When full, reseal and place on porch

Tada!

I actually tried that.  Like 5 neighborhood cats pissed all over it and now I'm pretty sure to get rid of the stink I'll have to replace some boards.  Easy enough to do but they won't match the rest.

Yes, I laughed really hard.

Watubi: Abe Vigoda's Ghost: Amazon has pickup locations all over the place. I don't know why people don't use those.

I'll take a guess, maybe it's convenience?  People certainly aren't saving money buying from Amazon anymore, they aren't the bargain they used to be.

I venture the theory that Amazon and other online sellers forced brick and mortar stores to match their prices.

I "window shop" a lot of guitars and amps and found online versus local retail to generally be the same, although local is actually often less these days.

Fender Mustang GT40 and GT100 amps are a prime example.  They went up $50 everywhere online.  I had bought the 40 local before the increase and was getting strings a couple weeks ago and asked the kid how much the 100 was.  When he gave me the "old" price of $349 I said "Talk to your manager...I get these 4 packs of strings for free and I buy the amp."  I figured I may as well spend the money now and save $50, although this month was already an expansive one.

/Doc bill was $800
//Needed new tires, got a great deal from a buddy for $740 will alignment, road hazard, and an oil change for p255/60Rs (Pep Boys in Dacula, Ga, ask for Kevin the manager
//Had to do a major food shopping run, hoo boy $270 just for me.