# Buying a Big TV the Frugal Way



## cash (Mar 5, 2011)

I need a new TV. My apartment has one handed down to me from family that was originally purchased in the 90's. I don't want to pay anywhere near retail, but I want a nice big new one. What should I do?


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## ddkay (Nov 20, 2010)

How big? A lot of last years models tend to go on clearance sales around this time of year, after CES (January) they get shipments of the new models in.


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## cash (Mar 5, 2011)

~50''

Can you buy them used?


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## Chris L (Nov 16, 2011)

Stand really close to your picture window and look outside! Totally frugal tv.


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## ddkay (Nov 20, 2010)

Yea you can get used/open box, just browse kijiji


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## al42 (Mar 5, 2011)

I picked up this 46" LCD for the garage because it was cheap but once I had it all set up I was pleasantly surprised. Not a bad Flat Screen for 400 bucks!!

http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/prod...spx?path=00e5ca28dc75bce583fa0a8cc4a72c1fen02


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## v_tofu (Apr 16, 2009)

I told myself that when my current toshiba 27 inch tube tv breaks down, I'm going go buy the biggest 80 inch LED 3D fancy dancy mambo jahambo ultra thin tv on the market.

I got the toshiba back in 93 I think..I'm still waiting for it to stop working. 

i like the sitting up close method too! lol


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## CanadianCapitalist (Mar 31, 2009)

You should see a lot of deals in the next few weeks. Post Super Bowl, retailers try to clear out inventory before the new models arrive.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

How about checking the local used websites? If you have the vehicle and the manpower you can go and pick up, pay cash and cart it away from someone who upgraded to something else. It's worth keeping an eye on the used websites for stuff like this but the prices have come down so much in the past 5 years or so, and these depreciate faster than cars. So I wouldn't spend extra on the latest and greatest because there will always be something better coming the very next day to take the shine off no matter what you buy.


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## Sherlock (Apr 18, 2010)

al42 said:


> I picked up this 46" LCD for the garage because it was cheap but once I had it all set up I was pleasantly surprised. Not a bad Flat Screen for 400 bucks!!
> 
> http://www.futureshop.ca/en-CA/prod...spx?path=00e5ca28dc75bce583fa0a8cc4a72c1fen02


Wow, TVs have really come down in price. An LCD that big woulda cost a few grand only a few years ago.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

Nnless you want special features (eg 3d), tv's are a commodity, you pretty much get what you pay for, but for most people even the low cost ones are acceptable.

Personally I went to the local TV store, paid about the same, but they helped me pick the right TV for me. If the quality doesn't really matter to you, just watch for the clearance adds.


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## Sherlock (Apr 18, 2010)

Consider that even the lowest quality LCDs today provide vastly greater picture quality than the high end TVs of only 5 years ago. The $400 set posted above is 1080p.


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## jamesbe (May 8, 2010)

Well one way is to buy froma store that guarantees the price. When I bought a tv at Walmart 7-8 years ago, I went back monthly to get my $100 discount as the price kept going down.

Costco will do the same for 90 days and you get a 2 year warranty. I've been watching prices of one TV in dec it was $2999 now it is $2599 they are dropping fast!


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## tombiosis (Dec 18, 2010)

I just snagged a 50" plasma for 650,,,,then the boxing day flyers came out and it was down to 600. I went and got my 50 bucks back, I just saw the same tv for sale at BB for 150 off....from 750 down to 6 bills again.
Its the LG 50PV400...awesome set, great price. Do it!


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

I don't think it's worthwhile buying a used tv unless you can get something for close to free.

As others have noted, prices are very cheap for new good quality, reasonable size tvs.


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## peterk (May 16, 2010)

If you don't need the latest HDMI connectors and don't mind carrying a 150lb tv into your house you can get 50+ RPTVs for free on kijiji...


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## meddlesomemarmots (Feb 16, 2011)

I got my 42" LG Plasma TV in 2010 for just over $450. The starting retail price at Futureshop was $597.00, and as a Best Buy, and Visions were close by, I spend 45 minutes walking from store to store, to get them to undercut prices - I must have got a reduction 2-3 times, and eventually got a good price from the Futureshop man - especially when I mentioned that I might need an extended warranty at a later date, but was unsure of what my home insurance coverage entailed. I got the price I wanted, and it was all relatively pain free.


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## lb71 (Apr 3, 2009)

Four Pillars said:


> I don't think it's worthwhile buying a used tv unless you can get something for close to free.
> 
> As others have noted, prices are very cheap for new good quality, reasonable size tvs.


+1

As others have stated, now is the best time of the year to buy a TV.


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## DavidJD (Sep 27, 2009)

meddlesomemarmots said:


> , and eventually got a good price from the Futureshop man - especially when I mentioned that I might need an extended warranty at a later date, but was unsure of what my home insurance coverage entailed. I got the price I wanted, and it was all relatively pain free.


You sir, are a genius. That little bit of bait would be too tantalizing to be ignored.

"Oh can I get your card in case i need to get $500 worth of cables [with your ridiculous mark ups that I could order on line for $40]?"


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## gt45 (Feb 6, 2012)

I find TV a total waste of time, but Plazma TVs are really cheap in comparison to LCD, ( costco ) Plazma may run hotter, not sure, but for a hour a sunday watcher of the walking dead, I would be more than happy with plazma.

My 29 in 1990 built JVC is atill working awsome as is my matching vcr and is a great work out when I need to move it.


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## dave2012 (Feb 17, 2012)

Watched the National a few nights ago and they were talking about Canadian getting in debt. I think Amanda Lang was in the group talking. Seems they were hung up on the fact that Canadians were spending too much on big screen TV's. Don't think any of them have checked out the price of TV's in the last year or two. They are ridiculously cheap!


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

dave2012 said:


> Don't think any of them have checked out the price of TV's in the last year or two. They are ridiculously cheap!


I wouldn't call these "ridiculously cheap".
Keep in mind that many people buy this stuff on credit, or HELOC, or the buy-now-don't-pay-until-2050 deals.
For many conspicious consumers, the final cost of this stuff ends up being twice or more of the original sticker price, by the time you add in the taxes, interest, penalties, etc.
And don't forget that all this consumption is out of after tax dollars.
For example, a $500 TV might cost $565 after HST.
Assuming no interest, you still need to make (for example) $800 in order to pay for this $565 - depending on your income tax rate.


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## m3s (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm always amused when people will go to great lengths to save $100 on a TV, and then pay $100 for the $5 HDMI cables and $200 for the $20 mount etc.. TVs are one of those few things most people consciously worry about the price, so they get you with other gimmicks instead. 1080p is not even a big deal on 46" unless you sit 5 feet from the thing to play video games (most PS3 games are 720p though and HD TV is also 720p etc) Same thing with refresh rates, 240hz is essentially nothing to most people when the source is only 60hz etc Same thing with deep colour etc, unless you're looking at raw video from a high end camera the source will not support it anytime soon. Torch mode is another good smoke screen, because most consumers are just drawn to the brightest screen in the store. The specs that actually matter are mostly hidden. Try asking the salesperson whether the processor handles 10 or 12 bits. They probably aren't aware the TV even has a processor, but many TVs used to be sold with processors that couldn't handle all the 1080p and 240hz anyways (let alone the source not being 1080p). I would just get the best reasonably priced Samsung tv and call it a day. I have a "overpriced" Sony (with a Samsung panel) that I got on clearance and the difference is in the refinement and material etc.

*Just buy all your cables and mounts from monoprice and save hundreds easily vs retail (if not in my case probably 1000s)*


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## ddkay (Nov 20, 2010)

TVs are cheap, its the service that's expensive, and on top of that they force feed you 15-20 minutes of commercials per hour. The cheapest solution is OTA, moving to the US for Netflix and Hulu Plus, or using dns redirection hax to circumvent their geoblocking. Without a cable bill you can probably buy a new $600 TV every 6-12 months. Content selection here on online services will always suck because the largest tv/film distributors are owned by Bell/Rogers/Shaw. Looks like nobody besides Valve Software have learned how to compete with piracy.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

ddkay said:


> TVs are cheap, its the service that's expensive, and on top of that they force feed you 15-20 minutes of commercials per hour. The cheapest solution is OTA, moving to the US for Netflix and Hulu Plus, or using dns redirection hax to circumvent their geoblocking. Without a cable bill you can probably buy a new $600 TV every 6-12 months. Content selection here on online services will always suck because the largest tv/film distributors are owned by Bell/Rogers/Shaw. Looks like nobody besides Valve Software have learned how to compete with piracy.


Netflix is pretty good in Canada now.
I get Sesame Street, Family Guy, Bones, all the Star trek movies.


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## dave2012 (Feb 17, 2012)

My Rogers boxes run like a 2 year old Windoze box ... they are so unbelievably slow. Search doesn't work, Rogers on Demand never works. 1985 technology. Hard to believe this archaic technology is still used.

I'm waiting on Apple to come to the rescue!


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## hystat (Jun 18, 2010)

cash said:


> I *need *a new TV. My apartment has one handed down to me from family that was originally purchased in the 90's. I don't want to pay anywhere near retail, but I *want *a nice big new one. What should I do?


there is nothing frugal about the goal set out in this thread. 
To "need" something as unnecessary as a big TV is not frugal thinking. 
To want a new big TV when the only reason given is the age and unstylish 90's vintage is not frugal. 

this thread seems to be a mockery of the concept to me.


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## wang14h (Feb 21, 2012)

if you are serious about the tv and plans to use it for a long time 5-10 or more years, dont buy LCD, as that's old technology. get plasma or LED, a bit more expensive, but worse it since teh pic quality is much better and with blue ray and HD stuff coming out more and more, you will see the diff.


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## cityandcolor (Jan 24, 2012)

*buying a big tv the frugal way*

If your current Tv is from the '90's then I am sure any "newer" tv one might find on craigslist.com will feel like a huge upgrade


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

Oh boy. My genetically ingrained frugality is being tested. A few days ago, my 7 year old 42" Sony Grand Wega LCD's lamp gave out. Will cost about $300 bucks to replace it. Not a big deal, right? But I have been secretly lusting after a new set for a while now... and at first I was thinking that this is a great excuse to go looking at all the sexy new models down at the local Best Buy. Ideally, I'd like a "just shy of top of the line" 46" plasma or LED... a bit of research online suggests that these models go for about $1500 to $2000. While excited at first, the frugality gene is now asserting its dominance... and I am seriously considering just getting a replacement lamp for the old LCD and squeezing some more years out of it.

I think I may be developing a pathological inability to spend money... logically, if I want something, and I can afford it quite easily, should I not be able to award myself with something that would bring me some amount of happiness? I think my desire for early retirement has brought my current life out of balance - of late, I have been obsessed with trying to get our monthly savings rate to 70%, with little thought to how happy I am from day to day.

Maybe buying the new TV could be considered "therapy". Going to Best Buy tonight just to have a look.


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## al42 (Mar 5, 2011)

Jon_Snow said:


> Oh boy. My genetically ingrained frugality is being tested. A few days ago, my 7 year old 42" Sony Grand Wega LCD's lamp gave out. Will cost about $300 bucks to replace it. Not a big deal, right? But I have been secretly lusting after a new set for a while now... and at first I was thinking that this is a great excuse to go looking at all the sexy new models down at the local Best Buy. Ideally, I'd like a "just shy of top of the line" 46" plasma or LED... a bit of research online suggests that these models go for about $1500 to $2000. While excited at first, the frugality gene is now asserting its dominance... and I am seriously considering just getting a replacement lamp for the old LCD and squeezing some more years out of it.
> 
> I think I may be developing a pathological inability to spend money... logically, if I want something, and I can afford it quite easily, should I not be able to award myself with something that would bring me some amount of happiness? I think my desire for early retirement has brought my current life out of balance - of late, I have been obsessed with trying to get our monthly savings rate to 70%, with little thought to how happy I am from day to day.
> 
> Maybe buying the new TV could be considered "therapy". Going to Best Buy tonight just to have a look.



You can get one on ebay for 70 - 80 bucks including shipping.
No duty on the ones I brought in recently.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-LAMP-AND...801?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43abfa7d21


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

Deep, deep, deeeeeeeeep down I really want a new TV. That deal for the lamp probably killed that desire. Thanks. I think.


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## al42 (Mar 5, 2011)

Jon_Snow said:


> Deep, deep, deeeeeeeeep down I really want a new TV. That deal for the lamp probably killed that desire. Thanks. I think.


Sorry about that but I have the same TV and was in the same position as you are now. Considering what I paid for the Grand Wega 6 years ago and the quality of the TV, I decided it was worth the under 100 buck repair and the TV is now just like new.


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## az9tu (Sep 21, 2009)

Recently got a good deal at Future Shop, for a Samsung 42". Places like kijiji, khrido, craigslist did not help much. If you really *want* a nice, bug size TV, go to retail stores and keep a check on their discount prices, or wait for that special occasion for them to reduce the prices.


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## cash (Mar 5, 2011)

Update: I finally got my new TV!!! I got a HD 50'' Sony Wega off of craigslist for $150, the original owners paid $3,000 5 years ago and used it gently. My original goal was to get a sweeet deal on a big TV and I'm pretty sure I did just that. Thanks to everyone that posted with tips.


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

I love your pragmatic approach. This set will give you much enjoyment for nearly nothing. (In 2008, we bought a 32" Vega for MIL off craigslist for $150. Now I would charge for moving it!)


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## jet powder (May 29, 2012)

Just buy a pair of binoclars & a small TV


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