Just saw this offer on the sidebar of my blog -- in the Amazon widget. It's a great deal on a ladies watch -- usually almost $700 and now only just over $100! The details are here:
Invicta Women's Wildflower Diamond Watch #5058
Obviously this isn't a watch blog so I can't speak to the value of this piece (though the reviews of it look great), but it is a GREAT deal (my specialty!), so I thought I'd call your attention to it in case anyone was interested. The offer only lasts another 40 minutes or so (I think), so you'll need to hurry if you want one.
Why would you encourage people to make an impulse by on a $130 watch ($130 is not "just over" $100), just because it has an MSRP of $700? MSRP doesn't mean anything, man, you should know that. This would be an acceptable post if you were a deal hunting blog or something but it's like you stopped the presses to tell people they should buy this watch. Why didn't you do the same with Bank of America stock when it was at $4?
Posted by: Kaleb | July 07, 2009 at 02:17 PM
I have to agree with Kaleb. A deal is only a "great deal" if you actually need the item.
Posted by: John | July 07, 2009 at 02:29 PM
Kaleb/John --
Then it's not for you. For all I know, one of my 13k readers is looking for a woman's watch right now and this seemed like a good one at a good price. If one of you found a good TV that was 80% off, I'd hope you'd tell me...
Posted by: FMF | July 07, 2009 at 02:31 PM
Kaleb --
A few other thoughts:
1. This is a deal hunting blog. Anything that can save or make you money is fair game here.
2. I didn't "stop the presses". I don't even know what that means in the web world.
3. I did this with the watch because it seemed like a good deal. BOM at $4 was not a good deal...nor am I into stock speculation. But saving money on purchases, I'm into that.
Posted by: FMF | July 07, 2009 at 02:35 PM
BAC (Bank of America) WAS a good deal at $4, that's 1/3 current price, it's the point I was getting at.
I said "it's like you stopped the presses", as in you switched the "mood" of the blog to focus on a specific recommended purchase all of the sudden. It was a simile.
I hope your readers do their research and find the same watch at Samsclub.com for $14 (11%) cheaper. http://preview.tinyurl.com/mnc27v
It's your blog, one of my favorites to read, I'm glad you do what you do. It was just so odd to see you pitching a product like this on your blog I felt it appropriate to call you out.
Posted by: Kaleb | July 07, 2009 at 03:14 PM
Kaleb --
I think that's $114, not $14. ;-)
Actually, the sidebar on my blog said $79.99 at one point, but when I clicked through it read $130 (still a good deal, but not as good), so maybe you go that price if you put it in the cart (Amazon plays games like that sometimes.) Anyway, I thought it may be useful to someone, so I went with it...
Posted by: FMF | July 07, 2009 at 03:26 PM
Invicta, *laugh*
Posted by: Broke Wall Streeter | July 07, 2009 at 03:31 PM
Sorry for being anal, but Kaleb was saying the Invicta watch at Samsclub is $14 cheaper: $128 - $14 = $114 (do the math)
Anyway, good find FMF, but hopefully no one made an impulse buy because of this post
Posted by: Gus P. | July 07, 2009 at 04:33 PM
People still wear watches?
Posted by: Wise Money Matters | July 07, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Also absolutely love this blog and have nothing but respect, but I have to wonder about the value of this post. An impulse/sale buy makes me think more of Woot.com than a finance/money management blog!
The link appears to be a "referral" link that gives a percentage of the Amazon sale proceeds to FMF as referring source, so that cuts against the neutral/informative aspect of the post as well. It's really more of an ad in the middle of the page...
Restart the presses ;-)
Posted by: HouseofG | July 07, 2009 at 04:51 PM
Didn't realize this was a deals blog now. Under the "You might also like" section I think you should have referenced this post: http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2009/06/reminder-why-you-shouldnt-listen-to-me.html
Posted by: ChrisR | July 07, 2009 at 07:08 PM
In all fairness to FMF, if someone were looking for a watch at this point, this would be very useful.
In fact, I'd have considered it if I hadn't already had a $1300 Longines watch that I got as a gift on the 25th anniversary with my employer. But there are just as many expensive watches a girl may need...
Posted by: kitty | July 07, 2009 at 08:17 PM
You so often encourage people to be informed and educated shoppers that it really does appear to be out of character to recommend an impulse purchase for a $100 watch. And anyone who has done any research at all on watches knows that an invicta watch is really not such a great deal at ~$100. This is a farily standard price for this brand of watch. Not a bad deal, just no bargain, either. Costco routinely sells these watches at a fairly decent price (i.e., < $100).
Posted by: George | July 07, 2009 at 09:52 PM
$100 for a watch? You must be nuts. Doesn't that function come free on your cell phone, PDA, laptop, the side of a bank? I think $16 on a watch is too much.
Of course I understand that FMF has to support his advertisers.
Posted by: Bill | July 08, 2009 at 09:35 AM
"the side of a bank"
hahaha, oh that one got me.
This post did seem a little out of the ordinary for FMF. Felt like I need to double check that I didn't just go to slickdeals.net, Kaleb probably felt the same way...
Posted by: Matt | July 08, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Why pay 100 for a watch. Go to Wal Mart. Buy one for 7-15 dollars. They tell time. the look fine. they last forever. Now there is a good deal. The Timax I have tells time just as good as any expensive rolex or 100 dollar "bargain?" watch.
Posted by: Phil | July 08, 2009 at 02:58 PM
And $4 for BAC was a GREAT deal, one I am glad I capitalized on.
Posted by: Meg | July 08, 2009 at 10:33 PM