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CNET’s Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. And find more great buys on the CNET Deals page.
You know that store Five Below? Welcome to Ten Below.
Today I’ve rounded up an eclectic batch of deals, each priced at $10 or less. Sometimes way less. Because, let’s face it, we are none of us made of money. And while I realize not everything here will appeal to everyone — Mortal Kombat? Really? — sometimes the oddball stuff is the best stuff.
As a reminder, all these prices are valid at the time of this writing, and all are subject to change without notice. (Wish I had some control over that, but, alas, no.)
Finish him!
Enlarge ImageI know it’s hyper-violent, but, so help me, it’s crazy-fun, too.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
I’m about as anti-violence as they come, but when I rip a virtual spine out of defeated virtual foe, well, come on. That’s good gaming right there.
See for yourself: For a limited time, Cdkeys is offering Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition (Win) for just $1.19. That’s for a key you’ll redeem on Steam — where, incidentally, the game would normally run you $19.99.
This 2013 release is “is every bit the focused, gruesome, and ludicrously over-the-top fighter as its console counterparts, not to mention the best looking,” according to Gamespot’s review. So for a buck and change? Yeah, I’m in.
Three-buck trilogy
Three movies, three bucks.
Google Play
While we’re on the subject of fighting, “Ip Man” is a hugely popular martial-arts movie that spawned two hugely popular sequels. They star Donny Yen, who you might recognize from a little indie film called “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” (Aha! So this is how he become one with The Force!)
Granted, all three films are on Netflix, but if you’d rather own them, check this out: Google Play is offering the Ip Man Trilogy for just $2.99. That same trilogy runs $19.99 on iTunes.
The write stuff
Got a pen? Throw it to the ground and declare, “I quit thee, crummy single-purpose implement!” Because Ace Teah is once again offering its six-pack of three-in-one pens for $5.99 shipped.
Granted, that’s only $1 off the regular price, but I continue to love these silly things to death. Ballpoint pen at one end, capacitive stylus at the other and a smartphone stand engineered into the thick, comfortable-to-write-with barrel! Plus they come in an assortment of pretty colors.
What I especially like is that the stand is wide enough to accommodate a phone or tablet that’s in a case (albeit a fairly slim one). I use these all the time; they’re not only functional, but also a great conversation piece. (Yep, if you ever meet me in person, you’re in for some riveting conversation. Pens!)
Look, I held out as long as I could…
Enlarge Image$10!
Best Buy
One of my resolutions for 2017: fewer Bluetooth speaker deals. Because, you know, enough already.
And, yet, I couldn’t not share this. Maybe you’ll roll your eyes, maybe you’ll love me. Let’s find out: Best Buy (via Ebay) is offering the Insignia Portable Bluetooth Speaker in your choice of colors for $9.99 shipped (plus tax). Me, I like the one with the black grille and red casing.
These are new, not refurbished, and they double as speakerphones. Over at Best Buy proper (which, it turns out, has them for the same price — scroll down a bit on that page — if you’d rather not go through Ebay), the speakers earned an impressive 4.5-star average from over a thousand buyers.
Okay, verdict? Love this or sick of speakers?
The write stuff, part 2
Writing a book? Sure, you can do it in a word processor, but when it comes time to actually publish that book in various e-formats, things can get a little tricky.
Enter Kotobee Author, an ebook-creation tool suitable for all manner of ebook publishing. The Basic version normally runs $100 (!), but for a limited time, Shareware On Sale has Kotobee Author (Win/Mac) for free.
I am totally scooping this up, because I am totally writing a 2nd edition of the woefully outdated “The Cheapskate Rules.” Doing the first one in Word was hassle-tastic, let me tell you. Hopefully this will make the process more pleasant.
That’s it! Have a great weekend, cheeps.
Bonus deal: Are your affairs in order? I mean, not to be a downer, but you never know when there’s a bus with your name on it. So before you take one more step off the curb, head to Appsumo and score Giving Docs for free. It’s normally $295 (!).
With Giving Docs you can create a last will and testament and an advanced health-care directive. You can set up a transfer-on-death deed (everything goes to The Cheapskate? Aw, so sweet!) and arrange power of attorney. All these items are legally binding in all 50 states, and all would cost you quite a bit if done through a lawyer. (You will, however, need a notary to make them official.)
No-brainer. Grab this. Update: Some readers are reporting issues with Giving Docs. I’m investigating and will post an update soon.
