Thursday, November 8, 2012

So "Free" Costs $5.00?

Yesterday I took advantage of Big Lots' One Day 25% Off sale on all Mattel Toys.  On their website they had one of those dinner sets I wanted to get but the store I went to didn't have any, just the bathtub sets.  I was short on time so there was no way I could go to another Big Lots like I usually would have done.  I was going to leave when I saw a little flyer for a FREE Barbie Suds & Hugs Pups set if you spend $20 bucks.  I don't really want a Barbie Suds & Hugs Pups set, but I want just about anything if it's FREE.  Besides, I haven't bought anything in what feels like forever so I was more than happy to spend some money.  I got,

Clothing Set (at least every thing wasn't pink)

Dead Tired Clawdeen Wolf and latest(?) Fashionista Raquelle.

Each item was $13 with a final cost of $9.75 ea after the sale.  I actually could have gotten better prices with a Target BOGO sale, but hey. So, now that I've spent over $20 I'll be getting a FREE one of these:

Image via Mattel.Com

At least her outfit is cute and I can use that bucket... but then today, when I'm ready to send away for it, I read the print on the flyer. In 2 to 3 months I will receive this awesome item after I send Mattel $5.00.


Well, aint that a brick. I realize that inflation being what it is, the price of things go up substantially over the years.  When I was a kid, the cost to get something "Free" in the mail was 25 cents. You'd tape your quarter to an index card, send it off and in 1 month, not 2 or 3, you'd get some dubious crap in the mail that fell apart after 2 days.  No kid minds spending a quarter for junk, but $5.00 is a lot of money!

I know I'm being ridiculous and I could get a $18.99 set for $5.00, but don't tell me it's "FREE" and then tell me to give you $5.00 to send it to me.  Puh-lease.  Needless to say, there will be no hugs 'n' pugs 'n' suds or whatever coming to Muff's place.  Pfft!

33 comments:

  1. This is worse than those bogus checks in the mail as partial payment on resort vacations. Mattel and Big Lots should be ashamed to even make such a ridiculous offer. Stocking the store with the freebie would have been better or calling it what it is: $5.

    dbg

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    1. LOL, DBG! I get those checks all the time, but usually as down payments on boats and cars.

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    2. I forgot to congratulate you on your purchases. I also appreciate the non-pinkness of the fashion pack and the fact that Barbie's name is not included in the designs.

      dbg

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    3. DBG, a lot of the Barbie packs now have "Barbie" screened on the clothing. They even did that on a violin recently. Guess they don't like us mixing and matching.

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  2. LOL, gotta love the "redefining" of the word "Free." Oh so clever, BL and Mattel.

    Congratulations on your new people! That tan handbag is cute. Wonder who will get it ...?

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    1. Thanks, Dana! I don't do much with my purses. I look at them and go "ooh," and then chuck them in storage. I'm sure at some point I'll have a boutique display and will pull them all out.

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    2. Omg, that would be so cute! If you do that, I want to see a picture of it xD

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  3. "YAY! Look at me! I am Barbie Suds & Hugs Pups!Im in this set with my so cute sleeves top and my hot pants as an au pair girl with these tiny little monsters who claim to be of adorable puppies! And as if that were not enough, if Mattel had put an articulating arm instead of this bent arm, I would be a possible body donor!"

    No you're not ridiculous, you're right, $ 5 dosn't mean free.

    Time ago I won the Barbie camper in a contest on the Italian Mattel website and you assume that a prize is free. Well, I had to pay the shipping costs to the express courier who brought me the package with the camper.

    Btw you made an excellent shopping, I'm jealous of the Raquelle, here we have still the first wave of the fashionistas

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    1. That perpetually bent one arm is rather ridiculous of Mattel. Will they ever get it?

      dbg

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    2. LOL, Sergio!!! I didn't even notice she had a permanently bent arm. That makes no sense when the rest of her is articulated. Oh, Mattel, why so silly?

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  4. Yikes, bummer! Technically, Big Lots and Mattel lied to you O_o Don't call it ''free'' when you have to pay 5 dollars -,-
    Great purchases though :')
    If I were you, I would've done it anyway. Yes, it's very uncool to say something is free when it isn't but it's only five bucks, for a very cute set ^^

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    1. Hiya, Tali! I've already thrown that little flyer away. If the cost of shipping had been $2.50 I might have gotten it, but nope, for $5.00 I can buy something I actually want.

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  5. Hello from Spain: I feel cheated ... not free. Anyway clothing is beautiful and Barbie with dogs has articulated body. You bought very well. Keep in touch

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    1. Marta, I felt cheated too. Too bad I didn't read that print before I got all happy about it.

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  6. Oh no, I missed the sale. I have to get that Clawdeen. She is too cute!

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    1. Georgia Girl I really like the outfit and slippers that this Clawdeen has. I know that Walmart is going to be selling Monsters for $10 on Black Friday but I don't know that I'm up for that stampede. I got hurt last year trying to get one!

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  7. Im with you muff 5.00 aint free. Im so glad I missed that sale. Love Raquel though!

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    1. Thanks, Mustiwait. I did find out though that she is not the latest version of Raquelle. A new one will be coming out soon.

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  8. I stayed away from that sale and I'm glad I did. It would cost me $5 to go on the bus and come back!

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    1. Brini, you were being a good Governor and watching the bottom line!

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  9. I agree Muff, $5 is not free. And added to that you spent $20 to get that offer - would you have bought all those things if not for that little coupon (cute though they all are)?

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    1. Hi Carrickters and nope. If not for the coupon I would not have bought the clothes or the Fashionista. That's what I get for not paying attention.

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  10. That's so not fair, Mattel! I hate small print.
    Anyway, Muff, the stuff you got is lovely. The print dress and jumpsuit are pretty, the pink top is quite interesting at the neckline. Clawdeen is one of the prettiest ever. Finally she is subtle and more natural. And that Fashionista is on my wish list (mostly as body donor, but hey). ;)I wouldn't sent 5$ for Barbie with Puppies either. What's the idea with the bent arm anyway?

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    1. IHime, I guess that arm is bent so that when she holds the puppies her arm wont open out and drop it??? An interesting thing about that Clawdeen is that in addition to more subtle makeup, her ears are not pierced. Not sure why they did that though. Not like going to bed makes your ear holes disappear.

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  11. Free ain't free these days lol! Love the clothing pac, I actually picked up one of those and the Clawdeen Wolf! Those dolls crack me up the way their body poses. Congrats on your haul.

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    1. Thanks, Chynadoll and look at us being twinsies with our purchases!

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  12. What a scam! Normally at TRU they let you pick up the item in the store. I believe Big Lots did something like that last year too. You did get some nice stuff all is not lost.

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    1. Ms. Leo, if I recall correctly, I think that last year you could send away for a set with a horse in it. I didn't do that one otherwise I would have known about the "shipping and processing."

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  13. Yep, the s&h is how that get you on those free items !

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    1. Ken, I like Target and Michael's better. When you get a free item it's already in the store.

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  14. What a scam!!! I like the cloths pack and Raquelle of course,I own them both and as you all know Raquelle is the model whom I use the most for my shoots lol :) :)

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    1. Hiya, Pam! I have noticed that Raquelle is a fave model of yours. I have 2 versions of her now - still in the boxes though, lol.

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