Explaining the bad thing

Explaining the bad thing

The other day I posted a cryptic picture of a bit of an online Asda order, but didn’t explain it. Of course, some of you guessed: I had indeed ordered a 3DS. And two games. Ssshh! It’s a secret to everybody!

You (as in, James Luff) may be wondering how I pulled off this cheeky stunt with the £18 Rule in full effect. Well, here’s how. Warning! May contain maths:

Base cost of 3DS on Asda’s website: £217

Cost of bundle with Super Street Fighter IV: £244.91
Cost of additional game (Professor Layton): £29.91

Total order cost: £274.82

Now, recall one of the rules: “For games that include extra hardware (Guitar Hero, for example) I am allowed to pay over £18, but never full price.”. See that game-and-console bundle up there? Bingo!

What about that £29.91 for Layton? Well, it just so happens Asda are doing a £15 off voucher for any order that includes a 3DS. So that’s Layton down to £14.91. Phew! Rule saved!

“But wait!”, you might say, “that’s cheating!”. Well, it’s not, but lets split it another way, shall we?

Total order cost: £274.82
Take off £217 for the 3DS itself: £57.82
Take off £15: £42.82

“Aha! It doesn’t work!” spake you thusly. Well, I have an ace up my sleeve. Did I mention the £20.90 cashback via Quidco? I didn’t? Oh! Sorry 🙂

Take off £20.90 Quidco: £21.92
Divide between two games: £10.96 – again, under £18.

Happy, James?

0 Comments

  1. Wellll… no. You see the rule is “games that come with extra hardware”, but Super Street Fighter IV isn’t coming with extra hardware. The game itself doesn’t cost £244.91 and the developers haven’t released the hardware.

    Asda aren’t even doing any “bundles” with games for the 3DS. So what you have essentially done is just made your own “bundle” by putting them in your shopping basket together. Not the same thing!

    In your second example you take £217 off the price of the order for the 3DS. But again, that’s cheating. The £15 offer is on the price of the 3DS, NOT the games! You couldn’t buy the games and get £15 off, so again it doesn’t count.

    At the end of the day, I don’t care what you spend your money on, or how much you spend. However, you made the rules and it’s fun to see you try and justify them when you blatantly ignore them when it suits you.

    Just drop the £18 challenge, you failed already. No doubt your (2 year old?) daughter will be buying you games for birthday/fathers day/Easter/Christmas etc… at the full price. You’re only kidding yourself, everyone else knows the real truth. 🙂

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