If you enjoy trolling for good technology deals, and you have an OfficeMax nearby, I would recommend checking out their in-store specials once a week. Presumably to entice you into the store to buy stuff that isn't so cheap, they do a pretty good job of pointing out the really good deals, which generally involve a combination of instant and mail-in rebates. Mail-in rebates aren't as nice as instant rebates of course -- not just because you have to mail them in, but because you have to pay sales tax on the higher price -- so always keep that in mind.

Anyway, an example of the deals this week, most amazing first:

• $50 for a 120GB Western Digital hard drive
• $40 for a 256MB USB Flash Drive
• $10 for a 64MB USB Flash Drive
• Free memory card reader
• Free 3-pack of VHS tapes
• Free CD/DVD/VHS tape rack
• Free 50-pack of CD-Rs
• Free caller-id telephone
• Free surge protector
• Free RCA remote control
• Free Ethernet card
• Free 100-pack of jewel cases
• Free 6-foot extension cord
• Free CD cleaning kit
• Free 10-piece tool kit

There's even more free stuff I didn't mention, and none of it is truly free, in that you have to send in your mail-in rebate and wait for it to arrive, and you don't get your sales tax back.

Now, I don't recommend you go out and get all of this stuff. But if you could use a 120GB hard drive, $50 is a pretty amazing deal (I bought the same drive from Circuit City a few months ago for $60 after rebates). If you don't have a USB Flash Drive yet, you really should grab the 64MB drive for $10; it's great for moving data from one machine to another without needing to burn a CD (I bought mine back when OfficeMax had a 128MB drive for $20). I'm tempted to get the memory card reader so that I don't have to plug my digital camera in to get pictures out...