Finding Cheap Pool Floats Nearby
So summer’s hitting hard this week and my kids kept bugging me about getting new pool floats. I thought, “Hey, maybe stores have discounts since it’s mid-season?” Grabbed my phone around 10 AM while drinking coffee and searched for pool float deals near me. The first few results were useless – just expensive stuff from fancy stores downtown. Didn’t wanna drive that far anyway.
Changed my search to include “sale” and “discount” and finally spotted a hardware store just two miles away advertising summer clearance. Called them up – guy said they had giant flamingos marked down to half price. Threw on flip-flops and drove there immediately. Parking lot was packed with minivans full of parents doing the exact same thing!
The messy discount hunt:
- Found flamingos but they were deflated and dusty in clearance bins
- Checked Walmart next door – their “discounts” were $1 off regular price
- Drove to Target on a hunch – surprise dragon float clearance!
- Cashier told me all pool toys go 50% off after July 4th
Ended up in a checkout line with three massive floats stacked sideways in my cart. The dragon cost $15 instead of $30! But then my kid spotted a giant pizza slice float near checkout – had to go back for it. Spent $50 total for what would’ve been $100+ last month.
Threw those floats in the pool same afternoon. Big mistake – should’ve rinsed them first. The cheap plastic smelled like rubber factory and turned the water cloudy. Kids didn’t care though. They jumped on them immediately. That dragon float held up surprisingly well even when my neighbor’s labrador tried riding it.
Lessons learned:
- Retail workers know discount cycles – ask cashiers directly
- Clearance items are usually returns or floor models
- Mid-week mornings = less competition for deals
- Bargain floats attract backyard mosquitos somehow
Honestly? Saved money but spent 3 hours driving around. Probably wouldn’t do it again unless they release shark-shaped floats. Kids already asking for those next week…