Posts made by UkeDog

@mistercheap Is it just me, or is the “Purchases of gift cards are excluded.” sentence in the Details kind of shimmering?

@my4mainecoons Ok thanks, I’ll try following your plan!

@mistercheap Ok, so I haven’t done my monthly recycle for September of 20 ink cartridges yet, getting the normal $40 ($2 per) in Easy Rewards.

So can I go ahead and do that first, then come back with an additional 10 cartridges a day or two after, and get the extra $25 in Easy Rewards?

Also planning to recycle technology (old cable) for another few $ as well this month…

@mistercheap Great deal! I had already recycled 20 cartridges on the 2nd, getting my $40 in rewards. But took in an extra 10 cartridges today for another $25 in store money! And even got it credited to my account before I left the store! How cool is that? Not missing that old “second Thursday of the month” biz to get Staples rewards.!

@mtnagel Impressive! Plus I guess you scored Kroger Fuel points on all that as well!

Not sure how universal this is, but Kroger has a “Cash Back” option under “Savings” that lists a number of beers and wines, on which you must “load” (click on) to qualify. Cash back can be either “Paypal Only” or sometimes also selectable to load onto your Kroger Shopper Card.
Sometime after you buy the item (a couple days, typically) you’ll see “Cash Back Available” when you login to Kroger.

Recently I’ve had good success loading both a $5 Cash Back and $7 Cash Back offer on Michelob ULTRA, then buying a 24-pack of 12oz cans or bottles for $20.99. Then a couple days later in my Kroger account, I see a “$12 Cash Back Available”, which I direct to my PayPal account. Which is typically available there the same day, or the next.

I’m sure there’s plenty of other combinations available, perhaps even trying for a mail-in rebate with the same purchase…dunno. But this is sure simpler than most rebates, ie filling out forms, copying receipts, etc.

Sorry if this is already covered here somewhere–too lazy to search!

In Product details:
Batteries ‏ : ‎ 3 CR2032 batteries required.
Lol!
I’m ordering, but only because I have lots of CR2032 batteries… thanks Marvomatic!

Ok, fellow Staples bargain hunters, what’s the verdict on this Easy Rewards offer (must “activate”)?
38x points
on your purchase of $38 or more to celebrate Staples’ 38th birthday.
ends 5/4/24
Valid when shopping: Online

Disclaimer: Valid on purchases made online at staples.com only. Not valid on Ink, Toner, Printers, Instacart, Door Dash or Uber Eats orders. Offer available to Staples Easy Rewards™ member only. To be eligible for the offer, member must activate offer in their Easy Rewards dashboard on staples.com or Staples mobile app and provide membership number at checkout. Minimum purchase requirement of $38 must be met after application of all promotions, coupons, instant savings and point redemptions. Taxes and shipping are not included in calculating the minimum purchase. Nontransferable. Offer may not be combined with any other Staples Easy Rewards promotion in a single transaction. Not valid on prior purchases or purchases made with Staples Advantage In-Store Purchase Program. Offer is subject to change or cancellation at any time. Staples Easy Rewards program terms and conditions apply. For full program details visit staples.com/easy. Expires 5/4/24. 97452

@my4mainecoons said in Ink Rewards affected by Staples Program changes? Don't get cheated, obtained a good outcome, see post:

I bought a $200 visa gc and recycled a cable & 15 ink @ 400 points. I was expecting 7K points but only earned 6600. 🤔

Yeah, something similar when I recycled 20 inks on 2/8. I got 1,000 points “when you recycle tech, batteries and more”, then 400 points 19 times for the inks, for a total of 8,600 points.

On the bright side, they say I already have $43 of “Easy Rewards ready to redeem”.

But I definitely miss the ability to SEARCH site-wide on their website on my PC.
Have to use the Staples mobile app for that!!

As a (paid) Plus member with Staples who does a monthly 20 ink cartridge recycle, I was curious how this would work out. Once I finally got past all the new “selections” and pop ups, I finally got to a web page showing I’d get 400 points each, up to 20 cartridges.

However, in this month’s Rewards showing my $40 ink rewards earned from recycling last month, I see it’s “for in-store only”…! WTF? That used to only be for the $5 reward for a tech recycle, etc.

But the weirdest “new Staples” change IMO is the website change, at least on my PC. No way to search across the site, or access your account to change profile settings etc. Now it seems you need to use the Staples mobile app to do stuff like that!

Hoping I’m mistaken here, and someone can provide a URL that works on a PC to search across the site?

Staples is excited to announce that their new loyalty program won’t allow us to “game them” with their own Rewards program, lol!
Seriously, glad I didn’t recently buy a big batch of used ink cartridges!
Looks like I’ll be leaving a few months of my paid “Plus” membership on the table here.

The last year or so I’ve found few Staples online deals, and their online “clearance” stuff is often ridiculously expensive.
But their Rewards have come in handy on in-store clearance items, which occasionally include some great deals.
I’m fearful that our local Staples store might go belly up anyway, as I’ve noticed employees often outnumber customers…

@mistercheap Wow, $175 in groceries! You can always get a head start, and shop at Whole Foods!

@dangeruss Seems that RetailMeNot is offering $20 cash back on a Walmart+ new membership.
https://www.retailmenot.com/view/walmart.com?
Which if applicable to this half-price offer, would bring it down to a semi-reasonable $29 for one year.
However, for me this would test what a “new membership” is, as my complimentary free 3 month membership expired months ago.

Terms:
Cash back is earned for the qualifying purchase of a new Walmart+ membership sign-up after any discounts and before any fees, taxes, or shipping/handling are applied. Purchases of gift cards are excluded. Purchases on pre-existing Walmart+ memberships do not qualify for this cash back offer.

@marvomatic Wonder if this price will hold until Thursday, when Staples rewards are issued…
Assuming I could get an in-store Staples price-match, I could just about get this by cashing out. Looks like a cool tool!

@marvomatic I’ve gotten a free AARP membership in the past, I think from Walgreens, but don’t remember any outstanding discounts. I must have also paid at least one year, because I remember that vinyl trunk organizer. It didn’t last long (you’re warned)!

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but AARP and AAA both seem to exist mainly to sell life insurance–at least that was my impression. However, the AARP newsletter publication did have some good info in it. Their glossy magazine, on the other hand, not so much.

One last bit of advice is don’t supply AARP your main email address!

Suspicious only because unlike other emails I’ve gotten from them, the TopCashback logo at the top with a link to topcashback.com is missing…
Plus all the links go to links.topcashback.mkt6320(dot)com/(variousSuperLongStrings)
Also, I do not see this offer after logging into TopCashback…

@mtnagel I was too cheap to gamble on that one; however, I did just get a fast payout on the Heineken $20 rebate on a 12-pack or larger of beer and $75 worth of groceries, which was handled by the same outfit (amgcoupons.com). I opted for a 12-pack of Amstel Light, which was on sale at Kroger. This was one of the few beer rebates available in VA, although I see a lot of other states are excluded… Btw you do have do it from a mobile device, i.e. cellphone. Details below.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REBATE OFFER: MUST BE A RESIDENT OF A VALID STATE AND AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT TIME OF PURCHASE.

Offer valid to those of legal purchase age on purchases made in all states where legal EXCEPT: AL, AR, HI, IN, LA, ME, MD, MO, MN, NC, NY, NH, NJ, OH, PA, TX, UT, VT & WV. States subject to change, see official terms and conditions for more details.

To receive $20 via Paypal (or Venmo), you must purchase ONE (1) 12-pack (equivalent or larger) of the following eligible products AND $75 worth of groceries: HEINEKEN® Original, HEINEKEN® Light, HEINEKEN® 0.0 Alcohol Free Malt Beverage, HEINEKEN® Silver, AMSTEL® Light, DOS EQUIS® Lager Especial, DOS EQUIS® Ambar, DOS EQUIS® Lime & Salt, DOS EQUIS® Ranch Water, and TECATE® ALTA™. Maximum of one (1) rebate per household per month.  Offer not to be combined with any other offer. Void where taxed or prohibited by law. Valid at all participating licensed off-premise retailers in participating states. You are responsible for sales tax. Offer not valid on diapers, baby formula, lottery tickets, gas, tobacco, money orders, postage stamps, gift cards and prescription pharmacy purchases. Offer not available to groups or organizations, or to employees of HEINEKEN USA Inc., its affiliated companies and agencies, licensed alcohol beverage suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers, or members of their immediate families or households. All items do not need to be purchased at the same location, but receipts need to be submitted at the same time. Cash register receipt(s) must be dated between 01/01/2023 and 01/06/2024. All requests for a rebate must be received by 01/06/2024. RECEIPT SHOULD CLEARLY DESIGNATE THE RETAILER WHERE PURCHASED. By visiting [grocery2023.heineken.com](TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF REBATE OFFER: MUST BE A RESIDENT OF A VALID STATE AND AT LEAST 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT TIME OF PURCHASE.

Offer valid to those of legal purchase age on purchases made in all states where legal EXCEPT: AL, AR, HI, IN, LA, ME, MD, MO, MN, NC, NY, NH, NJ, OH, PA, TX, UT, VT & WV. States subject to change, see official terms and conditions for more details.

To receive $20 via Paypal (or Venmo), you must purchase ONE (1) 12-pack (equivalent or larger) of the following eligible products AND $75 worth of groceries: HEINEKEN® Original, HEINEKEN® Light, HEINEKEN® 0.0 Alcohol Free Malt Beverage, HEINEKEN® Silver, AMSTEL® Light, DOS EQUIS® Lager Especial, DOS EQUIS® Ambar, DOS EQUIS® Lime & Salt, DOS EQUIS® Ranch Water, and TECATE® ALTA™. Maximum of one (1) rebate per household per month.  Offer not to be combined with any other offer. Void where taxed or prohibited by law. Valid at all participating licensed off-premise retailers in participating states. You are responsible for sales tax. Offer not valid on diapers, baby formula, lottery tickets, gas, tobacco, money orders, postage stamps, gift cards and prescription pharmacy purchases. Offer not available to groups or organizations, or to employees of HEINEKEN USA Inc., its affiliated companies and agencies, licensed alcohol beverage suppliers, wholesalers, and retailers, or members of their immediate families or households. All items do not need to be purchased at the same location, but receipts need to be submitted at the same time. Cash register receipt(s) must be dated between 01/01/2023 and 01/06/2024. All requests for a rebate must be received by 01/06/2024. RECEIPT SHOULD CLEARLY DESIGNATE THE RETAILER WHERE PURCHASED. By visiting grocery2023.heineken.com you agree you are of legal age to purchase beverage alcohol. Not responsible for technological malfunctions of any kind. Consent is not a condition of any purchase.

@mtnagel Sorry to see this one end today! I’ve been impressed how quick and easy that $10 has been showing up in PayPal, approximately four times a month for me, processed by amgcoupons.com. Thanks mtnagel for the tipoff! Also thanks to Kroger for the usual sale price on Guinness!

Guinness Rebate Hub

T&C:
To receive a $10 rebate, you must purchase TWO (2) 4/6-packs OR ONE (1) 8/12-pack of any GUINNESS product AND groceries. Minimum grocery purchase of $10.01 required. Groceries exclude purchase of lottery tickets, tobacco, money orders, postage stamps, gift cards/certificates and prescription pharmacy purchases. Offer valid to those of legal purchase age on purchases made in AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, MD, MA, MI, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, ND, OH, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, VA, WA, WI & WY. FOUR (4) rebates per household per month. Limit ONE (1) rebate per transaction. Offer not to be combined with any other offer. Subject to qualifying purchases and official rules. Offer not valid for employees of alcohol beverage suppliers, wholesalers, retailers or members of their families or households. By texting GROCERIES to 24272, you agree you are of legal age to purchase beverage alcohol and to receive recurring marketing SMS and MMS messages, including text messages, using an automatic telephone dialing system from Diageo Americas, Inc. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP in reply to any message to stop our messages. You may also text HELP to 24272 for more info. Not responsible for technological malfunctions of any kind. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. We will only use your data in accordance with our Privacy Statement, which you can review by sending a request to Diageo Privacy Statement Requests, P.O. Box 426008, Del Rio, TX 78842-6008. RECEIPT SHOULD CLEARLY DESIGNATE THE RETAILER WHERE PURCHASED. Cash register receipt must be dated 09/01/2022 – 04/30/2023 and submitted during promotional period. All rebate submissions must be received by 04/30/2023 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET.

Please Drink Responsibly.

Diageo Beer Company USA., New York, NY.

@angryeyebrows I got in on a $10 Sam’s Club membership deal back in Feb, after my previous membership expired. So far I haven’t used it much except for gas and a couple of little things in the store, and a couple of lunchtime Nathan’s hot dog combos (lol).

What I don’t understand is Sam Club’s $4 charge for a pickup of an online order, which I don’t remember paying last year. The weird bit is right across the street is a Walmart store, where (without any Walmart+ membership), you can pickup an online order at no extra charge. They even bring it out right to your car. Go figure!

@mmyk MISTERCHEAP is right, at least for me getting the free one year through the Target Circle link.
The email I got from Tripadvisor even has this verbiage at the bottom:
Membership renewal date
Your subscription will not renew and will end March 7, 2024

Btw I “paid” ($0.00) using a Visa card, which does NOT appear in the “Payment Options” of my Tripadvisor account–there are currently no entries in it.
Mentioning that only because I saw another comment saying hotels booked through Tripadvisor will use the CC used for signup…?

@mistercheap Just got an email MLB.com Partners telling me the same.
Sign up is from March 28 through April 3 at T-Mobile.com/MLB

@ukedog Never mind found it on Target. But still confused.
Filling out the order I see the “FREEYEARWITHCIRCLE@NTYJ-89EJ -$99.00”, making the Total $0.00.
But still must enter credit/debit card info, or alternately use PayPal.
So I entered a valid debit card with $0.39 left on it, but no-go. Then I tried PayPal, but then it shows $99 charge to PayPal.
Not liking the gamble here…

@ukedog oops, sorry

@mistercheap So I have a Target Circle membership, but don’t see this offer when logged in to target.com
Is there a link from target.com to this free Tripadvisor 1-year membership? TIA

@mtnagel I’ve heard folks say “you couldn’t pay me to drink Guinness”. Doesn’t seem to be true in your case!

@mistercheap I looked over at SD and found a link to a T-Mobile customer (community) discussion about whether they’re doing free MLB for 2023.
https://community.t-mobile.com/network-coverage-5/mlb-tv-free-offer-for-2023-season-49098
It seems all over the map, where some think yes, and others cite that 5-year ending business with MLB.
One of the more recent theories is that yes; however like the MLS free season, it will be through AppleTV+, and not directly through MLB.
If that’s true, that would give me 2 reasons to keep AppleTV+, apart from continuing Ted Lasso…

@ctgolfer Here’s hoping that T-Mobile does the free MLB season pass this year again (that’s right, as an old man, I still like baseball).
And while they’re at it, reinstate free AppleTV+ for those of us not on the Magenta Max plan!

@mtnagel Wow, not familiar with BYBE…is it legit? Hesitate to “sign up”, but the idea of free Guinness is intriguing!

@mistercheap Here’s one I found that works in VA (unusual), and a few other states; namely CT, DC, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, & VT
$6.00 to $8.00 back
Code: 22-89201
Description: SAVE UP TO $8.00 AFTER REBATE Buy ONE (1) 12 or 15-pack of Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian or Molson 67 (bottles or cans) and SAVE $6.00 Buy ONE (1) 18 or 20-pack of Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian or Molson 67 (bottles or cans) and SAVE $7.00 Buy ONE (1) 24-pack or larger of Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian or Molson 67 (bottles or cans) and SAVE $8.00
Limit: 6
Added Date: 1/22/2023
Purchase Dates: 1/22/2023 to 3/19/2023
Submit By: 4/4/2023
Terms & Conditions: *Alcohol purchase required. Must be 21+ to redeem. Void where prohibited. Rebate offer valid 1/22/23 - 3/19/23, or while supplies last, whichever occurs first. Request must be postmarked or submitted online by 4/3/23. Valid only in CT, DC, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, VA & VT. Cannot be combined with other offers. INCOMPLETE FORMS WILL NOT BE HONORED. Maximum of SIXTEEN (16) rebates will be awarded per address/household during rebate term. To check the status of your rebate, please call 1-855-727-4790 or visit [www.molsoncoorsrebates.com]($6.00 to $8.00 back

Huge YMMV: I also found our nearby Lidl store had 24-packs of Coors Light marked down to $12.58 today. Took a photo, but don’t want to clog things up here with it…

@mistercheap Makes me recall all the Sears and Kmart store closings a few years back. Kinda sad.
On a plus note, the old Sears store near us, shuttered for 3 years, is due to reopen as a Home Depot early next year, after remodeling.
I say Godspeed to that! Our local Lowe’s store is a real clown show!

@mistercheap Not to rub it in, but just got my second $10 PayPal gift from Avid for buying an 8-pack of Guinness yesterday at Kroger.
Had to shell out $14.49 for it, as the 4-packs for $7 were sold out. So I’m up to $0.57 per Guinness now, lol.
It’s weird–I get an email that my rebate is accepted within a couple hours, and then no followup email when it hits PayPal. It’s just there!

Best thing since last year’s Yuengling $4 rebate! Btw, usually not many good beer rebates us in VA. Usually we get an asterisk, VA*
*VA residents need to spend at least $20 (etc)

@mtnagel said in 2023 Master Thread - Beer/Wine/Spirits Purchase Required Rebates:

This is a decent one. Should cost around $5 for 8 cans of Guinness with $10 groceries purchase which is easy to do obviously.

https://cheers.guinness.com/en/3160/offer
(etc)

Dang this is great, just saw it’s good for 4 times a month! Two 4-packs at $7 each at Kroger, comes out to $4 for 8, or $0.50 a can.
And they say “Please Drink Responsibly”!

@my4mainecoons Staples accepts a computer cable as a recyclable item. I have a rats nest full of old serial cables, from decades ago.
Guess what the Staples store nearest me gets added to its recycle cart each month?

@turtlebug $7.69 is the price we paid on a 6-pack of Seasons 4.375oz sardines in olive oil at Costco in VA too.
Good deal on good sardines! Love this part, on the back of the can, it says: CONTAINS: Fish

@dangeruss No doubt this is a good deal, especially if you’re a purist about vanilla extract.

However, if you’re just using it in baking, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between this and Baker’s imitation vanilla extract.
You usually can find that at Walmart, among other places, for under a $1.50 for an 8oz bottle. We’ve used it for years (no subscription needed).
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Baker-s-Imitation-Vanilla-Flavor-8-fl-oz/13448794

@ukedog Expired

Got it yesterday, carefully packed (Amazon warned it would ship unboxed, which was incorrect).
Now hoping my better half likes it!

AeroGarden Indoor Garden, Harvest 360, Sage $74.99 from Amazon
Said delivery by Dec 21, so I’m hoping that’s correct…

• INCLUDES GOURMET HERB SEED KIT (6-POD) - Genovese Basil, Curly Parsley, Dill, Thyme, Thai Basil and Mint & a 3oz bottle of our patented, all natural Plant Nutrients (enough for a full season of growth).

• PLANT TO PLATE - Up to 6 plants grow at a time, up to 12" tall with this indoor garden. Grows in water - no soil, no mess, made simple.

• EASY TO USE - control panel tells you when to add water, reminds you when to add plant food (included), automatically turns lights on and off for your hydroponics growing system.

• LED GROW LIGHTS - High-performance, full spectrum 20-watt LED high efficiency grow lighting system in your herb garden is tuned to the specific needs of plants to maximize photosynthesis, resulting in rapid, natural growth and abundant harvests.

• IN-HOME GARDEN SYSTEM - Grow fresh herbs & veggies all year round in this indoor herb garden. Always fresh, always local, always in season.

Just a reminder about this site–not that I have any financial gain here. Just a fan!
And they’ve got a lot of stuff at 50% off today too, using the code: CYBER
Details about their Cyber Monday sale

@sonofzeus Good deal, but I’d not put this in a lawn mower, snow blower, etc. or anything that could sit unused for a while (even a car, actually).
Or at least put the gas savings towards a bottle of Sta-Bil to add as recommended. The higher 15% ethanol can be a problem.

Found this while looking into a compact fabric recliner for a bedroom…
Darvis 27 in. Smokey Club Chair Recliner by Nobel House. $155.99, 49% off, Black Friday special, Free Shipping

• Upholstery Material: Polyester
• Color/Finish: Smokey
• Dimensions: H 36.25 in, W 34 in, D 27 in
• Product Weight: 61.73 lb

Other colors of same chair priced higher. Seems to get generally good reviews (4 out of 5 stars). Not for big folks though.
Also not butt-ugly like those vinyl massage recliners…

Got an email from D. Lawless Hardware that a site-wide sale, plus free shipping on all orders will happen on Cyber Monday.
Normally, free shipping requires a $50 minimum order.

If you are not already familiar with them, it’s a great place to buy cabinet and furniture hardware, among other hard-to-find items.
(think “Restoration Hardware” at 80% off) I’ve ordered from them several times, and always been pleased!
https://www.dlawlesshardware.com/

Nice, thanks! Not quite the $2 bargain that happened a few years ago, but still a good value.
I favor the heather and safety color ones (blends), which hold up quite well in a hot wash and dry, without shrinking.
In fact I’m wearing a “Navy Heather” one now, and it still looks good after 3 or 4 years!

@mistercheap said in Staples.com Online Savings Codes. See last posts for most current codes.:

@my4mainecoons said in Staples.com Online Savings Codes. See last posts for most current codes.:

@mistercheap if we’re lucky we’ll get double recycling for BF…

While that would be great, I’m not holding my breath. Staples has gotten beyond cheap this year. The $50 ink purchase req’mnt had me abandon the program. Even at 30% back in rewards I wasn’t biting, 50% I’ll bite since it’s a decent offer. I last brought ink carts to staples in May.

Yeah, the $50-ink-purchase-thing moved the goal posts for me too, mid-game no less! But the biggest de-incentive for me to continue playing the Plus membership/ink rewards game is how jacked up prices have gotten on things in general–even with most online “clearance” items. It’s almost like Staples finally did the math on this program!

@dionaea About air conditioners, and without knowing your budget, it might be worth checking out what is available at either a local Costco or Sams Club store (in case you are a member).
Reportedly, they are starting to clear out many window units are reduced prices. I bought a Midea 12K BTU unit a few months back for $280, and it’s great–uses inverter technology. It’s power efficient, running fine on 120V.
Btw, beforehand I also was scoping out AC units on Staples, figuring it might be a way to cash out some ink rewards. Glad I didn’t now…

@ukedog Expired

https://www.staples.com/Folgers-Classic-Roast-Ground-Coffee-Regular-30-5-oz-Can/product_1684921

Not quite the $5 deal from several months ago, and yet another victim of the “Incredible Shrinking Grocery Ray” (30.5oz -> 25.9oz).
Interesting that Staples didn’t bother to change the URL for it, which has “Regular-30-5-oz-Can” in it, lol.
At least they updated the picture of it, showing 25.9oz.

Got the $12.50 promotional credit with a $50 gift card purchase, but NOT by manually entering that EGCPRIME22 code.
Instead (as a Prime member), I simply went to the main Amazon gift card page, amazon.com/gift-cards/

At the top is a banner "PRIME DAY EXCLUSIVE, Get up to 25% off on select gift cards or reloads"
Clicked on the banner, and next page was “Get a $12.50 promo credit with a $50+ Amazon eGift Card”, with a little button “Apply code to your account”
(and it shows that code EGCPRIME22 as what is being applied)
Then bought a $50 Amazon card for email delivery to myself, got it, along with a message that the $12.50 promotional credit was coming in 2 days.
I think it may have been also doable with just a $50 reload to my Amazon account; however, I didn’t see the promotional credit mentioned that way.
YMMV as always

@ctgolfer I was only offered a one month free trial too. But unlike MrVietnam, I can’t remember any time being a YouTube paid customer…?

@marvomatic Yeah, most appliances want a ground wire. But a polarized plug is important on two-wire cords with things like lamps, especially.
Otherwise, with a non-polarized plug, the lamp is potentially a shock hazard. Basically a 50/50 chance of that, depending on how you plugged it in.
Plugged in “wrong”, the lamp switch turns on/off the neutral wire, leaving the lamp socket base “hot”. Easy to get shocked changing bulbs!
Btw there are tons of older vintage lamps out there still with non-polarized plugs.
Worse, places like Lowe’s still sell replacement non-polarized plug ends, to “fix” older lamps!