Get a Nintendo Switch for $252

CNET's Cheapskate scours the web for great deals on PCs,  phones ,  gadgets  and much more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and follow the Cheapskate on Facebook and Twitter!

Nintendo Switch deals are as rare as hen's teeth, because the console continues to sell like hotcakes at its full $300 list price.

Have no fear: The Cheapskate is here. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Manhattan Products (via Ebay) has the Nintendo Switch (32GB Gray) for $279.99 shipped. That's $20 off the price you'll find pretty much everywhere else.

But, wait, there's more: Hit up Ebates on your way to Ebay and score an even-more-rare 10 percent cash back. That would bring your net price down to $252. While you're at it, you can use a cashback credit card and shave off even more.

If you're new to Ebates or cashback services in general, read my overview to put any fears to rest. The short answer is that these services work. They're not a scam. You just have to follow the correct series of steps -- and be prepared to wait around 90 days to get your rebate.

As for the Switch itself, it's the single most sought-after console on the planet right now. CNET called it "pure fun on a big-screen TV or on the go" and awarded it an 8.5/10 rating. Read the full Nintendo Switch review to learn more.

While you're at it, check out the 17 best games for the Switch and 9 tips and tricks for getting started with the system.

I suspect it'll be a while before we see any big price drops on the console, so if you're not keen to wait any longer but don't want to pay full price, this two-fer discount is definitely worth considering.

Your thoughts?

Update: Regarding yesterday's bonus deal for the Echo Dot wall mount, the discount code (EASTECHO) is now working... but Amazon currently shows only a few left in stock. Here's something similar for just $6.99, though it's an add-on item. It's available only once your shopping cart hits $25.

This is a good time to mention that everything is in stock and accurate when I write about it, but deals are subject to change without notice. Codes sometimes break or expire, inventory sometimes runs out quickly, and so on. Consider yourself warned regarding today's batch of deals, especially the Switch.

Bonus deal: Speaking of rare deals, Cheapskate reader Doug brought this to my attention today: Woot has the Kindle Oasis (2016 version) for $179.99, shipped free for Amazon Prime subscribers. Woot is owned by Amazon.

The Oasis is the Rolls-Royce of Kindles, the high-end, feature-packed model with the depressingly high price tag to match. It originally sold for $290, as does its 2017 successor, which has a slightly larger screen and waterproof design.

Personally, I think the Kindle Paperwhite (currently $100) is still the better deal, as the advantages of the Oasis aren't worth the premium.

That said, if you've always wanted an Oasis but couldn't stomach the $290 price tag, this is a considerable discount.

Bonus deal No. 2: While you're poking around Woot, here's the perfect indoor-outdoor screen-free activity for kids: the Force1 Space Blaster four-player laser-tag game for $69.99 (again, shipped free with Prime).

Yeah, it's a gun-based activity, which I don't love. But it's also laser guns, which I do love. There are no vests involved, the blasters themselves register the hits. They have four weapon modes, vibration alerts, sound effects, a life meter and oh-my-god-9-year-old-Rick-wants-these-now!!

Alas, I haven't tried the system myself, and although the 29 user reviews at Amazon (where it's priced at $150) average out to 4.8 stars, both Fakespot and ReviewMeta call BS on many of them. After stripping away the questionable reviews, though, ReviewMeta still shows a 4.7-star average.

Even so, I think little kids -- and, ahem, older kids -- will probably have a blast with this, and $70 seems reasonable for a system as sophisticated as this one.