Was here today. The basement is no longer accessible and the back part of the upstairs was sectioned off.

If you have a lot of patience, and no aversion to dirt, then you must visit The Thing. Lovers of vinyl records will like this place the most. There are thousand and thousands of vinyl records in the basement of The Thing, and they are all $2. I recommend vinyl gloves and a mask when visiting, and not because of Covid. The store is not very clean, and you may not want to breathe the toxic dust in their basement. On my most recent trip I found a Gino Vanelli LP, a Manhattan Transfer LP, and a Mariah Carey cd that were all factory sealed. I hope that I will be this lucky the next time that I visit. read more

The Thing - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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I feel like I was scammed. I came in for magazines and the owner told me the prices ranged from $2-50 depending on what issue it was. Upon showing a stack of about 10 magazines he said it would be $90 card or $80 cash. Only 3 of the magazines were $10 and the rest were $2-5 no where close to $90. I feel like I just got taken advantage of. Just pulled numbers out of his ass. read more

Always a treasure hunt and you can usually find something cool and even rare. They were closed for a long time after the pandemic. Now open shorter hours Thursday through Sunday. I always buy a lot. So why only three stars? The sullen staff straight out of New Yawk casting. Always cranky. Very reluctant to make any kind of deal no matter how much you buy. And it's always an obstacle course to find anything. It would be magical if they just got it together to be civil. read more

My son always tells me this is Vinyl heaven, they have every record you can think of! The trick is with this place, you have to find it. There are shelves and shelves of records! If you're thinking, Jazz records in one area, hip hop over there, forget it. Records are "everywhere"! And this place isn't just records: You want VHS tapes? right here CDs? yep Cassettes? 10-4 good buddy 8 Tracks? Dude, really?? I'm sure they're here Comics, paperbacks and magazines? I saw a few old Playboys in the bins Knick Knacks? Patty Whacks? Well, give the dog a bone! They have them all here They do not take debit/credit cards! The man who was working this Sunday was very nice, he kept my sons records on the side while we drove to an ATM machine. You can spend an entire day here searching for "that thing". If your looking for anything vintage, come to The Thing. Who knows, you might find something unique! One mans garbage is another mans treasure. Cheers! read more

If you know me, then you know have a thing for checking out junk shops and record stores. So it should be obvious that I would LOVE The Thing. And yes, I love The Thing. It is one of my favorite spots in the area; it speaks to my inner hoarder. :) Years ago, I would go in The Thing with my roommates and look around through the CDs, books, and miscellaneous. You never knew what randomness you would find. My most awesome find was an old hardcover book that completed a series set in my personal library. The book was in great condition and was cheap! Since then, I was a fan. You also find more personal items at this shop - like old photos, letters... once we found someone's old Kodak slides. Pretty cool stuff. Just make sure to bring some hand sanitizer for after you're done digging through record stacks and junk shop gold. If you're allergic to dust, maybe have some tissues and Benadryl on hand... Other than that, The Thing is awesome! read more

Eclectic record/ book/ old knick knack shop in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn is a bit of a mess to shop around. There is the main level then the creepy, tight spaced basement which is wall to wall records. It's a bit stressful since everything is kind of all over the place and nothing seemed to be labeled by genre or alphabetical order so if looking for something specific, good luck. Also, I didn't see any prices on anything so I was a bit on the fence about purchasing anything. Don't want to pick out a record or book, bring it to the counter and find out it's $200. If vinyl is your preferred method of listening to music then you'll be in heaven shopping here. Me? Well I need a bit more organization. Need the less, it's still an interesting place to check out. read more

The Thing - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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When I was little, I would bring home at least one book per day. My parents would have to tell me to STOP reading because it was bad for my eyes to read that much. So, when I walked into this store which is lined with used books I knew that it was a good idea that I brought my big purse today. It did bother me that the sign on the wall next to the books said they started at $1 a piece, but the sign at the cash register says $2. Still, it's cheaper than paying shipping on half.com. They do have other stuff, like old crates and dish ware, some clothing (but not much). The store is also disorganized. I think it adds to the charm of the place, but I can see how others would dislike stepping over large plastic garbage bags in order to get to the other side of the store. I did find an old suitcase that is pretty awesome ($6). It reminds me of the one that I used to keep my Barbie accessories in when I was growing up. I'll be using it as a prop for my Halloween costume, but perhaps I'll donate it to my niece afterwards. This is definitely a cool spot to browse, and pick up a new book for the subway rides. read more

My verdict on The Thing? Would never have known to go in there had I just been passing by. Looks like a trashed thrift shop from the outside. Most of the records are downstairs, though there are hundreds, maybe thousands upstairs, too, in the back. So they must easily have the most records of any shop in NYC. But they've also got to be the least organized. With stacks upon stacks upon stacks of records, this place really requires serious crate digging to find stuff. And there's zero rhyme or reason to the way the vinyl is basically shoved into crates and shelves. I had to blow mouse droppings off any records I took from the very top of the stacks. And by the time I left, I wished they had one of those emergency showers outside for chemical burns to clean the filth off my hands. Still, worth a trip, especially if crate digging is your thing. The other thing I should point out: Every record, no matter what you find is $2. So you will get your money's worth for the work, that's for sure. read more

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A lot to go through here. Every record is $2, so definitely recommend if you're starting a collection. There's crates on top of crates on top of crates and so on. It's impossible to go trough everything or even take the time and muscle power to lift a crate to get to the one underneath. I actually found a good lot of records. Most of what I found was old school jazz and a bit of folk. Couldn't find much hip hop or rock n roll. Not sure where that's at, but I need to make another trip or 5. Pro tip: Wear clothes you don't care for. There's a shit ton of dust flying everywhere. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, because they're bound to. Have fun! read more

This place is a Hot Mess, if ever there was one. It's not for the faint of heart. While I was there I spotted two dudes (who I don't think were together) who were poking around in those masks that you see on people who are doing surgeries, painting cars, and on sometimes on asians walking in big cities sometimes to prevent getting germs (?). I don't know if these gents always wear these masks, or just do so at The Thing - but it may not be a bad idea wearing one if you come here. I should note that I LOVE crazy, disorganized junk stores. That, and the score of treasures I got for $8 necessitates my 4 score. By the way, on the same day, I spent more money for one piece of vinyl, with skips, at Academy. My discs from The Thing were in perfect condition and one was never even opened. My review is for the Vinyl, primarily, because most of the junk at the front of the store is just that. There appears to be absolutely no method to the madness of how the vinyl is shelved and "organized." Records are facing backwards and forwards, shelved upside down and in absolutely no sense of alphabetical or musical category order. I decided to just give myself to the musical goddess and let my ringers run along the spines of vinyl, occasionally stopping to see where I landed. I walked out with a doubletruck 2 disc remix collection of Ace of Base jams, an unopened copy of DIANA by Miss Ross, and a copy of Lisa Lisa's Spanish Fly in Mint Condition. For $8! Bring your own bag(s)... read more

The Thing - "it's a beautiful life!" - $2 at The Thing. 2 vinyl remix compilation with a black and white gateway foldout. "oh yeah - all right!" - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Wow.....well.... I'm sure everyone has written about the ungodly mess, but I'm going to review the records themselves If you're a DJ that still lugs around records crates from gig to gig, first of all, I salute you....you're a real DJ. Second, you really need to come to this place. This has probably all the 12" single hip-hop, disco, dance, etc. in the world. Im' telling you, you can probably make a killing if you specialize in old school 90s rap and hip-hop. I found a sealed copy of Kris Kross' Totally Crossed Out....SEALED. They have everyone from Ini Kamoze to Snow to Puffy to Ace of Base to Jay-Z to Brandy. Live out your middle school dances and your brace-faced awkward days. If you buy them by the bulk, you can probably get a deal from the already cheap $2 a pop record. That's how great this place can be. read more

The Thing - The Thing - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

If there are no prices on items, you should be ready to bargain, But the owner is not willing to bargain, he makes up the price on the spot - it's related to the weather, or if his dangling hair worked out that day or not - but it's always the same pathetic show - he raises his hand as if he's doing you a big favor and shooting a funny price . There is no place for bargaining, and if you try he will look at you like you're the asshole. read more

I'm definitely a fan. If you're a vinyl record fan, you'll definitely love this place. There's a basement full of uncategorized records, so of course the search for whatever you're looking for will take time to find. The 1st floor also has some records along with a lot of "old stuff" that might be on the expensive side. I plan to go back and make a day of it just to go through the records! read more

The Thing - Basement full of never ending vinyls - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Don't come here if you're not a certified digger/thrift shopper. I came with my boyfriend who wanted some records but I was over it pretty quickly. I must admit that it was cool to take a walk down memory lane by looking at old hits that many of us have forgotten. Come here if you have time to browse and get lost in the past. Don't come here if you have a dust allergy or easily bothered by clutter. Pros: - Vast collection of vinyl records and other random items Cons: - Most vinyls are singles and not albums - Lack of organization - Cluttered assortment - Dirt and dust read more

The Thing - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Love Love Love Love Love this place so much. Prepare to get very dirty and dusty!!! They have so many hidden gems. Thousands of records, VHS, cool retro stuff, etc. By far my favorite place to dig around in. read more

I live one block down from this place and it's a great way to waste a couple of hours on a Sunday morning. It's cluttered and dirty (probably a safety/health hazard!), but it has everything from old photos, old vinyl records, vintage porn and comic books, clothing, books and other knick knacks. If you don't mind getting dusty and dirty and have a love for odd objects and great finds, this is a place to go! read more

One of the very best spots to hunt for used records. Easy to spend hours on end crate-digging here. Very chaotic and unorganized and dusty (to the extent that you might want to bring a mask when burrowing down into the stacks). Worth it. Endless curious 45s and 78s to be uncovered and grabbed with delight, I adore this joint. read more

Holy smokes!!!! Vinyl selection is nuts! All records $2. Digging was fun but space can be tight. Doubt you'll find that super rare record you've been looking for but if you're looking to expand your collection this is the place. While I didn't find too much of what I set out for (70/80 hard rock & metal) I found plenty of records I ended up buying.... Humble Pie, Pretenders, Cheap Tick, Joe Walsh..... things of that nature. Cover conditions are hit and miss but all the vinyls have been super clean which was a bit surprising. I can't recommend this place enough!!! Happy digging.... read more

This review is for the music aspect of the store. The other aspect of the store (visual craziness) is well represented already. If this wasn't about music only, I'd give the Thing three stars for the mere idea of it. This is going to be tough. Usually one can make a comment about the price as well as the selection of a music store and have it comparable to other store setups. Well, the Thing is a stuff explosion and I was lucky to have found the CD section at all. The browsing experience is difficult but hey, this store was not built around comfort but instead around quantity, piles, and mayhem. I believe that the CDs were pretty cheap, but they were as random as one would expect a Salvation Army's selection to be. The vinyl selection is even more bountiful. However, it is not entirely easy to browse. Essentially you'll walk up to a milk crate full of records and begin thumbing. I didn't see any genre sections but I didn't expect to. In fact, the sheer amount of crates from floor to ceiling was quite astounding. Browsing through everything would take weeks if not months, and it would certainly require muscle and patience in order to look through every crate. I believe in finding a gem in the rough, but this was something else to behold. If you are looking for something in particular, forget about it. However, if you want the ultimate garage sale experience bordering on claustrophobia, then check this place out because it's unique in its own way. read more

AHHH!!! This is one of my favorite stores in the whole world!!! I live in Philly but when I'm in Brooklyn I always try to stop by. Last time I was there I got some sweet vintage coasters, a stack of slides and a CHICKEN COOP! Yes, that's right- An antique chicken coop! See the photo! Why do I like it so much? Because they sell stuff you never see at thrift stores: Action figures, comic books, VHS porn and peoples' old photos, slides and documents. I love looking through old scrapbooks, schedulers and correspondence! The basement is a legendary vinyl spot (see photo) that is not for the claustrophobic! Some of the funniest album covers I've ever seen were at The Thing. I almost feel like I shouldn't be hyping this place because I really don't want it to be picked over. I guess I shouldn't worry since most people don't buy slides! read more

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The is one of my favorite stores in New York, I've found a nice antique tea tray there, paperback books are $1 and hardcover books are $2 or so, and the guy at the register said comic books are $1, or $15 for 25; that they get cheaper the more you buy. I have found some bibliographic curiosities, which I will briefly describe. I found an original hardcover, German Nazi printing of Henry Ford's 'The International Jew', published in Leipzig, 1938. How did this book end up at this store? Brought by a polish immigrant? The existence of this book is something that the Ford Motor Company would like to deny, something that history would like to obscure, and despite my moral repugnance at owning such a book, I felt that it was unlikely that anybody else would recognize the historical significance of it, so I bought it for $2. It's printed in German, I have no use for it, it basically emanates evil. The other book I found was a 1959 hardcover 'the Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology', complete with illustrations, cryptic notes in pencil, underlining, and the stamp of the 'Brooklyn Public Library, Coney Island Branch, 10 Mermaid Avenue.' Charming, albeit spooky. These finds are only slightly atypical of the weirdness possible at The Thing. And now, to discuss the state of the store. I have entered the store on a number of occasions to find employees in a state of what could only be described as exasperated defeat, verging on panic, overwhelmed at the colossal edifice of merchandise in the store. Let's be clear. The store is a disaster area, and it gets a tiny bit worse every day. It's a bit like visiting a mentally disturbed hermit, a bit like an episode of COPS where they go to a lady's house who has 300 cats. Who knows how many books are in this store? I would estimate that a customer could only reach or even see about 5% of all the books, as many are stacked behind books stacked behind books, behind a pile of toppled books, in aisles filled waist high with garbage bags of clothes, books, comic books, old photos, and unidentifiable detritus. The state of the comic books is regrettably the same. However, the store is know, amongst that shadowy band of people to whom it IS know, for the records. The labyrinthine, unknowable realm of records. To the more intrepid explorer, the records at The Thing might inspire, might challenge - but to me, they are a symbol of defeat. I suspect that the store owner suffers from a psychological condition which prevents him from refusing to acquire more records. A journey to the basement of The Thing, ahh, the basement, entails stepping over the heaps of books and clothes, trying not to fall over, seeing the back room and marveling at the records stacked from floor to ceiling, two shelves deep, and then realizing that the back room, already bursting, already exploding with records is but merely the antechamber, the doorstep to the real horror which awaits them below. Many record shoppers loiter in the backroom, lacking the commitment to venture further. There is enough to keep them there for hours. Rounding either corner of the already all enveloping wall of records, one is presented with small stairs which lead down, which themselves have records stacked on them. And then, once one has reached the floor below, the true meaning and importance of the store becomes evident. Records are all there is, floor to ceiling, row after row, and the mind reels to realize that behind each tightly stacked row is ANOTHER row of records. Claustrophobic and airless, it must be like being locked in a DJs trunk. It would take an army to see if there was anything worth buying, a team to descent into the depths of The Thing. The only other people I have seen down there brought their own bandannas to cover their mouths from the dust, their own flashlights to see record labels in poorly lit places. One guy said to me, unprovoked and in hushed tones "I think this is were DJ Shadow took that picture for the inside of his album". In one row, you can peer through the row of records and see an entire adjacent room, damp, small, unlit & unreachable, with 45s cruelly stacked on their face, filling the entire room to about 3 feet high, where they apparently are being crushed under their own weight. And then the meaning of 'The Thing' begins to dawn upon your consciousness. 'The Thing' is either the burden of owning all this stuff, or the burden of having a personality which demands that one continue to amass records, books, comic books, old clothes and old photos of people you don't know far beyond the limits of order, management, saleability or perhaps even sanity. 'The Thing' cannot stop itself. The employees have a look of nervous desperation, knowing that they work in an ungovernable store. When they close up shop at night, do they worry that someone is down there, locked-in, continuing to search the records, perhaps trapped underneath a cave-in? Has anyone excavated a passage to the room of 45s? read more

The Thing - Outside The Thing, fall '08. Items on sale, having no room inside the store, begin to fill the street. - Music & DVDs Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The Thing. What a perfect name for this place. Can't quite remember what you're looking for? Don't worry, The Thing has it. Seriously. The record collection is OUT OF THIS WORLD. I can't even begin to tell you how many gems I found here. Oh, and the healthy selection of VHS... LOOOOOOVE it! And good ones too. I know, I know, some of you readers are saying, "Who uses VHS anymore?" Well, I DO.. so back off and find something else to hate on. read more

For some people, this place will be a nightmare. The aisles are too cluttered, there's stuff like pianos and piles of boxes stacked in front of many of the used book shelves, and there's not a lot of method to the madness of this second-hand store. For others, however, this place will be a dream. Even though I've lived in Greenpoint for several years now, this is a stretch of Manhattan Avenue I don't frequent, much less when this place is open. I first learned about it in a recent issue of Cometbus, in which Aaron included it in a roundup of used bookstores. Books, the Thing has. Many of them. Many of them in a pyramid of cardboard boxes that haven't been unloaded yet, and many of them on shelves blocked by the store's other wares: video tapes, clothing, pianos, and more. They also have an awe-inspiring selection of used vinyl, which could kill many any hour. On my first stop, I picked up three books for $4. A collection of writings by Albert Einstein, Douglas Coupland's "Microserfs," and a collection of stories by Cordwainer Smith. Pretty rad. I'll be back. read more

The owner and his accomplices were total jerks to me - the place is insanely disorganized. Mostly it is patrons/customers who sift through the records and make sense of all the clutter. However, when I dug through some boxes of LPs for an hour or so, which were sittting in plain view, by the way I was meanly told to cease and desist, and treated like a petty criminal. I tried to ask why these records, in a store with 25,000 records, were off limits, and I offered good $$ for the handfull that I was interested in buying, but I was snidely, rudely told to leave and that they weren't for sale. assholes! there are some treasures in there, but I will never visit this store again. Anyone had similar experiences? read more

This is a review of the vinyl section only, although The Thing does offer plenty of vintage clothes, books, magazines, comics, etc. at fair prices. If digging through thousands of records and risking your respiratory health as a result is something you are okay with then The Thing is a must visit. Just note that you must be willing to get down and dirty or else this place will absolutely disgust you. That said, you never know what records you'll find here. While most of the stock is worthless hip hop 12" from the 2000's, there is always the small chance of digging out a diamond in the filthy, awful rough. All records are priced at $2, so it's worth the trip if you have the time and guts to wade through the dust, mold and grime that will likely kill you in extended doses. I am a true digger at heart so The Thing both pleases me and makes me very sad. It's great coming up on relatively rare funk and jazz albums for cheap but depressing to have to flip through tons of vinyl that should have been shipped off to a landfill years ago or simply should never have been pressed up at all. In short, The Thing is everything you love and everything you hate about shopping for records in an organized chaos setting. read more

Don't go there for records. There are tons of complete junk, kept in unacceptable condition and they want $2 FIRM each, regardless of anything. You can find online records like those for $2 a box. read more

This is a place that by all rights should not exist. It seems like an elaboration of a sick joke, a tall tale told in taverns in faraway lands. You know, something you would tell someone whom you never think would actually show up to check it out...but then, they do show up to check it out, and the place is actually there. That, is The Thing. I don't even want to fathom how long it would take to fully explore everything in this (rather small) store...but it is SO crammed with just about anything you could imagine (and more), you'll never see the end of it. The vinyl cave downstairs just defies description...don't go down there looking for a mint pressing of a Miles Davis album, because you won't find it (at least, I didn't), but you will find dozens of ratty copies of Run-DMC albums. Maybe grab a coffee maker, a cane, and a burlap sack on the way out to complete the experience. Defies all logic. A must see. read more

Perhaps the biggest record mausoleum -- no, crematory, ever. The burnt ends of burnt ends of disjointed garbage cast-offs the world over. I remember 15 years ago there was a North Greenpoint spot that bought collections and the cat claw shredded dregs of DMX 12"s would get pushed down to The Thing. I know the story about the one Metro Area guy discovering a random electro record he ended up reissuing, and I've heard the spaz case finally coming up on a $30 afrobeat record he only had to pay $2 for after breathing in ten hours of mold spores in this fire hazard. If you're a tourist in town for three days and want to get your digging changed my life on, suit up. Head down to DiFara's afterward for a four hour pizza wait, your time has no value. read more

Like vinyl? Whether your a budding DJ, die hard record collector, or just like finding cool old album art like I do The Thing is definitely worth a look. There are two floors filled with boxes of records that have utterly no order to them. But that's the thrill of it. Finding a classic Jackson 5 album in mint condition for just $2 - WoW! Yeah, it's a bit dirty and way unorganized, but who cares. I recently spent 4 hours searching around and didn't even realize it till I looked at my watch (yeah, I'm one of the few who still wears one). Not only is their place filled with great vinyl, but they have a plethora of other great old stuff too -- comics and graphic novels, VHS and DVDs, old film posters and memorabilia, adult magazines, and much more, you never know what you'll find at The Thing till you find it. My problem is that I never have the room to carry everything I want to buy with me on my bike so I have to always narrow my choices down which is pretty tough. I've been hunting there several times and haven't had the bad experience with the staff that I've read others have had. They've always been kool with me. If you're trying to relive your old Tower Records days then you should probably go elsewhere, as this definitely ain't that. But if you like thrifting and have a good eye and plenty of patience then this is the place for you. Just come with plenty of time on your hands as you'll most likely get lost in the void just like I did. Now, let's try and find that Skid Row album I've been looking for... read more

This place has a ton of records. Your gonna get dusty so wear some clothes you dont mind getting dirty. I hit my head hard as *bleep* walking down the stairs and I'm not even that tall. Nothing seems to be organized and they closed pretty early. If you are trying to crate dig you should take the day off and go early during the week. I didn't go on a Saturday but I'm sure its super crowded. Also they don't take cards so bring cash. read more

Used theatrical lamps, old dusty cutlery, family photos, VHS tapes, an entire bookshelf devoted to rare Italian stationary, 80's comic books galore, and a that insane basement of VINYL PILED HIGH TO THE CEILING AS FEATURED IN THE MOVIE 'SCRATCH'... I love you, The Thing...even if I have to wash my hands every time we meet... read more

Me: Hoarder You: Shelves and shelves of Stuff we're friends, i give you money you give me a brass tide guard that is currently nailed to my wall read more

Junk Is better Organized But buried in The mounds of crap is treasure. And more crap. read more

If you are looking to browse for hours. I highly suggest clearing your whole day's schedule to hang out in the basement of The Thing. You will find so many good jazz and motown records down below. I think hoarding is great, because beneath it all, you will find things you never knew still existed. Its like finding a needle in a haystack Totally worth it. I made friends with the shopkeeper, Carey. He's really sweet and is trying to hunt down rare records for me in that basement! read more

I don't usually review a place after only one visit, but this place is a digger's dream. The have tons of stuff ranging from old advertisements, CDs, vinyl records, comic books, books, toys... the list goes on and on. You can easily spend an entire day in here. However, finding something you may want is harder than it is. This placed is filled to the ceiling with stuff and some bins and places are inaccessible. Nevertheless, it is still worth it to make at least one trip to this store. That is, unless your claustrophobic. (Don't enter the basement) read more

This is the legendary Brooklyn basement which houses about a quarter million records or so. It's filthy when it's clean and yet I spent hours and hours digging for gold. Nothing is in order as far as genres go, so know what it is you are looking for. They have the most records I have ever seen. A ridiculous amount. read more

I'm conflicted about The Thing. The Thing provided me with a very nice $2 blue-and-white rose medallion. The Thing allowed for pleasantly impassioned conversation with (I think) the owner over something worthy of strong, impassioned speech. The Thing is very cluttered, haphazard and has a fair amount of interesting things and a large amount of things I don't see anyone buying. I'm glad it exists. read more

I found some really rare gems here for $2. I found Led Zeppelin stairway to heaven album and Jefferson airplane white rabbit which were original. When I come here I spend about 3 hours digging around from crate to crate. I come here to dig for house, techno, classic rock and funky old school soul music hoping I can find a classic gem. I would recommend this place for any DJ who love vinyls to go check it out. Come ready to get dust all over yourself read more

Insane people would love this place. Obsessive compulsive people would probably have a heart attack. I liked the bins of random pictures that you could buy for UBER cheap.! read more