So last Tuesday I woke up thinking about helium tanks. Yeah random I know. Needed pure helium for this birthday balloon setup my kid begged for. Figured I’d hunt down the best price myself instead of paying crazy markup at party stores.
The Starting Point Was Rough
First hit up Google like anyone would. Typed “buy pure helium tank” and holy cow prices were all over the place. Some sites wanted $150 for a tiny tank! Others looked shady with no contact info. Felt like walking through a sketchy alley full of dealers yelling “HEY I GOT HELIUM!” Crazy stuff.
Decided to ignore the online weirdos and called two local welding supply shops instead. Here’s how that went:
- Spot #1: Guy sounded half asleep. Said they stopped selling to regular folks last year. Hung up fast.
- Spot #2: Lady quoted $98 but then said “Oh wait that’s for argon mix.” Pure helium? “$299 buddy.” Almost dropped my phone.
Getting Desperate Before Lunch
My brain was fried already. Almost said screw it and bought those overpriced disposable kits. But then remembered Tracy from work filled balloons cheap last summer. Texted her like a madman. BINGO. She hooked me up with Dave – some guy who runs events part-time.
Dave actually answered on first ring. Explained I just needed enough for like 30 balloons. His exact words: “Ah easy peasy man. Pure helium tank refill? Forty bucks cash. Meet me behind the old Kmart lot at 3.” Kinda felt like a drug deal but whatever.
The Weird Part Comes After
Showed up with my empty tank and cash. Dave rolls up in a minivan covered in glitter. Took him 5 minutes tops to fill it from his huge trailer tank. Handed him the cash expecting to bounce. Then he goes “Hey you need nitrous too?” like it’s normal.
Uhhh no thanks Dave. Grabbed my tank and got out fast. Still felt jittery driving home! Maybe I should’ve asked Tracy what kinda events Dave runs…
Anyway got it done! Tank worked perfect for the party. Moral of the story? Forget the websites and big stores. You gotta ask around like a nosy neighbor for this stuff. Real deals happen offline with sketchy glitter-van guys named Dave apparently.
PS: After all that? Half the balloons sagged within an hour. My kid cried. Dave’s number’s now deleted.