So last week my kid wanted helium balloons for her birthday party, and man, did I get sticker shock at the party store. Tiny tank, crazy price. Got me thinking – where else can regular folks actually get this stuff? Figured I’d hunt it down myself. Here’s how it went down.
The Obvious First Stop: Party Stores
Like I said, walked into Party Palace ready to grab a tank. Saw that little “Balloon Time” kit on the shelf – looked perfect till I saw the price tag. Seriously? That much for a few balloons? Noped right outta there. Knew there had to be cheaper, better ways.
Okay, What About Medical Supplies?
Drove over to MediGear. Saw all the big oxygen tanks lined up. Asked the lady behind the counter, “Hey, you guys sell helium too? Just need it for balloons.” She looked at me kinda confused, then said yeah, but they only sell the big medical-grade stuff to hospitals and clinics with accounts. Needed paperwork I didn’t have. Total bust. Felt like a dummy even asking.
Gotta Try Welding Supply Shops!
Heard welders use helium mixes. Went to Bob’s Welding Supply downtown. Place smelled like metal and oil. Big tanks everywhere. Asked Bob himself. He grunted, pointed to a corner. “Got argon-helium mixes, yeah.” Got hopeful! Then he squashed it. “But it’s a mix, dude. Not pure helium. Your balloons won’t float right.” Aw, man. Didn’t buy anything, felt the air leak outta my mission right there.
Maybe… Scrapyards for Old Tanks?
Got kinda desperate. Called my cousin who knows junk guys. Ended up at this sketchy scrapyard on the edge of town. Asked the guy about old helium tanks. He scratched his head, dug around a pile of rusted metal. Pulled out this beat-up, valve-missing nightmare. “Five bucks?” he offered. Tank looked unsafe. No way was I risking hauling that thing home. Hard pass. Felt like I hit a dead end.
Last Shot: Gas Suppliers.
Remembered AirGas places exist. Bit out of the way, but drove there feeling defeated. Walked in feeling small. Asked the guy at the counter about buying helium. He didn’t laugh! Just started asking questions: “Pure helium? Size? Need a regulator?” Said I just wanted a small tank for party balloons. He nodded, showed me a 20-cubic-foot tank rental. Rented the tank and bought the regulator – it stung a bit upfront compared to Party Palace, but way more gas per dollar. Felt like a win! Balloons floated for days. Wish I skipped all the other hassle and came here first.
So yeah, learned my lesson:
- Party Stores: Convenient but crazy expensive.
- Medical Supply: Basically impossible without an account.
- Welding Supply: Only mixes, not pure helium.
- Scrapyards: Risky and unreliable.
- Gas Suppliers: Requires rental fee & regulator buy, but overall best bang for buck.
Just go straight to the gas guys next time. Save yourself the headache!