The blade assembly on my Blendtec was crapping out, and since Blendtec designs their jars with planned obsolescence in mind, you can't even replace bearings on them.
So, my frugal find this week has been to get an "Alternajar". Cheaper than the Blendtec jars, sharp blade design instead of blunt blades (similar to Vitamix), replaceable blade assembly, and a new lid with a tamper.
Saved money, future-proofed the jar, and I get much better performance! A win in every direction!