Shopping arround the 30 gal Long tanks were $70. I forget what brand they were. A decent stand was $129 ( Waaaaay more than what I bargained for.), and the tops they offered for it were $43
All of that adds up to $242 dollars. I don't think that's a very good deal, as at the lfs where I live you can get a new 29 gallon tank with a hood and a wooden stand with a cabinet on the bottom for around $140. The difference in the two is enough to get a really nice filter and heater on your tank. I live in a city in a rural area that only has two lfs. Their only competition is Wal-Mart, which has a terrible selection and lots of sick fish and a PetCo that is about 45 minutes away. So they don't really have a reason to keep the prices low as most businesses don't give you good deals just to be nice, they're there to make money. So, no, I don't think you're being a tightwad. I don't know what part of South Carolina you live in, but if there is an area within a day's drive with a lot of pet stores, I'd take a day and go see if you can get better deal. Spending twenty or thirty dollars on gas to save a hundred or more dollars isn't a bad deal, in my opinion.