Catch 22

The computer techs gave me a glimmer of hope to get me through the weekend as I try not to stress about losing the data on my laptop. On Friday they could see the file names, but the "easy method" as they called it wasn't working to retrieve my files. All weekend long they ran a different recovery program and today I got the call that saying that they have retrieved my data. Praise the Lord!
Here's the catch: There is so much data they don't know where to put it. My hard drive is shot and it would take too many DVD's to store all the data in any sort of organized fashion. I need an external hard drive. (Like I haven't been telling myself that for a week!)

Problem is, the money I could have used to purchase a external hard drive will now have to go to the geniuses who saved my data. I also learned this good, yet bad piece of information: My hard drive is covered under warranty and the GeekSquad would have recovered my data for FREE.

Ugh.

Tomorrow I will have to bite the bullet and purchase an external hard drive, then drive to the computer fix-it shop to have them work their magic by putting my data on the new drive, drive back to BestBuy and beg for mercy and miracles that they agree with the techs and replace my hard drive for free - in the same day. I will attempt to accomplish this feat with two kids on an 85 degree day.

Ugh.

Any suggestions on which external hard drive to purchase? I already have 30g of data in 4 months of owning my laptop, but I can't afford the super duper big drives.