There’s no shame in pinching pennies, especially during an economic recession. So, if you have a big tech purchase coming up, use these 6 little known strategies to make sure you get the most bang for your buck:
1. Haggle.
Most people think of haggling as something you do when buying a used car, not a techie gadget. But, in this economy, folks are haggling for just about everything. So, next time you’re shopping for a new gadget, talk to the store manager and present them with a lower—but still reasonable—purchase price. You can also try to persuade them to throw in accessories for free, or at a lower cost. The worst thing that can happen is that they say “no,” but you may be surprised at how often you get a “yes.”
2. Buy online, pick up in store.
Many big tech stores, like Best Buy, offer lower priced items on their websites as online exclusives. If you want these cheaper prices, but would rather not mess with shipping, just have the items ordered to the store nearest you. Then, stop by and pick them up.
3. Use eCoupons or coupon codes.
If you still think of coupons as pieces of paper that old folks clip out of newspapers to save a few cents on vegetables, you’re way behind. Many websites, such as Coupons.com and CouponCabin.com, offer serious coupons on all kinds of items, including gadgets. You may also see discount codes, which work like coupons. Tech companies with Twitter accounts will sometimes tweet these codes to attract customers. You can also find company and user-submitted codes on RetailMeNot.com.
4. Install shopping apps on your iPhone or Android phone.
When it comes to tech purchases, your phone can help you stay savvy. For example, the app SaveBenjis lets you compare prices instantly, which can be a big help when haggling for a lower price. Consumer Reports’ iPhone app, Mobile Shopper, allows you to compare ratings on items as you browse, which is very useful for costly gadgets. You can get them both at the iPhone App Store.
5. Check out deal websites.
User-driven sites like SlickDeals let members submit bargains they find while surfing. The active communities encourage users to post the latest deals. Users can also rate each other’s deals.
Other bargain websites, such as w00t.com, are run by groups of companies that sell inexpensive products. They also have active communities which discuss their products—a fun way to get a quick scoop on an item.
6. Use FatWallet rewards when shopping online.
If you shop through FatWallet.com’s vendors, some of which sell popular tech products, they’ll give you cash back. Why? Because they get commissions on items you buy through their Cash Back stores. It’s only a click or two more work on your end, so give it a try.
These are just a few of the ways you can get the best tech deals. At first, you may feel shy haggling or using big coupons, but sucking it up now could save you from a more embarrassing credit card balance at the end of the month.
Cami Hughes is a social media advocate helping families find the best credit cards to apply for at CreditDonkey. Remember, you should feel proud that you’re making the best of your hard-earned money! So, arm yourself with online price research, credit card deals, eCoupons, and money-saving apps, bookmark your favorite deal and reward websites, then step out ready to haggle!
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WYSIWYG! I'm a simple person trying to live the simplest life possible - it seems to be the most difficult thing to achieve! I'm an internet enthusiast and I've been a webmaster since early 2007. I like: blogging, developing sites using open source software, social media, computer games, '80s music, comedy & horror, animals, crunching on M&Ms peanut and Smarties!
