Compare and Contrast to Find the Best Price

One thing's for certain, prices change. Sometimes weekly. Sometimes daily.  Sometimes more. Sometimes whenever the !$%@! retailer wants to change it. Therefore, you can never be sure where you'll find the best price.  And that's for sure.

So as a diligent shopper, you need to compare and contrast to find the best price at any given time.

But How Do You Find Out Where the Best Price Exists?

Ah yes, that Dear Grasshopper, is not always so easy.  And next to impossible.  But you can at least put in a concerted effort.  Well, if you want to save some $$ that is. You should definitely consider both online and in-store merchants. This means you might want to consider the following sources:

For Online Searches

• Search specific sites that you know carry the products you want. For instance, if you're looking for housewares, it's a good idea to check discount stores, department stores, specialty stores that carry housewares, etc.  You know.
• Do some random google searches (or using your preferred browser). In this type of search, you can try both general searches, and detailed searches specifying model, color, size, etc.
• Try searching using google's shopping tab.  You might (make that will) get some different results.
• Depending on the product you're looking for, you might want to consider doing a separate search on Amazon.com. (Since Amazon has such a robust set of products and such a good search engine, I can often find items very quickly and easily here.  Also they're often quite competitively priced.)
• Again, depending on what you're looking for, consider searching on eBay.  You may or may not find a good deal there.

For In-store Searches

• Check current flyers, newspaper ads, and consider any special discounts you might have if you're a regular customer or account holder of said merchant.
• Check in-store.  This can be tedious, but for higher ticket items can be well worth a little extra effort.  Stores often have different prices in person than online.  And the best prices can be found at either "location."
• It can be especially prudent to visit stores when looking for items that are seasonal values. For instance, if you're looking for linens, shop during White Sales. If you're looking for BBQs, shop after Labor Day, etc. Also, after the holiday sales can be a good time to find a bargain.

No Hard and Fast Rules

The main thing to remember when seeking out best prices is that there are no hard and fast rules. A best price can pop up at any time and anywhere. So as long as you know that online prices are not necessarily better than in-store prices. Discount stores don't always offer the best prices. eBay can be more expensive than any other source (but the opposite can also be true).  As long as you keep in mind these principles, and are not just lured by the latest and greatest "Last Ever Sale", you'll be well on your way to finding a great deal.