Where to buy cheap computers and electronics

If you're like most people, when you want a computer, you run down to Best Buy or go to Dell and find a good deal. If you do this, you are paying too much. I'm not saying Dell doesn't have deals, because they do. They also have coupons that you can use to lower your price. If you go to coupon-finder.com, you will find many Dell and other name brand coupons.

But, if you shop at Best Buy or Circuit City, you won't be getting a deal. What you will be getting is the opportunity to pay retail or even worse. The insurance the box stores try to sell you is never a good idea. You should always say no to insurance. Much of the profit these stores make off electronics is those insurance policies that rarely get used. It's a huge profit center. Don't pay extra for it.

If you really want to save, shop online and do your homework. There are numerous bargain sites on the internet where you can find good deals. One is http://www.techbargains.com/. Dell always has deals there. If you want to compare prices, go to http://www.pricegrabber.com/. But, if you want to pay the least, go to http://www.pricewatch.com/. Pricewatch has a full array of computers, part and accessories and will have the lowest prices around. This site is for people who build their own computers.

When shopping at Dell, beware of the customization process. If you find a good deal, buy the deal and don't change a thing. Dell's hard drives are often twice as expensive as if you bought them online. Many of Dell's upgrades, including monitors are above retail. Dell offers some great deals, then gets you during the upgrade process. Don't fall for it.

Another way to get good deals is by shopping at http://www.newegg.com/. They are one of the cheapest and most reputable electronics and computer dealers online. They ship right away, and they honor their warranties.

If you're looking for reliable service, Dell is the way to go. They offer a three year warranty. Again, don't fall for the upgrades. On the other hand, Best Buy and the Geek Squad have what they call preconfigured machines. Prior to selling the machine, they package it with a Geek Squad setup. Only, you're the one being set up. They charge an extra $65 or more to take all the b.s. off the machine and do some other tweaks. Now, this is great if you are a grandma who is a first time user, but it's just plain not worth it.

So, if you do your homework, shop around, you can save money.