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Tips and hints for finding deals and saving money on Amazon

Need a book? The old way to buy it would be to go to a brick and mortars shop. But the new and improved way to buy that same book is to visit Amazon.com, one of todays largest online retailers. In fact, Amazon.com is not only one of the most popular websites of the Internet, but it is also the place to go to shop and check out user reviews.

Amazon.com began selling books and quickly expanded to include much, much more from electronics, kitchen appliances, toiletries and even clothing. By its own admission, Amazon.com strives to be Earth’s most customer-centric company where people can find and discover virtually anything they want to buy online.

With all Amazon.com has to offer, though, how do you wade through thousands and thousands of items, and online no less? And how do you determine whether or not you are getting the best deal? Thankfully, Amazon.com provides many ways for you to truly save money and get a deal, which Ill discuss here.

So, youre looking for a digital camera and youre overwhelmed with the various options and models. A good starting point to narrow your choice is your favorite search engine where you can look for a buying guide. After you have an idea of what you want to buy, go back to your search engine (I use Google) and enter “model name + review.” Read a few independent reviews about the model you’ve selected and find out what other people are saying. What are the system’s pros and cons? And, of course, Amazon.com has a very large and active user community where you can check out user reviews and ratings directly on their site.

To also help you narrow down your choices, you can go to the appropriate Featured Store directly on Amazon.com, e.g. Electronics, and look up the Top Sellers for the particular product youre interested in. Amazon.com also provides a page with Todays Deals and Outlet, Used & Refurbished where you can often find great deals. And to ensure youre getting the best price, make sure to check the many coupon / deal sites which will help you stack coupons and apply rebates.

And here are some other easy ways to save when shopping on Amazon.com:

Dont forget to take advantage of Amazon.coms standard offer of free shipping for applicable orders over $25. Does your purchase total $24.99? No worries, add some paperclips or sticky pads for a dollar or two and youre set.

Amazon.com also routinely offers coupon codes, like $25 off your purchase of $125 or more, or 5% off up to $100 on various purchases. When you are shopping on Amazon.com, make sure to scroll down and read the entire product page, as the coupon codes are often listed some where on the page.

Amazon.com also offers a Buy both and save option on many complementary products. Not only does this option save you money on two products, but it almost always brings your total to at least $25, qualifying you for free shipping, and/or also reaches a coupon threshold so you can save even more! Look for this option on the product page, right under the product price and picture.

And as I stated above, deal sites can be an invaluable resource for identifying rebates and even free with purchase offers that are often too good to pass up.

So let’s recap:

1. Amazon.com offers thousands and thousands of products.
2. Research the right model and options for YOUR needs. Use a buying guide.
3. Search for a review of the model you selected on a search engine or Amazon.com. Use “model name” + “review.”
4. Find a good coupon / deal site to check for rebates, free with purchase offers and coupons.
5. Go to Amazon.com, select your model and double check for Amazon.com-specific coupons, free shipping and other options like buy both and save.
6. Apply your coupon at checkout.
7. Use the lowest priced shipping.

Pat yourself on the back, because you have now saved BIG!

While many articles and books have been written to help you once you’re in debt, very few have been written about how to avoid getting into debt in the first place. Many people choose to go to credit counseling only after they’re on the brink of filing for bankruptcy. If you want to be successful financially, you have to first learn how to do things before the fact, not after it. In this article I will show you some common sense things you can do to avoid debt.

Teaching Personal Finance At Grassroots

Understanding the importance of personal finance is a key factor in being successful in life. It is hard to do much of anything if you are unable to manage your money. Most highschools today don’t teach teenagers the importance of finance despite the fact credit card companies will mail them cards upon their graduation. I believe this one of the reaons why the average American family today owes about $10,000 in credit card debt. They simply do not understand how to manage their money, or they lack the discipline to do so.

Save For Your Luxuries Dont Borrow

The first step in avoiding debt is to simply not borrow money. If you want something that you can’t afford to pay for with cash, you probably don’t need it. If you really want it, you should save up your money and buy it. By doing this you will become disciplined and stay out of debt at the same time. It is easy to get a credit card or a loan to buy something. It takes discipline and hard work to save up enough money to buy it. Saving money has always been a simple path to building wealth. The more money you save, the wealthier you’ll become.

Do You Really Need The Latest Tech Goods?

Many people are distracted by the bells and whistles of the many electronic products which flood the market today. Many people fail to realize that the digital camera or Ipod you pay $200 for today won’t be worth anything tomorrow. Electronics almost always depreciate in value. Why go out and use a credit card to buy expensive electronics when they will lose their value after they’re purchased?

Cut Out The Middle Man

One way to effectively mangage your money is to develop a wholesale mentality. When I say this I mean that you should consider not paying retail prices for electronics, furniture, or other goods. You should think about paying wholesale prices for these goods rather than retail, especially if they depreciate in value. Instead of going to the mall or furniture store to shop for clothes or furniture, why not go to a clothing outlet or thrift store?

The Freedom Of Being Debt Free

Many people become wealthy and debt free by simply saving their money, paying wholesale prices for goods, and placing some of their savings in safe investments like IRA accounts. They often will only have one credit card if any, and the amount of money they have saved up will be much larger than the balance they owe on their credit card. This is the real secret to wealth. The get rich quick schemes and late night infomercials are disinformation which will not give you true answers.

Dont Be Another Sheep!

Avoiding debt and maintaining good credit is another key of financial success. It is important to understand the 80/20 principle when dealing with personal finance. You will want to avoid doing what 80% of the population does. Most people owe tens of thousands of dollars on credit cards, student loans, or car loans. Others use payday loans between paychecks to make ends meet. This puts them in a cycle of debt which will keep them from ever becoming wealthy or retiring in comfort. The credit card companies and banks continue to make billions while most consumers are getting further into debt.