How to Save on Consumer Electronics

April 4, 2006 — -- The Savings Mom, Stephanie Nelson, frequently answers reader or "GMA" viewer questions about smart ways to save on everyday items. Below, she answers a question on consumer electronics.

Question: I would like to know how I can find the best deals on electronics products that I need to buy. I am looking for an MP3 player, a new monitor for my computer and a laptop.

Savings Mom Says: I'll admit, I am not an expert on electronics. In spite of this handicap, I have been able to buy good quality electronics at competitive prices by taking advantage of readily available research on the Internet.

When it comes to electronics, another good source of information is the opinions of other people who have already purchased the product. Web sites like epinions.com and amazon.com are good places to look for consumer product reviews. If you have a particular product model and brand in mind, you can search for reviews on these sites, or you can just search for a more general category, like MP3 players. Both sites allow you to sort by brand name, price, average rating based on a five-star system and features. Amazon gives you the ability to sort by popularity as well.