Locate good comparison shopping sites and sort by total price

Looking for a particular product? Several sites will search the Web for you. Many offer the ability to sort by price and some include the total shipping cost. Remember that a site’s advertisers pay for top ranking, so the site that comes out on top isn’t necessarily the best. Be sure to compare apples with shipping and tax to apples with shipping and tax.

I recommend: Search for products and sorting by price at Yahoo Shopping (which also offers buyer protection for some merchants), Price Grabber, NexTag, MySimon, BizRate and Shopping.com. You may also try a second search shopping sites that don't charge merchants to be included in search results: Froogle, ShopWiki, TheFind, and Microsoft’s Live Product Search Beta.

Shop at deal sites in a product category

Some sites only offer deals within a specific category, with members notifying users of the latest and greatest bargains.

I recommend: For computers and electronic deals visit TechBargains, PriceWatch and ResellerRatings.  For business books, check BestBookBuys.

Subscribe to newsletters and email alerts

Many deal Web sites allow you to subscribe to a newsletter or to set up deal alerts that automatically email you when the products you want become available as a deal or when they hit a certain price.

I recommend: Subscribe to Cheap Stingy Bargains’ newsletter or sign up for deal alerts for specific products from DealCatcher, BradsDeals, DealNews.  Request a deal, email alert or subscribe to the newsletter at TechBargains.

Search many deals at once

Forums are places where members alert other members of deals they find on Web.

I recommend: Previously, you would have had to search forums such as FatWallet, GottaDeal and SlickDeals separately however now with dealighted, you can search all of them at once.  . Roosster also searches many deal Web sites for you.

Join cash-back programs

In order to get your business, Web sellers work with programs that give you cash back when you purchase items. For instance, you can get cash back for shopping online at places like Office Depot, Staples and OfficeMax.

I recommend: Join ebates to get cash back from Office Depot, Staples, Buy.com, Office Max, CompUSA, Circuit City and computer makers such as Dell. JellyFish will give you cash back from computer vendors such as PCMall, office supplies from Office Max and shipping supplies at Stamps.com.  Fat Wallet cash back stores include Staples, Discount Office Supplies and NewEgg. DealKing offers cash back and lists offers for Staples, Office Depot, TigerDirect and Vista Print.

Give one-shot deals a shot

Some places offer a big deal for a limited time and when it’s gone it’s gone. The products run the gamut from power screwdrivers to computer hardware but you can often find business-related equipment.

I recommend: Try Woot or ThingFling.  At 1:00 pm EST, the cash back percentage increases until all of the items are sold with JellyFish’s smack deal.

Check prices before you go land shopping

If you are planning to purchase an item in a retail store, use the Web to check for sales in your area/

I recommend: Go to SalesHound or ShopLocal and search by your zip code for local deals.