I used to drive to three or four different stores looking for the better deal on something. Usually it would end up being at the first or second store, so after initial recon I’d end up driving back to where the deal was. Hey, spending an extra ten minutes driving around to save $20 or more on a big ticket item was worth it.

Now? Not so much. Gas is at $4 a gallon. Now my errands are planned around the stops to get the least amount of driving done. I’ve been known to park centrally between two stores and make the kids walk with me from one to the other. Thankfully there is a shopping center just up the road with an assortment of shops.

So how do I comparison shop?

Online, of course! Seems obvious, though. Almost all major retailers have online adds or inventory checks that you can verify prices before going to the store. Check the adds first, though. Some retailers have different prices for things online versus in the store. Target is a good one to do that, an extra Wii Guitar online was $59, at the store $69. (No, I didn’t get either.)

We still shop around for bigger ticket items, its worth it when we plan ahead and go online first.