Using your computer and internet to save big!

I decided to start this blog the other day, when I wanted to buy a new digital point-and-shoot camera for my wife and business partner. She and I are pro photographers (see my photography blog at http://learnarchitecturalphotography.blogspot.com/ and see our website at http://weshoot.com/ ). She had always carried a point-and-shoot film camera in her purse, and the other day, the battery died. It takes a special lithium battery, which is not cheap. Since digital pretty much has taken over, costs less to operate (no film), and the cameras are now very cheap (relatively), I felt going digital here was a good investment. First lesson: If you don't already have film cameras, don't invest in them.

Now, my first requisite was finding a camera that had two attributes: It would have to be 6 megapixels or larger (so the photographic stock agencies will accept the images), and that the monitor screen and the lens were covered or protected in her purse. Her old camera spent many years in her purse, and rubbed up against everything in there. It was covered with scratches. I found a supposedly discontinued camera called a Canon Powershot A620 (See photos) that would fill the bill nicely. I looked it up on the Internet and got prices all over the board from $215.95 to over $300.00 (same camera, same accessories)

Now, there are cameras out there with less megapixels that cost more, but this one fits our needs. Its screen closes and protects the monitor from scratches, the lens closes up when the camera is not switched on, and it is a 7.1 megapixel camera.

I actually hate buyinng an expensive item like a camera online. I don't have to pay sales tax online, but I usually have to pay shipping. If it is damaged when I receive it, I have to go through steps to send it back, sometimes waiting on the phone, or finding out how to do that on a company's website. Then I may have to pay for shipping to send it back. I would have to package, and label it. Then it needs to be shipped.

Fortunately, I found this same camera at OfficeMax. It was selling for $249.95 + tax ($270.95) there. Remember, I found this camera online at Norman Camera (through PriceGrabber.com) for $215.95 + shipping. Solution: OfficeMax will sell you any item at any other real company's advertised published price. Even if it is published on the web! I printed out the sale price at Norman Camera, along with the accessories list of what came with the camera on the front and back of one sheet of paper.

I took it with me to Office Max and the lady who waited on me was happy to accommodate me. She accepted the published price from Norman Camera, and at my partner's urging, looked to see if there was some other discounts she could give. She complied, and we walked out the door with our new camera priced at $200.95 + tax for a total of $217.83, beating the price from Norman Camera, if you include the shipping. I had saved $53.12 at Office Max with a little homework!

I was going to buy a 1-gigabyte card while I was there, but decided to see what the brands and models they had there went for online first. Who knows, I might just do well there, too.