In a previous article, I promised that I’d write on my bargain hunting tips, so I thought I’d finally divulge the secrets to my penny-pinching ways!

My hubby and I are known by friends and family as serious bargain hunters. Is it because we’re as cheap as starving college students? Close… but not exactly. We do it for the lure of the hunt. The satisfaction of knowing that we got the best deal out there and to save us from upset stomachs after finding a better deal than the one we got. Yes, we are practicing misers and proud of it!

So here’s the skinny on getting a good deal:

• Keep tabs on deal sites like dealnews.com for those in the U.S. and RedFlagDeals.com for Canadians and stay on top of hot deals on products you want to buy.
• Once you find a hot deal, see if you can get another store to match the price if they have other freebies like free shipping or better customer service.
• If you purchase from a store located outside your province, you don’t have to pay the PST. For example, I’m in BC and would normally pay 7% PST on top of the GST. However, if I purchase from a store, say, in Ontario, I only have to pay the GST! The same applies for out-of-state purchases in the U.S.
• Try to find a store that will ship to you for free.
• Some stores have a points system (eg. Best Buy) so take advantage of those when you’re buying those big-ticket items.
• Price Beating - Some stores (eg. Future Shop, Best Buy) have a price beat guarantee. For example, you might be able to get an extra savings of 10% of the price difference on top of getting a price match.

Taking the time to do some research can pay off in the end, saving you big bucks… so you can buy your next camera accessory! Good luck in your hunt!

Laura is a Vancouver wedding and portrait photographer. Visit laurahana.com.