5 ways to shop smarter

Get cash back on appliances

If you're thinking about buying a new dishwasher or upgrading your old fridge, April is a great time to go for it. Many appliance dealers will offer deals timed to Earth Day on April 22, and you can save even more with rebates offered as part of the Cash for Clunkers for Appliances program. The government has set aside $300 million, first come, first served. You can get a rebate of $50 to $250, depending on what you buy and the state you live in. Ask retailers for the forms or download them at your state's energy office. (For details, see our information on the Cash for Clunkers for Appliances rebate program) Your purchase might also be eligible for federal tax credits and incentives from the local utility company.

Speak up for savings

Before you pay the sticker price for that new appliance, be sure to ask for a better deal. Sales have been slow, so retailers are more likely to haggle. In a 2008 survey of Consumer Reports subscribers, 75 percent of the respondents who tried negotiating the price of a small appliance were successful and usually saved about $50. Too bad only 10 percent of shoppers asked for a better price.

Watch out for scams!

We've warned about too-good-to-be-true offers for free trials of "miracle" Acai berry supplements and other products that don't live up to their advertising hype but saddle you with credit-card bills. Now those fake free trials have shown up on the Better Business Bureau's list of the biggest consumer scams of 2009. Others on the list: lottery scams that look like legit sweepstakes offers, mystery-shopper job offers, debt assistance that costs you money, and work-from-home "opportunities" supposedly for Google and Twitter.

Be skeptical of "guaranteed lowest advertised prices"

Manufacturers sometimes require retailers to advertise a product for more than the maker's set minimum price. But that doesn't necessarily mean you can't get it for less. You might be able to negotiate a lower price or get a better deal if a Web retailer requires you to call or put an item in your shopping cart to get a price quote. That often indicates that the retailer is selling the item below the minimum advertised price set by the manufacturer.

Bag some extra cash

If you take reusable bags to stores, many retailers will give you discounts or rewards, usually 5 cents a pop, that will apply the next time you shop. But if you use self-checkout, you might have to ask for assistance, because the discounts aren't always programmed into those registers. CVS gives you $1 in Extra Bucks Rewards every fourth time you use your own bag, but you have to buy a 99-cent bag tag first. It all adds up, so check the register and if you don't see your discount, ask!

Is this really a good deal, or can I get it cheaper somewhere else? If you have a smart phone, new bar-code-scanner apps like the three below can tell you in seconds. Just use the phone's camera to scan the UPC, and competitors' prices will pop up (from price-comparison Web sites and retailers). You can read product reviews, too. According to app developers and our own expert on this technology, you'll have the best luck with newer phones with autofocus cameras (such as the Android-powered G1) and with certain products, namely electronics, books, and DVDs. Results can be spotty for groceries and clothing, developers admit. Low light and glare can distort scans, but you can type in codes or item names as a backup.

RedLaser

Price $1.99
Works on iPhone
Best for scanning groceries, because its technology can capture hard-to-read codes on irregular surfaces. It's also the only app we reviewed that works consistently on phones without autofocus.

ShopSavvy

Price Free
Works on Android and iPhone
Best for shopping locally because it has one-touch dialing and directions to walk-in stores, plus online results. A price-alert feature pings to let you know when prices drop.

Underscore Price Check Pro

Price 99 cents
Works on iPhone
Best for scoping out electronics before you buy because it gives you product specs. You can also preview music tracks on iTunes before you decide to whip out a credit card.