Becoming a savvy consumer entails more than finding designer clothes on a sale rack. It means taking the initiative to obtain high-quality services and products at the best possible prices -- and then being assertive if you're dissatisfied.
Read Up
"Buy -- don't be sold -- products," says Stephen Brobeck, executive director of the Consumer Federation of America. Don't just go into an electronics store and ask the salesman to suggest a digital camera; do research on available features and prices first. Web sites including ConsumerReports.org, ConsumerWorld.org and PriceGrabber.com make it easy to compare items by quality and user reviews and check prices across stores and Web retailers.
In addition, be careful when shopping via Craigslist.org or Facebook.com's Marketplace application, particularly for expensive items. Since the Web sites do not take responsibility for fraudulent transactions, do extra research on the product and seller. Craigslist.org's help forum suggests meeting the seller in person and cautions against giving out financial information like bank-account numbers.
Keep Up
When you bring home your latest gadget or garment, don't toss the receipt in the trash. By keeping receipts and documents and, in some cases, packaging, you leave the option open to return items. Also, many stores offer a low-price guarantee: they will issue a credit or give cash back if the item's price drops or if you find it cheaper elsewhere.
Web sites like Shoeboxed.com, FileMyReceipt.com and MakeLifeEasy.com offer free tools to help organize and store your receipts online.
Also, promptly review all phone, utility, credit-card and insurance bills, watching for unclear "miscellaneous" fees and making sure you are charged only for services you've authorized and items you've bought.
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