In the October issue, Senior Editor Eric Dahl writes that "Dell-branded products go on sale more often than items by other manufacturers." To get the best Dell deals, he says, you need to check both the "home/home office" and "small business" sections on the Dell Web site.

"They run different promotions," Dahl explains, "because those portions of the site are sort of run independently of each. So you may find a deal on a product one of those sites that you won't find on the site."

Dahl says even if you're going to make the purchase at a brick and mortar store, you should do a little online price shopping first. That's because many retailers run different deals on line.

Sometimes you can get a good deal online and arrange to pick it up in person at the store, which is a nice way to get what you're looking for at a good price.

Here are two sites that track day-to-day bargains: www.stealdeals.net and www.techbargains.com. Both of these sites also list coupon codes that can often be used to bring down the sales price even more.

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