Steal Your Appliances

Remember that I promised to share with you how I scored my appliances for nearly half off?

Here's how you can do it:

1. See if anyone else you know needs appliances so that you can piggyback orders, giving you more negotiating power.
2. Every place -- even outlets -- has an outlet (yes, there are outlets of outlets!) that will sell their "damaged" appliances. About half of these are scratch and dent models where the damage is in a place you'll never see, or something as minor as a missing drawer. Plus, you can still negotiate the price even lower than it's already reduced.
3. Develop a loyal relationship with one store and, preferably, one salesperson. You may have to wait, but they'll call you when a steal finally goes on sale.
4. Call the manufacturer. Even the highest end manufacturers will give hefty discounts for discontinued or slightly scratched models.
5. Forgo the insurance they sell at the store, and instead use it as a negotiating tool. Nearly every appliance comes with a manufacturer's warranty anyway. You can always choose to extend that one when it runs out.

To save money, I would NOT recommend:

1. Purchasing "refurbished" appliances.
2. Buying used.
3. Buying online from an individual.
4. Buying online from a store that you've never heard of.
5. Settling on a brand that you're not comfortable with.