finding the best deal

When we are shopping and seeing all of these ads, how do we know which is the bargain and which is simply propaganda? Not too long ago I saw an ad for my son in laws favorite cereal on sale, BOGO at CVS. Well I thought good deal right? Of course I got him some cause he is my favorite son in law. I can say that out loud because so far he is the only one. But my problem was that I am not used to buying cereal. We don’t buy it at our house. We have too big of a hungry crowd and it just wouldn’t be efficient for us. We make our own. Anyway, back to my problem. After going to CVS, I went to Wal-mart which is just across the street. Well there they had the same cereal for a lower price. Lower than I got even with the BOGO sale. UGGHH. Oh well. I should have known better, but cereal was not in my pricebook. However even if it is in your pricebook you have to compare apples with apples, and oranges with oranges. so to say. Whether it be cereal or meat, or computers or web hosting. You have to line up the comparisons and judge it fairly. Take web hosting for example. If I got a great deal like I did a couple years ago but had to purchase several years worth, and it automatically renews, and I forget to cancel the renewal and it turns out to not be what I need, then it isn’t such a good deal. So lay it all out, and the bigger the purchase the more research is needed. I really like the sites that actually have comparisons on them for you. So when the right things comes on sale you will already be able to tell if it is truly a good deal.