When you're going to a big store looking for deals, you might be surprised that you can bargain down prices just as if you were purchasing copper pots in a Middle Eastern bazaar. Many stores will have published policies about matching online prices, but many also have unwritten rules about it. In today's slowing economy, sticker prices aren't what you have to pay - they're more like suggestions. Dust off your bargaining skills, because you're going to need them to get the best prices on major purchases.

Before you go to a store, print out some similar prices of products that you're looking to buy in the particular store. If you want to just shop around to see what you might want, it might be a good idea to bring an internet capable device like a Blackberry, Sidekick, or iPhone with you so that you can look up prices and show them to salesmen as bargaining chips to help cut down on your costs.

Every salesmen will have a lower boundary on the price they're willing to sell an item for. The first step in bargaining is to communicate your interest in a product. Don't seem to enthusiastic. Act skeptical about whether or not buying what you're looking at is really worth it. You want to get the salesman nervous about whether or not you're really going to make a purchase or not. It's a bit like poker - you want them to think that you have less money than you really do, and they want you to believe that they're only willing to sell an item for a higher price. Pick a price target based on the lowest prices you can find online, and then press them to do it lower. You know that you've screwed up if they accept your initial offer. No one becomes an expert bargainer in a day. Practice at many stores on smaller items so that you can develop an effective personal style.