Recently in Electronics Category

Buy.com has a Westinghouse 26-inch LCD monitor for $260, which is 3.7% lower than it's previous price at Buy.com. Shipping is free.

Buy.com says this monitor sells for as much as $700 but really the high price is about $500. Amazon has the same monitor for $260, but I'm not sure if they charge for shipping. Other sellers start in the $400s.

Set up a price alert at PriceSpider.com to see how the price fluctuates.

How are the prices? Are they any better than the last round of liquidation sales? Leave a comment to share your experience.

One of my favorite savvy shoppers, Suzanne O'Connor at BargainsLA, warns away from liquidation sales.

"Most liquidation companies come in and mark prices up to or higher than the originally MSRP and then slowly lower prices from there," she said in an email. "The prices before the liquidation company came in often were lower than the liquidation price. These companies also may bring in other outside product to try to sell at these sales.

"Avoid these sales. Only go when the original companies are having markdowns and showing signs of distress. That's when the real deals will appear."

But I think it's a good idea to drop in now to see how prices are. Then wait until they drop to a price you are willing to pay.

Circuit City may go bankrupt by Friday if a buyer does not step in, the Washington Post reports. What I'm wondering is if the big box electronics store is still accepting gift cards?

Circuit City filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy in November, which allowed it to reorganize.

"Circuit City attributed its November bankruptcy filing to the credit crunch," the story says. "Officials said 75 percent of the company's transactions are made on credit cards. Sales plummeted as consumers were no longer able to get credit or scaled back on their purchases.

"Declining sales hindered the company's ability to make inventory payments to vendors, who in turn tightened credit on Circuit City. As a result, the company was limited in buying merchandise to stock its shelves."

If a buyer does not step in soon the company could go out of business. Read the full story here.

I did it. I got an iPhone! Guess what my first bill came to after one day of service? Read all about it on my new blog, Bargain Babe.

There is also a great post about which vegetables freeze well, which is a follow up to when bargain hunting bites you in the bum.

A reader named Corrine left a comment yesterday asking if I knew of a cell phone plan that is $15 for three months with rollover minutes. If only!

Unfortunately, I do not know of any plans that cheap, Corrine, but T-mobile has a pre-paid plan that is $100 for 1,000 minutes that are good for one year, according to a post on Consumer Reports.

That is about $8 a month for 80 minutes. Renew before the minutes expire and they rollover.

Yes, Virginia, it does. Read the story from the NY Times.

UPDATE: Today is your last chance to vote for whether I should splurge on an iPhone or save $$$ by sticking to my current no-frills phone. Check back tomorrow for my final decision!!! Thanks to everyone who voted.

PREVIOUSLY: I came home after a week out of town and guess what Hubby bought? An incredibly expensive $300 iPhone. But I'm not mad. I'm in love.

It is sleek, incredibly easy to use, and very hip. Within a few minutes of playing with it I found my cheapskate mantra had melted into a desire to own one.

It was as if a "spend" demon leapt onto my shoulder and was drowning out the "save" angel who normally has my ear.

Here's what the demon is telling me: with an iPhone I could "live blog" from the mall and post deals as I found them. I could publish comments as soon as readers leave them on the blog. I would watch YouTube from bed!

Here's what the angel is telling me: The iPhone's price and monthly service contract adds up to $1,879 over the two-year contract, and that is more than I can afford. I should stick to my low-frills cell.

What do you think?

"It's time once again for the wintertime stunt I've been conducting since 2001: a research project I like to call, "How much digital camera can $300 buy you?" writes NY Times tech writer David Pogue.

His story lists the best digital cameras under $300. A coincidence his list comes out right before the holidays? Not a chance.