ONLINE, of course! I don't care if you're looking to build yourself an entire computer from scratch or buy something as measly as a $2 desktop mic; sites like newegg and TigerDirect or even Amazon or eBay are your best friends, way more often than not.For all things computer-related, newegg is my first stop. I was able to buy everything for the computer that my boyfriend built for me--from my motherboard to my power strip--for $595, tax and shipping included. I was also able to score a sweet little refubished 4 GB Sansa MP3 player for $30 that's lasted me a couple of years so far. Newegg also has things like free shipping and combo deals on any number of items if you've got the time to shop around a little, making it even more economical.
Aside from my computer and my MP3 player, one of my most prized possessions as an artist is my drawing tablet. I got my Bamboo Fun drawing tablet by Wacom on Amazon for a very good price (something like $70 if I remember correctly), especially considering it came with Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0, Corel Painter Essentials 4.0, and Nik Color Efex Pro 3.0, any one of which is worth more than the total cost of the tablet and the software that came with it. I'm sure that if I bought this at a local store like, say, Best Buy, it would've easily been over $100.
The only drawback to shopping online for these sorts of things, however, is the wait time between when you place your order and when the product shows up at your house. If you're able to plan these things out in advance (which you should always do, anyway), though, it's definitely worth your while. If you absolutely must buy software or some sort of electronic at a store, Best Buy should be your last resort. Try places like Target first. The vast majority of the purchases I've ever made at Best Buy were later regretted. Don't do it...I mean it.
The only drawback to shopping online for these sorts of things, however, is the wait time between when you place your order and when the product shows up at your house. If you're able to plan these things out in advance (which you should always do, anyway), though, it's definitely worth your while. If you absolutely must buy software or some sort of electronic at a store, Best Buy should be your last resort. Try places like Target first. The vast majority of the purchases I've ever made at Best Buy were later regretted. Don't do it...I mean it.
