The smartest thing you can do before buying something is thinking. Just - think. What is the purpose of this thing you want to buy? What do you really expect out of it? And, most importantly - what retailer is going to give you the most bang for your buck?

I often say "Wal-Mart is crap dirt cheap, Sams Club is really high quality at relatively low prices, and Big Lots is inexpensive good stuff." You can pretty much tell where I shop the most in that one little statement, right? Well, not exactly.

Some places definitely have the areas where they shine. I mean, if it's something that isn't going to have a lot of wear and tear - like a lamp or a pot for planting - I go to Wal-Mart. If it needs to be a bit more heavy duty - like a desk or guest air mattress - then I go to Big Lots. If I want something really nice and pretty heavy duty - like dishes, a nice throw blanket - then I go to Sams Club.

What I'm trying to say here is you gotta pay attention to the quality you want before you pick the source for that item. For instance, I would never buy dishes at Wal-Mart because one little bang against the sink is going to chip it.

You definitely get what you pay for...