How to Score Cheap Deals on Software
Here at Business Hacks, we're all about the freebies. We typically recommend OpenOffice over Microsoft Office, GIMP in place of Photoshop, and so on.
Of course, sometimes you need the real deal, the commercial software that's already approved and supported in your company. But nowhere does it say you have to pay full retail prices for it.
Over at Digital Inspiration, you'll find a ton of tips on how to save money on software. Here's a sampling:
1. Always do comparison shopping (keep reading to learn about sites that offer comparison shopping for software). Never assume that the online software store you are looking at offers the best deal just because it's popular.The author also lists various online stores that sell software at a discount and price-comparison sites you can use for easy shopping.2. Always remember to check extras like free shipping; this can turn one deal better than the other one even though it may look the opposite way when you look just at the price of the software.
Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my own Cheapskate blog, which occasionally spotlights killer deals on software -- like Office Home and Student 2007 for $60. (It's perfectly suitable for home offices, too.) Alas, that particular deal has expired, but it does prove there are bargains to be had even on the priciest of software.