| If I were not trying to be frugal, I might go to a big | | | | you buy bids in advance. Then you can browse |
| box store to buy a new laptop. But I am tightening | | | | through the live auctions and place bids on products |
| my belt, so I'll go online to a site with live online | | | | you would like to buy. Each time a bid is placed on an |
| auctions. An interactive auction will save me money | | | | item, the auction time gets extended. Each auction |
| on my new laptop in two ways. First of all, the | | | | ends when the bidding ends. The last bidder wins. |
| computer will be much less expensive. And second, I | | | | In case you have to leave your computer before the |
| won't have the cost of driving 60 miles roundtrip to | | | | bidding is over on your product, you can use an |
| go to the mall. | | | | automatic bidding system to place bids for you. Don't |
| And besides, a live auction is much more fun than the | | | | worry - automatic bidders are trained to be thrifty. |
| mall! | | | | A number of sites hold charity auctions in which the |
| I thought there was only one site with live online | | | | site donates the final sales price to a registered |
| auctions (it starts with E), but it turns out there are | | | | charity. Sometimes the site picks the charity; |
| quite a few. And they don't just sell computers. One | | | | sometimes the winner does. Again, every site is a |
| site I looked at advertised digital cameras, Garmin | | | | little different. |
| GPS, and PSP. I had to look up PSP. In case you | | | | You might wonder how live online auctions can sell |
| don't know, it stands for PlayStation Portable, which | | | | products for 80-90% off retail. For one, they buy in |
| of course is a handheld game console made by Sony. | | | | bulk at a discounted rate so they can pass the |
| They sell other games, too, like Nintendo and Wii. I | | | | savings on to their customers. And sometimes |
| must admit I'm a huge Wii fan. | | | | manufacturers or distributors donate items to sites in |
| That's not all they sell. Many sell flat screen TVs, | | | | exchange for free advertising. |
| iPods, and items that have nothing to do with | | | | Live interactive auctions combine the thrill of an |
| electronics, like family vacations packages, clothing, | | | | auction with the ease of the Internet. They are |
| jewelry, and vehicles. If you check back every few | | | | perfect for bargain hunters and people who like it |
| days, which I'm sure you will once you get started, | | | | when charities benefit from their purchases. You will |
| you'll see new products all the time. | | | | be able to afford products you thought were way |
| Every interactive auction works a little differently, but | | | | out of your range. Your friends and relatives will |
| this is how a typical live auction site might operate. | | | | wonder how you struck it rich when you give them |
| Once you register and become a member (for free), | | | | quality gifts that you won at online auctions. |