It’s hard to find good deals in today’s world, but there are some things that are worth investing in. Here’s how to find the best deals for everything from food to entertainment to travel.

STEP 1: Figure Out What You Need and What You Can Live Without

If you’re trying to save money, the first step is to figure out what you need and what you can live without. For example, if you don’t need cable, can you skip it and still watch movies? If you only eat pizza once a week, can you live without it? If you don’t want to buy a new television, can you live without it?

If you can’t live without something, then it’s probably not a good deal to buy it. This will also help you figure out what you really need.

STEP 2: Shop Around

If you’re looking for a particular item, shop around to see what other places are offering. Some retailers will have a coupon or two to go along with their sale prices.

If you know you’re going to buy something anyway, then you can always ask the store manager for a better deal. If you can show that you’ll be buying that item regardless of the sale price, then you’ll likely get a better deal.

STEP 3: Check Coupons

Coupons are a great way to save money, but you have to be smart about where you spend your money. There are plenty of coupons that are only available online, but there are others that you can print off the newspaper or magazine.

You can also use coupon apps on your phone to scan barcodes.

STEP 4: Use Groupon and LivingSocial

Groupon and LivingSocial are two sites that often have coupon codes for local businesses. These websites allow you to buy an item and get a coupon in return. You can redeem the coupon for a discount on your purchase.

It’s important to be aware that these companies are owned by Google and Facebook respectively, so they’re not necessarily giving you the best deal. You can learn more about these services in my post on Groupon and LivingSocial.

STEP 5: Find Deals Online

There are many different ways to find deals online. You can search for a specific website, search for a specific product, or search for a specific category.

STEP 6: Make an In-Store Purchase If you can’t find a good deal online, you can always make an in-store purchase. Some stores even give a discount if you buy a certain number of items.