Prices fluctuate more on Amazon than you might think.  Camelcamelcamel.com (odd name, great site) tracks prices for most products on Amazon.com.  It has two primary benefits:

1. It shows the price history for products so you can see if they are likely to reduce in price.  I’ve seen prices drop 25% or more and then jump back up.
2. You can set up price alerts so it will notify you if the price drops below your preferred threshold.  This is great for things you don’t need right away.

You can paste in Amazon URLs at the Camel site, or you can use a Google Chrome extension that will put a camel icon in your address bar.  Just click it when you are on an Amazon page and it will show you the price history and give you other options, such as setting the price alert.

This is a great tool to use to stock up on commodities when prices are at their low points.  Here’s an example of a simple product that has surprising variability in its price: Speed Stick Deodorant.  Over a short time frame a six-pack ranges from $12 to $20, with a lot of ups and downs.

And I just saved $$ on a toner cartridge.  I had a price alert for $46 and it went from $47 to $41 in one day.

Bonus tips: If you don’t have an Amazon store credit card you should seriously consider it.  It gives you 5% off all purchases!  And if you use the Subscribe & Save feature, you can save up to 15% more on your basics.

Note: I receive nothing by posting about Amazon or Camel.  I just like to save money and time.