I agree, if you hate haggling, Costco is a great way to go. But if you’re not afraid to use phone and email to contact dealers’ Internet sales reps, and have them compete for your business, then you can get at least as good a deal on your own than with Costco.

We recently bought a Subaru Forester. I called several local dealers and got their “best” Internet price. Then my wife remembered the Costco program and called them. Guess what, the Costco-affiliated dealer offered me the exact same price it had offered me when I contacted them directly. They said they couldn’t go lower than that.

As a frugal Pigg I first tried buying a used car, but most people simply don’t take good care of their cars. My 2001 Mustang and 2002 Forester still run like new and will probably last me another 10 years hassle-free… but then again, I wouldn’t sell my well-cared cars.