Big-Ticket Shopping Mistakes You Can’t Afford to Make Advice from the pros on how to get your money's worth on five major purchases by Lisa Lee Freeman, AARP, April 12, 2021 | Comments: ben mounsey-wood Overpaying for a box of cereal or a shirt isn't a big deal financially. But when you're spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a purchase, getting the best possible quality at the right price is crucial. And while a new car or washing machine is always a tricky purchase, pandemic-related price increases and supply-shortages have made it even harder to find good values among these and other big-ticket items.