Use the Internet to maximize price protection

Over the summer, Clark mentioned a service for airline customers called Yapta.com. Yapta lets you know if you're eligible for a refund or credit if airfare drops after you've made a purchase. Now that same idea is being applied to the world of retail. Many stores offer a price-protection policy. So if you buy something and the price drops within 30 days, the retailer may give you a refund. But who's really combing over circulars and online ads after you've made your purchase? Enter the magic of the Internet. There are a couple of free, ad-supported websites that will do it for you! They include RefundPlease.com and PriceProtectr.com. You simply enter the make and model of what you bought and they'll send you an e-mail if the price drops. PriceProtectr.com claims to have saved consumers more than $500,000, while RefundPlease.com says its savings are more in the $100,000 range.