People are spending more than they have in two years on flat-screen TVs, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

New data from market research firm IHS iSupply finds that the average price is now up over $1,200. Shoppers are buying fancy TVs, smart TVs, LEDs, you name it. They all have fantastic picture resolution.

But the other side of market is that current technology TVs – not state-of-the-art smart TVs -- are by far the cheapest ever. I’ve been watching the sales and have seen 32-inch HDTVs for $175; 42-inch for $299; 50-inch for $399; and 60-inch for $799.

That’s so much less than what people are paying right now on average.

Roku is a great way to take a dumb TV and make it into a smart TV for $100 or less. Samsung has a Blu-ray DVD player that often goes on sale for $89 with beautifully thought out apps to simulate a smart TV experience.

So instead of buying the latest, greatest TV, buy the deal and then get a separate device. Don’t have all your functionality built into one device. By dividing, you conquer the cost. Buy two devices and you’ll save hundreds and hundreds of dollars.