Tips on how you can shop for lower prices

Tips from Sally Deneen.

A Broward reader says she needs to replace a toaster oven and a microwave oven. She wonders: Is there a way to quickly compare prices among stores, such as Target, Best Buy, Amazon.com, eBay. com and Sears?

“It is a pain in the neck to visit individual web pages and write down the cost,” she notes.

Answer: Hundreds of models are sold by online stores, which is a daunting exercise. One way to comparison shop is to go to ConsumerReports.org, which tests and rates models. For example, among mid-sized countertop microwave ovens, the Avanti model MO1250TW rates highest at the site, and a link leads to a handful of sellers that sell it for $108 and up, plus shipping. Normally, viewing their ratings requires a subscription ($30 a year or $6.95 a month with automatic renewal), so be sure to cancel if you decide you need the subscription for only a short time.

Alternatively, you can compare prices for free at PriceGrabber.com and Nextag.com, which quickly search prices at hundreds of websites. Example: At PriceGrabber, a search for “microwave” returned more than 2,000 matches, so I then refined it by asking for countertop models, which narrowed the choices to 99. Price, size, brand names and color are among other ways to narrow choices. Ratings, when available, are by consumers.

Mother’s Day deals: Mother’s Day is next Sunday. At Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee (561-7931084), moms can forgo the usual $31.50 admission — though there is a limit of one free mom’s admission per vehicle. Also, she must bring at least one child who is charged regular price ($23 for ages 3 to 9) and present a Mother’s Day coupon printed at LionCountrySafari.com.

Butterfly World this year is changing its annual tradition. Moms on Mother’s Day weekend can visit for $10 daily — not for free. That’s still a break from the normal adult cost of $26.95.

It’s located within Tradewinds Park at 3600 W. Sample Road in Coconut Creek (954-977-4434), and Tradewinds also will charge the gate fee of $1.50 per person (age 6 and up) or a maximum of $8 per car or van (six to nine occupants). Cutting Corners appears Sundays in Community News. Email cutcorner@ aol.com or record a message at 954-356-4759.