All of us dread the thought of buying batteries. I am not referring to the AA or 9Volt batteries, which also add up, but primarily the extra cell phone battery, the replacement battery for our laptop or camcorder, the surplus battery for our digital camera – so it won’t run out on our vacation, just as we have the perfect picture in front of you. Let’s face it. These batteries are not cheap. Camera batteries can often cost $40-$60 batteries, and I have been stuck paying almost $200 for a replacement laptop battery.

Why are they so expensive?
Batteries are so expensive because while manufacturers often heavily discount the products they sell to make thin margins on their cameras and phones, but then turn around and make 200-400% on the peripherals, since most people don’t shop around and compare for these. Think about it. When is the last time you saw a battery on sale?

What you can do about it.
Before the internet, it was complicated, confusing and costly to get generic replacement batteries. The concerns were always: Will it work? Will it damage my item? Is it really worth it? The answers are simply – yes they work and they are usually as good if not better than the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) brand.

Second, they are designed specifically to match your phone, camera, etc – so they will not damage anything. When you search for batteries, just have your exact model number of your phone, camera, PDA, laptop or other equipment ready – such as a Blackberry 7290, or a Canon Xti digital Rebel and click to see what batteries match it. Often the OEM is available at a discount as well as chargers and other peripherals. And often the "generics" are actually big brands such as Duracell. I have used generic batteries for the past 10 years without a single problem.

Sample Discounts
1. Canon PowerShot SD550: the original cost is $22.99 and the Generic version is $15.20, for a savings of 34%

2. Panasonic Cordless Phone: the original cost is $19.99 and the Generic version is $13.45, for a savings of 33%

3. Blackberry 8120: the original cost is $29.99 and the Generic version is $17.95, for a savings of 40%

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The Bottom Line
There are several good battery discounters and not all carry every product. I have bought from several I have been happy with, including eBatts and Batteries.com, and I encourage you to shop around and see who has the best deal for you.

At BeatTheRecession.com, we only recommend products and services we personally use or have researched thoroughly. Then we try to get our members the best deals possible. If you need batteries, we have arranged a special Beat The Recession deal that is not available on their website at eBatts Use coupon code CJ99 to receive 10% off at eBatts.com, Free Shipping on All Orders