How to Find Great Watches at Walmart

The TV infomercial people on HSN get many people excited about buying watches. The shiny Invicta, Swiss Legend, and Stauer watches are really exciting. But, if you are on a tight budget, you've got to check out the watch selection at Walmart. The store has a wide variety of watches at very low prices. Of course, it pays to know a few watch shopping secrets to make sure you get a good watch for your money.

1. Keep it simple. If you are buying a no name watch that costs between $7 and $15, buy a simple model. I'd recommend sticking with analog models. Sometimes the directions that come with cheap digital watches are difficult to decipher.

2. Subdials don't work. The subdials on analog models costing $20 or less are generally for decorative purposes only. They don't actually work and, on close examination, you'll see that the subdial details are simply painted on the face of the watch.

3. Some no name digital watches are beepers. As you approach the shelves filled with cheap watches, you hear plenty of beeping. Sometimes it is very difficult to turn off hourly chimes and various alarms. The watch may have the functionality, but the directions may not have good translations. Other times, the watch face may simply have very small alarm indicators.

4. Look for long battery life. Short battery life is sometimes a problem with quartz watches. Sometimes batteries only last for a year or two and there is no telling how long a watch has been sitting on a store shelf. Fortunately, Casio is selling many affordable watches with a ten-year battery. A decade of use from a $15 to $50 watch like my Casio Men's Analog Dress Watch is simply amazing.

5. Make sure the watch is running. You should always make sure a watch is running before you buy it. Amazingly, I have had a battery die on a $100 name-brand watch within two hours of leaving the store. With the cheap watches, there is a small chance that the battery may be dead. To avoid the hassle, just make sure it is ticking when you are watch picking.

6. Snip cables at home to avoid destroying packaging. When you get a watch home, snip the packaging ties carefully. I was able to slide what I call my Walmart Tactical Watch right out of its packaging without breaking any packaging. You should be able to extricate your purchase without destroying the packaging.

By following these simple steps, you should be able to pay a low price for a high quality watch.