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Your Money

A Guide to Buying Just About Anything

The basics you probably know by now, at least for the things you buy frequently. How to buy a book online. Pick a good apple in the supermarket. Find sneakers that fit.

This is a guide to everything else. (Well, pretty much.)

With each passing year, we have more information at our disposal. But it isn’t always easy to sort it and make decisions, especially when it’s for purchases we don’t make that often.

So here is counsel on, among other things, buying a horse that won’t break the bank, and paying for dental care when you’re older and without insurance. This section will also walk you through the many things to consider when picking a retirement community — something you definitely want to get right the first time.

Considering investing in a political candidate through well-placed donations? That is a strategy with excellent prospects. How about outright bribery of airport employees or fellow passengers for a better travel experience? That may be harder. As for immortality, you can’t buy it yet, but better longevity may be within your wallet’s reach.

This section is part of a continuing collaboration with American Public Media’s “Marketplace” radio programs. Broadcasts this week will feature people in this section. For station information, visit marketplace.org. RON LIEBER

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section F, Page 1 of the New York edition with the headline: A Guide to Buying Just About Anything. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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