If you know anything about music trends, you know that iPods are the hottest portable music device to hit the market. In fact, I truly believe that everyone who likes music at all would have an iPod if they knew they could afford one. What many people don't realize is that cheap iPods do exist. It's just a matter of knowing where to look for them.

When looking for cheap iPods, you first need to ask yourself what you need and what you can live without. For example, there are cheap iPods called iPod Shuffles that don't have an LCD screen, but they do work with iTunes and they will play your tunes in order or shuffle them around and play them at random.

So when it comes to cheap iPods, how cheap are the iPod Shuffles? Depending on where you get it, how much music you want the iPod Shuffle to hold and whether you buy a new one or a reconditioned one, iPod Shuffles will run you between $49 and $99. The $49 iPod Shuffle would be a reconditioned model that could hold up to 120 songs while the $99 iPod Shuffle would be a new item that could hold up to 240 songs. Now those are some cheap iPods!

The other iPod models may not be as cheap as the iPod Shuffle, but it is still possible to get great deals on them. When looking for cheap iPods, try to find coupons for the online stores that sell them. For example, if you can an Amazon.com coupon from one of their affiliate websites, you could then apply that coupon to an iPod purchase, getting the item at a reduced price.

Sometimes it's possible to get cheap iPods by buying special packages that online stores may be offering. For instance, if a store is offering a deal on a bundle that contains an iPod Nano, an FM transmitter and a set of speakers, you could get the iPod for less than you would normally pay because you're getting a discount for buying all of the items at once. And if you can get an affiliate coupon valid at the store offering the bundle, the deal gets even better.

You may also want to check out the actual brick-and-mortar Apple stores for cheap iPods. If there's an Apple store near you, give them a call and ask them if they have any open box items or iPod returns for sale. They'll often give a substantial discount if they do. Don't just go there and search the store shelves. Actually ask a salesperson. They don't usually keep open-box items and returns on the sales floor. Apple stores don't always have these items available for sale, but when they do it's a great way to get your hands on some cheap iPods.

While cheap iPods may not be right out there in the open for everyone to claim, they do indeed exist. By knowing where to look and what to look for, you can find cheap iPods that will fulfill your music needs, but won't take a huge bite out of your pocketbook.