Software

Your best bet, hands down IMO is http://www.atomicpark.com . This site seems to always have any software that I may need for me or work. All of their prices are as low as you could expect for the software given. The only other place you could get it cheaper would be through an untrustworthy online retailer, or ebay.

Good luck!

Here's another option - enroll yourself in your local college - doesn't matter what course you take. The student discount on software is incredible. You can usually even get your student discount at other software retailers.

Depending on the title(s) that you are looking for, each vendor seems to have there 'nitch'. You can check www.pricewatch.com - they have a whole host of good vendors for all computer and electronic equipment. Here are two others - www.dirtcheapsoftware.com and if you are an OEM system builder then www.vertexdistributing.com (you need to register or contact them for pricing). Hope those help you out.

what software? i would say, it depends...
i love that idea about student. but you can't upgrade those to regular license, i think. so you would have to stay in school a long time maybe.
if you shop for cheapest you are going to get counterfeit stuff. and waste your money.
is this for you or your clients?
i like to buy from www.buy.com or www.tigerdirect.com

For a Office like suite, Open Office 2.0 is now available for free at:
http://download.openoffice.org/2.0.0/

for General software applications Serif at:
http://www.serif.com/ has just about anything you would want for very little (around $10.00).