The "Today Show" ran segments on Flooring, Furniture, Lighting, and Window Treatments on their "Bargain Week" special. Because of space constraints we are showing only the flooring segment. Below is unedited text directly from their segment. (Flooring Bargains from the "Today Show" is in it's original context and borrowed from their website)

Lights! Furniture! Flooring! Windows! 

THE TODAY SHOW

March 4 —  Most of us don’t want to be considered cheap when it comes to the stuff in our homes. But considering some of today’s high prices and tough economic times it pays to be frugal. So, how can you get quality stuff without paying the prices? “Today” kicks off its “Bargain Week” series by having three experts talk about what to look for when selecting furniture, lighting, window treatments and flooring for your home. Check out their advice below.

FLOORING
One of the most expensive investments you’ll make in our ome is carpeting which ranges in price from under $20 a square yard to over $300. So, if you’re carpeting your entire house your investment could run well into the thousands. Most carpeting today is made of synthetic materials. Although wool carpet can last for over 30 years, it is also 2 to 3 times more expensive than nylon. All nylon carpet is treated with a stain resistant chemical, where wool cannot be effectively treated.   Most experts strongly recommend nylon carpet for areas that see heavy traffic — office, stairs, hallways and dens. And the most durable type of carpet is either low cut pile or a loop carpet, like a Berber.

COMPETITIVE PRICES 
The carpet market is extremely competitive. You should shop around and you can save anywhere from 30 to well over 50 percent. Also, with some of the closeout items you can save up to 90% off retail prices. Dalton, Georgia, is considered the carpet capital of the U.S. where 80 percent of all carpet is produced within 30 miles.   Dalton is about a 20-minute drive from Chattanooga, Tennessee, and a little over an hour from Atlanta. There are about 100 outlets in this area that buy huge quantities from the manufacturers. They also buy all close outs or discontinued carpets.

DO THEY HAVE THE TOP NAME BRANDS?
Yes — Mohawk, Shaw, Laura Ashley, and they also sell ceramic tiles for kitchens and bathrooms from companies like Florida tile, Wood flooring and Armstrong linoleum at the same types of discounts.

ORDERING BY PHONE
You can do everything by phone, or mail or through web sites. What most people do is go and pick out the carpet that they want from their local retailer. You should write down the manufacturer’s name and the style number that’s on every piece of carpet — right on the backside. And then start shopping around and call for price quotes.  And what we found here is that if you are open to alternatives, these companies might have a very similar carpet that’s called a close-out for just $2 or $3 a yard. And they will send a sample piece to you.

NEGOTIATING PRICES
The more quantity and higher quality you buy, the more they are likely to give additional reductions. 

BUDGETING FOR PADDING, INSTALLATION AND SHIPPING
You should budget about $6 to $8 a square yard for padding and installation and about a dollar per square yard for shipping.
       And if they ship out of Georgia there’s no sales tax. But in most cases, what you save on tax you will pay on shipping. However, if you live in Georgia, you get hit with both taxes and shipping so you might want to consider renting a truck.
       The outlet stores will make those arrangements for you, but regardless of where you buy carpeting you are going to pay extra for padding and installation. These outlets also sell padding that your local store would sell for $4 to $5 a square yard — and they sell it for around $2. So you’ll also save on padding and installation will run you about $5 a square yard.

HOW DO I FIND A REPUTABLE INSTALLER?
Start by checking with the trade association called the International Certified Floor covering Installers Association or CFI. Also any flooring company can give you a list of certified installers in your area. It’s also a good idea to call an installer before you order if you are carpeting stairs or any area that might be tricky.

source: Original content taken from "the Today Show"'s website.