Buying audio, video, and ebooks through one of Apple's online stores represents the most convenient way to load new content on to your iPad. Although most people naturally seem to gravitate toward the latest releases, don't overlook the huge library of older products that you might find interesting as well.

Browse through iTunes using the Genius feature, and iTunes can analyze your current music library to determine which songs by other artists you might be interested in hearing. By exploring similar but different artists who you may never have heard before, you can expand your audio and video library without wasting your money randomly guessing which artists you might like next.

For ebooks, just remember that for every latest best-seller, there are probably dozens of similar books that have been writte, and those older books are probably much less expensive than the latest best-seller. Many classics are now in the public domain and are totally free.

Perhaps the most important tip to keep in mind is that before you purchase anything online, you might be able to find that same content somewhere else at a much lower price. Shopping online offers convenience and instant gratification, but shopping for alternatives can let you stretch your money.