AppleInsider has nice pricing guide

[Shivetya]

Did you end up cancelling your i7 order from Apple or are you just buying two QC iMacs?

Buying one. Canceled the i7. After reading numerous review sites I don't see the justification now. If it comes along that the i7s are really that good then I will buy a second generation iMac i7 next year. Of course I will then have three iMac around here but what the hell, the guest bedroom deserves its own!

 

[cfitz7111]

The cheapest way to buy Apple Care is from eBay. Around half price.

BUYER BEWARE!!!
Many of the AppleCare for sale on eBay are for other countries around the world, and yes there is a difference, they make different boxes for different countries.

There is a form going somewhere on here about this very issue

 

[mtnDewFTW]

Remember that those discounts are usually mail-in rebates that takes weeks, even months to arrive. Also what I've heard, customer service in e.g. MacMall is terrible.

I prefer buying straight from Apple or in-store from reseller but everyone makes their own decisions

he literally said everything I was going to say.