The deals and sales are very tempting. Before you get out there and do some shopping plan who are your going to buy gifts for. If you can’t afford it, even if an item is 50% off it’s not a great deal. My email box is full of great bargains but before I do any Christmas shopping I will look at who I want to purchase a gift for and also think about how much I want to spend. Shopping with a clear head and mind and a clear budget/spending plan will save you lots of headaches come January.

Check the prices of some items because the “sale” price of the “oh-so-fabulous”gift may not be on sale at all.

One email I received just listed “sale prices” of items some of which were the regular price but gussied up in a Christmas format!

Beware, shop wisely but budget before you go so you know if you are really getting a great deal!

Remember use cash when you can or be realistic about paying off the bills when they come after the holidays!

The best person to talk to in a store is the stock person. I was in a small market today and reached to get a small container of milk. The stock boy said, this one is a better buy, it’s on sale – save money. I put the smaller container back and got the larger one. The difference in price was only 26 cents but the difference in size was quadruple. I have never frozen milk, but it is possible to freeze it for later use.

Cashiers are often ones to ask about sales but to actually find items on the shelves and whether or not things are in stock… ask the stock person.

Short but sweet sales. Today I received an email from The Body Shop announcing a sale this afternoon for members only for three hours. You can buy 3 items for $30 on everything in the store from 3 – 6 p.m. some exclusions. Check it out! In stores only!

I made a special effort to buy a new hardcover book last weekend because I was able to get the book on sale, plus use a coupon and get an additional coupon good for a future purchase. In all I paid less than half the original price for the book with the discounts and have a coupon for 20% off of a future purchase good for a week or so. There are restrictions for the coupon such as no gift card purchases and ereaders aren’t included but brick and mortar book stores are trying to be more competitive with online booksellers.

When I was in my 20s there was a large local bookseller that had discounts and offered points for every dollar you spent. The amount you had to spend was reasonable and points accrued quickly. Some stores moved away from that, but booksellers like Borders have been offering triple rewards points or offering specials along with more coupons. For items that you know you will not return or even when making purchases for yourself, coupons from bookstores are good deals. Yes, you can borrow books from the library but when you have longer tomes of 1000 pages or so and only a limited amount of time to read, buying your own can save you stress and fees especially for new books which you sometimes aren’t able to get right away or aren’t able to renew when you do. The book I purchased was over 1000 pages and will go in the cue of other lengthy reads. It’s also by a favorite author, so I wanted it anyway.

For shorter books that you can reasonably read in fewer than the minimum amount of time you can read a book then buying your own might not be such a great thing.

Weigh the cost of the book and its length (along with your reading speed) to determine if buying your own book is the best route.

Finding the perfect gift shouldn’t be the only challenge you face this shopping season. Every holiday season people are warned about pickpockets and parking lot thefts and robberies. This year since the economy is poor it is important to remind people of personal safety.

Consider this… how many times have you seen people put their packages on the back seat of their vehicle and then go back into the store or mall? That seemingly innocuous event is just an invitation to thieves.

After shopping, especially when you are in a parking lot, do not sit in your car playing with the radio, checking receipts or other things. Lock your doors and leave. Many times I have seen women sitting in their cars like sitting ducks after they have been shopping. Get in your car, don’t dawdle – leave. Before getting to your vehicle, make sure you have your keys out.

If someone asks you for a donation, either keep some money in your pocket to put into the kettle or give to the person asking, but do not fish out your wallet or dig in your purse for money.

Prices that are too good to be true especially on the “hot” items of the season at an online retailer that you are unsure of, pay the extra money to buy from a reputable dealer. When in doubt, check it out. Sites with poor service or undelivered goods generally have many people who have reviews companies online.

An easy way to do your holiday shopping would be to do most of your shopping online at trusted retailers or just give cash.