For Her

If you’re heading out to grab cheap bargains, here are some top tips to help you keep sane and solvent.

1. Be Prepared. Do a reconnaissance trip a few days before the sale. This gives you a chance to try on clothes or find out where the handbags are.

By getting the lay of the land so you can head straight to where you need to be on sale day. It also gives you an idea of the cost of goods, so you have a better idea of how much they’ve been discounted.

2. Have a Clear Idea. Make sure you have a clear idea of what you’re after and stick to it rather than getting side-tracked by the super discounted foot spa or other goodies retailers are desperately trying to palm off.

3. Take a Shopping Buddy. You can take turns in changing rooms, in queues and browsing.

4. Dress for Comfort. If you do need to try on clothes on the day, make sure you’re wearing something that won’t be a hassle to get on and off.

5. Wear Closed-Toe Shoes. You need to wear closed-toes shoes to protect your feet from being trampled.

6. Keep Your Receipts. If something you buy has a fault which you were not aware of you are entitled to a refund, even if it was on sale. You will need proof of purchase. Changing your mind about a purchase does not entitle you to a refund.

7. Avoid Shopping Rage. If you’re grappling over a pair of shoes with a rival shopper, take a deep breath and remember it’s only a discount.

8. Throw the Staff Some Love. A please and thank you will go a long way on a hectic day.

An evening bag may not hold much more than a valet ticket, some Listerine strips and a Razr phone, but without one, getting dressed up just wouldn’t be the same.

Evening bags can add extra sparkle or an unexpected dash of color to a simple dress, or breathe new life into an otherwise tired old frock.

But with the prices of accessories soaring, evening clutches can cost more than you paid for the dress, forcing you to use the same bag every time you go to a formal affair.

Thankfully, there are options beyond the diamond-encrusted boxes and bejeweled minaudieres that go for more than a monthly car payment. Less expensive styles are popping up in brilliant jewel-toned satins.

For evenings out, you don’t have to buy a new little black dress. Wear what you have and spice it up with an evening bag.

In recent months, Banana Republic has offered a dazzling peacock blue or radiant yellow satin. At about $50 for the bag, you could throw in a pair of new shoes or another accessory.

The girlish, ruffled Mansfield clutch that Hollywould designed for Target looks particularly saucy in red and will add texture and color to a simple dress. And at about $20, you can afford to like ruffles for just one night and not feel bad.

So, take a break from the frenzy of searching for a new dress and just change out the bag for something bright and festive.

The best part about these bags, other than the price? All of them comfortably hold a BlackBerry.