Stacking store sales and coupons often yields great deals, but more often these days a third element is required -- a store credit card.

Stores like Macy's, Kohl s and The Gap have offered many of their best discounts this holiday season exclusively to shoppers who already have one of their cards, says Julie Parrish, the owner of HotCouponWorld.com, a sale-tracking site. Macys, for example, sent cardholders two coupons for 20% off and two for $10 off a $30 purchase, good in stores on the day of their choice from Oct. 15 through Nov. 25. The Limited offered its cardholders a free coupon booklet, including one for 50% off an outfit through Dec. 24. The message is, you can have the offer, but you have to do it our way, says Parrish. It s really frustrating as a shopper.

From the stores perspective, encouraging credit-card use is good business. Stores often use cardholder-only promotions to target their most frequent shoppers and big spenders, says Kim Picciola, a senior analyst for Morningstar who covers retail stores including Macys and Kohl s. Although most retailers have sold off card operations to outside banks, they also share in the profit when you carry a balance.

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With so many discounts available this holiday shopping season, you may even be able to come close to the cardholder deals with another coupon, says Sok Verdery, the chief executive of CouponShack.com, a deal and coupon site. Gap, for example, offers all shoppers 20% off with code GAP20 through Jan. 10, 2010, vs. 25% off for cardholders through Dec. 20 (one-time use code e-mailed to shoppers). That s a difference of just $2.50 to someone buying $50 worth of clothing.

But if you re not carrying a balance and won t give in to the temptation to overspend, using existing-cardholder discounts can result in even better deals. That s especially true at stores like Kohl s and Victoria s Secret, which allow shoppers to use multiple codes on one order. A Victoria s Secret customer spending $150 total (including one $50 item) could save an extra $15 by combining a widely available code for 30% off one item (ITEM30), with a cardholder-exclusive one for $15 off an order of $100 or more.

Here s a selection of current deals for store cardholders, as well as codes any shopper can use instead:

Banana Republic

Save 25% on orders of $100 or more through Dec. 13 when you use coupon code BRHOLIDAY at checkout and pay with one of the brand s credit cards (Banana Republic, Gap or Old Navy). No expiration date specified. Regularly, cardholders receive 10% off on Tuesdays (online with coupon code TUESDAYS) and free shipping on orders of $100 or more with coupon code MYCARD.

For non-cardholders: Save 20% on an order of $100 or more with code BRHOL20. No expiration date specified.

Gap

Cardholders received two mailed and e-mailed coupons; one for 30% off Dec. 4-6, and one for 25% off Dec. 7-20. Both could be used on a single in-store or online purchase, no minimum, when you pay with one of the brand s credit cards (Gap, Banana Republic or Old Navy). Regularly, cardholders receive 10% off on Tuesdays (online with coupon code TUESDAYS) and free shipping on orders of $100 or more with coupon code MYCARD.

For non-cardholders: Save 20% with code GAP20 through Jan. 10.

Kohl's

Save 15% through Dec. 30 when you use code MVCPRFCT4U at checkout and pay with your store card.

For non-cardholders: Save 10% with code NEW7437 through Dec. 12.

New York & Company, The Limited

Select cardholders received e-mail invitations to call for a booklet of holiday savings coupons, including one for $25 off a purchase of $75 or more at New York & Company (though Dec. 24), 50% off an outfit at The Limited (through Dec. 24) and 20% off at Mandee (through Dec. 31). New York & Company gold cardholders regularly receive 15% off on the first Tuesday of the month and 10% off on all other Tuesdays.

For non-cardholders: New York & Company shoppers save $40 on a purchase of $90 or more with code 1920 through Dec. 13.

For non-cardholders: The Limited shoppers save 20% with code 276 through Dec. 31.

Old Navy

Cardholders received mailed three mailed coupons (one Nov. 29-Dec. 5, one Dec. 6-12 and one Dec. 13-Dec. 19) each good for $10 off a single in-store or online purchase, no minimum, when you pay with an Old Navy card. Regularly, cardholders receive 10% off on Tuesdays (online with coupon code TUESDAYS ) and free shipping on orders of $100 or more with coupon code MYCARD.

For non-cardholders: Save 20% with code ONSAVE20 through Dec. 15.

Victoria s Secret

Use code FASTORDER to receive free second-day delivery with $100 purchase and FA919225 for $15 off an order of $100 (increases to $30 off $150, $75 off $250, or $150 off $500). You must pay with a store credit card to claim any of these offers.

For non-cardholders: Save 15% with code VSSAVE15 through Dec. 9.