Your Own Personal Coupon Clipper

The holiday season is off and running and so the deals are still happening. Only this year, retailers are going to make you work a little harder.

Advocates say the work can pay off -- and it did for me. This time last year, I headed for Macy’s, which paid me $4 to take $350 in clothing. I picked a day when there were storewide sales with discounts of 25% to 50% off; then I used a 25% off store coupon, got a 20% rebate for opening a new store account, and paid for the balance with gift cards earned through saved-up credit card points.

Deal of the Day always aims to help you get the most for your buck, which aside from tips, also involves offering some words of advice. This weekend, my suggestion is: Shop cautiously. Prices are likely to continue falling, so the longer you wait, the better deals you will get. “People were out shopping [Black Friday] weekend, but they didn’t really buy,” says Kathryn Finney, the founder of trend- and sale-tracking site TheBudgetFashionista.com. “Stores are trying to figure out this new consumer.” Buy what you need, but don’t give into impulse “because it’s on sale” buys just yet, she says.

Starting today I will be featuring valuable coupon codes and sales each Friday to help you spend less on the items you buy. Found a deal we missed -- or looking for a better price on a specific item? Email me at kgrant@smartmoney.com.

Retailers love gift cards for one simple reason: Recipients often forget about them, or lose them. According to the National Retail Federation, about 25% of gift cards bought last year still haven’t been redeemed.

That said, some deals this year drop gift card prices below face value, and that can yield savings.

* The Container Store provides a free $25 gift card for every $100 in gift cards bought online (up to $500 total) or in stores (no limit) before Dec. 24. The $25 card expires Feb. 21. (Order quickly, and you could feasibly receive and then redeem the cards stacked with coupon code WR4209, which gets you 20% off your order. That deal expires Dec. 14.)
* BedandBreakfast.com is offering a 15% discount on gift cards of $100 or more through Dec. 18. Enter code BIG15GIFT at checkout. (With free FedEx shipping, you may be able to receive the card and redeem it stacked with code BBHOLIDAY50, good for $50 off a stay of two nights or more before May 18. The offer expires Dec. 18.)

If you’re thinking of buying the latest hot handset from Verizon, let someone else you know be the early adopter. Verizon and Google are mailing new handset owners $25 Verizon Wireless Store coupons to pass out to friends. Without one, the carrier charges new customers $200 with a two-year plan, while existing customers pay $150. The catch: To take advantage of the offer, you must be activating a new line with a two-year voice and email contract (existing customers can add a line to qualify). You’ll save 12% to 17%.

Check out the store’s Appreciation Sale in store or online this weekend for storewide clearance markdowns of 50% to 60% and special Saturday door-buster deals from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. Members of the retailer’s free loyalty club earn double points on all purchases through Saturday. (Regularly, earn a $10 rebate for every $250 spent.) Shop in store, and you can save an extra 15% off your total purchase with a print-out coupon. If you can find a full-price item online, try coupon code MAGIC40 at checkout for 40% off regular-priced items and 10% off sale items through Dec. 18.

Consumers slow to make holiday travel plans can grab a discount on next year’s spring break. Book a round-trip flight or vacation package before Dec. 31 for travel before Jan. 3, and you’ll receive a $200 coupon good toward a package with a flight and at least five nights’ hotel stay. Packages must be booked by March 31 for travel before April 30. (For more details, click here.) But this obviously isn’t a deal for impulse travel. Steer clear unless you were already planning to travel during both time periods.

During the Perfect Gift Sale through Dec. 7, look for storewide markdowns of 25% to 50%. Use code MACYSFRIEND at checkout through Dec. 7 to save 25% off most items (10% on electronics, personal care, furniture and other items) and get free shipping – an unusual combination. For in-store shopping, there’s an equivalent print-out coupon.

Maybe it’s time to cash in some more of my credit-card-reward gift certificates...