SHOPPING TIPS; LISTS HELP ORGANIZE THOSE HOLIDAY TREKS

Gay Pilsner, left, headed down the doll aisle at Target with two of her daughters, Hannah and Haley, looking for gifts.

Hannah Pilsner, left, Gay Pilsner and Haley Pilsner looked at a collection of toy horses.

Christmas giving warms the soul, but the process can frazzle bank accounts and nerves.

Love it, or hate it, shopping is part of the holiday tradition in most homes. Tranquil afternoons spent selecting those just right gifts for loved ones have a way of turning into hours of mind-numbing wandering.

While shopping techniques abound, here are a few pointers from people with varying perspectives that just might help put the jolly back into the experience -- and make gift-giving easier than ever.

1. Plan the strategy, plot the course

Five children between the ages of 3 and 12 bring lots of joy to the home, along with plenty of responsibility. Choosing to be a stay-at-home mother, Gay Pilsner is accustomed to putting her husband's paycheck to wise use. For the Pilsners, who reside just outside of Cape Girardeau, in the Gordonville area, that means planning.

"Everything's got to be budgeted," Pilsner said. "I shop strictly by lists and sale ads and catalogs."

She added, chuckling: "When I go to the store, I have a whole stack of stuff with me."

Her shopping savvy kicks into high gear during the holiday season. "For Christmas," she explained, "I write down every single gift I need. I even carry (the list) with me."

Kim Mangels of Jackson, another shopper with a reputation for finding the good buys, agrees that planning ahead is worth the time. "I try to stick really close to my list," Mangels said. "It saves a lot of stress and hopefully a lot of money."

Pilsner includes in her planning the route she will take. "I try to minimize my trip," she explained. And, she noted, "There's no reason to go to some other store to save 10 cents on an item."

2. Read the advertising

Advertising comes into sharp focus this time of year. Retailers are eager to get their messages to customers. Taking the time to read the advertising is the key to real savings, Mangels and Pilsner agree.

Plus, some stores honor the sale prices, and even coupons, listed in the advertising of other stores, Mangels pointed out. Typically, competitor's ads must be presented at check-out time.

"Sometimes I feel sorry for the sales clerks, because I might have five or six different (competitors') ads," Pilsner said.

3. Shop extended hours

Many stores and shops offer extended hours during the Christmas shopping season. Some advertise extra savings during particular hours.

"Get in there early once you see someone's ad; you never know how many people are wanting the same item, too," advised Greg Gallaher, merchandise team leader at Target in Cape Girardeau.

On the other hand, there are advantages to shopping during evening hours. "Shop late if you like your privacy and don't like to be bumped into," Gallaher suggested.

4. Look for in-store specials

"We have signs throughout the store indicating gifts under certain price points," noted Donna Miller, senior merchandising manager at JCPenney in West Park Mall.

"There are a lot of good, special offers this time of year," said Jo Sharp, manager of Famous Barr in West Park Mall. As an example, she noted the gift sets available in the cosmetics department.

Giveaways and gifts with purchases are other avenues to value, Miller noted. Stores often offer other services not immediately apparent to the shopper who is in a hurry.

Shrink-wrap baskets are one of those options at the local Penney's store. Shoppers can select their gifts -- typically accessories and such -- and the store will put those items in a small basket, and wrap the gift with conforming plastic.

5. Use those catalogs

Pilsner and her family get both ideas and merchandise from catalogs.

Many stores that offer catalog services will take holiday orders up until just a few days before Christmas, though late shoppers run the risk of special shipping rates and out-of-stock merchandise.

Stores may also offer other in-store services just for the catalog shopper. For instance, shoppers at the West Park Mall location of JCPenney can inquire about catalog express. It's a no-cost service that makes for speedy pick-up of ordered items.

Catalog shopping can be a real time saver, noted Brenda Renfro, service corridor supervisor at the local JCPenney store. "It's to a lot of people's advantage, because life is so pushed now," she said.

6. Shop for quality

Mangels advises taking a close look at the merchandise, instead of the label. "Look at the item, instead of at the name," she recommended.

Janice Hill of Hartford's Apparel in Cape Girardeau, also noted the importance of shopping for quality.

"There are a lot of very good brands that might be sold strictly to specialty stores, or the brands may not be familiar because they come from manufacturers that haven't been represented in the Midwest," she said.

7. Remember coupons, rebates

Mangels, a member of a group called River City Refunders, is an avid rebate and coupon shopper. The club meets monthly at Riverside Regional Library in Jackson.

"I try to combine the coupons with what's on sale. Then, if I have a refund for it, too, that's really nice," she said.

Grocery stores are not alone in offering coupon buys, especially during the holidays. "We offer coupon events periodically that are basically additional dollars off the sale price," said Sharp of Famous-Barr.

Refunding, too, can translate to gift items, Mangels pointed out.

8. "Clearance" can mean value

There can be real finds in clearance displays, noted Gallaher of the local Target Store. Clearance merchandise may be seasonal in nature, or "something that we will no longer carry, but (is) still a good item," he said.

Those red-tag sales, or clearance items can also mean great gifts for special occasions to come. "I sometimes buy a year in advance," Pilsner noted.