Everyone loves a good sale, and no one ever wants to pay more than they have to for something. By buying during the end of season or year-end sales, you can get some great deals. Here are some great ideas on how to stretch your dollar.

Retail stores have to unload leftover inventory from the previous year to get it off the books. This leads to outrageous sales, sometimes over 80% off. I am not advocating shopping just for the sake of shopping, or buying something just because its on sale. However if you need these things, or will need these things, then it can make a lot of sense to buy at heavily discounted prices.

A great example is seasonal clothing. You can get some of the best deals you've ever seen at a year-end or end-of-season sale. One thing to consider when buying seasonal clothing though is if you will actually use it again. If it is a fad that will be short-lived then you may not want to buy it, even if it is almost free.

You want to buy things that will be in style for at least a few years. Buying something that you have to wait six or eight months to wear, that will no longer be in style defeats the whole purpose. Your business attire is usually something that will last if you stay with the traditional colors like white, blue, black, and gray. Buying these at a year-end sale can be a good investment.

Remember sales are opportunities to take advantage of, or they can be opportunities for you to be taken advantage of. Many stores sucker-in customers with a big red SALE sign, and then someone who went to save some money walks out of the store $5oo poorer, with stuff they didn't need. It is easy to go crazy and spend money during a sale. Know what you need before going to the store, and don't get "suckered" by the great deals. If you use these sales right, they can save you a lot of money.