Maybe it is because I do a lot more shopping during the holiday season than I do during other times of the year, but I have been really pleased by how much money I have been able to save over the last few weeks. Although everything that I have purchased has been for other people, the money that I save gets to remain in my own pockets.

If you have not been saving money during your holiday gift shopping, you have obviously been looking in the wrong places (or not looking for good deals at all). Because the economy is quite weak right now, retailers are anxious to move their products, and as a result are willing to mark down the prices. Even though the gifts I have been purchasing in stores are great, they have almost all been at discounted prices.

As an example from yesterday, I was in a department store, and I came across a great looking discount jewelry box. While the box looked great and was brand new, it was marked down by thirty-five percent from its original price.