I REALLY should be saving, but there are temptations everywhere. I blame the number of sales going on everywhere.

Is everything on sale?

It would seem that everywhere the eyes land, the sale sign is next to it.

But I am not complaining because I haven't paid full price for anything since before Christmas, and I like it.

These sales are, I guess, our reward for weathering the recession. There may be less for you to spend but when you do spend, you'll be spending less anyway.

In a roundabout way, it makes sense too - especially when you are desperately trying to find an excuse for your lack of conviction.

Although you may want to save some of your money for the Great Singapore Sale (because that would be the best time for the big ticket items and that annual wardrobe overhaul), there is nothing more unpleasant than to spend a few hours fighting the shopping crowd.

You don't need to rip the shop apart for bargains but you can find some nice pieces to add to your existing collection.

Smart sale shopping requires simple planning.

Wear shorts so you can slip pants and skirts on easily, and avoid the changing room queue.

If you have children, keep them at home.

And shop with friends you can trust to keep you out of trouble.

You'll need them to help you choose and to keep your spending in check.

Where the sales are

1. A PAIR of jeans is a good investment because it can last you for ages.

The trick is to hardly wash them and they should fade nicely.

At Levi's, you get two pairs of jeans for $199.90. This is a great deal especially since a pair can cost the same price.

Also, if you bring in an old top, you get a $20 discount off any regular-priced top.

This is available at all Original Levi's stores (except Centrepoint and Changi Airport).

2. Over at The Gap, the second item you buy is at half price.

This is on till the end of the month. But do note that this is only for The Gap items, not babyGap and GapKids.

And if you have an UOB credit or debit cards , you'll get an extra 10 per cent off your bill.

3. The Wing Tai group will absorb the 7 per cent GST over the next two weekends on their regular-priced items.

The brands are Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, Ben Sherman, Maxstudio.com, Karen Millen, Pumpkin Patch, G2000, FOX, and ZONE Denmark.

But for a bigger discount, go to The Dressing Salon, on the second level of Wisma Atria.

Here, you'll find clothes from Topshop and Dorothy Perkins going for as much as 80 per cent off. But, it'll close its doors at the end of next month.

4. For fans of Liz Claiborne, head to The Centrepoint and Wisma Atria for the moving-out sale.

You'll be able to get items for up to 65 per cent off.

And at the VivoCity boutique today, you'll get 20 per cent savings on regular-priced items and an extra 5 per cent off sale items.

Next week, this special weekend sale moves to its Raffles City boutique.

5. You know it's a good time to shop when even price-friendly places like Charles & Keith and Pedro are offering deep discounts.

You can get up to 75 per cent off at Charles & Keith; and half price at Pedro.

This would be a good time to buy new shoes that you'll need for your upcoming post-Great Singapore Sale wardrobe.

This article was first published in The New Paper.