With the Great Singapore Sale in full swing, you can still catch a month’s worth of shopping before it ends on 25 July 2010. Here are some tips on how you can make the most of the GSS! Note: Many of these tips apply to all kinds of sales, not just GSS – so you can benefit the whole year round

1. Research, research, research

Find out where the sales are and what exactly are being offered. Go online, check out the newspapers each day (especially the Saturday papers), leaf through your mailbox spam, keep an eye on shopfront banners and ask your friends and colleagues. Check out sites like http://sg.shoppingnsales.com/ and http://livinginsingaporetoday.com/.

2. Draw up your route and ‘battle plan’

If you’re aiming to tackle a few stores at one go, it makes sense to start with one where the goods are likely to be snapped up quickly. If you want a particular red-hot item badly enough, queue early (or get a friend or relative to queue for you), know the product name and features, where it is stored and who to approach. If you join a queue ‘late’, ask the people in front what they are planning to get, especially if the items are in limited quantities. This may save you disappointment later.

3. Know what exactly is up for offer and if there are any strings attached

Ads that seem too good to be true may be just that. A TV set going for a third of the price may require a prepurchase, a computer going for a steal may be limited to 5 sets a day. Know the terms of each so-called offer carefully before you drop everything and dash to the store. Even then, bring the ad along and if possible, call ahead to see if things are still in stock. Sometimes, a store (especially a large department store) may have so many concurrent offers that the sales staff may not be aware of a particular promotion.

4. Check that something is really value-for-money

With higher rentals and promotional costs, shops in ‘city’ malls may charge more for the same item than your neighbourhood mall or appliance shop. That ‘30% off’ washing machine in the mall may be no cheaper than the one sold by your neighbourhood store. So call first, ask around, and bargain. Yes – you can even bargain with the big-name appliance stores, especially if you point out that a rival store is selling the same item for less.

5. Pick the freebie with the most value

With shops pulling out all the stops during this period, you will probably get to choose from a variety of ‘free gifts’ (by the way, this is an oxymoron – a gift SHOULD be free!). If the same item comes with a choice of various free gifts at the same store or different stores, buy the package that results in greatest real savings for you. For example, it makes more sense to accept a $50 grocery voucher from a store you frequent rather than a vacuum cleaner worth $100 if you already have one. Be wary of the ‘worth XXX dollars’ tag that stores attach to the value of the ‘free gift’ – this is often inflated and if you try to resell the item, you may only get a fraction of that value (and that is if you manage to sell it in the first place).

6.  Try it WHERE you can

THis applies to clothes, especially ladies’ clothes. Wear a non-bulky top and tights when shopping so that if the changing rooms are full, you can always pull that shirt and pants over your current clothes to try them on.That time you save in queuing up can be used to look for more great offers. If you do queue up, take a quick look at the ‘rejected clothes’ at the fitting room. That size or colour you want may just be there.

7. Make the most of ‘combined receipt’ offers

Every mall is fighting for the shoppers’ dollar. If you plan your shopping spree carefully, those same-day receipts you accumulate can be exchanged for something useful, such as a taxi voucher or a mall voucher. This works out best if you get groceries, toiletries, clothes and other extras all at one venue – it is easier to rake up the dollars in this way. But remember – don’t be ‘pennywise and pound foolish’ by spending hundreds of dollars only to redeem a household item you don’t need.

8. Get your POINTS together

We’re not encouraging you to max out your credit cards, but now might be a good time to redeem all those rewards or points you’ve been accumulating, and exchange them for vouchers at the malls or shops you like – so that you can save even more. Some cards will also give you double the usual number of rewards points for certain purchases during this period, so it pays to check.

9. Shop together, save together

Some items come with sizeable discounts only if you purchase them in larger quantities or higher value purchases. For example, some clothing stores will offer a 20% discount for 2 pieces, 30% for 3 pieces and so on. So, it makes sense to shop together – whether with a friend, relative or colleague. And at the end of the session, treat yourselves to a 2-for-1 tea or lunch with the money you save : )

10. Be a nightbird!

Many malls are staying open later, with many offering special deals from 9 pm – 11 pm or even later. If your schedule allows it, it may make sense to be a night shopper  - smaller crowds, good deals await. Some eateries at these malls will even offer late-night specials to entice shoppers to take a break for supper after completing their shopping.

Do you have more GSS tips? Share them with us and gain EduPoints.