Victoria's Secret Swimwear Sale!

If any of you are going on a tropical vacation this winter (and I hope that you are), check out Victoria's Secret online for some excellent deals on bathing suits and beachwear! This gorgeous print bikini is on sale for just $49 (marked down from $66). Their standard sexy lingerie is also on sale now too, so even if you won't be on a hot beach this winter, you can still warm up the old bedroom :)

Winter Sales at L.L.Bean and Crate & Barrel!

Big sales continue this week at retailers like L.L.Bean and Crate & Barrel! The Yorkdale location of Crate & Barrel (as well as their website) has up to 70% off Winter Clearance, including all holiday merchandise, so stock up for next year now! You'll never get better deals on ornaments, table settings, and more! L.L.Bean is offering daily markdowns of select items, like this cute microsuede quilted down vest for 50% off (just $39!).

Scooter Girl Sale!

I have to mention this cute little shop I always pass near Bloor West Village - Scooter Girl - they have the cutest toys for both girls and boys, and for Boxing Week (until the 31st) they're offering 10% off all toys, board games and puzzles, and 50% off Christmas items! Check them out at 187 Roncesvalles Ave in Toronto!

Boxing Week Sale for Eco Moms!

babyonthehip.ca is an environmentally friendly, Canadian retailer that eco-friendly Moms will love! Their philosophy is: urban, natural, simple! And right now they're having a little Boxing Week sale of %5 off infant bedding, bottles & sippy cups (including the fabulous BPA-free Born Free brand!), and 10% off selected furniture, strollers and baby carriers! Sale runs until December 3oth! You can find this cute shop at 969 Queen Street East in Toronto, between Carlaw & Leslie on your way to the Beaches!

Extra 20% off Sale Items at J.Crew!

Just enter "EXTRA20" at checkout and get an additional 20% off already reduced prices, now through Sunday December 29th!

Great Boxing Day Sales!

Too many Boxing Day sales to mention, so I'll just point out some of my trusted faves: take an extra 20% off sale merchandise on Boxing Day at Banana Republic! Most Stores have extended Boxing Day hours (ex: the Yorkdale location is open 8am to 8pm) so be sure to get there early (especially if you want a parking spot)! Be careful in general if you're heading out on Boxing Day - those crowds can be crazy - in the malls AND on the roads! If you want to avoid the hassle, don't forget about online shopping - retailers like Best Buy & Future Shop kick start their Boxing Day sale TONIGHT at 8pm (on the 24th) so beat the crowds and shop in your p.j.'s! And don't forget about great online deals from Amazon & J.Crew! Happy Holidays everyone!

Boxing Day Sale at Town Shoes all this week!

Starting today (Dec 22nd) and all week long, get 25% off your first regular priced item and 40% off your second regular priced item, and on Boxing Day only (Dec 26th), get 50% off your third regular priced item at Town Shoes! Lots of other items are already marked down, like these beautiful boots on sale for $129.99!

Get a $20 coupon at Pottery Barn Canada today!

For every $100 you spend at Pottery Barn Canada today (Sunday, Dec 21st), they'll give you a coupon for $20 off to spend between Dec 26th and 31st in any of their Canadian Stores! Not bad considering lots of their holiday decor items are already on sale! Stock up and save!

Winter Sale at Roots plus free shipping!

Roots has started their Winter Sale with savings of up to 50% off merchandise for men, women and kids, plus free standard shipping for all online orders! If you're in the GTA (or Southern Ontario or Western Quebec) and need something in time for Christmas, order online by 1 p.m. on Monday, December 22nd and you'll get it! I love their leather bags, like this classic soft leather hobo on sale for $109.99! And don't forget their adorable kids & baby collection. This baby girl's winter hat is adorable and on sale for only $6.98! If you live in the Oakville, ON area, don't forget the new Store they just opened downtown on Lakeshore, west of Trafalgar!

Scratch & Save Weekend at The Bay!

Not exactly a fashion mecca, but The Bay has excellent basics like lingerie, perfume, housewares, and don't forget the makeup counters! Oh, and that tie & dress shirt you always get your Dad for Christmas? Wouldn't it be nicer to get it on sale this year? This weekend is one of their Scratch & Save events, offering between 10-70% off (depending on what you're buying, and what you scratch off the coupon on-site!). There are quite a few Stores open 24 hours until Christmas!!! (Sherway Gardens, Square One, & Yorkdale to name a few!) Their Eaton Centre location in Toronto is open until midnight! How convenient!

Boxing Day Sales have begun!

I'm not kidding you, retailers (especially those based in the economically superchallenged U.S.) have already begun slashing prices by up to 60%! If you feel like sprucing up your wardrobe, or buying a few great basics, I highly recommend getting out there NOW, before all the colours & sizes you want are gone! Check out this gorgeous fine Italian merino wool sweater at Banana Republic for - wait for it - $36.99!?! Half price already! It looks great with a chunky necklace, or layered over a crisp dress shirt! Gap has lots of jeans on sale, like these dressy trouser jeans, perfect for casual Fridays at work (and for heading out for a drink afterwards...). Holt Renfrew has their Designer Sale until Dec. 24th with up to 40% off the best labels, and there's lots on sale for the young & lithe at Abercrombie & Fitch already. Just be careful if you head out today - the roads are a mess in this blizzard! Safety before sales my friends - no deal is worth the headache of an accident! :)

20% off at J.Crew

Spend more than $150 - today only - at J.Crew and get 20% off your entire order! Not too shabby considering the Canadian dollar has been on the rise this week! How about this gorgeous sequined tank for New Year's Eve? Or this beautiful merino wool colourblock dress for your new (and more stylish) work persona in 2009? Just enter promo code "MERRY" at checkout! Merry indeed!

Cashmere sale at Neiman Marcus!

Great styles and slashed prices on cashmere at Neiman Marcus online! Usually I wait until boxing day to buy cashmere from J.Crew, but I've already noticed their selection of colours and styles is seriously lacking, so I'm happy to find an early alternative! They've got all the classics: v-necks, crewnecks, turtlenecks, etc... but I am in love with this half-sleeve "Madison" sweater in pink, regular price $210 on sale for only $95! So glad they ship to Canada! (International orders are possible too, but you have to call rather than process your order online).

Free Shipping from MAC!

For those of you who aren't fortunate enough to live near a MAC cosmetics location (or those of you who simply don't want to brave the malls at this time of year - and hey, I don't blame you), don't worry about it, because MAC is offering free shipping to all U.S. and Canadian addresses on their Holiday collection! If you don't want anything from the Holiday collection, don't worry about that either, because any order over $60 also gets free shipping! I love their new Chill collection, especially this new Tinted Lip Glass in Icescape or Frozen Dream! No promo code necessary!

2-Day Sale at Future Shop!

Nice to see a few great sales start well before Boxing Day! Future Shop has a 2-day sale from today (Tuesday December 16th) through 11p.m. Wednesday, December 17th. Save on items like the TomTom Navigation System ($20 off) or a Sony VAIO Laptop ($100 off), or if you really want to experience savings, check out the LG 42" 1080p Widescreen LCD HDTV with Blue-ray Player for only $999.99 (a savings of $640!). It even comes with 3 movies!

55% Off Today Only at Chickdowntown!

An unbelievable 55% off EVERYTHING at Chick Downtown today! That means the classic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress (at left)...those Paper Denim & Cloth jeans you loved but thought were too expensive...the best names in fashion & accessories...anything and everything more than half price! Amazing! Just enter code PRIVATE55 at checkout!

Wolford Tights on Sale!

One of the best brands of tights in the world - Wolford - is on sale at Bare Necessities! These are the tights every posh fashionista is wearing, and for good reason: quality! Not like those inexpensive ones you talk yourself into buying, only to find they don't hold their shape while you're wearing them, or (tragedy!) get a run before you're even out the door! Wolford tights are the tip of the iceberg today though, as Bare Necessities is a great website for anything lingerie-related - and they're having a Holiday sale of 20-40% off lots of great items! It ends today though, so check it out fast! Shipping to Canada is no problem!

Extra 20% off Sale Items at J.Crew!

Take an extra 20% off all sale items at J.Crew this weekend - just enter "EXTRA20" at checkout. There are some amazing deals already - like this gorgeous cable crewneck cardigan on sale for $69.50 - and with an additional 20% off, that's only $55.60. And did I mention free shipping on any order over $125? Why wait until boxing day?

Want to know when that item you want is on sale?

Now it's a piece of cake to be the first to know when something you want goes on sale! The days of missing the colour and size you wanted are over! Shoppingnotes.com is a relatively new website that allows you to enter the web link (URL) of any item you're eyeing on a retailer's website, and they will send you an email alert as soon as the price drops! Another reason to never pay full price again!

Restoration Hardware Baby & Child Sale!

Any of you who have shopped at Restoration Hardware's few Canadian locations know that they have the most beautiful items for your home, as well as gorgeous gifts! Their baby and child division is equally as wonderful, and they are having a sale of up to 75% off right now! Furniture, bedding, lighting, toys, and clothing - they have everything for the babies & kids in your life! I love this fabric bulletin board and their classic rocking horse! Ordering online with shipping to Canada is no problem, and if you order before December 16th, they promise to have it to your door in time for Christmas.

40% Off Sale at Banana Republic

Can't beat 40% off all regular priced items at Banana Republic locations in Canada this Wednesday, December 10th. It's a one day only event, so plan your day accordingly!

Wii systems and accessories in time for Christmas!

I have a few friends who are frantically and unsuccessfully trying to locate certain Wii products that they need in time for Christmas. I hear the usual refrains: "I tried Wal-Mart," "I tried Future Shop," "I tried Best Buy," "I tried the web," etc.... Then I like to remind them of another place that sells game systems and accessories that most people don't think of: Rogers Video! They don't have huge inventories like a big box Store, so they usually sell out the same day they arrive, but they get shipments in every few days, and since most people don't flock there for these items, you can luck out more often than you think! Just call the stores in your neighborhood (there's sure to be more than one) and check it out! Be ready to drive there right away if they have any though - there is usually a no-holds policy on these high-demand items!

Holiday Sale at Nine West!

If you're not into designer shoes, then ignore the post below (for Browns) and focus on the Holiday Sale happening right now at Nine West! I have always found the shoes at Nine West to be stylish, comfortable, and durable! Especially the heels. Oh, and if you need a dressy clutch for all those holiday parties you're going to this season, don't forget they also sell handbags! This one here (and silver really does go with everything...)is on sale for $69.99.

Designer Shoe Sale at Browns!

Shoes are such an easy thing to buy online, because you always know your size! Not like clothing retailers who all seem to have completely different fit models. I will never understand how I can be a size 2, 4, or 6, depending on where I shop. Anyway...back to shoes! Score up to 50% off right now on the always gorgeous collection of shoes at Browns online! Browns always carries great brands, such as Stuart Weitzman, Michael Kors, LAMB, Cole Haan, GEOX, and OMG...Manolo Blahnik?! (Wow! I didn't realize that until today!). Manolo Blahnik on sale? That hardly EVER happens. Like this classic d'orsay pump on the left that is marked down almost 30%! Wow. By the way, the online selection is way better than it is in the stores, and with $5 shipping (or free over $198), why waste time finding a parking space?

Home Depot Discounts!

You know you have to shop for him: that man in your life who is impossible to buy for. Your dad, your father in law, your stepfather...they're all the same because they never give you ANY help in the idea department. You usually end up getting him something lame like a gift card, but this year try and put some thought into it! What are his hobbies? What does he spend his weekends doing? Chances are, whatever the answer, you can find something to help him along at Home Depot. How convenient then, that starting today and through Sunday, tons of items are on sale there! None of these are particularly cheap, but you can always go in on it with your siblings, right? After all, they're just as hard up for ideas as you are. For example, all in-stock bbq's are 10% off, garage storage cabinets and shelving units are 20% off, and cordless power tools are up to 20% off! Home Depot rarely has sales, so take advantage while you can!

Save $10 at Mark's Work Wearhouse!

Ok, I have to admit, I never think of shopping at Mark's Work Wearhouse for clothes. However, hearing about a free $10 off coupon made me take a second look at their recent flyer & website. Especially since the minimum purchase amount is only $10! So basically you can go get a $10 item for free - score! I actually found some great items, including this suprisingly good looking fitted women's dress shirt that promises no ironing (on sale for just $39.99)! They have a men's version too, incase the man in your life needs to upgrade his wardrobe (and let's be honest, 99% of them do). Easy Christmas gift ideas too: slippers, gloves, winter boots, fleece jackets, & pj's! Just click on this link and print the coupon and you're set!

Finally free shipping from Chapters/Indigo!

I'm so glad to finally see Canadian company Chapters/Indigo match Amazon.ca's offer for free shipping on orders of more than $39! It's about time! Now if only they'd start pricing the books in their stores as inexpensively as the ones online...I still can't understand why you have to pay more in person!

Extended Mall Hours & Personal Shoppers!

Another seasonal reminder to those of you who are pressed for time and usually leave things until the last minute (you know who you are...), most malls have extended shopping hours throughout the month of December! For example, Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke is now open until 9:30pm every night, Monday through Saturday, and 10-7 on Sundays. Many malls, such as Yorkdale Mall in Toronto, also offer Personal Shopper services to help you with all those gifts on your list (a free service with minimum purchase). And if you're low on ideas, here's a Gift Guide to help you out! Remember, only 23 more shopping days until Christmas! (and even less for Hanukkah!)

Save money with Price Adjustments!

Just a reminder that many retailers have price adjustment policies, so always hang on to your receipts and ask about the policy when you buy! For example, Gap Inc. and Jacob offer price adjustments to new (lower) sale prices within 14 days of your original purchase. All you need to do is bring in your receipt and they'll credit you back the difference! At this time of year, markdowns happen frequently, so make sure you check back with the retailers you've shopped at within the allotted time frame (especially if Boxing Day falls within it!). Just be kind to your local retail staff by avoiding the busiest times of day (lunch time and weekends), and the busiest days of the year (Boxing Day itself). It's extra workload for them, so go at a slower time!