How seniors can stretch their holiday dollars
By Susan Nienow CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Faye Poe (left) and her daughter, Kat Rugar, load packages into their car during a recent holiday shopping trip.

"It's a challenge," said one woman. Another added, "Start early." A third said, "It takes time to find the best buys." These women are chatting over coffee about finding gifts for their families that maximize their dollars. They didn't want their names used. Maybe they want their relatives to think picking the right gifts is effortless.

But it isn't effortless. It takes work to make your money go farther - especially for seniors who may be living on a fixed budget. Below are some suggestions to make shopping easier and ways to stretch your shopping dollars:

Begin with comparison shopping - the savings can be considerable. Save time and gas money by using the newspaper ads, Internet and phone before taking to the road. Make sure you are comparing exactly the same product. Many stores will match a competitor's price, saving you a trip back to the other store. Ask if there are any discounts available in addition to the sale price.

If gift-buying is a stressful job for you, be kind to yourself. Avoid stores that are overwhelming in their size and number of choices. You can get discounts through catalogs and Internet sites. Or, just give less.

Some of the easier ways to save involve taking advantage of senior discounts and participating in discount programs through AARP, AAA and other organizations. AAA World magazine for subscribers had some good suggestions for their cardholders. For example, the AAA card can get you 10 percent off most Target online purchases and 20 percent off Best Buy services. Don't forget to factor in the cost of postage and handling or the cost of driving to the store to pick up your purchases. Sometimes the savings are negated by the cost of mailing.

AAA members may get as much as 40 percent off popular books, CDs and DVDs through the barnesandnoble.com Holiday Gift Guide as well as the year-round AAA 5 percent discount.

Individual stores such as Barnes & Noble offer discount cards for sale. If you are a regular buyer, it may pay off to purchase one that is good for a year and get 10 percent off each purchase. Some companies offer free delivery for both Internet and catalog orders if the purchase is over a certain amount. Amazon has free delivery for purchases over $25. Other retailers offer free shipping for limited periods during the holidays, and the savings can be significant.

Credit cards are competing for your business and offering perks such as cash back or reductions on each gallon of gas for using the card. Some store-sponsored Visa or MasterCards offer reward coupons for charging merchandise at that store. Just make sure you use your credit card responsibly, or you could spend part of 2008 paying it off.

Don't forget to check out used items such as sports equipment, jewelry, home furnishings and electronics. If you get a guarantee and buy from a reputable source, you could save half or more off the cost of a new item. There are local stores for used sports equipment, and the classified ads often have golf clubs or other sports equipment for sale.

Don't overlook coupons, rebates and special sales. Sometimes the lower price is only good for a very limited time.

Internet savings

Spending a little time on the Internet could result in considerable savings. Some Web sites are specifically for senior discounts including seniorliving.about.com, seniordiscounts.com and seniorjournal.com.Discounts.htm.

A number of sites are devoted to bargains like overstock.com, shopzilla.com, loehmanns.smartbargains.com and others. eBay offers many opportunities for bargains on used or new items.

Tickets for movies, shows and concerts may be available at a discount online. Go to the Web sites for the theater companies such as regmovies.com or consolidatedmovies. com.

Museums have gift shops and often have catalogs. Sign up for e-mail notices of sales you can take advantage of without battling the holiday shopping crowds.

Last resort gifts

Go for the gift card. No bargain - they sell for face value, and the cards often have an expiration date. They are less personal and not as much fun for the giver, but they are easy gifts for hard-to-shop-for people.

Magazines are also competitive now. Some are offering as many as two or three free gift subscriptions if you renew your subscription. This is especially true for some special interest magazines.

Plan ahead

Start your shopping for next year right before or right after Christmas. Stores are trying to get rid of their merchandise to make way for spring items, and prices may be at their lowest. You could pick up a quality cashmere sweater for a third to one-half of the regular price or find a down jacket for a snow bunny.

Most parents and grandparents will tell you to wait to buy for the kids. Their sizes and tastes change too rapidly to shop a year ahead for them. Even teenagers and young adults can be a challenge. A scarf and matching gloves may be just the thing for the young adult who lives in Chicago, but she may be living in Florida by next Christmas.

Hostess gifts can easily be bought ahead and stored until needed. Holiday ornaments, fancy pots for plants and small trays and dishes for appetizers can be picked up on sale for less than half of the original price.

If budget is a factor, your best plan is to set a maximum amount you can afford, decide how much you want to spend for each person and then stick to the plan. If you save $10 on one person, you can add it to the limit for another or keep the savings. Make a list. Wandering through the stores is frustrating and usually fruitless. Ask people for ideas.