Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales.

One would not ordinarily enter a Fifth Avenue mansion in New York City expecting bargains, especially when the home houses the legendary Henri Bendel department store. Known as one of NYC's great stores with outstanding service and top-drawer fashion offerings, shoppers routinely drop thousands on a dress and hundreds on shoes to match.

Yet twice a year even the grand dame of New York elegance marks down goods in order to clear the way for the latest runway hits. In late August and January, savvy shoppers from all over the country find their way to the mansion to score clothes, accessories and some cosmetics to carry home in Bendel's trademark white and brown striped bag.

Others may visit just to enjoy some rejuvenation time in the store's Frederic Fekkai Salon. Shopping bargains is hard work, after all, and shouldn't thrift be rewarded? Ahhh, that's better.

Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales.

Almost all stores hold after-Christmas sales. In fact, I've long thought that a savvy family that time-shifted Christmas to Jan. 25th could pocket hundreds if not thousands of dollars in gift costs. For me, I pick among the January sales looking for appealing items that I would otherwise be unable to afford.

One catalog merchant that holds a great post-holiday sale and carries a wide line of impressive goods is Garnet Hill. It offers women's and children's clothing and household items from linens to furniture. During the sale, a wide selection of its products are available at savings ranging up to 75% off. Garnet Hill offers email sale alerts to clue you in to upcoming bargain opportunities.

When I hear broadcasters bemoaning slack sales during the holiday season, I have to admit that I smile a little inside, knowing the clearance racks will be even fuller.

Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales.

When I first heard about the Filene's Basement bridal sale as a college student in Boston, the event seemed a bit rowdy for a bunch of staid New Englanders. Typically, women grab several wedding dresses as soon as the doors open, then they barter to find a style and size that suits them. Within a minute the racks filled with more than a thousand dresses are stripped bare and so are some of the shoppers, changing into gowns right in the aisles! It sounds like something out of a Bridezilla reality TV show, but it's worth it because of the huge savings. The designer gowns are priced at $249, $499 and $699, and still have the old price tags on them, which show that the the original prices ranged from $900 to $9,000 plus.

Dubbed "the running of the brides," the semi-annual sale began in 1947 at Filene's flagship store in downtown crossing, the heart of Boston's shopping scene. The sale has since spread to many other locations, where it's held once a year. The flagship store is closed for renovation until 2009, but the last sale in February was held nearby at the Hynes Convention Center. The sale will be held at the Atlanta, GA store on March 21, in Paramus, NJ on March 28 and in Tyson's Corner, VA on April 4.

If you plan to go, check at About.com's top ten tips for finding a wedding dress at the sale.

Some deals only come around once or twice a year, but offer savings that justify the wait. This post is part of our series on such 'don't miss' sales.

Okay, I'm going to start with the obvious, just to get it out of the way: I am WAY too old for Hot Topic. Their target demographic is in the late-teen to early twenties, is really into whiny rock music, and leans toward Goth chic. I, on the other hand, am in my mid-thirties, love Tom Petty, and have never mutilated myself (tattoos don't count). While I am a big fan of Hellraiser and shave my head regularly, I simply am not nearly cool enough to shop at Hot Topic.

That having been said, I totally love the place. I first discovered it a few months after my daughter was born. Between quitting smoking and sitting on the couch with the new love of my life, I put on about 25 pounds. Deathly afraid that my daughter might one day see Jabba the Hutt and yell "Daddy!," I resorted to extreme measures to drop my excess weight: I became a mallwalker.