Sales time is a great time to pick up some emergency presents for the year ahead.

Toys and clothes for children are great to have in the cupboard in case of a rushed week leading up to a child's party.

A board game, or Jenga is an excellent gift to have stashed away for a 30th, or Kris Kringle gift next year. Board games usually have a minimum 20% off after Christmas and so will usually fit under the KK cut off price. UNO is another great game to have in case of present emergency.

When you're trawling the sales remember to look out for photo frames and albums on sale, they are also great emergency gifts.

Try to steer clear of clothing for people, sizing can be an issue and if you buy the gift at the end of December it is has to exchange or return in October of the next year (however it can be done at the right shop and with the right shop attendant).

It is also a good time to look out for Christmas related gifts to keep in the cupboard for your children's teachers. These gifts are always difficult to try and find something nice, not junky, and not expensive. If you buy in the sales you can usually purchase a Christmas themed plate, mug or angel for a much reduced price and you can pair it with a plant or maybe a some homemade biscuits next Christmas.

Keep an idea out for good book sales during the year. There are a few standard books you can give as gifts, including good recipe books (paired with a pan or tin for one of the recipes from the book). For Children titles include Roald Dahl classics, or Hungry, Hungry Catepillar, or maybe Where the Wild Things Are.

It is easy to go overboard in the sales, when they put a dramatically reduced price in red above what they say was the original price. Don't get caught up and buy for the sake of buying. Some things have been brought in solely for the sales and will be hard to exchange later in the year, others are just not that great and that is why they are so drastically reduced!

Happy shopping.