This year's sales are offering bargains in all areas, from electrical goods to maternity wear. ANNMARIE O'CONNOR locates some of the best buys.

This year's sales are offering bargains in all areas, from electrical goods to maternity wear. ANNMARIE O'CONNOR locates some of the best buys

It's the time of year that brings joy to the heart of every bargain hunter. Yes, the winter sales have finally arrived.

While we shoppers were able to flex our shopping muscles in the run-up to Christmas the dire warnings about the state of the economy didn't stop us indulging in lots of pre-Christmas retail therapy it's only now that we can really come into our own.

Luckily for us, all of our pre-Christmas activity prompted the country's department stores to gear up for a hectic sales period, which will give us the chance to save some money by buying those oh-so-necessary items in the sales. Well, we do have to make up for all that over-spending in the run-up to Christmas somehow.

And the shops are doing their best to help us achieve fiscal solvency in the New Year with extended opening hours and bargains in every area, from furniture to beauty products. Roches Stores is even bringinging forward their sale dates to accommodate an expected 30,000 of us bargain hunters who will be planning to hit the Henry Street branch alone.

So if you are looking to make the most of your last few punts before we have to get used to the euro (that handy converter calculator is set to be the hottest fashion accessory in the New Year), we've complied a seasonal sales listing from a number of selected department stores throughout the country to help all you bargain hunters to start the New Year in the best possible way. Arnotts

Sale Starts: Friday, December 28

Finishes: Sunday, January 27

Time: 9.30am 9pm on December 28 and returning to normal trading hours after the opening day.

Sale Items:

* Furniture: Homemaker beech dining table with frosted glass insert and six upholstered chairs in a choice of two colours. Pre-sale price: £1,201.04 (€1,525.01). Sale price: £992.33 (€1,260).

* Beauty: Kanebo Lynt Emulsion moisturiser. Pre-sale price: £40.25 (€51.11). Sale price: £9.06 (€11.50).

* Lighting: First Light Ritz Floor Lamp. Pre-sale price: £173.26 (€219.99). Sale price: £99.23 (€126).

* Lingerie: Selected bras from Leisure B, Triumph, Sharnoff and Warner are half price.

* Fashion: Michel Amber and John Rocha collections at half price.

* Accessories: Bags by Elle, Kipling, Gap and Shilton reduced to half price.

Brown Thomas

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27.

Time: Day 1: 9am-8pm in Dublin, BT2, Limerick and Galway; 9am-7pm in Cork.

Day 2: 9am-8pm in Dublin; BT2, Cork and Galway; 9am-9pm in Limerick.

Day 3: 9am-7pm in Dublin, BT2, Cork and Limerick; 9am-6pm in Galway.

Day 4: 10am-6pm in Dublin, BT2; 9am-7pm in Cork; 12pm-6pm in Limerick; 2pm-6pm in Galway.

Day 5: 9am-6pm in Dublin, BT2, Limerick and Cork; 9.30am-6pm in Galway.

Sale Items:

Expect to see reductions between 20pc and 50pc in areas such as homesware, menswear, ladieswear and lingerie.

Heatons

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27, in all 26 branches throughout the country.

Time: 1pm to 6pm.

Sale Items:

* All sale stock will be reduced by 25pc and 50pc including ladieswear, menswear, childrenswear, lingerie and homewear. There will also be many special offers such as luxury American percale sheets from £3.94 (€5) and bath towels for £4.73 (€6.01).

Shaws

Branches in Dun Laoghaire, Mountmellick, Portlaoise, Athy, Carlow, Roscrea, Limerick, Tralee, Fermoy, Dungarvan, Waterford and Wexford.

Sale Starts: Friday, December 28.

Finishes: Tuesday, January 15.

Time: 11am (check with your local branch for subsequent sale days).

Sale Items

* Ladieswear: Lisa Lovell, B Young, Michael H, Libra, Gelco, Brandtex and Olsen labels are all reduced by 25pc. There's 50pc off the Slimma range. Ladies coats and jackets are reduced by 25pc and there's 10pc off all Clarks, Wendel and Pepe ladies boots.

* Lingerie: there's 20pc off Ballet, Playtex and Triumph items. * Menswear: there's reductions of 20pc off all Douglas and Magee men's suits and sports jackets, Douglas, Oakman and Magee men's trousers and Adidas, Nike, Umbro, Reebok sweatshirts.

* Beauty: Christmas cosmetic sets have 50pc off.

* Homewear: there's 25pc off Pimpernell table mats and 20pc off Newbrdge cutlery.

Clerys

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27.

Time: Day 1: 9am 9pm

Day 2: 9am 8pm

Day 3: 9am 6.30pm

Day 4: 12pm 5.30pm

Day 5: 9am 6.30pm

Day 6: Closed New Year's Day

Day 7: 10am 8pm

Day 8: 9am 9pm

Day 9: 9am 8pm

Day 10: 9am 6.30pm

Sale Items:

* Ladieswear: there's one third off Libra, Michael H, Gerry Weber, Bianca, Nitya, Gerard Darel, Caractere, Marina Avraam and LB fashion labels, one third off several selected lines of coats and 10pc off Cabile knitwear and Brendella skirts.

* Menswear: there's reductions of 30pc off Marlboro Classics and Gas and 10pc off all leading shirt brands.

* Lingerie: there's 20pc off Triumph, Berlei, Gossard, Ballet and Playtex items for first 10 days of sale, 10pc off nightwear and 10pc off marked price on Warner, Pretty Polly, Fantasie, Charnos and Marie Claire items.

Debenhams

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27.

Time: 9am 9pm returning to normal trading hours after opening day.

Sale Items:

* Expect to see reductions of between 20pc and 50pc in key areas such as homeware, menswear and ladieswear. Labels include Fred Perry, Quicksilver, Whistles, JOHN by John Richmond and ROCHA by John Rocha.

Roches

Sale Starts: Friday, December 28.

Finishes: Sunday, January 20 in all 12 stores.

Time: Contact your local branch for sale timetable.

Sale Items:

* Ladieswear: there are reductions of 30pc off the Michael H, Endora, Steillman labels.

* Lingerie: all lines have 20pc off.

* Menswear: there's 50pc off selected lines including sportswear.

* Homewear: bed linen buy a duvet cover set and get another free, all electrical brands greatly reduced.

Next

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27.

Time: 6am to 7pm on opening day

Sale Items:

Majority of items are half price. A lot of suits available this sale season. Best bargains are normally scooped up within the first hour. Last year's queues on Grafton Street are a good indication of the standard of the Next sale.

* Womenswear: lilac sequin sweater. Pre-sale price: £34.99 (€44.43). Sale price: £17.49 (€22.21).

pale blue sandblast wide leg jeans. Pre-sale price: £29.99 (€38.08) Sale price: £14.99 (€19.03).

stone suede trainers. Pre-sale price: £29.99 (€38.08). Sale price: £14.99 (€19.03).

* Menswear: black wool blend reefer jacket. Pre-sale price: £79.99 (€101.57). Sale price: £39.99 (€50.78).

dark red v-neck sweater. Pre-sale price: £26.99 (€34.27). Sale price: £8.99 (€11.41).

* Childrenswear: white raglan sleeve 'Cherry' T-shirt. Pre-sale prices: £8.99 (€11.41)/£9.99 (€12.68)/£11.99 (€15.22). Sale prices: £4.49 (€5.70)/£4.99 (€6.34)/£5.99 (€7.61).

* Home: tartan check oxford pillowcase. Pre-sale price: £11.99 (€15.22. Sale price: £6.99 (€8.88).

tartan check single duvet cover. Pre-sale price: £34.99 (€44.43). Sale price: £17.49 (€22.21).

tartan check double duvet cover. Pre-sale price: £44.99 (€57.13). Sale price: £22.49 (€28.56).

tartan check king size duvet cover. Pre-sale price: £54.99 (€69.82). Sale price: £27.49 (€34.91).

Mothercare

Sale starts: Thursday, December 27

Time: 9.30am

Sale Items:

* There's 20pc off all ranges instore including the following maternity brands: Blooking, Valja, Rosmari and also brands exclusive to Mothercare. There's also 20pc off brands for babies, toddlers and childrenswear, including un, deux, trois and Bon Ami and all the character ranges including Winnie the Pooh.

IK:VI, Stephen's Green

Shopping Centre

Sale Starts: Thursday, December 27

Time: Noon, returning to normal trading hours after opening day.

Sale Items:

* There's 30pc off Pepe Jeans, Tommy Hilfiger and Urban Stone items.