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Here's a Christmas tip in June. Shop for deals on gifts in the months before the holidays. Yeah, I know, you've heard that before. But Dollars & Sense tells you where and when to find those deals between now and Dec. 25. Shop and spend a little each month, and you'll avoid that whopping holiday bill in January. Some retailers change sale dates or locations, so call or check the website before heading out. JUNE
16-22: Junonia online clearance on plus-size women's activewear (www.junonia.com). Use SUMMER as a discount code and get an additional 45 percent off clearance items. For more savings, sign up for e-mail promotions at the locally based website.
18-30: Odds & Ends Furniture (3740 Louisiana Av. S., St. Louis Park, 952-924-1061). Samples from High Point, N.C., priced just above the manufacturer's cost, arrive all month. Open Thu. through Sun.
18-20: Eversharp tent sale (344 NE. Taft St., Mpls., 612-379-1300, www.eversharpknives.com). Sharpening specials $1 per knife, $2 serrated knives, $3 mower blades and garden tools. Culinar 7-piece reconditioned sets are $199, regularly $930. A new Wüsthof Black Classic fillet knife with sheath is $60, regularly $130.
22-27: Steeple People dandelion sale (2004 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., 612-871-8305). Buy one clothing item, get one free. All other merchandise at the thrift-surplus store is 50 percent off.
25-27: Oh Baby! and Que Sera warehouse sale (7115 Washington Av. S., Edina, 952-943-0065). Save 40 to 60 percent on baby and children's clothing, beds, infant bedding, lighting, dressers and cribs.
27-28: Shop and Stroll at 50th St. and Xerxes Av. S. (Mpls., 612-925-2400). Save 20 percent storewide at shops including Gallery 360, Howard's Barber Shop, Hunt & Gather, Loft Antiques, Nash Frame, Perspectives Vision Clinic, Shop in the City, UPS Store and Woody's Pet Food Deli.
JULY
4: Thrift store holiday sales at Goodwill, Unique, and Savers. Take 50 percent off storewide at all Twin Cities locations. Other sale: Sept. 7.
14: Twin Cities Originals discount gift certificate sale (www.tcoriginals.com). Get a 30 percent discount on $25 and $50 gift certificates to restaurants such as Afton House Inn, Biella, Dakota, Dixie's on Grand, Ike's, Luci Ancora, Murray's and Thistles. Online sale starts at 10 a.m. Many certificates sell out by 11 a.m.
15-22: Neiman Marcus' last-call sale (505 Nicollet Mall, Mpls., 612-339-2600). Get 50 to 65 percent off men's and women's clothes and Gift Gallery items.
16-19: Half-Price Books tent sale (2041 Ford Pkwy., St. Paul, 651-699-1391, www.halfpricebooks.com). Books, CDs and DVDs for $3 or less. Other sales: 20 percent off storewide at all locations Sept. 4-7 and Dec. 26-29.
21: Nordstrom Rack new arrivals event (Mall of America, Bloomington, 952-854-3131). New arrivals of men's and women's clothing and women's shoes from the Nordstrom stores. Other sales: large-size shoe events Aug. 15 and Nov. 14, big brand designer event Sept. 4 and premium denim Oct. 15.
21-23: Sample It sample sale (Days Inn, 7851 Normandale Blvd., Bloomington, 612-377-6981, www.sampleitsale.com). Samples from fall merchandise for juniors, young men, kids and women, plus accessories. Other sale: Nov. 17-19.
30-Aug. 3: Back-to-school sale and fall preview at Albertville Premiums Outlets (Albertville, 763-497-1911, www.premiumoutlets.com/albertville). Other sales: Labor Day sidewalk sale Sept. 4-7, Columbus Day sale Oct. 9-12, VIP shopper club exclusive event Oct. 24-25, and Thanksgiving Day sale Nov. 26 (some stores open at 10 p.m., others at midnight).
AUGUST
7-9: American Cancer Society Discovery sale (former Barnes & Noble store, Brookdale Mall, Brooklyn Center, 651-255-8716). These occasional sales replace the World's Largest Garage Sale. Items include furniture, housewares, clothing, small appliances and tools.
14-16: National Camera tent sale (9300 Olson Memorial Hwy., Golden Valley, 763-546-6831). Get 20 to 50 percent off used, demo, open box, one-of-a-kind and closeout 35mm and digital cameras, filters, lenses, frames, albums and accessories.
21-22: GH2 women's boutique 90 percent off sale (318 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., 612-378-0509). Spring/summer items priced at $5 to $200 after discount.
SEPTEMBER
10: Nordstrom Rack grand opening (12745 Elm Creek Blvd. N., Maple Grove, phone not listed yet). Second Twin Cities location. The selection of designer brands is usually never better than when a new store opens.
10-12: David Rosenberg's sample sale (call for location, 612-343-3221). Women's, men's and children's moderate-priced clothing, including fall and winter items, plus sizes and jewelry. Best bargain: the $3 and $5 racks.
11-12: Hirshfield's designer sample sale (721 2nd Av. N., Mpls., 612-374-8901). Samples and refused special orders at 50 to 70 percent off, including sofas, chairs, dining-room pieces, accessories and art. Other sale: Nov. 6-7.
18-19: Creative Kidstuff tent sale (612-929-2431, www.creativekidstuff.com). Save 50 to 75 percent on toys, art and games. Check the website or call for location as the sale nears. Free gift wrap at the sale.
19-20: General Store tent sale (14401 Hwy. 7, Minnetonka, 952-935-7131, www.generalstoreofminnetonka.com). Save 50 percent or more on home decor, gifts and seasonal items that are one-of-a-kind, overstock or scratch-and-dent.
24-26: PPL Shop storewide sales (850 15th Av. NE., Mpls., 612-789-3322, www.pplshop.org). Also Nov. 27-Dec. 5.
OCTOBER
5-11: Odegard contemporary rugs warehouse sale (129 N. 2nd St., Mpls., 612-455-6100, www.odegardinc.com). Excellent deals on high-quality contemporary rugs from Nepal and Tibet. Designer Stephanie Odegard produces the rugs without child or forced labor.
8-10: Thymes warehouse sale (check for location, 612-338-4471, www.thymes.com). Get 50 to 75 percent off discontinued and overstocked scents and soaps.
12-18: Spa Week at participating Minnesota spa/salons (www.spaweek.com). About 10 salons will participate with $50 deals on massages, facials, pedicures and body wraps, regularly $75 to $200. Check the website after Sept. 14 for participating salons and deals.
13-17: Stroke of the Heart greeting card warehouse sale (3792 Williston Road, Minnetonka, 952-945-9495, www.strokeoftheheart.com). Locally designed cards with simple watercolor designs, as low as 10 cents each. Also, note pads $1.50, magnets $1.50 and boxed note cards $4.
21-23: Gina B greeting card warehouse sale (12700 Industrial Park Blvd., Suite 40, Plymouth, 763-559-7595, www.ginabdesigns.com). Locally designed cards and stationery at 50 to 80 percent off. Greeting and photo cards will be four for $1, recipe cards 10 for $1 and boxed holiday cards $2.
30-Nov. 1, Nov. 6-8, 11-15, Dec. 4-5: Gage & Gage gift wrapping/accessories sale (660 Industrial Circle, Shakopee, 952-233-2081, www.gagewarehousesale.com). Bows 25 cents or less, boxes 20 cents to $2, gift bags 10 cents to $2, ribbon, tissue, wrapping paper $1 to $7, napkins and paper plates. This sale, along with the soup ladies sale (Nov. 11-14) and Dianne's candle sale (Nov. 11-15) is in conjunction with the Canterbury Park Craft Sale Nov. 12-15 (www.canterburypark.com).
NOVEMBER
1-mid-December: Aldi toy sale (Aldi locations at www.aldi.us). Low prices on Barbie, Hannah Montana, GI Joe and Hot Wheels in weekly sale features. Other sale: Poinsettias in 6-inch pots for $3.49 starting Nov. 22.
6-7, 20-21, Dec. 4: Europa Import giftware sample sale (1360 E. County Road E, Vadnais Heights, 651-486-6860). Scandinavian-style iron candleholders, candles, holiday-themed bottle lanterns, crystal, silver platters, lodge/cabin decor and gourmet foods from Sweden are 40 to 60 percent below retail.
11-14: North Aire Market soup sale (1157 Valley Park Dr. S., Suite 130, Shakopee, 952-496-2887, www.northairemarket.com). Maggie and Mary's dry gourmet soups, cheese ball, dip and smoothie mixes and gift packs are 40 to 50 percent off. Cash and checks only.
11-15: Dianne's Candles sale (VFW, 1201 3rd Av. E., Shakopee, 952-746-5530). Closeout and overrun candles -- all locally made with soy, wax and high-quality wicks -- that normally sell for $30 to $50 are $5 without the box at the sale. Most items are $1 to $10.
14-15: Warners' Stellian appliances extreme warehouse sale (550 Atwater Circle, St. Paul, 651-222-0011, www.warners stellian.com). Many appliances, including overstocks and scratch-and-dents, offered below cost. Manufacturers' warranties still apply. Go early for best selection.
20-21: MCAD annual art sale (2501 Stevens Av. S., Mpls., 612-874-3700, www.mcad.edu/artsale). Nearly 7,000 pieces of original art from a few dollars to $1,000. Admission is $40 Fri. evening, free Sat.
21-22: Spectacle Shoppe $39 frame sale (Burnsville Center, 915 County Road 42, Burnsville, 651-636-3434, www.spectacleshoppe.biz). Thousands of frames for $39 each, regularly $150 to $300. Lenses are not required with frame purchase.
21: Lonnie Lovness jewelry sample sale (321 S. Main St., Stillwater, 651-430-2234, www.lonnielovness.com). Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, sterling and one-of-a-kind semiprecious items are 50 to 75 percent off.
DECEMBER
5: Papo d'Anjo European children's wear warehouse sale (2325 Endicott St., St. Paul, 651-294-3900, www.papodanjo.com). Save 30 to 75 percent on upscale fall and winter items for girls and boys -- $5 to $89 for accessories, blouses and underwear for ages 3 months to 14 years.
John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com. If you spot a deal, share it at www.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter.
