That 'blink and you'll miss it' summer we just had has morphed into an equally rapid autumn, with unseasonably low temperatures across much of North America seeing us hunkered down longing for the favourite balmy days of fall.

Until then, it makes for a great excuse to get some holiday shopping in - online. This Frugalista scoffs at paying full retail, and so should you.

Shop 'til You Drop is fast becoming "Surf 'til You Drop" - and it's not just the big box retailers who have clued in. Premium brands like Juicy Couture and Louis Vuitton are racing to catch up to web-savvy customers who know where the best deals may be found.

But where to start?

Retail

* Find online offer codes, printable store coupons, and red hot deals for retailers from Bath & Body Works to the Apple Store on DealCatcher.

* User-submitted deals for restaurants, clothing, and electronics are easy to track on SlickDeals, where current offers are sorted from the expired ones at a glance.

* I personally recommend RetailMeNot for the easiest store-by-store searching. It's how I scored a Victoria's Secret bra I saw at my local mall. Full price: $45; Deal price: $22 plus free matching underwear! It features an easy sort tool to locate deals in 8 different countries.

* Canadians often feel they get the shaft on deals and coupons. RedFlagDeals offers the best of Canadian deals and international offers that will ship. It is also a good resource for city-specific events and sample sales. We always find full details for the Prix Fixe dining events here.

* Another Canadian site, SmartCanucks, includes a site blog on their home page highlighting the best of their posted deals.

Beauty

What about those Gifts With Purchase? Start thinking about Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers you can score for free when you shop for your beauty essentials. Freebies usually start when you spend around $25.  Beauty bloggers are my best source for this.

* Canadians, check out ChickAdvisor member Cinnamon Kitten's site with all the details.

* Americans, I recommend MyGiftWithPurchase.

Sample Sales

Never miss a sample sale opportunity again! Designers and high-end retailers are always looking to unload their overstock for budget-friendly prices, but it's finding the sales on time that can get tricky.

We like New York Magazine for NYC events, and ShoestringShopping in Toronto. Subscribe to NYMag's Best Bets and Shoestring's weekly e-newsletters for regular updates.  Other cities' sample sales are best found in a good local fashion blog.

Groceries

What goes for elegant shoes is also true for brie and angus steak. Grocery deal hunting is a huge trend we're seeing across North America, and new deals sites are cropping up every day. A good local blog is often best for sales in your area, but many grocery chains are well covered by bigger sites.

RedFlagDeals has a grocery section for Canadians, and The Grocery Game is a paid subscription service available in many countries. Your first four weeks are free, and if you are a coupon clipper, a site like this is invaluable.

Check with your favourite stores' and restaurants' websites to see if you can subscribe to their e-newsletter. Advance sales notices and exclusive coupons at the click of a mouse? So easy.

Don't forget to stop by ChickAdvisor's Deals page, where we post the best web deals we find.  Which site gets your Honourable Mention?

by Claire Rahn