Few things compare to the rush of a great sale.  We live in a time where it's more common to brag about a great deal than about buying something expensive.  A designer jacket may be impressive, but a designer jacket you found at a consignment store for half price will draw even more awe.  Thrift stores are the most hands-on form of the bargain-hunting art.  eBay is perhaps the holy grail, and another exciting option is shopping short-period online sales, which offer designer brands at discount prices that last between two hours and two days.

A lower end sales site is RedTagCrazy.com.  They offer sales that last less than two hours and feature department store brands like Lucky and Abercrombie marked down as much as 70%.  When one sale closes, another begins.  (As I'm typing this, a pair of $145 jeans are selling for just $45.)  To stay on top of it, the site offers alerts via a Firefox plugin or your iPhone. You can also follow RedTagCrazy on Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, or RSS feed.  "Chick chat" shown beneath the latest sale lets readers share their thoughts on the current deal.

HauteLook.com is a higher-end discount site, offering a few sale items at a time.  Sales range from 12 to 48 hour runs, with links provided to learn more about each featured designer.  Clothes, bags, and jewelry can be found on the site.  Gorgeous leather handbags sell at half price.  Jovovich-Hawk brand items have sold for 90% off, and I've seen Elizabeth and James (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's line, named for their siblings) listed as well.  An account at HauteLook is free and you can opt into email updates whenever a new sale begins.

Shown:  Stretch Stirrup Riding Pant by Ya Ya (now sold out), originally $185.00.  Sold for $18.50.

Designer discounts let you get quality items for less, making for smart shopping.  Well-made basics are always a good investment.