With the economy these days, most of us are probably quick to save our paychecks instead of spending them. There are ways to get the most out of our money still save big . Here are five ways to get bigger and better discounts while shopping.

1. Shop on a weekday. Malls are usually crowded on the weekends and this probably means all the good stuff is gone. Shopping on a weekday allows you to get a better selection. Your best bet might be to go toward the end of the work week when stores are gearing up for the weekend rush and start their weekend deals.
2. Shop with a purpose. Know what you are going to buy and stick to your plan. Window shopping will distract you and tempt you into spending money on things that you don't really need.
3. Shop at the end of the season. Look out for items that you want in stores at the start of the season and keep your eye on them. Waiting till the end of the season to buy them will save you big bucks since stores are clearing out their inventory to stock up for next season.
4. Chat with the staff. Sometimes those darn sales associates just won’t stop annoying you, but conversing with them might not be so bad. They might let you in on some deals or extra discounts if you actually talk to them.
5. Sign up for emails. Don’t be so quick to delete what you think is junk mail – it’s not all spam. Most of the time stores get you to sign up for their emails to inform you about sales and deals ahead of time. They also email coupons exclusively to their subscribers.