I’m postponing what would have been this week’s column in favor of some great holiday shopping advice, compliments of the Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency. While lots of us have enjoyed pre-Thanksgiving/Black Friday bargains, many consumers still wait until the bitter end to shop for friends and families. Whether you’re purchasing at the mall, online, or by mail, a little planning and know-how can help deliver an on-budget holiday season and one that’s even a little less stressful.

First, make a list and check it twice. Yep, just as in that favorite song, it’s wise to shove sentiment aside as much as possible in this upside-down economy in favor of a realistic budget for those recipients whom you really wish to gift.

(And don’t forget that homemade presents are as much if not more gratefully received by some on your inventory. Too, giving your time or expertise, perhaps in the form of homemade coupons, make for a welcome contribution.) Set a limit for each person and don’t go over, no matter how gorgeous that sweater you spot for Great Aunt Nellie.

Another shopping smarter hint: even though gasoline prices are thankfully down, driving from mall to mall is oh so hectic so why spend all your time behind the wheel hunting down bargains? Instead, check out www.istorez.com, a free site that directs us to the most current deals and store specials from the brands and stores we’re in all probability going to choose anyway.

And don’t forget to go back and read Consumer Watch columns that addressed store sales and their ads. For example, a Buy One, get One Free isn’t such a deal if your mother-in-law isn’t fond of baby barf-colored scarves. By the same token, check online stores for your direct purchases; sometimes, the former’s prices are better than their mall counterparts, as long as you take shipping and handling fees into account.

(One of my favorite sites is www.overstock.com. While the company sells worlds of different items, I’ve found some amazingly inexpensive jewelry pieces and no matter how much a customer spends, the S&H costs don’t exceed $2.95 when mailed to the continental United States.)

And what about coupons? If you’re shopping at a business that allows any sort of discount for what you’d probably buy anyway, then tuck that sucker in your billfold before leaving the house. Just be sure to carefully read for any restrictions that may offset its benefits.

Receipts are perhaps more important now than at any other time of year. Not only do most of us spend money that we normally squirrel away, it’s also when Identity Theft is at its height. Maintain vigilance with your wallet. Don’t flash cash.

Eyeball your credit or debit card during transactions and get them back as quickly as possible. If your cards are lost or stolen, report the loss or theft immediately to the card issuers. Check credit and debit card sales and return receipts against your monthly bills and statements (even faster if set up online) and immediately report any problems to the credit card issuer.

On a more positive receipt note, ask employees for gift receipts. That way, if the recipient returns the item, he or she gets the same value even if the item has been discounted more. So far as returns are concerned, many store policies contain different refund and return guidelines for sale items. For instance, clearance merchandise might be on final sale, which means no refunds or exchanges. Think how embarrassed you might be if Grandfather Abe discovered his gift cost you only $4.79.

Ellen Phillips is a retired English teacher who has written two consumer-oriented books. Her Consumer Watch column appears on Saturdays in the Business section of the paper. An expanded version is at www.timesfreepress.com under Local Business. E-mail her at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com