What a difference a day makes.

Twenty-four little hours – 40 big dollars.

It’s funny how the coat I bought ShopGuy for Christmas dropped dramatically in price on Dec. 26. What’s even funnier is that the coat didn’t fit him, so I brought it back, got a refund, turned around and bought an even nicer coat in a smaller size – with a smaller price tag, to boot.

Whoever said Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year clearly hasn’t hit the post-holiday sales. I had a bargain extravaganza last week, and I anticipate even better prices ahead.

Sure, I’m a little bummed out that someone beat me to the life-size nutcracker at T.J.’s. But I have a philosophical approach to drastically reduced merchandise: If it was on clearance and I missed it, then it wasn’t meant to be.

My friend Melissa is holding out for what she calls the “ginormous Santa” at T.J.’s. She’s waiting for the price to drop so she can justify buying something that would hog so much storage space. That’s what I’ll keep telling myself about the nutcracker: There just wasn’t enough room for him.

No worries, though. There were plenty of bargains that were meant to be. This year, I played a little ShopGirl game: How much could I buy for $50? As it turned out, I got so much, I even surprised myself.

The sales seemed better than in years past. Or maybe it was just that I actually wanted the stuff that was on sale this year. The heavy cashmere sweater I coveted at Marshalls was still out of my price range, but for all of you with a bigger budget: Go check it out.

I did find one of my “needs” immediately: a new cherry-red wallet at T.J.’s for $12. Not bad for Italian leather. While I was there, I picked up an adorable green corduroy blazer for $10. It was in the petites section, but shrunken jackets are in, right? Besides, I couldn’t resist the bejeweled buttons.

Target seemed to be the place to be for great deals. While I was there, I picked up a throw rug for $1.99 (hands down, the best bargain of the bunch), a holiday T-shirt for my best friend’s husband (a steal at $4.99), a set of four silver chargers for $4.99, a wreath for my sister (half off at $9.99) and a pair of stylish cropped wool pants for $5.74.

It only took me two stops to blow through my budget, but I learned a few lessons that will last for weeks to come. In the post-holiday shopping blitz, there are things you should stock up on and things you should skip.

Many people stock up on wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags after Christmas, and I don’t blame them. I just don’t have the storage space, and by the time next Christmas rolls around, I’ll already have forgotten about them. Besides, this stuff is never that expensive anyway. Instead, I recommend investing in a big-ticket item at half off, such as the aforementioned “ginormous Santa,” or other holiday decor that rarely goes on sale.

This is a great time to pick up electronics. There are sure to be a few returns of the “hot item” you’ve been after – whether it’s the George Foreman G5 Grill (which sold out way before I got around to buying one) or the Nintendo Wii. You’ll probably be rewarded for your patience with a better price.

Household items are a best bet – just be sure to buy products with year-round appeal. The throw rug I purchased was technically a Christmas item, but it matched the colors of my kitchen, so it ended up being an even better bargain. Ditto for the chargers – even in red and green, these are perfect for entertaining no matter what the season. Stock up!

Specialty food items are a nice splurge – hot cocoa, nuts, chocolates and crackers all go on clearance after Christmas, so give yourself a little treat.

Despite my blazer and cropped-pant purchase, I actually would recommend skipping small-ticket clothing items in favor of something bigger, such as the coat I bought ShopGuy. However, if you’ve been itching to try a new trend, now is a good, cheap time to experiment – Gap has especially good post-holiday sales.

I’d never pay full price for a holiday-themed T-shirt, regardless of how inexpensive it was. But I had no reservations buying the half-off T for my best friend’s hubby. Call me crazy, but it’s the principle of the thing.

Take inventory of what you need, and cruise the sales to see if you can cross anything off your list. You were going to buy that new wallet, pair of khakis or 2007 calendar anyway. Why not get it at a discount?

Consider this Christmas, Part 2. This time, you can finally buy something for yourself. Something that nobody else would ever think of buying you. Like a life-size nutcracker. Or a giant Santa.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. And we’ve only just begun.