There’s no better way to Stretch your shopping budget in than at a factory outlet mall. Here are some tips to help make the day an enjoyable and budget-friendly experience.

Prepare for your shopping day at the Factory Outlet. Parking centrally toll alleviate the need to run and back and forth to your car to unload packages. Wear a good pair of walking shoes for comfort and to avoid blisters. If shopping with small children, bring a stroller.

Take advantage of sales, coupons and mailing lists. If you’re familiar with your local Factory Outlet, sign up in advance to become a member of their mailing list for member-only specials and sales. Most Factory Outlet merchants participate with the mailing, providing coupons for their regular patrons and mailing list members.

Factory Outlet merchants are comprised of familiar, national brand retailers, and trendy upper-end boutiques, also well known and sometimes direct from your local geographic area.

Prices at factory outlet stores are considerably lower than traditional department stores, and much of the time the products are the same items purchased in the bigger, more expensive parent operation. Most Factory Outlets sell overstocks of the same first grade merchandise you find in the parent store at considerably reduced prices. Along with the overstocks, there are even more budget-friendly options on irregulars and factory seconds.Factory seconds and irregulars are not necessarily faulty or even of lessened quality, but rather a piece of merchandise with a minor problem that prevent it from passing the quality checks in the inspection process, subsequently preventing it from being shipped to the parent store counterpart; apparel may contain irregular or mis-marked size tags or hanging threads that need a quick snip. Pay special attention to apparel items, and always try them on before you take them home.

Refunds, returns, and exchanges. As with any merchant, be sure to read each Factory Outlet store’s refund, return, and exchange policy. Knowing when and how to return something that doesn’t quite fit, or didn’t happen to be the exact china pattern, will save both shopper and merchant time and ensure hassle-free shopping.

This is probably the most comprehensive and authoritative directory of factory outlet stores on the net.

You can search for factory outlet stores via state, city or specific keywords. If it isn't listed here, it probably isn't worth knowing about.