Trainers, Hoodies, Dvds: and Good Luck at Customs

The first deal you should bag is a cheap flight. Yes, we know cheap flights are evil, but this is a shopping trip we are talking about, to the global capital of consumerism and waste, so let's not try to kid ourselves we'll be winning any green points. Online flights are the cheapest. Flying midweek is much cheaper, often by over £300, and better deals are found on search engines such as cheapflights.co.uk and skybargains.co.uk than on the main carriers. If you are patient and travelling from London you can find flights to New York for as little as £250. Expect to pay £30-£40 more if you are travelling from another city. Hotels are also best booked online, with the likes of Opodo offering a perfectly respectable looking double room at the West Side Inn - a two-star on Manhattan's upper west side - at £26 to £44 a room a night.

The best designer bargains in New York can be found at Century 21, a kind of upmarket TK Maxx which has five department stores across the state. At the other end of the shopping experience, but still great for high end designer purchases, is Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom, also in Seattle and Washington.

If you can't be bothered to trail around, make the most of department stores such as Bloomingdale's and Macy's. Both have locations in other major cities such as Orlando, Chicago and San Francisco. Also nationwide are Uniqlo and American Apparel, where you can pick up great menswear (American Apparel flex fleece hoodie, $40 or £25 at home). Those looking for trainers should head to Foot Locker. Geeks and techies should head for the Apple stores and Best Buy, both nationwide, but remember most telephone-related accessories won't be compatible with a UK mobile, and if you buy a DVD player make sure it's an all-area-code player.

And finally a word about Customs. The travellers allowance on duty free for "general" goods is just £145. Should you go through the green "nothing to declare" channel at Customs with more than the permitted amount and a Customs officer decides he wants to look in your suspiciously bulging suitcase, then yes, you are breaking the law. Punishment is at the discretion of Customs officials, but can be anything from paying a penalty of up to 100% of the duty not paid to the more ominous sounding "further action" (ie prosecution). You have been warned.