Shopping in Manhattan is sport. You need the energy for taking long walks, visiting many stores and rifling through many racks of clothes. It's good exercise, but you also can get overwhelmed.

Here's my guide to a quick NYC shopping trip:

Wear comfortable shoes. Yes, we all want to look like Carrie in Sex and The City, but sneakers or walking sandals are best.
I went through three pairs of shoes in two days. I soon realized the seemingly comfortable Steve Madden sandals weren’t taking me more than two blocks: Too high, too much pressure. I switched to my reliable sneakers, but soon had a blister on my ankle. Finally, I found a flexible, low wedge sandal from Kenneth Cole Reaction collection, on sale at Macy's for $49. See above.

They seem to be the ticket; I still have them on!

Look for sample sales. These are clothes line samples at deep discounts. You can find them in New York magazine and just walking in the city.

Check out boutiques for fun; buy at the bargain shops around the corner. I browsed many a shop in SoHo, but did my actual buying at Exstaza at 491 Broadway. Fun casual clothes, great prices. I bought a summer dress for $29.99 and a top for $19.99.

Don't bother trying on clothes. The lines are too long. Take them back to your hotel room and return whatever doesn't fit the next day.

Remember to rest. NYC shopping can be exhilarating because there's so much. Take a coffee break and get off your feet. -- Marcia "Bargain Hunter" Pounds