Ads for holiday sales fill the airwaves, jam your mailbox, and add a pound to your Sunday paper.

Soon you’ll be overrun with ads for pre-holiday sales, preferred customer specials, early-bird sales, midnight-madness events, coupon-savings days, and don’t forget, post-holiday sales. Sure you want a good deal, but just how do you decide if the deal is real?

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) would like to remind District residents to be savvy consumers during the holiday season.

Here are some tips to get the most for your money.

Read sale ads carefully: Some may say “quantities limited,” “no rain-checks,” or “not available at all stores.” Before you leave, call ahead to make sure the merchant has the item you want in stock. If you’re shopping for a popular or hard-to-find item, ask the merchant if he or she would be willing to hold the item until you can get to the store.