After-Valentine markdowns are getting serious! At 70% discounts, buying a few items at retail can make sense and save dollars -- especially when you just want a few things here and there to add a bit of variety to your gift basket inventory.

This adorable 18-inch cheetah is a good bargain at $2.99. To make it work in every day baskets, all I had to do was snip off the hot pink love pillow. Paired with tropical rain-forest themed spa gifts, the cheetah can anchor a great “Wild About You” birthday, get well, thank you -- virtually any ocasion. Watch for the completed gift basket. I’ll give you a quick preview in a couple of days.

Saving money is more than just smart business. In today’s environment, it is essential to survival. A few years ago the JUBILEE! convention sponsored a competition where designers could enter ideas for crossing designs from season-to-season. Here is a great example of how inventory can keep moving by simply changing one item, and transitioning ribbon and florals to the next season’s theme. On the right, a Noel snack bag of crackers makes the design appear to be wholly holidays. On the right, snacks from the same manufacturer are used, but the label is changed to reflect a Valentine motif. All the other products remained the same. The poinsettia was changed to a rose; shred colors moved from white to red and gold; and a holiday ribbon was replaced with Valentine hearts. Perishables moved from one season to the next -- seamlessly.

As long as the foods are still fresh and the date has not expired, any unsold foods in a set like this could move into a birthday or thank you gift the day after Valentine’s. What would you do to change the look? Bet you’ll have some great ideas!