Holiday Shopping in a Bad Economy

I’m guilty. I left my holiday shopping to the end of the year, and now, with the current economic crisis hitting every headline I see, I’m getting a little worried about how to make the holidays special for those I normally treat with gifts. I’m not ready to forego holiday gift-giving altogether, so below find my plan on shopping smarter this year:

-Make a list and a budget. This may be an oldie, but it sure is a goodie. Your list should include the people you want to buy gifts for, the extra you will spend on food and beverages with visitors dropping by, holiday decorations, extra travel, holiday card purchases, even postage. Your list needs to be full of detail if you’re going to make the idea of sticking to a budget work. Once you determine what you can afford for each person – stick to that amount. I know it’s hard, but it’s the only way you can protect your savings. No one wants to be paying off holiday debt in June.

-Research deals online. If you can buy discounted gift certificates from local merchants, do it. This is your money we’re talking about. Know what things costs and where the best deals are before you even leave your house. The Internet can really be your friend in this process. But you knew that already!

-Sales are only valuable if you were going to buy the item to begin with. If you were not planning on needing that cute new pair of gloves, you just spent more than you should have. Just because it’s on sale, does not make it a bargain for your wallet.

-Know return/exchange policies BEFORE you buy. If you’re buying gifts it’s important to know this. Many retailers offer gift receipts… I encourage you to keep them or even enclose them with the gift. It makes everyone’s life a lot easier in the long run, and if an item gets discounted after you bought it… your recipient still gets the full value of what you spent, as opposed to the new discounted price.

-Avoid my biggest mistake while holiday shopping. What is it you ask? Buying for myself. That’s what it is. I recommend putting off personal purchases until after the holiday season. You’ll know exactly where your budget stands, and you’ll reap the benefits of after-holiday markdowns.

Most important this holiday season: try to minimize stress. Be true to yourself on what your budget can allow. This season is about togetherness, family times and good cheer. Try to enjoy those parts above all else.

-reenie

Getting Your Home Ready for the Holidays

It’s hard to imagine that holidays will be here soon, but soon it will be! If you’re hosting your family or local friends for any of the major November and December holidays, you might want to start planning now for any furniture or room upgrades. Keep in mind that some furniture can take six-eight weeks to order, so plan now to be ready to roll out the Christmas feast on that new dining room set. If you need to do some interior upgrades…plan now on what you need, so you have plenty of time to fit the work in -- whether you do it yourself or hire a professional. Think new paint, new cushions or other accent pieces to spruce up your home.

No time for major upgrades? No extra cash for new furniture? You can make a room look completely different by changing where furniture is placed. And don’t just think about the furniture already in the room you're tackling. You have your whole home to explore. It’s amazing how many pieces can be re-purposed and make a room come to life in a whole new way. Adding some new angles and some new color accents can be a great way to refresh a tired room.

Mi casa et su casa
Is your home ready for overnight guests? Keep in mind, when we live in our homes day in and day out we stop noticing the piled up clutter. If you know you’ll be hosting people over the upcoming holidays, take a walk around your house, but pretend you are seeing it for the first time. I know it sounds hard, but just try to see what your guests might see and tackle those clutter-filled areas FIRST.

If you have a guest room, really focus on that area. Make it an oasis for the people who will be staying with you. Be sure you have great linens and that things smell fresh and clean -- bring on the Bounce or your favorite fabric softener. Collect all of those sample product bottles you’ve been storing up and make a welcome basket for guests (we all forget to pack at least one essential when we travel). Guests staying a while? Stop by your local Convention and Visitors Bureau and pick up area walking maps and activity brochures… you might also find some great ideas for you and your family -- for when the guests are gone.

There's nothing good to eat
Everyone eats differently, and gets hungry at different times. Think about creating a healthy-snack area in your kitchen and let guests know where it is. Heck, let your family know, too. You never know who might have a late-night munchie attack.

Whatever you do -- keep breathing

Don't let the holiday season make you crazy. Keep up on the daily clutter before it become a week-sized mess. Empty the dishwasher when it's done. Toss unnecessary mail in the recycle bin before it lands on a desk. Most important: keep BREATHING! In. Out. In. Out. That's it.

-reenie

Halloween Planning

Halloween is on Friday night this year. Are you ready? There's plenty to do before All Hallows Eve is upon us. Don't let it make you crazy. If you haven't started yet... this post is for you.

Things to keep in mind:

-Are your pumpkins carved? Have you figured out a safe way to light them on Halloween night?

-Have you gone over trick-or-treating safety rules with your kids?

-Are your decorations out? If you decorate every year…consider designating a specific, and well-marked, box for all Halloween items.

-Have you checked out the local Fall Fairs and Festivals in your community? Fall is a great time be outside with your family and friends. We’ll be heading into the busy Holiday season before you know it. Get outside now while you still can!

-Make sure to schedule some apple picking and pumpkin-patch-visiting time. See note above on enjoying brisk Fall weather.

-Buy Halloween treats ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to get them ready. Just be sure you don’t start snacking early. Do you have the perfect bowl? I have one – just for Halloween, and it goes back into that well marked storage container the next morning.

And…the most important part:

Costume ideas for you
-The sock monster…safety pin odd mate-less socks to your clothes (just remember to match them back up after the party)
-Paparazzo…camera-hound vest, sunglasses, camera bag on your shoulder, camera around your neck and a rolled up fan mag in your back pocket: instant celebrity-chaser
If all else fails… think kitty ears with some strategically placed eyeliner whiskers

Costume ideas for the kids
-Lego: find a large box that your child can pull on and wear over their body (after you’ve cut holes for their head and their arms). Attach empty food containers (like margarine or dip tubs) with a glue gun to the front. Spray paint desired color (make sure to select paint that sticks to plastic)
-Bag of jellybeans: find a clear plastic bag and cut holes for legs and arms on the bottom and side seams. Have your child step in; fill with small blown up balloons. Tie bag at neck with a big ribbon

If all else fails, check out this silly site for true last-minute, and I mean last minute, ideas. Note...last minute does not always mean good, but I promise, many are fun!


Last but not least…
Have you thought about a costume for Fido? I’m just sayin’… he might want to be part of the fun, too. Plenty of websites have costumes for dogs, but I venture that local pet stores have a good selection, too! You know you want to!

-reenie