Posts tagged under Shopping. Show all posts.
Every year, I am shocked once again by the fact that my “must buy for” gift list has become a pyramid that could rival the ones in Egypt. Of course there’s the top tier—the kids and my beloved, then the next tier—the in-laws, close friends, nieces and nephews…but we’re all used to that. What I can’t get used to is that last tier that seems to be unique to moms—the teachers, the hockey coaches, the babysitters, the friends of the kids whose parents insist on buying for my kids every year (the list goes on). To keep myself sane, I track everything with a spreadsheet, including a budgeted amount, actual cost and then whether or not the gift has not only been bought but also wrapped and delivered.
But my real sanity saver has got to be online shopping. I don’t know how I ever lived without it! Whether it’s the kids’ gifts from online stores like Mastermind, books for everyone from Indigo or big orders of cute personalized stuff from mom-run online boutiques like Kathy and Kim Originals for all the random kids on the list, I am definitely letting my fingers do the shopping. And of course, I am also stocking up a gift basket filled with small things I have picked up here and there (a gourmet sauce, a helpful book, a handful of affordable kids’ toys) just in case I have that surprise situation where someone shows up with an unexpected gift. What’s your seasonal sanity saver? I’d love to know.
‘Tis the season for shopping, parties, handling sick kids, baking, more shopping, visiting with next-to-everyone you know, still more shopping and maybe, if you’re lucky, the chance to sit by the fire and relax for a few minutes…if you’re lucky. There’s truth to the statement: “I need a holiday after the holidays.”
I know I tend to overdo it during the season. With so much on the ‘to do’ list, it’s easy to relate to how Santa must feel scurrying around in his workshop dealing with presents, frantic, over-worked elves, travel plans and staving off any unwanted seasonal illnesses. So it is one of my goals this year to stay sane and actually allow the holiday to be just that: a holiday. The temptation to overbook has been squelched by my newest idea that rivals Santa’s Naughty and Nice List. It’s my Holiday Checklist of Do’s and Don’ts.
Don’t: Feel I need to take the kids to every single holiday event going on in town.
Do: Make sure I spend some time with the kids doing something that we will all enjoy together that doesn’t require a) a major budget or b) a lot of travel. Cozying up by the fire with a holiday story and some hot chocolate, or making cookies together is what memories are made of.
Don’t: Force myself to buy ‘unique’ gifts for absolutely everyone. It is okay if the babysitter and the next door neighbour get the same gift (here are five great ideas).
Do: Limit my shopping excursions so that I don’t spend the whole season hunting through stores or websites. Buying in bulk is okay!
Don’t: Overbook my evenings with parties or events. Sleep and down-time is equally important.
Do: Remeber to enjoy myself.
I’m interested to know what’s on your Holiday Checklist to help you manage holiday stress. And stay tuned for next week when I reveal the results of our recent SavvyMom Holiday Stress Survey and share what moms across the land find most stressful about the holiday season. You’re definitely not alone if being responsible for the entire gift list stresses you out!
‘Tis the start of the season for ‘spending’ and at SavvyHQ, we’ve been talking about ways to keep ourselves from going completely over budget when it comes to buying holiday gifts. I, for one, am trying to get my head around effective holiday shopping with kids in tow—that is enough of a distraction to stop me from being smart when it comes to buying gifts.
An article on holiday spending from our archives was a good refresher on the subject. Here are some of those tips:
This holiday, I’m going to take a note from Santa: make that list and check it twice.
Shopping, wrapping, decorating, entertaining, baking, cooking…so many action words associated with the holidays, but at the top of my list every year that is often forgotten (or seemingly impossible to check off) is relaxing.
We asked our readers on Facebook what they did to stay sane during the hectic holiday season and here’s what some of them shared with us:
Shannon Kinnear Silvey likes to ‘eat chocolate and drink lots of red wine’. Reagan Calder makes ‘lists, and likes to do as much as possible online! One of her favourite places is Ape 2 Zebra toys because they have awesome selection and customer service. Andrea Firmani starts early with her online shopping because it saves her the stress of battling crowds while Sarah Eddenden shops for little things all year long—like adornments for gifts. She shops online for the unique stuff and buys gift certificates for kids between 7 and 27 years of age. Then she can breathe easy.
Brave Amanda Shaw-Yagoub actually likes to ‘ditch the lists’! She hits the stores and browses for a gift that fits the recipient, rather than running around trying to track down specific items. Grace Sanchez MacCall is a real traditionalist who likes to drink her tea in proper china. With friends. And cakes. It slows the world right down!
Me? I like to get all the family gifts—aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, etc. crossed off the list by the end of November so I can breathe in December. I always save a few last minute gifts because it just feels more festive to shop the week before.
Whatever your strategy is, there are lots of ways to avoid too much stress before and during the holidays. So make sure you add a little relaxing on your list this year. And thank you to all those who shared their tips and tricks.
Do you have any more ideas? I would still like to hear more.
The home loans are important for guys, which are willing to start their company. In fact, that’s very easy to receive a financial loan.
If you haven’t heard of Black Friday, I’ll tell you what it is quickly because I have a lot of deals to look for.
The Friday after US Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day on the American retail calendar. It’s one month before Christmas and it’s a long weekend that many celebrate with family. After the turkey’s been eaten on Thursday, they enjoy the day off with a little shopping. Most stores have caught onto this and offer great deals for shoppers everywhere. Traditionally, Canadians haven’t taken part in Black Friday (or even known about it). It’s not our Thanksgiving, after all. They’re not our college football teams, and it’s not the biggest family holiday weekend of the year for us.
But why should that stop us from getting some great deals? Thanks to the World Wide Web and our stable economy (apparently) retailers are inviting us to the party—in Canada and across the border. And I say, it would be rude not to accept the invitation.
Here are a few sites I plan to check out this weekend to see what great deals there are for us. Some of them already have deals going on now.
RedFlagDeals is a great resource to find all the deal sites available in one fell swoop. It will be updated as the week progresses.
Happy shopping!
If ‘the best things in life aren’t things’ as the plaque (ironically, another ‘thing’) on my desk reminds me, then why do I have so many things? Why do my children have so many things and why do I continue to buy things? I’m sure I’m not alone in asking these questions. Especially at this time of year, when we are more inclined to buy ‘things’.
I must admit to feeling somewhat conflicted when trying to discourage myself, and others, from buying things. I know that buying and selling is what makes the world turn. If things weren’t bought, then lots of people would suffer, least of all the receiver.
Nevertheless, it’s a good idea from time to time to take stock of what we have, and what we really need.
I often hear parents talk about how unappreciative they feel their children are, and how little time they spend with an item before tossing it aside and looking for something new and exciting to keep their attention. Often it’s the latest technological gadget. Sometimes it’s the most up-to-date piece in the fashion world. Sorry parents, but I think we have ourselves to blame for that. Our children don’t come into this world wanting for anything other than our love and attention. It’s up to us to put the brakes on sometimes, and live with the consequences of saying no. It’s up to us to help our children learn the value of what they have by modelling this for them.
How about:
I guess it’s time for me to take my own good advice!
I’ve been reading amazing stories of Secret Santas paying off layaway bills for strangers and listening to heated debates over how much moms had to pony up for the teacher’s gift…it must be Christmas!
About the teacher’s gift—I know it’s too late now to help you decide ‘how much’ because the gifts have been bought and distributed in most cases. But I still feel the need to weigh in here. I understand that some people feel strongly about thanking the teacher with a generous gift and that’s great. Teachers work hard, they put up with our kids all day long and they are due a little holiday bonus. So if you’re buying a gift, the amount you spend is all up to you. There are no limits to what you can give. If, however, there is a class gift that everyone is contributing to, the limit should be $20. If some people want to contribute $5 or $10, that’s fine too. There should be no pressure over the amount to contribute as everyone has different budgets. If you feel like you’re not getting your ‘Thank you, you mean a lot to Johnny’ message across, have Johnny make a card or buy another gift yourself. Nobody needs to know.
Gift giving is personal and it should be kept that way.
Speaking of gift giving, I was touched by the generous actions of some people who are paying toy bills for families with hundreds of dollars on layaway at major retailers in the US. These Secret Santas are reportedly walking into the stores and asking to see the layaway bills. They find ones that have toys on the list and pay the bills anonymously.
I think it’s lovely. It’s generous and completely unselfish. But I was surprised to see some of the cynical comments in the Globe and Mail as a reaction to this story.
Here’s an example: “The problem with this story is these people who buy on ‘layaway’ think that Christmas is about ‘buying stuff’. It’s not.”
I agree wholeheartedly that the spirit of Christmas is in the giving—but we need to be clear about who we are giving to—it’s the kids. You either buy into it or you don’t. I’m not sure how someone can be cynical about such a generous act during the holidays.
I think the Secret Santas are as savvy as they come.
What do you think? Savvy or not so savvy?
very savvy and are angels in disguise
It’s only the second week of my return to the blog and so much has caught my attention. Here are my top five radar-worthy things this week.
What’s on your radar this week?
It’s just plain rude to go to Florida and not shop. At least in my family it is—and I was raised to be a very polite young lady indeed. So when I went shopping in Florida over March Break (with my mother who taught me all about shopping and rudeness), we hit all the discount, high-end, malls and grocery stores there were. We love it all. If I can’t find what I want when I’m in the states, I order online and it comes in mere days, before I go home. If I don’t like it, I send it back easily. Customer service is such an important part of the retail experience and in most cases, it shows.
It’s not always like that at home. I know there are some good online retailers but it’s a fragmented marketplace. I always wished we could have one destination that would take care of most of our shopping needs in one place—with great customer service. Don’t you?
Enter SHOP.CA. I’m excited that we’re partnering with this amazing new online retailer, launching in just a few weeks (mid-May), because they have millions of products in 26 categories and a commitment to the customer that can’t be found anywhere else. They are already offering rewards just for signing up early (like $10 off your first purchase of $100, and five times the reward points).
Great customer service, free shipping and returns, plus a rewards program based on how much you share the site with your friends, and of course, how much you shop. They are the Canadian shopping revolution we’ve been waiting for.
I signed up and haven’t bought anything yet, but they already love me. That’s a relationship I like.
Comments
Baking gifts is a great idea! very savvy!
I think the spreadshhet is a great idea! Our family has evolved our gift giving into a baking exchange so all of our “2nd tier” relatives get baked goods, which leaves the christmas shopping to the top tier and then a few extras for that 3rd tier. Having that baking tier makes it really handy though!