ProShopper

Avoiding Horrid January Credit Card Bills

2009-12-20T12:27:00.000-05:00

It seems so easy to pay for all of those little purchases by simply handing over your credit card. That coffee and pastry only came to $6.00, so that's not going to matter right?? Wrong... big time wrong. It's not as if you will only be buying that coffee and pastry once over the entire month. Chances are, you will be stopping for a coffee every time you go shopping. It's a mad house out there and there is nothing that your feet will like more than to take a break, sip an coffee and watch the Christmas spirit drift buy. Trust me... that's my little treat to myself. Actually, I like the lead up to Christmas more than Christmas morning!

But back to that credit card. Each little purchase will be piled on top of the last one and by the end of the month, all of those Christmas presents, coffees, the gas it took you to get to the mall... well, they all add up. Come January, you will not believe your eyes when you open up the credit card bill.

So, here is my suggestion. Starting next month, keep a little piece of paper in your wallet, next to your credit card and each time you make a purchase, write down the total. As the month progresses and the entries grow, you will know if it is getting out of hand.

By December of next year, this will have become a habit. It's all of those little amounts that will get you into trouble. With that little piece of paper detailing the month's totals, you won't be in for any surprises!!

Today's Shopping Tip: Fashion and the Salesperson

2009-12-18T11:14:00.001-05:00

Don't be afraid to accept a salesperson's help. I had the impossible task of finding a dress for a wedding that had to be in a particular color... which I didn't think would suit me. I told the salesperson what I needed, what I was hoping to find and what I didn't want and then turned it over to her. She was amazing. I stayed in the change room and she did all the work, bringing dress after dress for me to try on. It would have taken me hours to find them all myself.

And yes, I did need a white dress! And the salesperson probably saved me big bucks too! Didn't see that one coming!

Homespun Dessert Party

2009-12-17T13:07:00.001-05:00

Hosting a cocktail party might be a little too stuffy for your friends... how about a dessert party? Now who could turn down something like that??

1. First of all, inform your guests that it is a "come as you are" kind of party. And if you have plans to take everyone outside to make snowmen or something lol... be sure that they know so that they can dress accordingly.

2. If it is close family and/or friends, you might ask everyone to bring one of their own favorite desserts to share. At this time of the year, there is no such thing as too many desserts.

3. I mentioned outdoor activities... sledding or ice skating might be a nice suggestion before everyone digs into the desserts.

4. If you plan on providing all of the desserts... the following jumped into my mind. Feel free to use any that would appeal to your guests...
*gingerbread cookies
*plum pudding
*christmas cake
*cherry cheesecake
*ice cream sundaes... that everyone can create for themselves. Sprinkles are highly affordable, not to mention fun!

5. To close the evening, you might want to send home a little ornament in the shape of one of the desserts that were served. So... there you go. You can entertain and keep the budget in tact at the same time!

Barcana 4-Inch Shatterproof Red/Frost Peppermint Candy, Christmas Ornaments, Set of 6

Learning to Knit Because It's A Really Good Idea ;)

2009-12-16T18:10:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed just how expensive good quality gloves and scarves are these days?? And if you are thinking about stuffing everyone's Christmas stocking with those $1.00 gloves that might reach the tops of your wrists, you might want to rethink it. I thought that they were a good idea too but every time I wear them, I look like a poor Victorian woman with here fingers showing through the tips of her gloves... Any way, that's why I thought that it would probably be a better idea simply to invest in this book and then learn how to knit. Just how hard could it be?? And if I can't master the gloves, I could figure out mitts right??

Hats Gloves Scarves: Easy Designer Knits for Family and Friends

Controling Your Shopping Compulsive Behavior

2009-12-16T12:41:00.000-05:00

1. Don't shop as a fun day out. There are too many ways to fall into your old tendencies. Don't shop because you are bored. Shop because you have to.

2. Only shop with a list. If you spot something that isn't on the list, pencil it in for your next shopping trip. There is a chance that you will change your mind.

3. Don't shop alone. Shopping with someone who knows your tendencies, can help curb the habit. It will drive you crazy, trust me I know, but it certainly makes you aware of how much money you have wasted in the past.

4. Don't feel that you have wasted the day if you can't find any of the things on your list. It's perfectly okay!

5. Find other activities that you might like to do instead of shopping. I find curling up with a novel can be just as satisfying and if I borrowed the book from the library, even better!!

As a recovering shopaholic, I hate to think of all the money I have wasted over the years!!

Holiday Shopping Where You Win!

2009-12-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

1. Take a friend to help you decide when a deal is really a deal! This "friend" is my daughter! She is the best shopper I know!

2. Before you head out, take a list of what you want to check out. Buying blindly, can get you into a lot of trouble. Stick to your list. Even if you pick up a few extra stocking stuffers... it all adds up. If it's not on your list... you shouldn't be buying it.

3. When you get to the bottom of your Christmas gift list... go home. A lot of people finish early and then visit the malls just for the atmosphere. The holiday atmosphere leads to impulsive shopping and more often than not, you will leave the store with more items, which will blow the budget that you decided upon. Go home and listen to some Christmas tunes and sip some homemade hot chocolate.

4... And this is for those of you who want to think outside of the box! Just located a book called Scroogenomics... why you shouldn't buy presents for the holidays! Just might give you some new ideas!

How To Survive Christmas Shopping Madness

2009-12-14T12:43:00.000-05:00

Actually, you can either lose it completely, or try to enjoy it! It helps if you have a strategy to follow.

1. Choose your times to shop. Personally, I like to shop in the afternoon. I have had lunch, I have had time to think about what I want to buy and the best mall or store to find it.

2. Grab all of the coupons that you have cut out of the flyers and sort through them. Put what you need into an envelope. Leave what you don't need at home. Okay, you might miss something, but you really don't need a 50 cent of bacon coupon when you are doing your Christmas shopping.

3. Forget the heels and dress as comfortable as you are able. Make sure that you have lots of layers that can come off. It can get pretty hot in the stores at this time of year.

4. Take a smaller handbag or just your wallet if that is possible. You don't need aching shoulders either.

5. This might be the only time that I tell you to ignore the prices, but buy items that make sense. Your daughter (who doesn't wear makeup) probably won't like the Sephora special... just because you do lol... Put the item on YOUR list and keep fingers crossed that someone buys it for you.

Shopping News for December 14 2009

2009-12-14T11:43:00.000-05:00

*It seems that for this year's holiday season, $19.9 billion has been spent online, marking a 3% increase from last year! It should be really interesting to see the numbers for the entire shopping season, online and off! Where I live, the stores in the Chicago area are still mega busy!

*Kate Gosselin was out shopping for her kids on Saturday and the stores of choice were apparently Target and Payless Shoes. How do we know this?? The papparazzi of course. Okay, I can understand Target... but what kid really wants shoes for Christmas?? Hey, I could be wrong here??

*It seems that while shopping is up, most consumers are still spending less per family than they did a year ago and the stores aren't all that happy. They want you to spend at least what you did last year and if they can entice you to spend a little bit more, even better. That's the reason you are seeing all of the signs that are warning you not to wait... or you will miss out on their amazing deals and free delivery! My advice... stick to your budget but take advantage of what is being offered!

*If you are planning on shopping online, be sure to see if you can find an online coupon that you can use. More often than not, they are easily found. This is an amazing source!

Christmas Stocking Stuffer Ideas for Dad

2009-12-13T22:47:00.001-05:00

Finding the perfect stocking stuffer for dad has to be THE HARDEST thing to pull off. What does a man want that can fit easily into a Christmas stocking. With this problem ahead of me, I came up with ideas that would work for my husband. Hopefully some of them will work for you too. If nothing else, they will act as a starting point for a list of your own.

-cds... something he never will buy for himself.

-socks... he always manages to wear holes in them but never seems to notice.

-candy... I don't think that there is a man alive who doesn't like candy.

-toothbrush... have you noticed... men won't throw away their old one until it breaks!

-shampoo scented for men... my husband could care less whether his shampoo smells like roses or peonies. This year I'm going to get him a bottle that has a scent that is rugged lol

-new oven mitts... my husband does most of the cooking in our family and as a result, goes threw oven mitts like there's no tomorrow and I'm not talking about burns. He manages to spill stuff on them every time he uses them. You can only wash them so many times.

-gloves for outside… probably lost one if not both and it's an easy stocking stuffer

-scarf for shovelling the snow. He always swears that he won't need one, but always complains that he's cold.

-gift card for the liquor store... my kids actually came up with this idea. A liquor store to my husband is like Sephora is to me. He will spend hours studying the vintage wine section.

That's just a few and I'm sure that there are zillions of others. Feel free to add a comment. Yes, I need all the help I can get! ;)

Breaking Bad Shopping Habits

2009-12-13T12:37:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when we can into a lot of trouble. A lot of the problems might be down to a few bad habits that we don't even know about. Like these...

1. Bad Shopping Habit #1: When a sale really isn't a sale at all. The store tells us that it is a sale and we believe them. Do your homework and then shop at the stores that are honest with you.

2. Feeling that we MUST buy something or we have wasted our time out shopping. I'm bad for this! I assume because I have put in the time to go out shopping, I have to bring something home... even if it's just a little thing. It makes me feel that I have accomplished something!

3. Do you comparison shop? I am one of those shoppers (or at least I use to be) that just wanted to be done with it. If I saw something I wanted, I bought it then and there. Now I peruse the newspaper. The flyer section is actually kind of interesting when you take the time to actually look at it! And, it can save you a ton of money!

4. You don't give yourself a budget for Christmas. This year we set a dollar amount and we are supposedly sticking to it. I'm a wee bit over, but nothing compared to previous years.

5. You are out Christmas shopping and you see something that YOU want. Definitely been there and done that. Don't do it. Put it on your birthday wish list and let someone else buy it for you!

17% Have Finished Their Holiday Shopping

2009-12-08T13:14:00.001-05:00

"With less than three weeks until Christmas, just 17% of Americans have finished their holiday shopping. Just three percent (3%) finished their shopping over the past week. Seven percent (7%) had finished shopping before Thanksgiving."

And that surprises anyone? With the economy being what it is, everyone is looking for that deal and I'm no exception. And then there is the little thing about loving to shop on Christmas Eve. I don't think that a year has gone by that I haven't picked up at least one item on Christmas Eve. It's just a whole lot of fun and that is what Christmas is all about... regardless of your age! Christmas Eve is just magical, but finding that "magic" is going to take a bit more work this year... at least when it comes to finding the prices we can afford to pay!

The Westside Story: 17% Have Finished Their Holiday Shopping:

Looking for Bargains

2009-12-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

Image by David Sherret via Flickr

At the moment, I'm sitting in Toronto, with a Christmas party looming and no coat that will work with the outfit I'm planning on wearing... didn't expect it to be so cold! Anyway, went shopping yesterday to find a new coat. Okay, Okay, I needed a new one anyway, but still didn't want to spend a bundle if I didn't have to. Spent the afternoon at Markdale Mall and nearly bought a gorgeous black shawl that "nearly" worked. It was easy to wear and had this trim of black "fur" around the edges. But, something held me back and out of the blue my husband asked if I wanted to go to Yorkdale Mall to see what they had.

Now I know Yorkdale Mall and while their clothes are gorgeous, their prices... not so much! I was pretty sure that I wouldn't find what I was looking for but hey, it would be fun to peruse the stores with all of their Christmas decorations. Anyway, I managed my way through just THREE stores and found a coat that had been marked down by 75%!! I still can't believe it. It's one gorgeous knee length black coat that was actually less expensive that the shawl that I had been considering.

What did I learn?? Make a game out of your shopping. You just never know what you will stumble upon and during the afternoon of perusing... I was so busy looking that I didn't even spend any money on coffee and a pastry which is usually the case when I go shopping!

Things for Free!

2009-11-27T13:51:00.001-05:00

It must be the coming holiday season that is turning my thoughts in this direction. ;)

A cheer for the snow--the drifting snow;
Smoother and purer than Beauty's brow;
The creature of thought scarce likes to tread
On the delicate carpet so richly spread.
With feathery wreaths the forest is bound,
And the hills are with glittering diadems crown'd:
'Tis the fairest scene we can have below.
Sing, welcome, then, to the drifting snow!
Eliza Cook

How beautiful it was, falling so silently, all day long, all night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs of the living, on the graves of the dead!
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“Getting an inch of snow is like winning 10 cents in the lottery.”
Bill Watterson

When it snows, you have two choices: shovel or make snow angels”
Unknown

When I was a child and the snow fell, my mother always rushed to the kitchen and made snow ice cream and divinity fudge-egg whites, sugar and pecans, mostly. It was a lark then and I always associate divinity fudge with snowstorms.”
Eudora Welty

Black Friday and Beyond: Walmart vs. Amazon in Holiday Shopping Battle

2009-11-25T18:26:00.000-05:00

Now this was an interesting read. I'm really quite new to this whole Black Friday thing, having lived in another country until up to a couple of weeks ago. Anyway, from what I have been hearing, it's kind of scaring me. People are actually getting up in the middle of the night to find the sales?? Well, apparently Amazon wants to change all of that!

More Here

RPT-PREVIEW-'Black Friday' deals may not signal retail comeback | Markets | Markets News | Reuters

2009-11-22T13:47:00.000-05:00

Image via Wikipedia

I know that I'm a lot more careful and not quite as frivolous as I used to be. I wonder what the final numbers will be??

RPT-PREVIEW-'Black Friday' deals may not signal retail comeback | Markets | Markets News | Reuters

Be Nice to a Salesperson Today

2009-11-22T13:26:00.000-05:00

Image by The Library of Virginia via Flickr

You have to feel for the sales staff at stores these days. Waiting on people all day long must be extremely hard and it only takes one person to make their day positively miserable. Why don't you do a little something that they aren't expecting... It doesn't take much... a smile even!

Sephora: Sephora Brand Ultimate Blockbuster ($400 Value): Combination Sets

2009-10-31T09:27:00.000-04:00

A really good way to find out what colors actually work for you! Just look at them all. I'm sure there are a few that you have never tried!

Sephora: Sephora Brand Ultimate Blockbuster ($400 Value): Combination Sets

Swimwear- Beach Accessories - Bealls Florida Department Store

2009-10-31T08:46:00.000-04:00

Head over to Bealls. I'm sitting here looking at Beach Accessories... yes, it's that hot down here in Florida and nothing on this page is over $15.00! I'm particularly liking all the sunglasses that I'm looking at. My family is notorious for losing, sitting on or stepping on our sunglasses!

Swimwear- Beach Accessories - Bealls Florida Department Store

Magazine Purchases

2009-10-30T10:05:00.002-04:00

Image by Longzero via Flickr

If you are going to buy a magazine, at least read it. I have a really bad habit of thumbing through the magazine at the check-out, falling in love with it, and then never opening it again. Same goes for magazines that I subscribe to. I can't believe the number I have sitting on the shelf still wrapped in plastic! That is really a waste of money!

So... if you are going to buy it... READ IT!

I was about to tell you now that you are finished with the magazine, to recycle it, but I am still having a hard time doing that, so I will just say, that maybe you could pass them along if at all possible lol... and I won't mention the fact that I have magazines that are older than I am! It just takes one person to let their friends know that I can't turn down a magazine... and well, you get the picture lol...

Products at ULTA.com for Christmas Giving

2009-10-21T10:32:00.002-04:00

I try not to buy anything if it's not on sale or you get something you can actually use. I think that I have something you might like! If you spend $25.00 at Ulta, you get a pretty good little gift bag of goodies. Go and take a look! You can keep all the goodies yourself or fill some Christmas stockings!

Products at ULTA.com

Instant Coupon for Olay Moisturizer!

2009-10-19T19:58:00.001-04:00

Every little bit helps so here is a coupon for Olay that can be put to use. Protect your skin now and your complexion will thank you in years to come.

Instant Coupon!

Shop for Quality

2009-10-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

When ever possible, pick up items that are actually worth the money you spend on them. In fashion, that means classical styles. They never go out of date! What is the point of buying something that will be completely out of fashion next year?

Rich Hill Candles & Gifts - Bracebridge Muskoka Ontario

2009-10-01T22:04:00.001-04:00

I was talking on Twitter a few minutes ago about how much mileage you can get out of a few simple candles. Well, I just found this shot which says it all. And with the cold months ahead of us, the soft glow of candles simply adds so much warmth to a room and candles come in a wide range of prices to suit any budget!

Rich Hill Candles & Gifts - Bracebridge Muskoka Ontario

It's Off to the Gym... that's actually for free!

2009-09-30T10:05:00.000-04:00

Image via Wikipedia

As many of you know, we are living in a hotel until we head for our new home in Chicago and actually, I haven't gotten bored with it yet. We are falling into a little routine and I think that's the trick. Every morning at 10 a.m. we head to the gym, which is usually empty and we work out for a half hour to an hour depending on our mood lol. Now what is really good about this is the fact that we get to try out new pieces of exercise equipment for free. I'm finding that I like the treadmill in 10 minute increments and then I do two sets of weights. I've been doing it all week and I haven't gotten bored with it and I have actually lost a pound.

I am making my Christmas list early. It's going to contain the same treadmill that I'm using here and 5 pound weights... yes, I'm kind of a wuss when it comes to strength, but I can only go up. And the treadmill that I'm using doesn't feature all the bells and whistles and I have noticed that I really don't need them. That should make it easier to buy something similar once we get settled.

Is It Too Early to Start Holiday Shopping? at SmartMoney.com

2009-09-30T08:07:00.000-04:00

Image by Bill.Roehl via Flickr

Other than Walmart who is getting into the toy selling early, I was reading at SmartMoney.com, that most major retailers will unlikely be offering their best deals until after Black Friday, but this doesn't mean that you can't start tracking prices on specific items. That way, you will know for sure if it's a deal or not!

So today... if you don't already have one, pick yourself up a little notebook that you can keep in your handbag for comparison price shopping!

Is It Too Early to Start Holiday Shopping? at SmartMoney.com