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The heat is on as Christmas approaches. You're late, you're
late, for a very important date?? Here are some handy tips
you might can use!
1. Still want to send Christmas photo cards? Send your
Christmas photo postcards online. http://www.amazingmail.com/php/uspsstart.php3 is the link. (www.usps.gov). You
send your photo--JPEG of 3Mb or less--or choose one of
their images, they mail out your Christmas postcards at
79 cents apiece. Created online and mailed out the next
business day. 1-10,000, no maximum no minimum. How easy
is that?
2. Gift certificates. Give a gift certificate, BUT it
doesn't have to be from a franchise. You can do it for
something in the person's hometown. Any restaurant merchant
worth their salt will accommodate. Last year about this
time (sigh), I called my daughter-in-law's favorite
restaurant in Dallas and asked them if they had gift
certificates. They said "Not until now," and emailed me
something to print out, charging it to my credit card.
(P.S., get to the manager not the person who answers the
phone)
3. Going on vacation? Can't stand one more driving errand?
I hate going to the post office and standing in line to fill
out that form to have my mail held. You can order your mail
held online - www.usps.gov.
4. The perfect gift ... money. Send it online. http://www.
usps.com/paymentservices/pspaymnt.htm?from=Holiday2002&page=
Sendmoney is one link. You can also use PayPal, WorldPay and
other such services. You can send money to anyone with an
email address.
5. The gift that keeps on giving. Magazine Mall, Inc.,
through an affiliation with the United States Postal Service,
offers you thousands of magazines at savings of up to 85% off
retail prices. They claim to meet or beat all prices. Here's
the link: http://www.usps.com/magazines/welcome.htm.
6. You may wish you'd done it earlier, but now can be just
the time to order something online.
Many companies will be giving last-minute specials to urge you
to buy, buy, buy, including free shipping. Florists, retailers,
book stores, you name it. If you have a favorite online buying
site, check it out to see what enticements they're offering
last-minute shoppers.
7. Read what you'd ordinarily consider "spam." Retailers are
after your holiday bucks and you're running out of time and
ideas, so read what they send you! The same goes for those
flyers you get in the snail mail.
8. Think caterer. Sure you'd like to do it all yourself, but
you just can't, right? Bake one thing special and make use of
caterers for other things. (Personally I don't like frozen pies
from the grocery.) Another example -- I don't like the pressure
and last-minute thing about making turkey gravy. There's a
caterer here in town who sells turkey gravy by the pint that's
absolutely divine. Order now, pick up whenever. It's frozen!
9. Grocery shop at off hours. Most grocery stores are open
24/7. Take advantage of this! Be creative, as in, if the baby
wakes up at 1 a.m. and shows no signs of going back to sleep
(it happens!), pack him up and go grocery shopping. You aren't
going to be sleeping anyway, and this way you avoid the crowds.
He'll fall asleep on the drive home, and you'll have killed two
birds with one stone!
10. Use your social network. Ask around when you're stuck.
People at work can give you some great suggestions about what
to get that impossible uncle, or where to go at the last minute,
because they're aren't involved and are thinking clearly. So
can your coach! Two heads are better than one, especially this
time of year!
About The Author: (c)Susan Dunn, The EQ Coach, is the author of "How to Write
Articles for the Internet." Visit her on the web at www.susandunn.cc or sdunn@susandunn.cc. Susan offers avariety of top notch ebooks, e-courses and personal coaching to boost your EQ.
and profitability.
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