Ease Holiday Stress by Planning Ahead

'Tis the season … almost. But it'll be here before you know it! And while it's a fun time, filled with family and friends and food, it is also one of the more stressful times of year. One way to ease that stress is being prepared, and by that I mean, start shopping. NOW!

Well, at the very least begin planning your holiday purchases. Brainstorm gift ideas for everyone on your list and start researching. Once you have decided on on a gorgeous Bulova watch for your husband, for example, a dazzling blue diamond ring for your beloved wife, or a Wii console for the kids, the next step is to go comparison shopping. Deals are to be had and you have to take more than price into consideration when purchasing online. Remember to include taxes and shipping costs. One site might offer a rockbottom price, but charge an exorbitant shipping rate that makes your great gift more expensive than if you'd gone with the higher-priced place that had low-cost or free shipping.

You can save time and energy getting your gifts by using comparison shopping sites such as Pricegrabber, Shopzilla and Nextag, to name but a few. You've probably heard of them.

But what if you're wanting to compare cameras and camera accessories, say, for your favorite cousin in Canada? I just learned that www.Canadapost.ca has a comparison shopping section that includes deals from retailers across the border and the U.S., too. It provides lots of information, including price history, customer service numbers, warranty details and more. And my Canadian readers will benefit from the Cross-Border Comparison tab, which spells out if they're better off getting the item they're looking for from a local shop or one in the States.

The important thing, and I can't, um, stress this enough, is to get moving on your gift-buying! While everyone else is frantic as the holidays draws near, schlepping from store to store, fighting crowds and standing in long lines, you can kick back and relax knowing your holiday goods are wrapped and ready to go.

How do you ease holiday stress? I'd love to hear from you!

Trouble Finding that Perfect Gift at the Perfect Price? Try Become.com

Call me crazy, but it seems to me that shopping online was easier years ago. Now the choices are mind-boggling. Do a search for dining chair pads, say, and you will get shopping results from big box stores to WAHMs who've set up a little online store front and everything in between.

One of those "everything in between" might just be Become.com. When you're doing your shopping research, Become.com provides product information, reviews, specs, and comparison prices.

The shopping site also allows you to zero in on the information that's important to you. Maybe you're looking for a housewarming gift and decide to check out queen comforter sets. Want specs such as thread count and care instructions? Click the product details. Want reviews of the peace sign bedding that caught your eye? Click that button or discussion forums to "listen in" on the chatter about the pros and cons of the item you're looking for.