Holiday Shopping the Easy Way

This article has been written to save you gas, money, and time with your holiday shopping.

I have been shopping for years. (Clothes being my specialty) I have been to many a mall at 8:30pm during the holiday season, waiting in line while my feet ache and sweat ran down my brow. The thought of carrying bags, and boxes from one store to another in search of the right gift, for the right person, at the right price, is nothing short of terrifying.

Think about it for a second. How does the average person shop? There are two main ways. By impulse buying, or by making a list and following it. When you do the impulse buying thing, you put your god given memory skills to the true test. You're out driving back home from work or it's the weekend and your running around for one reason or another. You see a store, you say, "I have enough money to get some of these gifts out of the way. You pull in the parking lot and from that moment on your time is gone, your body is about to be worked out and you don't even know if your going to find the gift your looking for. You walk around hoping you'll see a gift for the right person, at the right price. Good luck! You might have some time left in your day to catch a movie later if it works out. There is no guarantee of success.

Let's look at the other way. You plan your list and your time. First of all it has to be a day off, and I do mean a whole day off. After you have planned to shop on a certain day you have to go down your list and think about who gets what and how much you plan to spend. You're ready. It's off to the mall or to one of the all in one superstores. You have a good plan but who knows how much your going to spend on each gift, an how long it's going to take. Best case scenario you get all your gifts, for all the right people at the prices you expected. Guess what? Bags and boxes that's what! If you did get everything, you needed, you still have to get them to the car and unpack the car when you get home. Not to mention the gas money and the mall's food expense to keep your energy up.

Have no fear......there is a better way!

Online Shopping is it!!!!!!!!

Nearly everything you can find at a mall or a superstore can be purchased on line at a competitive price with easy delivery. Your only added expense is shipping and handling, and if you get all the items you need from one online store, the shipping and handling cost will be far less than the price of gas to the mall and something to eat while you were there.

Let's look at a comparison:

Shopping the old way.........

Positives......

1.) Get all the items you need for your holiday shopping. That's it! The only thing you can be happy about is that the shopping is done.

Negatives......

1.) Time...The average impulse shopping experience last 1-2 hours per session. The average planned shopping experience for the holiday season is over 15 hours spread out over a week or two.

2.) Gas.....You spend at least a half a tank of gas shopping around for all that stuff. With gas prices the way they are now, that could be about 20 bucks for the old SUV or minivan.

3.) Physical Stress...Walking back and forth to the car is a workout. Walking around a mall or superstore is a workout. Bringing the bags in the house is a workout. If you wanted a workout, you would have headed to the gym. Right?

4.) Mental Stress...Having to go to different stores to complete your shopping list when you don't know if the items will be the right gift, for the right person, at the right price is stressful.

Now let's look at shopping online...........

Positives......

1.) Time...Self explanatory this one is. It takes the average person 1 minute to get online. 1 more minute to go to their choice of online store. Another 10 or 15 minutes to check off some names as you select your items, about another 5 minutes to enter your payment information into the appropriate places and print out your receipt. Walla!!!!!! 30 minutes tops! Think of what you could do with all that time. (Definitely catch that movie huh?)

2.) Gas......What gas? You don't use any. You save it all for those trips to the movie theater. You don't even need a car. You just need an address to send your gift too. You could even send the item to the person your going to give the gift too no matter where they are in the world, and save yourself time wrapping it!!! (Ever get a gift in the mail? It's a great feeling.)

3.) Physical Stress...There is none!!!! No bags to carry, no walks through the malls, no lines to wait in, no fumbling with credit cards, receipts, money or bags while your in the store. All you have to do is lift a finger to click a mouse.

4.) Less Mental Stress...Think about all the planning that goes into doing all of your shopping the traditional way. All you have to do here is make a list, and check it off as you go.

Negatives......

1.) You must have a computer with an internet connection. Which you already have because you're reading this article. That is the only negative...

There are some things that every serious online shopper should know before they begin their online shopping experience. Here they are:

1.) To make the best use of your time, pick an online store that carries more than one type of item. It should be a mini-mall. They should have products that you would buy for yourself and something for everyone you want to shop for.

2.) The store should have a shopping cart. This feature will allow you to pick up different items while your shopping, and put them together in one place, for review (whether you buy the items or not) before your final purchase.

3.) The store should have some kind of FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page that can help you with anything that you might need to know about the store. If not a FAQ page, definitely some type of Customer Service Contact Information.

4.) The store should have a picture of the item with a good description next to it. That's right!!! An actual description of the item. When you go into a traditional store, the only time you'll get a description given to you is when it's a big ticket item like a car or expensive electronic item. To find the description yourself you have to check one of the 6 sides of the packaging. Online it's right there in front of you. How great is that?

5.) The store should have a way to put your name and email address into its data base so that they can contact you for customer specials the store might have. This can be a great way to get discounts from that store. You'll get all kinds of notifications about sales, special offers, and possibly some coupons to save you money on your next purchase.

6.) The store should have different ways to accept your payments. Credit cards, check cards, online checks, print out order forms that can be faxed or mailed to them to process orders. The more the better.

7.) The store should have a money back guarantee. This should let you know that if you are not 100% satisfied with your purchase, the company will refund all your expenses with no questions asked.

8.) The store should also be listed with the Online BBB.

9.) The store MUST have a secure connection in which to receive your payment. If a company does not have this, I would not suggest using them. Usually you will see some sort of notice that talks about security as it pertains to ordering items online, and a picture of a padlock somewhere.

That's it!!!!!!!!!!! If you have those nine things you are ready to go. Try this method of shopping and decide for yourself. You be the judge. If you are serious about making your life easier when it comes to shopping for the holiday season, then you can't help but giving online shopping a chance. I think you will agree that you can't beat shopping online. Good Luck and Happy Shopping!!!!!

P.S. There are sites that I can recommend when it comes to getting all your online shopping needs met. Contact me for help in this area.

Sylvia Calhoun is a former Math Instructor and Computer Programer turned Entrepreneur with several business in the areas of Real Estate, Event Staffing and Product Distribution. She can be contacted at sylviaccalhoun@yahoo.com

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Fashion Faux-Pas

In a consumerist culture where people are judged on their material possessions and appearance, a movement has emerged where our need for so much stuff is challenged, and the harm that this stuff inflicts on our Earth is confronted. There was no way to predict how the increasing demand for mass-produced clothing would shape our world. Suddenly, in the 21st century there is a realization that our style of life cannot continue the way it is in the North-Western region of the world. The greed for textiles here has robbed many people of livable conditions, good health, fair wages, necessary resources, and even life. Fortunately, there are steps that can -and need to - be taken to slowly undo what has been so badly messed up. By choosing sustainable fashion, the consumerist, greedy lifestyle that is so common in North-America becomes undermined by conscientious choices, and consumerism will eventually cease to control our decisions so profoundly.

Water polluted with dye from denim, carbon emissions so thick masks are needed, pennies given to bony hands deserving so much more; these are only some of the horrendous effects of the textile industry. Drastic times deserve drastic measures. Practically anything can be bought today that is fair trade. When buying new clothing, it is important to investigate as to where the item was made. In fact, it should become a habit to do this with any item we purchase, since most of what the average American buys is from polluting factories across the ocean. For clothing, it isn't always necessary to buy items new. There are a plethora of second-hand and thrift stores simply waiting to be explored. It is possible to find new clothing that benefits both environmental and humanitarian causes as well. Make sure what you buy is organic, fair trade, recycled, second hand, or one of so many more alternatives. It is perplexing how many options are available, and how so few are explored.

There are many, many ways to be eco-friendly while clothes shopping. Here are a few ideas, and a little inspiration! Firstly, second-hand - or pre-loved - clothing is simple to find and easy to love. In this writer's experience, treasures are best found in smaller, privately owned shops in big cities, where the stores that sell second-hand clothes found in the richer areas are usually full of discarded clothing, donated simply because it no longer fits its first owner. Previously owned clothing has it's benefits too. For example, it will have personality. For pieces like jeans and shoes, they will already be broken-in, and therefore much more comfortable. Buying clothes like this is not only recycling the fabrics, but also ensuring that your money is not supporting any sweatshops. This, as described above, is a crucial first step to solving problems. Next, it is possible in our advanced society to buy clothing made of sustainable materials as well as locally and sweatshop free. American Apparel guarantees that their clothes are made in the USA, sweatshop free. This is a revolutionary move in the clothes industry. With the recent recession and the desire to employ more people on American soil, it is a good advertising move for this brand to promote that aspect of their identity. American Apparel's Sustainable Edition collection is worth investigating. The clothes they sell are made of 100% organic cotton, and that makes them just so much more comfortable. In addition to this fact, you, the purchaser of a Sustainable Edition collection t-shirt, can be very proud of your investment.

There are so many store options that staying to only one brand would be silly. Joy Apparel, which specializes in t-shirts, is based in Ontario and makes their shirts out of organic cotton. They also donate 5% of their profits to multiple charities, most of which benefit children worldwide. The passion and purpose of the company is to get the whole world thinking of one another. Their design is original as well as affordable, making them well worth the investment. There are countless other brands making positive humanitarian and environmental impacts. Take TOMS shoes for example. Though their shoes are made in China and are a bit pricey, they have a "one for one" policy. This means that for every pair of their shoes bought, they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need. This brand has become fashionable lately, but their integrity remains unchanged. They are extremely comfortable, as well as versatile, in that the shoes be worn with practically anything. Vegan, organic, or second-hand clothing doesn't mean a grungy look.

This whole crazy idea of sustainable fashion may seem distant and foreign. However there are countless brands selling eco-friendly clothes here in North-America, as well as in Britain, such as People Tree, which is endorsed by Emma Watson. The issues surrounding the textile industry are at our doorstep. Taking care of our neighbour and our world should be on the top of the priority list. To jump-start the process, a basic possession, clothing, can be used as our tool. It's a do-able project that will make us feel good and look good. Guaranteed.

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Occurrence Factor of Skin Cancer

Facts about skin cancer are very important to understand as the disease is one of the deadliest ones worldwide and is also responsible for maximum number of cancer cases. Facts highlight some of the important causes, symptoms and statistics of the disease and also focus on the important forms of treatments available to cure the same.

Vital Facts about Skin Cancer

Exposure to Ultra-Violet (UV) rays in excess may lead to severe type of cancer and is also responsible for more than 90% cases of the non-melanoma types of the disease. Severity of the disease is so high that almost one person dies every day of the disease and the treatment becomes complicated if a person reaches advanced stages of the disease.

This is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer and accounts for more than 50% of the overall cancer cases. It occurs in almost equal numbers in both men and women and may develop at any age. Though the number of cases detected in areas of Asia, Africa and Latin America are low as compared to developed regions like North America and Europe, the numbers of deaths related to the disease are high in the prior regions. Caucasian race is more vulnerable to the disease as compared to other races. Chances of sunburns developing into a cancerous infection are quite high and especially small children are at a very high risk if they do not undergo apt treatment for sunburns in the childhood age.

This cancer, also known as skin neoplasia, is of two different types as melanoma and non-melanoma. Squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma are two different types of non-melanoma cancer. Melanoma type of skin cancer occurs in rare cases but is a severe kind of disorder and is more fatal as compared to non-melanoma types. Also, melanoma skin cancer spreads at a higher pace in comparison to non-melanoma types and is highly damaging to skin cells and tissues.

Facts about skin cancer also prove that it is quite common in people who have medical history of the disease. A person who is treated for this cancer in the past is quite susceptible to its redevelopment in future. One should avoid smoking and consuming tobacco or other carcinogenic substances as it may damage the person's body internally and deteriorate his immune system.

Other facts about skin cancer also point out that melanoma type of skin cancer is responsible for almost 75% of the overall deaths due to skin cancer. Also, the survival rate and life expectancy is much lower for melanoma type as compared to non-melanoma form of cancer. Change in the color of the skin, skin ulcers, injuries or infections in the skin that do not heal by normal medication and presence of excess moles are some of the important symptoms of the disease.

Facts about skin cancer can be understood well if the causes are correlated aptly with the symptoms. Diagnosis forms an important part of the disease and has to be effective enough to understand the actual location and root cause of the disorder. One needs to be careful while undergoing cancer treatments as they are quite severe and may put a bad impact on the victim's body if taken in inappropriate quantities.

Hello,Nancy martin is a Professor in a medical college and also a medical adviser.If you want to more information about Skin cancer and other types of cancer visit my website.

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Different Fashions - Alternative Fashion Styles

Clothing was always, ever since man started wrapping himself in various animal fur, a statement of a certain kind. Fashion, as a style popularized and excepted by many in modern day, just deepened that statement's importance. Choosing one style or another gave people in all cultures a way of expressing themselves, and as there was always a fashion followed by majority of society, there was another, somewhere in the back of it, denying and rejecting it.

Alternative fashion styles are tightly close to music genres of what is also labeled as "alternative", such as rock and roll, punk, gothic, hardcore, and all varieties that rose up from those. Many social and cultural issues are brought up by associating a subculture with a type of music and a way of clothing, such as denying status quo of classes, governmental policies, distribution of power, and identity policy which majority popularized. Identity, in fact, is the most important aspect of alternative fashion and as an embodiment of it, it produced a variety of styles, to show the same variety of opinion, discontent, or rejecting the traditional values which are always transformed in shape but steady in structure in the mainstream fashion.

Reimagining one's own identity is a process that is followed by changes in personal appearance and usually approaching values of a subculture which offers to individual a better view of society. Those values are mirrored in music, clothes and accessories. Influenced by vintage and retro fashion, dress styles, forms of visual and performance art, personal attitudes towards concepts such as individuality, consumerism, social constructs on behavior, and considerations of availability and utilitarianism, rock and roll and punk had a very strong ground to stand on when social criticizm through clothing became unseparable part of the genres.

Since the 50s and 70s which were the turning point years, rock and roll and punk styles got multiplied by many, and brought us gothic, cyber gothic (and other varieties of gothic fashion which is still one of the strongest alternative movements in creation of new gender roles and identities and social boundaries), industrial (strongly influenced by military uniforms), Beatniks, Metal, Heavy Metal, Glam Metal (and many subgenres of metal music which has their own set of clothing styles), Hippie, Riot grrrl, Lolita, Mod, Ero kawaii (and many, many, many Japanese influenced styles with a strong influence on Western fashion, alternative and mainstream, such as Elegant Gothic Aristocrat), and many more. Individuality is an important part of alternative fashion, but there are always patterns (otherwise we would not call it a fashion), and even punk fashion, as an extreme form of rejecting social system through hairstyle, piercings, ripped clothes etc has a certain structure which can except anyone who wants to join it.

As styles change, and we are going further in time from the origins of musical genres which brought us new fashion(s), it is apparent that they are still here, regardless of gender, class, age or culture, transforming and giving people a stronger voice to say "We are different, and we want more".

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Equestrian Clothing Is In For Fashion In 2012

Fashion is often eclectic and inspired by a variety of cultures, eras, sports and a myriad of fashionistas rumble in a bestial manner to obtain this season's looks. Equestrian clothing has been the focal point of many runways since Fashion Week took place - and ever since style savvy's have been seen sporting such attire. Wearing a range of equestrian inspired fashion this season is the key to staying ahead of the trend.

Equestrian clothing can be a very confusing range if you are not already an avid horse riding fan; but all you need to know are the basics. Firstly, if you are serious about investing in this kind of apparel - why buy it from the high-street when you can buy it straight from the source? Horse riding clothing has to be durable, excellent quality and comfortable in order to be safe and flexible; so by choosing to purchase it from a reputable equestrian store would be an intelligent decision.

Now for the basics of equestrian clothing - all that you need to know from a fashion perspective.

Tweed Is In

Tweed blazers are a huge part of horse riding as they are worn throughout all of the major shows to show how classy and sophisticated the rider is. You can do the same by investing in a great fitting tweed blazer that accentuates your natural curves in all of the right places whilst providing you with a classy look.

Jodhpurs Define Style

Jodhpurs are perfect if you want to show off and complement your natural, feminine curves and they can be paired with almost anything. Jodhpurs are available in a wide range of colours and styles so you can find the best ones to suit your own unique personality and style.

Jodhpur Boots Are the New Brogues

Brogues have been displayed across major high-street stores as being the most fashionable and durable form of women's footwear. Now, with this equestrian inspired fashion range, jodhpur boots have taken their place. Jodhpur boots are extremely similar, if not the same, as the branded chelsea boots which made their appearance on the fashion scene not so long ago.

Preppy Polo's are A Fashionista Favourite

Equestrian clothing sites usually feature a versatile selection of polo shirts for both men and women. These fitted polo's are the key to being a style savvy this season and when paired with some other equestrian inspired attire you can really feel like a runway girl on the street.

Equestrian inspired clothing is featured all over designer sites for extortionate prices for half the quality of the original and authentic equestrian clothing. Invest in clothing from the official equestrian stockists and be stylish this season.

Jade Jennison is an enthusiastic writer in many subject matters and aims to provide information to people who share the same interests as her own. The websites recommended by Jade have been thoroughly researched and come highly acclaimed from direct experience. Get equestrian clothing from the equestrian source at Millbry Hill.

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Tips For Buying Eco-Friendly Clothing

These days, everyone would like to do their part to help the environment through quick and simple changes in everyday life. Although there is a strong need to live a healthier life without leaving a big carbon footprint, many also don't want to feel like they are sacrificing on all of their favourites like food, leisure activities and especially fashion.

With so many different clothing lines in the market today, it seems very difficult to find good environmentally friendly pieces that are inexpensive and look good.

What is Eco-friendly Clothing?

Eco-friendly clothing is part of a change in the fashion industry where clothing and accessories are made with materials that are totally sustainable. Some brands go so far as to create each fashion piece in a manner that reduces the waste and environmental strain during production. Some common materials used in environmentally friendly clothing are bamboo, hemp, soy wool and silk, among others.

To get the best eco wardrobe without sacrificing time and money, consider the following tip for buying eco-friendly clothing:

Do a Quick Search

Whether purchasing eco-friendly clothing from a shop or online, doing a quick search will instantly provide an idea of brands that offer eco-friendly fashion pieces. Sometimes people assume that they will only be able to find clothing from specific eco brands but it's also possible to find beautiful pieces from some of the top clothing brands as well. This is mainly due to the surge of eco product popularity in various markets.

Start a localized search to see what may be available then check out favourite clothing shops or brands to see if they have an eco line.

Read Labels

Sometimes brands will offer eco-friendly clothing without blatantly advertising it so to make sure what's being purchased is more sustainable than other common fashion pieces, simply check out the label to see what it's made of. Look for fabrics that are made from sustainable materials like bamboo and hemp while avoiding other synthetic types like polyester.

Repurposed or Recycled Clothing

Another way to get environmentally friendly clothing is by getting used or vintage clothes and altering them into something more modern or by taking the existing clothing and transforming them into something new to wear.

Although most of these clothing pieces will not be made from sustainable materials, it will reduce the waste created from just throwing these pieces in a landfill. Even if the clothing pieces have a few flaws in them, like a tear or a stain, just remove them or cover them us with a little decorative touch.

A few quick and easy tips for buying eco-friendly clothing can greatly reduce everyone's carbon footprint and help others live a happier and healthier future.

Miho loves to learn about sustainable living and share her eco-friendly tips. She has a popular blog that offers many eco tips and craft ideas that everyone in the family can enjoy.

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