With the shortest holiday shopping season ever approaching –  only 25 days in between Thanksgiving and Christmas – now is as good a time as any to start getting ahead on your holiday shopping list.

One of my favorite ways to get ahead is by taking advantage of Cyber Monday: the Monday following Thanksgiving where online retailers offer exceptional bargains to persuade customers to shop their sites. And it offers more than just sales! Cyber Monday lets you to beat the long lines, hectic parking lots, and holiday crowds by shopping from home, work, or my favorite – from bed!

As a mother of three and founder of the popular daily deal site, STEALS.com, I’ve dedicated my life to finding the best deals for both myself as well as my customers. Here are some of my favorite and most-useful Cyber Monday shopping tips I’ve collected from over the years, to help you save time and money this holiday season:

Make a List: Avoid approaching Cyber Monday like a shopping spree. Even with deep discounts, it’s likely that you’ll make purchases outside of your regular budget. In order to prevent this, I make a list of must-have purchases ahead of time to prevent over shopping. Knowing what’s on sale and what you need to purchase this holiday season, will help you stick to your budget and reduce impulse purchases on items you don’t need.

Pre-Shop: A lot of retailers are really good at making a full priced item look like a bargain. To ensure that this doesn’t happen to you, browse through online stores over the holiday weekend to learn more about all the sales promotions and prices available. My favorite tip for finding the best sale is to sign up for your favorite retailer’s newsletter or email list weeks before the sales begin.  It’s a good way to learn about special sales and to get the scoop on prices for Cyber Monday before everyone else!

Know The Rules: Each Cyber Monday offer has different guidelines about when it starts and how many items are available. Read the sale rules ahead of time to know when sales are running or if a better sale is scheduled for later or earlier in the day. Being aware of the fine details ensures that you’ll be prepared for when each sale is going to start – you wouldn’t want to sleep through the sale and miss out on a fabulous deal!

Prepare to Shop Quickly: Unlike in-store shopping, online shopping does not guarantee that the items in your cart will be there when you’re ready to check out. If you spend too much time at each site, your desired item may already be sold out. One thing I’ve noticed while shopping on Cyber Monday over the years, is that items heavily discounted will go fast! Once you see an item you want, it’s time to check-out to ensure it doesn’t sell out.

Keep an Eye on Shipping Times: When shopping online, one of your considerations will be how you will receive your order. Since many flash sale sites don’t have the items in stock, it may take longer for some sites to ship than others.  Always be sure to look into the ‘cut off days’ to see how long it will take for the item to ship. And even after you learn about your estimated delivery date, make sure you still have some leeway in between then and your family gathering – added time can still be tacked on due to the high volume of the holidays.

But don’t stop here. There’s plenty more ways to save on Cyber Monday this year and beyond – the more prepared you are for the holiday, the better chance you have of saving some serious money.

Jana Francis is the founder and president of Steals.com, a network of daily deal sites offering limited-time, hard-to-find discounts on the best brands for baby, kids, women, and more, with next-day shipping and fanatical customer service year-round. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and three children. www.steals.com

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As a father of seven, I’ve had my fair share of holiday shopping with kids.  It’s never an easy thing, but during the holidays it’s a lot more difficult.  This time of year, you need to be extra careful and pay extra close attention.  The stores are busy and you’re likely trying to manage extra baggage such as coats and shopping bags plus the kids.

Here are a few tips for staying safe when holiday shopping with kids and babies:

1. Use a cart or stroller whenever possible. Contained children are the easiest to manage.  A stroller also gives you a place to stash your purchases.

2. Supervise bathroom visits. It’s very easy to get separated or have a stranger approach your child in a busy public bathroom.

3. Select oversized fitting rooms and bring your children inside with you.

5. Malls and parking lots are extra busy and dangerous during the holidays. Be sure to hold your child’s hand in parking lots and watch out for drivers who are not looking for pedestrians.

6. Remind your children not talk to strangers.

7. Make sure your child knows they must not act in an ill-mannered way by knocking things off the shelves or breaking anything. Also discourage them from going under the clothing racks as it’s dangerous and easy to lose them.

8. Wear your baby in a carrier, if possible, as you will be hands-free while knowing your little one is in a safe place.

9. Dress your children up in identical and easily noticeable clothing, such as tie-dye or bright colored t-shirts. In the event that your little one runs off, you will be able to show the security guards exactly what outfit he or she is wearing by referencing your other child’s outfit. 

10. Put a sticker on each child’s shirt listing your name and cell phone number in the event you get separated.  Have an “action plan” in place for what they are supposed to do if you get separated such as going into a store and asking a salesperson for help, finding the courtesy counter, finding a security guard, etc.).

11. Establish these rules in a quiet place ahead of time, so that your child knows what is expected of him once you’re inside the busy stores.

12. Shopping is not a lot of fun for little ones.  If you’re asking for their cooperation and patience, offer up a small reward if they are good such as a hot chocolate afterwards or visiting Santa. 

Good luck & happy parenting!        

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

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With Halloween under our belts and Christmas fast approaching (50 days to be exact), parents are staring one of their worst nightmares right in the face: holiday shopping. Want to skip the lines and ditch the early bird sales this year? If you’re new to online holiday shopping and not sure where to start your search, don’t worry… we’ve got you covered. Pour yourself a cup of tea, grab your favorite blanket and enjoy perusing AKA Mom Magazine’s ‘Top 10 Marketplaces’ from the comfort of your own living room (or bed—we won’t judge!)

1. New Egg: For all the nerds and techies in your life. It’s our favorite geeky paradise.

2. The Grommet: All the latest consumer goods at ridiculously low prices, plus free shipping on orders of $25. It’s a win-win!

3. Birchbox: In search of beauty gifts for a certain prima donna? Look no further.

4. Gilt: No need to feel guilty about shopping here! Get insider access to top designer labels for up to 60% off. You can thank us later.  

5. Uncommon Goods: The name speaks for itself: creatively designed merchandise at affordable prices. (P.S. this is where we learned that early candles were often eaten rather than burned). Don’t believe it? Check out the website for more fun facts associated with their merchandise.

6. One Kings Lane: The be-all and end-all of home décor marketplaces. From vintage pieces to modern finds for any home, we guarantee your online shopping cart will be overflowing. 

7. FireBox: Their most popular items include a pair of magical unicorn slippers, an underwater disco lightshow, a Star Wars Death Star cookie jar, and gourmet scented pencils properly labeled ‘Smencils’. We’re not kidding. And we aren’t sorry that we love it.  

8. Etsy: The ultimate site for all things vintage and handmade. Connect with artisan vendors from around the world whose craftsmanship goes into every unique piece, from handmade jewelry to homemade soaps, Etsy truly is the best online platform for one-of-a-kind gifts. 

9. Red Envelope: When it comes to finding the perfect present, Red Envelope has what you’re looking for. But don’t take our word for it, check it out today!

10. The Man Registry: Have an alcohol aficionado in your family? Or perhaps just a thirsty uncle who knows his way around a wet bar? Don’t we all? The Man Registry has personalized gifts from engraved beer pitchers to miniature whiskey barrels perfect for the man in your life.  

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All summer you have been thinking about the things that you need to do to help your family through the transition back to school but it always felt far off in the future. Ready or not, that time has come!  If the back to school season snuck up on you a little too fast this year, don’t worry!  The Back to School in a Breeze series is here to help you tie up any loose ends and help you set your family up for success this year.  The first topic: back to school shopping.                    

Sure you can scrape by the first few days of school by letting your kids wear their favorite summer outfits but believe it or not, fall weather is right around the corner!  Don’t put it off any longer, it is time to go back to school shopping.

Step 1: Get Organized

Believe it or not, the process of a successful shopping trip happens long before you ever get in the car.  The first thing that you should do is sort through your children’s closets with them to determine what fits and what needs they may have.  Do they have jeans that fit?  Can that snug sweater turn in to a hand-me-down for a sibling?  Make a detailed list of the specific items that each child needs.  This list prevents the magical phenomenon of your child not owning a single pair of shoes as soon as they see the trendy new sneakers at the mall!

Step 2: Make a Realistic Budget

Sit down with your finances and make a serious assessment of how much money you want to spend on fall clothes for your children.  After you have a total, break it out by child.  Being practical about your spending ahead of time will make sure that there are no surprises when the credit card statements come!

Step 3: Schedule Individual Shopping Trips

I know that time is short since school has already started or is starting very soon, but really try to give each of your children their own shopping day if possible.  Giving each kid their own day is not only a great way to spend some quality time with them before they get into their hectic school schedules, but it also sets the trip up for success.  The truth of the matter is that each child may have very different shopping needs, and this way there won’t be fights at the store over who got more.  You will get to give your children your full attention and make sure that you are making the best choices for them and your budget!

Step 4: Develop a Plan of Attack

Decide which stores you are going to ahead of time.  Not only will this save you time wandering around malls, but it will also ensure that you find exactly what you are looking for in the price range that you want.  Try doing some pre-shopping online with your kids!

Step 5: Get Everything on Your List

It is finally time to go shopping!  I recommend getting everything that is on the list first, so that you make sure that the items that they really need have priority.  After the basics are covered you can evaluate if there is room in the budget for extra things, like that bracelet that your daughter is dying to have!

Step 6: Slip in a Surprise!

After all of your shopping is done for your family, take a look at your receipts.  If there is still a little money in the shopping budget, think back to each shopping trip.  Was there something small that your child fell in love with, but didn’t really need?  Consider sneaking back out to the store to pick up a small surprise for each of your kids.  Imagine what a great start to the day it would be for them to come downstairs and see that new headband or wallet sitting on the breakfast table.  I am a firm believer that (when possible) life should have more surprises for no reason!

Bonus Tip: Look for Transitional Pieces

Chances are that your kids are going to want to wear their new clothes as soon as possible!  Help them out by getting versatile clothes that transition from the warm end of summer into the cool fall days.  For girls think about dresses that can be worn with sandals while its warm, then with leggings, a jacket and trendy flat ankle boots when the temperatures drop.  For boys, you can’t go wrong with button-up shirts that can be worn open (with an undershirt) and shorts, or buttoned with pants and a jacket or sweater!

Happy shopping!

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Baby Flipple turns “any” bottled water product into a baby bottle. Perfect for emergencies! It is stress free, safe and has minimal cleanup at the end of the day. NY and NJ residents – add a note when placing the order and it will be filled @ 3 each instead of 2 each.

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Wholesale/Retail: Unique mittens, hats, scarves with an animal theme that appeal to kids and adults alike.

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The BRELLI is the perfect luxury eco-friendly umbrella. It’s transparent canopy provides superior protection from the sun, rain and can withstand winds up to 40 mph.

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Locally grown Calendula Skincare, So Safe You Could Eat It!

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Little Pim, winner of 25 awards, makes learning a language fun and easy! Try it today!

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Trends come and go almost as fast as your children out grow their clothes!  With so much changing it’s hard to justify buying your kids pricey, trendy items that will get limited wear.  For me, picking out children’s clothes is about three things: versatility, wearability, and affordability.  I want pieces that mix and match for different looks, I want something that the kids want to wear and are comfortable in, and finally I don’t want to break the bank on clothes that wont fit them in a month.  Following those three key rules, here are two fun outfits for fall!

My go-to place for affordable and adorable children’s clothes is the Children’s Place and you can find all of the items in these two outfits there.  Keep in mind that these specific pieces are just ideas, if you have a go-to store, tell us about it in the comment section below!

For girls I started out with a great sequined sweater dress and some adorable black leggings with rows of sequins down the side.  Since most of little girls I know love two things, sparkles and the color pink, I thought why not give them both?  They have their whole lives to dress with “understated elegance”. This is the age where they get to match sequins with more sequins and feel like a total pop star!  Since the weather is starting to cool off, I added a dark wash jean jacket.  There are few pieces more versatile in a child’s wardrobe than a good denim jacket and it works nicely to balance out the bolder aspects of this outfit.  Next I added some basic wear-everywhere black boots with a fun bow detail on the back.  And finally, a cute bow headband finishes the look and makes taming wild hair a bit easier!  Not only is this outfit super comfy, but it’s also affordable and can be mixed and matched with your child’s other clothes!

For boys I decided to play with layering.  While I know that many adults are intimidated by layering, I am determined to prove that it is so much easier than people think!  Here is my no-fail formula. Start with a tee shirt.  I chose this fun “rock star” shirt from Children’s Place but your son’s favorite tee shirt will do!  Next, pick a button down shirt with similar colors.  I understand that trying to get a boy to stand still long enough to get all the buttons secured takes a great deal of talent, but you can let out a sigh of relief because with this look you get to leave the shirt unbuttoned! Yay! Then throw on a great utility jacket like this military inspired one.  The great thing about all of these pieces is that they can also be worn separately.  The tee shirt would be great for a play date, the button-down can be paired with khakis for a more formal event and this jacket could take you from fall all the way to spring.  Lastly, I finished the look with a pair of neutral cargo pants and cute grey sneakers and voila!, just like that you have a trendy outfit that looks straight out of a magazine! 

Product Info:  All products from ChildrensPlace.com

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