| 1. Limit your shopping days. Every time you visit a | | | | on hand for quick meals. To make: Cook rice |
| store, you'll increase the probability of impulse | | | | according to directions. Dump cooked rice, tuna |
| buying. Two or three impulse items on 10 | | | | and soup into a microwave bowl. Heat it in the |
| different shopping trips can kill your budget. And | | | | microwave for 10 minutes. Serve hot. |
| studies have shown that once you pick up an | | | | 7. Plan a dress rehearsal. Have all family members |
| item, you're more than likely to buy it. So, before | | | | try on their holiday outfits to make sure shoes, |
| you put that toy in your hand, think twice. | | | | tights, shirts and such fit. And with everyone |
| 2. Purchase the hard-to-buy folks first. The rest | | | | dressed to the hilt, have a neighbor snapped a |
| of your list will seem like child's play. Consider gift | | | | family photo to use as holiday greeting cards. |
| certificates for massages, pedicures, or a service | | | | 8. Assign a task to everyone. Every day give |
| like "Chefs to Go" that will make and serve the | | | | some small task to a family member to complete. |
| meal to your recipient. | | | | During the winter holidays, there are a lot more |
| 3. Store comfy clothes in the car. Keep a pair of | | | | responsibilities added to your daily schedule and |
| walking shoes, velour sport suit, or other | | | | this will cut down on your tasks. This could be |
| comfortable clothes in your car trunk so you can | | | | anything from opening greeting cards and hanging |
| easily change from your business attire after | | | | them on a designated spot to gathering the dirty |
| work. Racing through the mall in a pair of heels is | | | | clothes from everyone's room. |
| a lot tougher than walking shoes. | | | | 9. Hit the Laundromat. Pick up your overflowing |
| 4. Keep wrapping supplies in one container. Tuck | | | | hamper and head straight to the Laundromat. You |
| wrapping paper, ribbons, scissors, bows and such | | | | can wash, dry and fold in less than two hours. Be |
| inside a clean trash can or storage box for easy | | | | sure to take along some minor task like your |
| access. | | | | holiday cards and list. You can knock off two |
| 5. Empty freezer and refrigerator contents. Start | | | | tasks at one time. Or take a book and give |
| making dinners from your frozen assets. (Even if | | | | yourself some downtime. |
| you only have time to do so on the weekends | | | | 10. Create an "art box." Add stickers, colored |
| for the week ahead.) You'll have the extra room | | | | pencils, card stock, self-stick foam cutouts, fancy |
| needed for holiday baking and cooking. | | | | scissors and so forth in a plastic container. Keep |
| 6. Stockpile "no-think" meals. Tackle the "no time | | | | this stowed away as a special treat for the times |
| to cook" by keeping "pantry ingredients" like | | | | when you are busy and need to keep the kids |
| canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup and rice | | | | entertained. |