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In my case, I think I'm so much cooler when I order online! If you're a close friend or relative, you know that I hate shopping about as much as I hate ironing. Because of that, I've learned how to deal with bringing things into my home in this way:

1. I tell my daughter that I need it. She's a wonder shopper and should actually charge for her services as a personal assistant. All I have to do is tell her I'm looking for something and she'll find it. Not only will she find it, but she'll find it on clearance.

2. I order it online. I figure that even if I have to pay full retail price for it, I am saving money by not leaving the house to buy it. By ordering from the comfort of home, I can

a. Order 24/7.

b. Avoid getting dressed to face the public. I can order in my pjs if I'm still awake at 2 am.

c. Save money on gas by not driving my gas hog to the mall

d. Save my frustration level by looking through racks or piles of things to find what I want.

e. Save even more of my sanity by not having to stand in line

f. Save money because I'm not doing any impulse shopping.

3. My third option is to stock up when I am shopping, whether it's out in person, or online.

It seems like I've been hit hard this year with baby showers, bridal showers, and even wedding receptions. With each one, you get a little card that tells you where the expectant mother or bride has registered. At least by registering, they tell you exactly what you want and you can't really make a wrong decision. In my case, though, that still means I will probably have to actually drive to the store. If I received the invitation a little earlier, I might be able to order the item online, but then I wouldn't be able to walk through the door with a gift in my hands. I shudder to think about how humiliated I might feel if people thoughtI came to their party without a gift!

So here's what I do. I have a standard gift for every occasion.

Here's what you can expect if you know me and plan to get married anytime soon. It's a first aid kit. This isn't your everyday Walgreens first aid kit. This is a $75 first aid kit complete with all the antibacterial, pain relieving stuff you'd ever need. It also has all the bandaids, bandages, tweezers, scissors, and even compression items you want. It comes in an adorable Army green bag with a red cross on the outside. Perfect for use at home, or throwing in your car before you head out on your vacation or trip to the beach.

I found this first aid kit through a company where I shop online every month. I ordered one for myself, and liked it so much that I bought a few more. Just for gift giving!

Now, if you graduate from college, or just invite me to your wedding reception, I am going to give you the Dave Ramsey, "Total Money Makeover" book! This hardcopy book sells for $24.95 at your favorite bookstore, but I found a source for the book where I only have to pay $10. I ordered one for me, loved it so much that I went back and ordered three more copies. What young person doesn't need some guidance on how to avoid going into debt? What old person can't use advice on how to get out of debt? This is one of my favorite gifts.

What if you're pregnant or just had a new baby? My standard baby gift is baby products that are safer than what Johnson & Johnson has to offer. If you believe J&J's Baby Shampoo is the best, then you don't know that it contains a form of formaldehyde. I'm always on the lookout for closeouts on quilted bags or children's backpacks. When I find them (or I should admit that when my daughter, the shopper, finds them!) she'll buy me 2-3 of them. I keep extras of these products on hand, and when it's time for yet another baby shower, I will wrap each item individually in tissue paper, stuff it in the bag, add extra tissue paper if needed, throw in a few flyers about household chemicals, or saving our children from poisons, and I'm good to go. What mother wouldn't want the BEST for her child?

As you're doing your shopping this month, think outside your usual needs. Check your calendar. Any weddings, showers, birthdays, anniversaries in your future?

Most of my female friends and I have agreed not to exchange gifts for birthdays or Christmas, but occasionally I just feel like taking a little gift when we meet. Some of my favorite gifts for my female friends include candles (without lead wicks) or body-friendly body lotions. It makes for such an easy, inexpensive gift when you just tie a ribbon around the neck of the bottle or around the box. They're pretty enough that you don't even need a bag.

You can simplify your life if you find those gifts that just scream your name. For someone who counsels people about being prepared, the first aid kit really ties in well. What kind of products do people associate with you, or your personality?

I went to about nine baby showers earlier this year. Thank goodness that epidemic is one that I'm too old to participate in! Most of the people who were at one shower were at all of them. It became a joke when each expectant mother opened the same thing from me at their shower. I like to think that I have a sense of humor, and in fact, I was usually the one saying, "Now I know this isn't any big surprise to you, but I brought the SAFE baby stuff."

I had to smile, because the joke was really on them. While they were all out shopping and trying to make decisions about each baby, all I had to do was put my standard gift bag together. At one time I had about five bags all made up and ready to go. Instead of buying baby cards, I bought a huge box of blank note cards. I individualized each one and stuck it in the proper bag. When it was time for the shower, all I had to do was pick up the bag and go - checking, of course, to make sure I had the right bag for the right mother!

So what can you do to be better prepared? Figure out a way to eliminate all the decisions in gift buying. Stay out of the stores. Avoid the heat. You'll be so much cooler online!