Christmas in January

I absolutely LOVE online shopping. It's so convenient and I find the most original things. I love to shop for my friends and family and I love to find gifts that match their personality and that are fairly creative. Sometimes these things can be found at chain-store sites like Target or WalMart, but it just more fun to search the obscure.

For instance, this last Christmas I found caligraphy supplies for my cousin, an aspiring writer, at Shakespeare's Den. I got her a feather quill with several nibs, a bottle of ink, a stick of sealing wax, and a pewter wax seal, personalized with her initial. Believe me, I found nothing like that at WalMart. I felt so accomplished by finding a creative gift AND purchasing it from a small store and I knew my cousin would love it, which is the best part.

Of course, I also like to shop online for myself. Often, it means I'm looking for clothes. Clothes shopping is pretty difficult for me. I'm not necessarily interested in labels or the most current trend, so I don't usually gravitate toward Abercombie or Belisi.com. I'm the kind of person that likes clothes I can run around in, but they still fit. I'm also a bit of a tomboy, so I'm not much for skirts and frilly blouses. Jeans and an interesting tee shirt are just fine.

And then there's the stores with original designs and homemade products like Etsy and Cafepress. I have a Cafepress store and make an average of $50 a month from my sales. There are always witty designs there, especially for entertainment geeks. Etsy has all hand-crafted merchandise from blankets to jewelry, all very reasonably priced.

Electronics are another good thing to shop online for. Anything from laptops, to digital cameras
to MP3 players. With enough patience and savvy (I love that I fit the word savvy into this post!) you can find amazing deals on the best products. There ain't nothin' like comparing prices from the convenience of your home, now is there!