If you could avoid the stress of holiday shopping, would you?  Or do thrive on the busy stores, stocked shelves, and discounts galore? There are two types of us, really…  those who love to shop – and those who don’t.  However, I firmly believe that holiday shopping is an entirely different beast altogether.

Most of us intend to start shopping earlier every year to avoid the mad rush come December.  To save money while avoiding stress this up-coming holiday season, follow these tips from our contributor and savings expert, Jeanette Pavini:

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Do you love learning new tips and tricks that help make your holiday shopping experience more enjoyable?  Whether you’re stuck on finding that “perfect gift” for the person-who-has-everything on your list, or have your eye on the hottest item of the season, or even if you try to avoid shopping during the holidays altogether, there is something on this list for you.

Take some of the pressure off of yourself this holiday season by applying any of these strategies to your “to buy” list:

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Have you heard of reconnaissance shopping?  Better known as Retail Reconnaissance, it’s the process of evaluating a retailer’s performance through the observation of mystery shoppers.

Our expert contributor, Robin Ross, suggests we take that concept a step further and start our own mission in preparation for the up-coming holiday shopping season.  A little relationship could go a long way!  Learn what tips she suggests using to get your foot in the door, keep the money in your wallet, and the item in your bag:

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