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Shopping, Shopping, and More Shopping

The Holiday Season Can be Costly, Busy, and Stressful.

What type of shopper are you?

A. I shop for hours, comb the ads and racks for great deals, and enjoy every minute of it.
B. I make a list and shop only for items on my list with military precision–shopping is not fun.
C. I shop online. I can find everything I need without the crowded stores and stressed customers.
D. I find someone else to shop for me. I’m not a shopper and never will be.
E. I shop early. I shop throughout the year and stash items throughout my home.
F. I wait until the last minute to shop. My recipients are lucky to get whatever I can find moments before they open them.
G. I wrap my own purchases.
H. I have my purchases gift-wrapped at the store.

I love the holidays. I look forward to November 1st so I might put up my tree, lights, and sprinkle in Christmas music. As for shopping, I am not a shopper. I attempt to do as much shopping online as I can. For other items, I make a list and quickly shop for only the items on it.  I do not browse.  I do not walk hours in the mall enjoying the sounds, smells, crowds, and displays. I love gift-giving just not the procuring of said gifts. 

I learned years ago, that shopping early is costly for me. Although I claim to have my shopping done, I tend to add more items here and there as I find them.  Thus, my family receives more gifts than they should. I tend to shop the first half of December but I create a shopping list starting in January to keep track of my gift ideas.

Whatever type of shopper you are, I wish you luck as you seek to secure your gifts.

Still looking for gift ideas? Think books.

A book exists for everyone. When searching for a book as a gift, consider what you enjoy reading and share a good book you’ve read. Think of the hobbies, travels, and interests your family/friend might enjoy and purchase a book on one of those topics. Check out their social media pages for ideas, too.  See if they are a member of Goodreads. If so, genres and books they enjoy will be posted there. Coffee table books are also a great gift idea.

Here’s a Free Gift Idea

It costs nothing to leave a review for an author once you read a book.  Indie Authors especially love reviews. Feedback from readers encourages authors to continue writing. Whether the author is a personal friend or not, a review is a great way to share good books with other readers, boost sales for the author, and let them know readers do care about their writing.


It only takes a few words and a minute to write a review. “I enjoyed this story.” “Kept me on the edge of my seat.” “A great beach read.” A few words or paragraphs, both are greatly appreciated.

Speaking of Books


I currently have 5 books on sale for 99¢ for the holidays.  Download a book or 5 for yourself and remember Amazon allows you to send eBooks as gifts. It’s easy and a great way to shop for others on your list.

Haley Rhoades on Amazon


Happy Holidays,

Haley Rhoades



By haleyrhoadesauthor

Haley Rhoades’ writing is another bucket-list item coming to fruition, just like meeting Stephen Tyler, Ozzie Smith and skydiving. As she continues to write romance and young adult books, she plans to complete her remaining bucket-list items, including ghost-hunting, storm-chasing, and bungee jumping. She is a Netflix-binging, Converse-wearing, avidly-reading, traveling geek.
A team player, Haley thrived as her spouse’s career moved the family of four 10 times to four states. One move occurred eleven days after my C-section. Now with two adult sons, Haley copes with her newly emptied nest by writing and spoiling Nala, our precious Pomsky. A fly on the wall might laugh as she talks aloud to her fur-baby all day long.
Haley’s under five-foot, fun-size stature houses a full-size attitude. Her uber-competitiveness in all things entertains, frustrates, and challenges family and friends. Not one to shy away from a dare, she faces the consequences of a lost bet no matter the humiliation. Her fierce loyalty extends from family, to friends, to sports teams.
Haley’s guilty pleasures are Lifetime and Hallmark movies. Her other loves include all things peanut butter, Kansas City Chiefs, St.Louis Cardinals, Star Wars, mathematics, and travel. Past day jobs vary tremendously from an elementary special-education para-professional, to a YMCA sports director, to a retail store accounting coordinator, and finally a high school mathematics teacher.
Haley resides with her husband and fur-baby in a south Des Moines suburb. This Missouri-born girl enjoys the diversity the Midwest offers.
Reach out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or her website…she would love to connect with her readers.

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