Wholesale warehouse shopping clubs almost seem designed for those who don't discriminate on price, who love inconvenience and inconsistency in product availability, and who want to build their afternoon or evening around a shopping trip to a single store.

Why would people build their shopping lifestyle around that type of shopping experience? Perceived value?

It doesn't make sense for my household to change our shopping style (as we had attempted) to fit wholesale warehouse club retail format if it turns out to not work for us. It may make sense for yours.

We were at dinner with some friends of ours when they told us about an online discount club with a huge variety of products and a very modest membership fee. I was expecting more caseloads of cheese snacks and a hundred dollar membership fee - but that's not what they showed us.

What we saw was a membership fee less than local warehouse club, and products that was need and use every month - orderable online and delivered to our door - without putting shopping cart dents in our car.

We checked it out. We signed up. We tried it out for several months. And every since our shopping life gets easier.

Now every month I make my shopping list online through our online membership. For first thirty days of month I build my online shopping list whenever it's convenient for me, and shortly after first of next month we find packages at our door. The next month it's same.

It's opposite of old bricks and mortar warehouse club - it takes me less time to make it work for me. It works around my shopping style, rather than forcing me to change my lifestyle to find right bargains and most convenient time to go to store.

Yes, I can still get a case of rolls of toilet paper and cheese snacks - but I never stand in line, I never have to lug my purchases through parking lot in rain or snow, and I never have to worry about finding new door-dings on my car.

The biggest benefit of membership in this club is convenience. And with life being as busy as it is for us - I have fallen in love with having my shopping list only a few mouse clicks away from completion.

I tackled gift-producing area. I had a bow maker, rolls of paper, ribbons, ready for every occasion. It was a time when boys would be invited to a birthday party quite suddenly, and it kept me from “running out” at last minute to buy wrapping. This I decided to eliminate. The storage space required and clutter were not worth it, and it seemed I never had right thing anyway. I bought 10 generic gift bags with white tissue, appropriate for any age or occasion.

Also, seeing myself “burdened” by gifts coming my way – that teddy bear statuette just wasn’t “me” even if it was expensive crystal – I switched to what I call “disposable” gifts. Sending someone a floral arrangement, or a basket of fruit, or a Honey-baked ham would note occasion, but it would “go away” and they wouldn’t have to find a place for it.

I have never been comfortable giving money, but gift certificates seemed possible. It showed at least a little “thought” and “effort,” two things I find missing in gifts of money. (Not that I’ve ever refused one!)

For those with no material needs whatsoever, I would donate money to a charity close to their heart. That is greatly appreciated by most people. Charities list in their newsletter gifts made in honor of, or in memory of, others, and that’s a nice touch.

Re: people in my life, I took a look at investment-return ratio. Some of them, I had to admit, were a drain. With me being in a helping profession, some were “using” me for free counseling, while making no improvements in their lives, and that didn’t give me friendship I needed, or provide for them counseling or coaching they needed.

I made a list of people who really meant something to me, with whom I had strong mutual bonds, and I whittled away at ones who didn’t contribute anything to my life. We call this in coaching, “getting rid of tolerations.” Yes, people can be “tolerations” and I think this is one of more important “ah hahs” Thomas Leonard, founder of coaching, gave to world.

I eliminated immediately ones who were a negative drain on me, and took a closer look at ones wanting entry. I quietly discouraged some “friendships” from ever occurring in first place. Life is choices.

I believe that our lives are greatly influenced by 5 people we spend most time with. I made sure Top 5 were ones I wanted and needed them to be.

META-THEORY I decided to slow myself down at checkout counter. I disciplined myself for 6 months. I would not make any impulse buys. I would go home and consider it. Usually it wasn’t worth effort to go back.

I would not go shopping to “window shop.” There’s no such thing! There’s always something attracts my eye I think I “must have.”

Shopping would be a necessity for essentials, not Saturday afternoon entertainment for me and kids.

I put more thought into things I gave others so as to slow flow into their lives as well.

READY FOR THE NEW YEAR As you participate in, or observe, shopping frenzy of holiday season. Ask yourself, “Why am I doing this?”

Good reasons are: ·It’s meaningful ·I enjoy it ·I know it’s something I can afford and know it’s something they need or would like

Bad reasons are: ·I don’t know why ·To keep up with Joneses ·Because I always have ·Because you're supposed to

Oserve closely your own behavior. That’s beginning of making positive changes.

It’s emotionally intelligent thing to do!