An Advertising Supplement t o T HE A LBANY H ERALD An Advertising Supplement t o T HE A LBANY H ERALD An Advertising Supplement t o T HE A LBANY H ERALD

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Easy Gift Giving Guide

To Make Your Holidays

A Breeze

II II II

(ARA) - The holidays are approachingand it's time to start shopping for thosespecial gifts. Last year, consumersspent a holiday-season record $32.6billion online, according to comScore.Unfortunately, with so much personalfinancial information out there,instances of identity theft are on therise. According to the Federal TradeCommission, as many as 9 millionAmericans have their identities stoleneach year.

While some victims of identitytheft resolve their problems quickly,others spend thousands of dollars andmonths repairing the damage done totheir credit. Some identity theft victimsmay even lose out on job opportunitiesor be denied loans for education,housing or cars because of negativeinformation on their credit reports. Inrare cases, they may even be arrestedfor crimes they did not commit.

"Anyone who shops online is

vulnerable to having their identity com-promised," says Jamie Haenggi, chiefmarketing and customer experienceofficer at Protection 1, the nation's sec-ond-largest security company. Thecompany recently partnered withLifeLock to include identity theft protec-tion in its offerings. "The proper pre-cautions, combined with identity theftprotection, are the strongest safe-guards to protecting your credit andpreventing the financial hardships thatcan be caused when an identity isstolen."

Haenggi offers the following tips to bet-ter protect your identity when shoppingonline this holiday season:

1. Shop trusted namesStick with sites like Amazon.com,Target.com or other familiar retailers.Beware of misspellings or domainnames using ".net" instead of ".com"

as that is one of the most commonways scammers trick consumers.

2. Look for the lockA secure website starts with "https://"instead of "http://." Secure sites willalso have a small lock icon in thelower-right corner of the screen. Nevergive anyone your credit card throughemail. PayPal, however, is still a good,safe way to make a payment.

3. Don't share toomuchNo store needsyour socialsecuritynumber oryour birthday.In the handsof the wrongperson, com-bined with yourcredit card num-ber, serious dam-age can be done.Always give up theleast amount ofpersonal informa-tion possible.

4. Check billingstatementsCheck statements for credit and debitcards, and monitor checking accountsregularly. If you see any charges youdon't recognize, address the matterimmediately. Don't pay credit card billsuntil you know all your charges areaccurate. You have 30 days to notifythe bank or card issuer of problems.After that, you might be liable for thecharges.

5. Use stronger passwordsWith so many online accounts - bank-ing, credit cards, email - it's commonpractice to recycle simple passwordsthat can be easily recalled. Useuncrackable passwords, especiallywhen banking and shopping. Yourpassword is weak if:

* It uses numbers or letters in theorder they appear on the keyboard("1234" or "qwerty")

* It's the name of your kids, pet,favorite team, or city of birth

* It's your birthday, anniversary, date ofgraduation, or car license plate number* It's "letmein," or, especially, "pass-word."

7. Think mobileThe National Retail Federation predicts

that 25 percent of adults willdo online browsing with

their smartphonesto find gifts.Buck thistrend anddownloadstore-spe-cific apps

like those for Amazon.comand make your purchasewithout going to their web-site.

8. Stay at homeDo all online shopping athome so you know you'reusing a trusted, secure net-work.

9. Enroll in an identity theftprotection service

Having a service provider you trust isimportant. Advanced technology andhelpful customer service are "musts"for identifying and remedying any fraudissues. Protection 1 is now offeringidentity theft protection in every newHomeCore Solution home securitypackage at www.Protection1.com.

10. Use insuranceJust in case you do become the victimof identity theft, having insurance isvital to help recoup any lost money.Coverage typically costs from $20 to$100 a year as a rider to a basichomeowner's policy or as a stand-alone purchase.

Follow these simple tips, andyou can help to ensure your family -and your property - remain safe year-round.

Sunday, December 11, 2011 2 The Albany Herald www.albanyherald.com

(ARA) - Black Friday and the ensuing holiday shopping season have becomestressful times in every consumer's year. Standing in line for six hours in thefreezing cold outside the local big-box store and battling ravenous hordes ofdeal-seekers is not the ideal. That is why many shoppers have been driven toseek the convenience and lower prices of cyber storefronts. But online shoppingcomes at a risk, especially for those who don't take simple precautions.

According to Ken Desforges, Excelsior College faculty member andcybersecurity industry advisor, these seven tips can help protect you this holidayshopping season.

1. Put away that debit card, credit is your best bet. Credit cards aresafer than debit cards, checks or cash. Under federallaw, your liability on unauthorized charges on creditcards is limited to $50.

2. Identify the knock-offs. Before "clicking" on thatpayment button, determine the seller's physical address

and phone number and run a check through the BetterBusiness Bureau. A few extra seconds can save you hun-dreds, if not thousands, of dollars. Remember, you areprotected by federal consumer laws when you buy

American.

3. Consider single-use credit cards. Many credit institu-tions are adopting a new technology that protects you from addi-

tional fraudulent charges by issuing a unique credit card number for each pur-chase.

4. Secure transactions only, please. The most reputable online sellers utilizestate-of-the-art encryption technology such as Secure Socket Layer (SSL) orSecure Electronic Transaction (SET). Your browser should provide indication thata site is secure in the form of a padlock icon on your screen. Also, the webaddress will change from "http" to "https." See the "s" and you'll know you aresafe to spend $80 dollars on a new football jersey - that is, until your spousefinds out.

5. Read the fine print: Before purchasing anything, read the seller's privacy pol-icy to determine if your information is disseminated in any way to third parties orused for any specific purpose other than completing the transaction. No privacypolicy? Don't buy!

6. Only the facts, ma'am. Some information is pertinent to completing an onlinetransaction, specifically a name and physical address to send the products. Ofcourse, Social Security numbers are not. If someone asks you for one, movealong. And, if they begin asking "lifestyle" questions, feel free to answer - if youdon't mind being spammed. Those types of questions are a clear indication thata seller is using your information for marketing purposes.

7. Be cautious with electronic signatures. Recent law allows for the verifica-tion of online purchases using an "electronic signature," often nothing more thanclicking a box agreeing to the privacy policy and purchasing terms. In addition,the same law doesn't require much else from the seller in regards to consumerprotection, including privacy with customer data.

Excelsior College's Desforges adds that the best advice anyone can begiven is to use their "shopper's intuition." If the merchant's website looks ama-teurish, is riddled with spelling errors, makes outrageous claims, has a price thatseems too good to be true, or the customer service line goes unanswered, thenyou are probably placing your identity at risk by doing business with them.

Remember, if something seems too good to be true then it probably is.Nothing is worth the pain, frustration and cost of having your identity stolen - noteven that "must have" toy or holiday gift.

SSeevveenn ttiippss ttoo ssaaffeellyy sshhoopp oonnlliinnee tthhiiss hhoolliiddaayy sseeaassoonn(ARA) - More of us than ever beforewill do at least part of our holidayshopping online this year, foregoingthe hassles of in-store purchasing. Infact, in 2010, online shoppers spentmore than $1 billion on CyberMonday (the Monday immediatelyfollowing Thanksgiving), according toone study.

While the benefits of onlineshopping are many, it does have itsperils too. It can be difficult to deter-mine the quality of what you're buy-ing, and many consumers need torely on customer reviews for helpwhen evaluating products. But howdo you know you can trust thereviews you're reading? The onlineexperts at Yahoo! Shine Get It Guideoffer some tips:

* Consider the source. Online prod-uct reviews can come from manysources, including compensatedbloggers, independent bloggers,manufacturers, marketers, consumeradvocacy groups and actual cus-tomers. Many consumers feel themost valuable, unbiased reviews arethe ones generated by those whohave actual experience with theproduct they're reviewing. For exam-ple, the Get It Guide relies onreviewers who are everyday peoplewho review products they've actuallypurchased and used.

* Compensation. Has the reviewerbeen paid for or compensated insome other way for the review? Thiscan be difficult to determine, butknowing the reviewer's motivationand influences can help you betterassess the validity of a review.

* Location. Where the reviewappears can help you deter-mine if the reviewer was likelycompensated. For example,reviews on a company or

product website may havebeen posted by

people

who received monetary or productcompensation, although that's notalways the case. Independent siteslike the Get It Guide and consumerorganization websites are more likelyto offer uncompensated reviews.

* How did the site select the prod-ucts being reviewed? Some blog-gers will review any product as longas the manufacturer or marketersends it to them for free. Consumergroups may base their decision ofwhat products to review based onwhether or not they've received con-sumer complaints about those prod-ucts. Products featured on the Get ItGuide are selected based on searchranking, meaning the site showsreviews of products that people areactually looking for, rather than onesa manufacturer has offered forreview.

* Relevance. Are the reviews aboutproduct categories that you careabout? For example, during the holi-day season, consumers are search-ing for information on popular cate-gories such as technology, appli-ances and fragrances (the Get ItGuide's first offering was on celebrityfragrances). During summer months,travel items, sportswear and swim-ming items gain popularity.

Product reviews can be agreat way to learn more before youbuy, and can help ensure yourmoney is well spent. To learn moreand to see product reviews, visitwww.shine.yahoo.com/blogs/getitguide.

Buying online? How to find reliable product reviews

Be an Internet Savvy Santa during the Holidays

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The Albany Herald 3Sunday, December 11, 2011 www.albanyherald.com

FFiivvee hhaannddyy aappppss ffoorr tthhee ffeessttiivvee sseeaassoonn

You pick the place, We’ll bring the food.

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Great Giving Simplified(NAPSI)—To make your holidaygift giving easier, consider thesetips and tricks from Amy Judt ofTheGift.com:• Think outside thebox. In addition to theusual stores, try anantique dealer, sewingshop or gardening sup-ply center.• Food for thought:Some hostess pre-sents give twice. Youcan get baked goods and otheritems that raise money for chari-table organizations. You get topresent something that’s usefulfor the recipient and supports acause that may be dear to his orher heart.

• Gift givers who really meanbusiness can also look into theBusiness Gift options at1800baskets.com. The Premier

Chocolate TreasuresGift Trunk, forinstance, is filled witha variety of Godiva,Ghirardelli and Lindtchocolate special-ties—and when youorder eight or more,you not only get a

lower price on each, you’ll saveon shipping, too. They’re handyfor friends and colleagues.• Learn more. You can findmany great gift ideas online atwww.thegift.com.

(ARA) - The holi-day season is full of fes-

tivities from children's plays tooffice parties to checking off shop-

ping lists. That means many consumersare multitasking. Never fear, there are an

array of apps for both the iPad and smart-phones to help you accomplish your seasonal

tasks on the go.

Epicurious: Free

A staple of the holidays is food - and lots of it. Whether cook-ing up a feast for a dozen or assigned to bring a side to the

family event, the Epicurious app has you covered. The appoffers more than 30,000 recipes from publications like BonAppetit and well-known chefs and cookbooks. Browsing is simplewith specific categories - from party snacks to decadent desserts -and users can search by not only typing in keywords, but also usingicons such as what's in season and what holidays areapproaching. The app automatically updates so youcan be sure to snag the latest recipes and featuresa handy shopping list you can save for when youhit the supermarket. A newer feature lets ama-teur chefs share favorite dishes with friendsvia Facebook, Twitter and email. And when itcomes to actually putting together your culi-nary masterpiece, Epicurious helps there too -offering cooking-friendly views that make iteasy to follow a recipe step-by-step. For $1.99,you can also save favorite recipes and syncyour Favorites list in the app with your onlineRecipe Box at Epicurious.com. A great feature for ifyou create a hit that the clan wants again next year.

Amazon Price Check: Free

In the store holiday shopping and think you just might find a bet-ter deal on online? Amazon Price Check helps you make sure.Use Price Check to scan a barcode, snap a picture, or type orsay an item name to check prices on Amazon.com productsand buy them directly from the app. You also can add itemsto your Amazon Wishlist and share via Twitter, Facebook,text message and email link.

Camera +: 99 cents

What's the holidays without pictures to cap-ture the memories? On sale for a limited

time for less than a buck, Camera +lets you enhance your smart-

phone photos by zoom-ing in (up to 6x)

andout, cropping, edit-ing, adding color filtersand more. You can set exposureseparately from focus for more con-trol over your shots and use a flashlightto brighten up your photos - perfect for out-door holiday snow scenes. It also comes with astabilizer to steady your camera for sharper pic-tures and a built-in grid so you can line up your shotsand avoid angled photos. Other features include bor-ders, sharing via Facebook, Twitter, and Flickr and cooleffects from professional photographer, Lisa Bettany, rang-ing from "Grunge" for that urban city feel to shimmer effectswith "HDR" that are just right for shots by the tree.

Orbitz Hotels App for iPad: Free

Whether booking travel for the holidays or to escape afterwards, theOrbitz Hotels App for iPad makes it easy to book on the go. The app

not only lets travelers book hotels at any of the global desti-nations available on Orbitz, it also allows consumers to

find hotels nearby using the iPad's GPS capabilities- particularly convenient for same-day bookings.Consumers can also search by city, address, zipcode or landmark and filter and sort hotels byprice, star rating, review score, distance andeven neighborhood. The neighborhood featureis a handy tool if you want to book near rela-tives over the holidays but are unfamiliar withtheir area or if you want to be close to the slopes

but avoid the high cost of staying right at theresort. Users also can compare hotels and prices

on an interactive map while tiles alongside the mapprovide summarized hotel information that expands to show

photographs, guest reviews, special offers, amenities and detailedhotel/room descriptions. And, if your holiday shopping has you onan extra tight budget, the app lets you toggle from a map view ofhotels to an innovative matrix view to easily compare many hoteloptions (and prices) at once.

Calculate Discount and Sales Tax: Free

Stores are littered with so many discounts over the holi-days it can be confusing to figure out what they allmean for your bottom line. Enter the CalculateDiscount and Sales Tax App, a handy way toquickly know how much 25 percent off actuallyequals in a shopping trip and tally howmuch you're spending. It also can calcu-late sales taxes for a specified area- a bonus for those out-of-townshopping trips.

www.albanyherald.com4 The Albany Herald Sunday, December 11, 2011

IInnssppiirreedd GGiiffttss TThhaatt GGiivvee BBaacckk(NAPS)—Composing a holiday checklist can be easier with a little inspiration. Fortunately, a new collection

of gifts and cards does more than offer some inspired gift choices. It can inspire real change around the world. If you’re looking for inspiration, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF offers new holiday card and gift collections, InspiredGifts, and products benefiting UNICEF offered by top brands. All money raised through the organization’s GiftsThat Give Back program will help UNICEF reduce the number of daily, preventable deaths of children under 5.

Continuing a 60-year tradition, UNICEF’s holiday cards and gifts collection includes an array of gift ideasfor men, women and children of all ages. From puzzles to home décor and scarves, a portion of sales from eachitem will support programs that save, protect and improve the lives of millions of children in more than 150 coun-tries worldwide. To shop online or for more information, visit www. shopcardsandgifts.unicefusa.org.

UNICEF holiday greeting cards may also be purchased by calling (800) 553-1200, and at Pier 1 Imports,IKEA, select Hallmark Gold Crown stores and Barnes & Noble stores. Pier 1 Imports and IKEA will donate 100percent of the purchase price of each holiday card pack, and IKEA will also donate an additional $1 per pack sold.The Pier 1 card collection will feature the winning design from this year’s Annual Pier 1 Imports/UNICEF GreetingCard Contest.

Inspired Gifts—such as Therapeutic Spread, Measles Vaccines, mosquito nets and more—can make animmediate and dramatic difference in the lives of children in need and may be purchased online atwww.inspiredgifts.org.

Partner companies conducting activities supporting UNICEF this holiday season include: IKEA, Gucci,Disney by FEED Projects, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

Through December 24, with every purchase of IKEA’s “Soft Toys for Education” collection, including stuffedanimals, finger puppets and an accompanying book, the IKEA Foundation will donate one euro (approximately$1.35) to support UNICEF and Save the Children education programs.

Since its inception in 2003, IKEA’s “Soft Toys for Education” has raised $47.5 million in support of educa-tion programs, including UNICEF’s “Schools for Africa” initiative, helping UNICEF provide 5.5 million children in 11of Africa’s poorest countries with access to a quality education.

In celebration of Gucci’s seven-year partnership with UNICEF, which has raised over $10 million dollars,Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini has designed an updated version of the best-selling “Gucci for UNICEF”Sukey bag. Twenty-five percent of the retail price for each bag sold in Gucci stores and online through February28 will benefit UNICEF’s “Schools for Africa” initiative. Gucci also announced a $250,000 donation in honor of itspartnership with UNICEF and the release of the luxury edition tribute book Gucci: The Making Of... The latestFEED initiative benefiting UNICEF celebrates Disney’s beloved attraction through the “Disney It’s A Small World”collection, inspired by the original artwork of Mary Blair.

Items from the collection include a tote, bib, infant bodysuit and pants set, and a tee for girls and boys,available at Nordstrom stores in the U.S. and online. For each “FEED Our Small World” product purchased, FEEDwill make a donation to help UNICEF provide children with an entire year’s worth of vitamin A supplements.

Other supporters are helping this holiday season as well. Through January 15, 2012, for every $1 donatedto the U.S. Fund for UNICEF at www.unicefusa.org/aa, American Airlines® AAdvantage® program members willearn two AAdvantage miles in return (minimum donation of $10 and maximum award of 2,000 miles perAAdvantage member). Delta Air Lines SkyMiles® members can also put their unused frequent flier miles to gooduse by donating them to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF at www.delta.com/skywish. Looking for another way to give back? • To aid children in famine and drought-affected areas of the Horn of Africa, Threadless and BBH New Yorkhave partnered with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to release a line of T-shirts entitled “Good Shirts.” Visitwww.threadless.com/UNICEF. • MSNBC’s “The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell” has partnered with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF inKIND—Kids in Need of Desks—to provide tens of thousands of desks to hundreds of schools in Malawi. For moreinformation, visit www.unicefusa.org/kind.

The Albany Herald 5Sunday, December 11, 2011 www.albanyherald.com

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Bridal Registry

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Happy Holidays At(ARA) - Teens are always dreaming bigaround the holidays, and see this timeof year as the perfect opportunity to putbig-ticket electronics or sought-afterconcert tickets on their wish lists. So,for many parents, holiday shopping fortheir teens can seem a bit daunting.

How can you give your teensgifts they really want without breakingthe bank? Here are a few fun gift orstocking stuffer ideas that are sure toplease your teen and your wallet alike.

For the "bottomless pit"

Between school, home-work, sports, part-time jobsand friends, teens arealways on the go. A busyschedule often leaves lit-tle time for regular, bal-anced meals, and hashungry teens filling up onsnacks throughout theirday. Instead of chips, can-dies and cookies, give yourteen a high-protein snack thatcan keep up with their crazyschedules. This year, slide a great-tast-ing, protein-rich snack, like MatadorBeef Jerky, in their stocking. Availablein a variety of flavors, these tendersnacks require no refrigeration, makingthem a convenient grab-n-go snack forteens on the move. Here is the 411 onsome of this year's trendiest, teen-cen-tric flavors:

The "I Want More": Matador TeriyakiBeef Jerky

The "Flamin'": Matador Flamin' HotBeef Stick

The "Bold": Matador Peppered BeefJerky

You can find Matador snacks inyour local grocery store, mass retailer,convenience or drug store, nationwide.

For the movie buff

This year, take the guessworkout of which DVD or Blu-ray movie yourfilm lover wants by thinking outside ofthe DVD box. A Friday night at the localmovie theater is often a favorite pas-time for teens. Help them celebrate thecinema by stuffing their stocking with amovie gift card. Theaters have madepurchasing advanced tickets as easy

as picking up the phone. Add a littleextra money for popcorn and a soda tomake their night complete.

Movie passes and concessionstand gift cards can be purchased atmost theaters nationwide. Calculate abudget for movie passes and snacks,or purchase a $20 gift card and let yourteen decide how to spend their moviemoney. Visit your local movie theaterbox office for more information.

For the techy

With a nod to the celebratedand remembered "Einstein of our time,"

Steve Jobs, make sure thetech-savvy teen on your giftlist is well equipped withthe latest mobile appsfor their smartphone.Smartphone apps makegreat holiday gifts andcater to an unlimited num-

ber of interests and hobbies.For sports fans, choose anapp that gives reminders andresults for every major sport.

Select apps that showcase chemistrytutorials or an astronomy sky map foryour science-minded teen. You can giftyour favorite apps through any smart-phone carrier via a gift card or onlinevouchers, and your loved one is sure tobe entertained all year long.

Apps come at a variety of pricepoints; visit your smartphone's appstore online for more information.

For the music-loving fitness junky

Pair your teen's enjoyment forexercise and music with a gift thatkeeps on giving - lightweight head-phones. Studies have shown that lis-tening to music during exercise can actas a motivator and as a distraction, ulti-mately improving workout results.Whether your teen is a fitness warrioror a casual exerciser, adding head-phones to their music-driven workoutroutine will keep them feeling pumped-up and energized. Available in a varietyof colorful styles from earbud or clip-on,to wireless and over-the-ear varieties,the smiles and excitement that comewith this gift will be sure to last all yearlong.

Headphones come in a varietyof designs and price points from $10and up; check with your local or onlineretail store.

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(ARA) - The holidays are about sea-sonal traditions and making merry withfamily and friends, but sometimes itcan be overwhelming to have so manyevents to attend and to-do lists to com-plete. In fact, more than 80 percent ofAmericans find the holiday season tobe "somewhat" or "very" stressful,according to an About.com poll. As youplan celebrations and gift giving, forgetthe stress and consider these 10 tipsto keep you organized, spirited, andbest of all, relaxed and ready to enjoythe season.

1. Start the day with a smile - Theholidays are a season of giving andsharing. Treat your coworker to a cupof coffee or holiday treat, or simplywish a stranger a happy holiday sea-son. An unexpected surprise for afriend will make her day and also keepyour spirits high.

2. Be ready for anything - Alleviatelast-minute stress by having goodieson hand should a visitor stop by unex-pectedly. You don't have to go out ofyour way. Stock up on simple, easy-access essentials like your favorite hol-iday snack mix and Starbucks(R)Christmas Blend. Impress guests bybrewing one cup at a time, especiallyfor them, with a Starbucks Pour-OverKit.

3. Personalize it - Make every giftstand out with personalized wrappingpaper. Jenn Sbranti, editor-in-chief andfounder of Hostess with the Mostessrecommends using creative rubberstamps or stencils with festive-coloredinks and paints to decorate white or

kraft paper with your favorite holidayimages. Take it up a notch with a gift-wrap-making party complete with fes-tive music and your favorite holidaysnacks and drinks.

4. Give gifts that everyone will love -Know someone who can't go a daywithout their favorite coffee or espres-so beverage? Look no further than thecoffee shop around the corner or for agift that everyone loves, likea new coffee mug, traveltumbler or a gift card. Quickand easy, these gifts are no-brainers and sure to please.

5. Treat yourself -Remember to do somethingnice for yourself too.Whether it's indulging inquiet time with a new bookby the fire or an afternoontreat, relax and enjoy. Graba Starbucks Chocolate CremeWhoopie Pie for a perfectly sized treatless than 200 calories. Pair it with aSkinny Peppermint Mocha for an after-noon break.

6. Give back - Make a donation, big orsmall, to your favorite charity. Whetherit's giving to a local animal shelter orcontributing to the neighborhood foodbank, every bit helps and there's noth-ing better than giving back during theholiday season.

7. Start fun, new traditions - Insteadof the same old holiday cookies, createa major "wow" factor with holiday cakepops. Gather family and friends tobake and decorate with the new

Starbucks CakePop Kit. For a fes-tive presentation,display the fin-

ished cake pops in pretty boxes linedwith gift wrap covered Styrofoam. Yourcreations will look like they came froma seasoned pastry chef and stand outamong all the traditional cookie bas-kets.

8. Old holiday movie night with thekids - Introduce your kids to the clas-sics. From "Miracle on 34th Street" to"It's a Wonderful Life," these moviesare sure to bring back fond memoriesfor you and create a memorableimpression on your kids.

9. Plan ahead for travel - Airportdelays and long flights can take theirtoll. Keep your energy level up and

frustrations down, even in the most try-ing circumstances. Bring along yourfavorite pair of cozy socks, invest innoise-cancelling headphones, a goodbook, and a stash of Starbucks VIAChristmas Blend for a perfect cup ofseasonal coffee on the go.

10. Recharge with a non-holiday day- You'll enjoy the hustle and bustle ofthe busy season more with a break.Refresh with a non-holiday day ofactivities. Hit the salon, check out thatexhibit you've been eying at the muse-um, or take a leisurely stroll. A dayaway to recharge is the best cure forseasonal stress and frustration.

Celebrate festive gatheringsand joyous occasions this seasonstress-free and make the seasonmerry and memorable with friends andfamily.

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(NAPS)—For the holidays and anygift-giving occasion, an increasingnumber of Americans are discoveringsome smart ways to save. Here aretwo tips on how to get the most out ofyour gift card purchases: • Savings are in the cards. Whenyou get gift cards for friends and fami-ly, there can be value in it for you toowith various rewards programsoffered by grocery stores. Budget-conscious shoppers can find savingsthat range from dollars off your next

purchase at the grocery store to dis-counts on gas. • Stock up. When you know youhave a big purchase coming, youcan buy gift cards—for yourself orothers—in advance and get therewards. Gift cards are available for abroad range of popular retail stores,restaurants and sports and entertain-ment outlets. • Learn more about savvy gift cardshopping and share your tips atwww.facebook.com/GiftCardsRock.

Savvy Shopping

www.albanyherald.com Sunday, December 11, 2011 6 The Albany Herald Lunch Made Simple

Includes: Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich, Chips, Cole Slaw or

Carrot Raisin Salad and Brownie

Corporate Events, School Lunches,

Fundraisers

Drive Thru 229-889-1166 Albany Mall 229-883-5685 Online Ordering: www.chick-fil-a.com/albanysquare

(NAPS)—What’s bad news forthe economy could be goodnews for holiday shoppers—more last- minute shoppingdeals, easier access to creditand improved service.

According to its thirdannual Retail Finance Outlookstudy conducted by CIT, retailexecutives are pessimisticabout the pace of the U.S. eco-nomic recovery but remainoptimistic about their own out-look for the coming year.

The make-or-break peri-ods for retailers are the majorshopping days betweenThanksgiving weekend andNew Year’s Day. Nearly three-quarters see holiday salesimproving slightly or stayingabout the same as last year.That’s good news for con-sumers in several ways:

MMoorree LLaasstt --MMiinnuuttee DDeeaallssIf you are looking for

deals, consider waiting till thelast minute to do your shop-ping. Sensing that cost-con-scious consumers will be look-ing for bargains, 37 percent ofretailers predict that last-minute shopping will in crease.Similarly, 38 percent of retail-ers expect post-Christmasshopping days to be stronger.

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Whether you plan onpaying in cash or with credit, itmight be a good time toembrace social me dia. Theroles of social media, mobileapplications and the expandingInternet mean traditional

sources of sales are taking abackseat.

Fully 58 percent ofexecutives report that theircompanies are shifting market-ing dollars away from estab-lished sources and toward newones, including social mediacampaigns. As part of thatshift, 68 percent of respon-dents report increases in mar-keting and deals throughproviders including Facebook,Twitter and others.

Look for the shift tonew media to continue. Some58 percent of executivesbelieve they need to improvetheir new-media marketingstrategies, while a further 7percent of retail respondentscharacterize their companiesas “late starters” in the new-media game.

EExxcceeppttiioonnaall CCuussttoommeerr SSeerrvviicceeA commanding majority

(86 percent) of retailers believegood old-fashioned customerservice will be the key methodof ensuring customer loyalty.

Loyalty, in turn, is seenas a primary factor in boostingprofitability in the coming year.When executives were askedhow they could improve profitsin the next 12 months, themost-cited factor was theircustomer loyalty program,selected by 47 percent ofrespondents.

FFrreeee RReeppoorrttTo download a free

copy of the report, visitwww.cit.com/retailoutlook2011.

SSeeaassoonnaall CChheeeerr FFoorr CCoonnssuummeerrss