Gift for you

Create a shopping email.

Some people refuse to sign up for brand loyalty programs because they don't want to hand over personal info to a corporation. Others refuse because they don't want to be inundated with spam. And still others sign up—but miss or delete every incoming retailer email.

There's a workaround to all of this, though: just create a separate email specifically for communiques from retailers. That way, you don't hand over personal info, you don't get spam, and you know exactly where to find every sale alert and discount code. And for more ways to make the most of your inbox(es), here are 17 Genius Email Hacks That Will Improve Your Life.

Make the most of shopping "holidays."

Yes, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are annoying, marketer-manufactured "holidays." But if you're looking for specific products, and if you go in with a plan of attack, you can often walk away with great deals. Black Friday has historically been an ideal day for picking up toys, televisions, and electronics, while Cyber Monday often offers serious steals on apparel, shoes, and accessories. And to learn what not to buy, read up on The Black Friday Deals That Are Totally Not Worth It.

Mail packages before mid-December.

Yes, during the holidays, time slips by like a sled down an icy hill; it's easy to get caught up in gift prep and forget to actually, you know, gift. If you're shipping presents to far-off relatives, be sure everything is packaged up and out the door by December 14th. That's the USPS hard deadline for ground shipping holiday presents this year—if you want them to arrive by December 25th, that is. (If you're willing to splurge on First Class or Priority Mail, however, that hard deadline becomes December 20th.)