It’s Monday. Time to get back to work. Many people look forward to the new work week while many others dread the first day after the weekend. For the most part, those who hate Mondays insist that the weekend “just wasn’t long enough”. In today’s fast-paced society, it is not uncommon for people to feel as if there just isn’t enough time in the day.

In order for workers to truly appreciate both their jobs and their personal lives, they need to set aside adequate time for both. This is difficult for many individuals who feel that work consumes their lives. In today’s edition of the Toronto Metro, an article discussed how better ’synergy’ is possible through following five simple tips. We’d like to share them with you.

Firstly, “slow down” says the article from the city’s free daily newspaper. It advises people to enjoy both the things and people around you. In order to so, sometimes it is important to plan downtime into your week in order to distance yourself from the various things that may be causing you stress.

Learning how to streamline your schedules with the help of technology is another important tip offered by the paper. It reads: “Tools like Microsoft Office Outlook 2010 let you link each member of your family’s calendar allowing you to see what everyone’s got going on so you can plan accordingly.”

“Protect your personal time,” it continues. Sometimes people need to learn when to simply shut down. In this day and age, it appears as if people are always on their cellphones either talking or texting. Many conversations get interrupted by several others coming through these wireless devices that can really tie a person up.

The Metro article encourages people to turn their cellphones off to establish boundaries between their personal and professional times. That way, it will be easier to determine what time is devoted to what part of your life. Many people complain that even when they return home from work, that they are still thinking about life in the office.

“Share the load,” the article reminds us. You don’t always have to do everything yourself. Perhaps, getting help from your loved ones will be an excellent way to complete tasks while sharing time with the family. This also helps to build a sense of responsibility within children. Everyone should be able to share in the household duties.

Finally, learn to say “no”. According to the article: “Taking on too many tasks can be stressful and overwhelming. Learn to say no to things when there’s too much on your plate. This applies to both work and personal commitments.”

With all of the doom and gloom of this past week’s blogs, we figured that we would go into the weekend on a positive note. And while yes, the Louisiana oil spill among the other environmental mishaps of 2010 would put a downer on just about any situation, we should remember that there is always time for enjoyment and happiness. We hope, of course, that you will bring that sentiment into the weekend with you as we prepare to honour moms everywhere with Mother’s Day this Sunday.

This Sunday, May 9th, is the day of all days to celebrate mothers by letting them know how much they all mean to us. And while we believe that moms should be shown this courtesy and compassion all year round, we know that Mother’s Day is the day when sons and daughters go that extra mile to prove just how much they love their mommies.

Thing is though…it can get expensive. While the traditional, tried-and-true route is to show up with flowers and a card, possibly accompanied by jewelry or even a trip to a restaurant for dinner, there are other less expensive ways to tell your mother just how special she is to you.

Earlier this week, Carla Kessler of HealthyFinancialHabits.com wrote of the various ways that people can celebrate Mother’s Day without having to necessarily break the bank. Many moms love either gardening or cooking, if not both, she says. One of Kessler’s first suggestions is to consider building your mother an herb garden. Noting that this can be a homemade gift, this tip helps for you to be both thoughtful and cost-efficient at the same time.

She reveals that “all you really need to create an herb garden is a few pieces of scrap wood, some potting soil and a few herb seeds of your choice. Simply creatively build your herb box using screws and other fasteners.” Herbs grown from herb gardens, says Kessler, are among the most flavorful you can find. If you have children yourself, consider having them paint the herb garden. There’s nothing that warms a mother’s heart more than a gift that reminds her of her grandchildren’s love all year-round.

Gift baskets are also great tokens of love and appreciation for moms on Mother’s Day. These gifts are generally expensive, however, creating your own basket helps for your present to be a more personal and cash-saving experience. Kessler recommends grabbing some fresh fruit from your local grocery store. Locate a basket and some filler from a dollar store. Tissue paper and other crafts that help liven up the basket would also be nice.

You may also throw in some family pictures, especially those that include you with your mom into the gift basket. This loving gift shows the time and effort that you put into making your mother happy. The pictures, obviously, will also bring back fond memories that you may share throughout Mother’s Day.

The time you spend with your mom, of course, is the greatest gift of all. Kessler asks that you “ask yourself this question: ‘When was the last time I spent a day with my mother?’ If you really can not remember, maybe you should consider spending time with your mother this Mother’s Day.”

“Most of the time, it’s the simple things in life that really make a big difference,” she continues, “While most of us are caught up in the fast pace of everyday life, we all need to take a step back and think about the things that make occasions such as Mother’s Day truly unique.” To all the moms out there, we wish you a very happy Mother’s Day!

Earlier today in the Synergy Merchant Services offices, two of our team members were having a conversation about their grocery buying habits. Both individuals, who each live on their own, discovered that they each had vastly different methods of trying to save on their grocery bills.

One of them mentioned that she shopped about every two weeks spending approximately $70 per trip to the grocery store. Her counterpart indicated that he waited until he had next to no food at home before shopping and therefore only travelled to the supermarket every other month. His grocery bill usually hits the $300 mark.

A $70 grocery bill every two weeks comes to $280, remarked the gentleman who shops once every two months. “Not much of difference,” he said, “except that I inconvenience myself a lot less by shopping so rarely.” “But I’m spending less money than you are,” replied his female co-worker.

What method actually does save more money? Does it even make a difference? How can one truly save on groceries when food is an everyday necessity? Earlier this month, Sharon Aschaiek, in a special to QMI Agency, wrote about the many ways people can save money on grocery shopping in the wake of the recent recession.

Quoting budgeting expert, Amy Fontinelle, Aschaiek writes that there are some creative and common sense ways to stretch your dollar at the supermarket. The first key is to not be tricked by the alluring ways in which stores promote their food.

Says Fontinelle: “The recession has shown people new ways of looking at their finances and at the way they shop for things like food. People are more interested in spending wisely (however) chain grocery stores are designed to get you to spend as much as possible and to pick up things you were not planning to buy.”

Fontinelle notes that most often when something is on “special” at a corporate supermarket, it really isn’t a deal after all. Since these stores tend to price their items higher in order to cover their overhead and advertising costs, their regular prices may be higher than those at smaller chains or independent stores.

In addition to being “chain smart”, Fontinelle encourages shoppers to “explore alternatives”. Look into both independent and ethnic food markets that may offer more competitive food prices due to lower overhead costs. The most cost effective place to shop, however, is at farmers’ markets which provide food right from the source.

According to Fontinelle: “It’s a great way to save money, because there’s no middle man to make money on the transaction. Also, if you go in the last 30 minutes or hour before it closes, farmers might be eager to unload their stock, and you can get better deals.”

Fontinelle also recommends that you go “coupon crazy”. Making use of your money-saving coupons is important, especially since many forget to use them. She advises that you keep coupons in a kit that includes a number of food categories and bring it to the supermarket with you. Some people end up saving upwards of 50% on their grocery bills through coupons.

There certainly are a number of methods to making the most of your grocery money. Evidently, saving your much-needed cash has nothing to do with how often you shop but more importantly, where you shop and what you buy. Keep these tips in mind, and keep more of your money the next time you go to the grocery store.

Yesterday, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog discussed the positive impact that the 2010 Winter Olympic Games is having on the Canadian economy. Helping with the boost of a number of industries throughout the nation, hosting the Winter Games is proving to be a lucrative investment for Canada.

Today, there is further evidence that the Olympics, specifically the Winter Games, provide a great opportunity for financial gain for Canada’s winter Olympians. As reported by QMI Agency’s Stefania Moretti, “Canada’s winter Olympians typically fare better than their summer counterparts when it comes to scoring lucrative sponsorship contracts.”

Sam Galet, vice president at global sports management firm IMG’s Canadian division, believes that the Winter Games seem to be more profitable for Canadians over the Summer Games as sports like snowboarding, skating and of course, hockey are so popular in Canada. Furthermore, there is also a history of Canadian athletes faring better at the Winter Games than the Summer Olympics as the nation’s gold medal record haul has shown.

Meanwhile, the opposite is true for our American counterparts. According to Jim Andrews, sports marketing agency IEG’s senior vice president, American summer athletes make approximately 50% more than their winter athletes.

U.S. swimmer and eight-time gold medal winner, Michael Phelps is a prime example of the American summer athlete who has profited greatly due to his success at the Olympics. Word has it that he accumulated over $100 million after his dominant performance in Beijing at the last Summer Games.

By comparison, gold medal winning snowboarder, Shaun White scored approximately $7.5 million last year by attaining sponsorships from such companies as Burton, Red Bull, Target, Oakley, Ubisoft and AT&T. Meanwhile, White finds himself among the highest paid Olympic athletes at this year’s Winter Games. The list of top-earning Winter Olympic athletes, in fact, have no Canadians, according to Forbes.com – NHL hockey players excluded.

As Moretti reveals: “Canadian athletes training for the Olympics receive $1,500 a month from Sport Canada to help subsidize their income and pay for coaching, equipment and nutrition. Still, many Canadian Olympians are forced to hold down day jobs while training for the Olympics.”

Skeleton racer Jon Montgomery, she writes, will very likely have to return to his part-time job as a sales consultant and automobile auctioneer, even after winning a gold medal in Vancouver. However, let’s not forget that the Canadian Olympic Committee does award bonuses of $20,000 to gold medalists, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

Alexandre Bilodeau, the first Canadian ever to win gold on home turf, is expected to take in at least $1 million in endorsement deals while Olympic speed skater Cindy Klassen is reported to have signed a $1 million deal with Manitoba phone company, MTS Allstream Inc. This would be one of the biggest deals ever for a Canadian amateur athlete.

So even though Canadian winter athletes may not make as much as their competitors in the United States, they do seem to make out better than the summer athletes of the nation. If only the Winter Olympics happened more frequently in this country, perhaps it would rid itself of financial hardship for good!

Who doesn’t love a long weekend? Especially with Valentine’s Day taking place on a Sunday this year, there is no doubt that romantic couples across some provinces in Canada are relishing the ability to sleep in today as Family Day is upon them. A statutory holiday in Alberta, Saskatchewan and most recently, Ontario, today commemorates a recognition of the importance of family.

According to Wikipedia.org, Family Day was first celebrated in 1990 in Alberta. Proposed by the province’s premier Don Getty, the holiday was originally met with criticism. Although Getty insisted that the day was to emphasize family values, some employers felt that the day would become a “fiscal burden”.

Saskatchewan did not begin observing Family Day until 2007. The province’s premier Lorne Calvert proposed for the day to be acknowledged as a statutory holiday but was met with business owners suggesting that it would cost them as much as $140 million a year. They requested tax breaks in an effort to soften the impact of lost sales due to another day with their doors being closed to the public.

Family Day was established as a statutory holiday in Ontario in 2008 so today, in fact, represents Ontario’s third ever observation of the holiday. Proposed by premier Dalton McGuinty, the creation of Family Day in Ontario raised the province’s number of public holidays to nine per year.

Residents in Manitoba are observing a holiday today as well. However, the day is known as Louis Riel Day, in honour of Louis Riel, the Métis leader who is recognized as having a major influence on the formation of Manitoba as a province. Like Ontario, the holiday was first observed in 2008.

It is Islander Day, today in Prince Edward Island. It began last year due to the “rising trend” of holidays celebrated in February throughout Canada. Originally held on the second Monday of February last year, many business owners were opposed to the idea of having a holiday that was out of sync with the rest of the provinces who would be taking a day off for Family Day one week later.

Says Wikipedia: “Provincial Attorney General Gerard Greenan introduced a change to mark the holiday on the third Monday in February in April of that year.”

Unfortunately for British Columbia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and the territories, the third Monday in February is still a regular working day. Sorry guys.

Chances are, over the next few years, the entire nation will be celebrating a long weekend in unison.  For those who are off work today, we hope that you will take this day to relax, reflect and rejuvenate, as it’s back to business tomorrow.

This weekend, many Canadians will get to enjoy their first long weekend of the year. And while the weekend will be extended by Family Day on Monday, couples throughout the country are preparing for a romantic Valentine’s Day on Sunday. If previous sales figures are any indication, Valentine’s Day is a popular reason for shopping.

Merchants throughout Canada likely fall in love with consumers at this time of year as the special day commemorating love relationships bring in a lot of business. As the QMI Agency’s Sharon Singleton reports today, Valentine’s Day is a surefire booster of sales for “flowers, chocolates, champagnes and lingerie, not to mention providing a boost to restaurants, which often feature special menus at special prices.”

According to Singleton, consumers in the United States spend up to $14 billion on Valentine’s Day. And while last year’s recession impacted sales somewhat, retail groups are expecting for sales in both Canada and the U.S. to pick up this year. However, sales of larger scale items like diamonds are not expected to see much of a boost.

For florists, on the other hand, Valentine’s Day is easily the most important day of the year. As Singleton reports, citing Aboutflowers.com as a reference, 20 per cent of all flowers sold during the year take place during Valentine’s Day.

According to the U.S. National Retail Federation,s 2010 Consumer Intention & Actions survey, says Singleton, “about 29% of adults purchased flowers last year as a Valentine’s Day gift, with almost two-thirds of those being men. This year about 36% of consumers plan to celebrate with flowers.”

As popular a gift as flowers are, chocolate and candy sales also see a spike during this time of year. In the U.S., reports Singleton, upwards of $935 million a year is spent on the sweet stuff. Of that amount, one-third is spent on Valentine’s Day purchases. Only Halloween and Easter see greater sales of chocolate than February 14th.

A Wal-Mart Canada survey reports that 60 per cent of Canadians buy Valentine’s Day gifts, with most of them spending under $50. Interestingly, the survey also found that men and Ontario residents are last minute shoppers while Quebecers are usually the first to begin shopping.

As well, “in Western Canada, roses are popular, while in Eastern Canada teddy bears dominate gift choices.” Our American counterparts, however, generally spend $103 on Valentine’s Day gifts….men will spend nearly twice the amount women spend on the holiday. The average man plans to shell out $135.35 to impress the people in his life while women only expect to spend $72.28.

Take that ladies! Nevertheless, business owners selling gifts that are right for the occasion are in for a great weekend. The love relationships that are being honored this weekend are sure to help garner love from merchants who will be only too happy to supply the gifts being purchased. How romantic.

Back on December 8th, 2009, we posted a blog entitled “Here Comes The Snow”. Based on weather reports at the time, the Greater Toronto Area was given the impression that it was to gear up for quite the white winter. And while a snowfall did hit the GTA, the heavily-populated Southern-Ontario area has experienced a mild winter season thus far.

Well into the second week of February now, most of the ground is completely without snow. That is, until tonight, says the current weather forecast. According to 680News.com, “Some snow is about to land on the GTA. Although Toronto won’t be facing a ’snowmaggedon,’ there will be enough to shovel and cause commuter hassles.”

We suppose that we can’t do too much complaining. For the most part, Torontonians are used to having “shovel back” by this time of year. Yes, we just made up that term. You know, the lower-back soreness that comes with daily shoveling of snow from driveways and sidewalks? Well, most people around the Synergy Merchant Services offices today admitted that they have only shoveled once or twice for the season so far.

It looks like the shovels will be coming out tomorrow though. Weather reports predict that later tonight, the snowfall will begin to leave approximately seven centimetres of snow on the ground for tomorrow afternoon. More importantly than worrying about a minor case of “shovel back”, however, commuters are cautioned to be very careful on their way to work tomorrow morning.

It goes without saying that with snowfall comes more slippery road conditions. In an article on Edmunds.com, Neil Dunlop offers up tips on how drivers can keep safe while driving their cars through the snow. He advises that driving too fast is the number one error of driving in winter conditions.

Says Dunlop, “Slippery roads make every mistake happen faster and more dramatically. And don’t think antilock brakes, stability systems or other vehicle control mechanisms will help you if you’re sliding.”

Quoting Jerry Pearl, general manager of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School at Steamboat Springs, Colorado who has been teaching people how to drive safely in the snow for 18 years, Dunlop also advises drivers to look ahead and be aware of the road ice and slippery conditions. Drivers should be leaving double the space between themselves and other cars in front of them.

Writes Dunlop: “An easy calculation for this distance is four car lengths for every 10 mph you are traveling. That means if you are doing 40 mph, you should leave 16 car lengths between you and the vehicle ahead.”

Of course, there are a number of other tips that will keep you and other drivers safe behind the wheel, but ensuring that you are mastering control of your vehicle is the main point. Go slow, be alert and stay safe. Or as Dunlop suggests, “stay home and make hot chocolate”.

John can hardly contain his excitement. You know who we’re talking about. You know the coming-up-on-his-30th-birthday, about-to-get-married, Halloween-costume-contest-winning, tropical-vacation-taking giant that rules the roost at Synergy Merchant Services?

Yeah, that John! Synergy’s Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche is ever-so excited once again. And this time, it’s because of his (picture Bob Barker’s voice on “The Price Is Right”) BRAND NEW CAR!

That’s right. After years of saving up his funds, John is just days away from driving into the Synergy parking lot in his fresh new ride! And while the entire office awaits the fateful day when they see John in the driver’s seat of his new pride and joy, we’d like to take this time to burst his bubble. Just a bit.

In today’s edition of The Toronto Star, business columnist James Daw reports that the cost of Ontario auto insurance is continuing to rise. As Daw writes, “Twenty two insurers won approval in the final quarter of 2009 to raise their premium rates – one by a whopping average of 15 per cent starting in March.”

Actually it was John who, in fact, originally brought this information to the attention of the other drivers on the Synergy Merchant Services staff. Never before considered an inexpensive cost of living, car insurance for Ontario drivers is set to increase by an average of 8.77 per cent, according to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario.

Apparently, now may not necessarily be the right time to begin driving again if you haven’t gotten behind the wheel in a while. According to Daw’s article, Traders General Insurance Co. of Canada tops the list of insurance companies issuing the biggest rate increases with an average increase over two years of nearly 30 per cent.

It is at this point that a necessary interjection must be made. As if this wasn’t always the case, drivers should remain as alert and cautious of the road as possible whenever driving. And while safety is always first, increased premiums are nasty side effects of getting tickets for speeding or other traffic infractions.

This is known all too well by one of the Synergy team members who reported damage to his vehicle to his car insurance company just a year ago. Discovering a large hole and crack in his bumper without any knowledge of how it got there, this individual contacted his insurance company to look into having the damage repaired. And although the claim was accepted as a “no fault, no collision” incident, he found that his premiums were raised upon renewal later in the year.

After contacting his insurance company to inquire as to why his rates had increased, he was informed that the company had researched his driving record to discover an out-of-country speeding ticket that was issued three years prior! Livid, our staff member questioned why this “ancient” ticket would not have affected his premiums for the three years prior to the present date. Unsatisfied with the shifty answer, our associate quickly changed insurance companies.

However, for Ontario drivers it appears as if it won’t matter which companies are insuring their vehicles. 2010 will prove to be a more expensive year for drivers all over the province. Safe driving, John!

We are just five days into a brand spanking new decade and Synergy Merchant Services is as excited as ever to move full throttle into continuing our mission to help strengthen the Canadian economy. For years, we have diligently worked towards providing small to medium-sized Canadian businesses with the necessary extra capital to help them grow.

This past year proved very difficult for many business owners and citizens alike as the recession caused a great blow to the economy. Major drops in sales as well as a declining work force seemed to spell the downfall of Canada’s financial system. However, as we reported yesterday, with the new year comes new hope. Canadians, it appears, are looking towards the future with greater optimism about the nation’s economic status.

Not only do Canadians seem to be feeling more positively about their financial futures but employers are showing more confidence in the hiring process this year. Last week, The Canadian Press reported on a recent survey conducted by internet job site, CareerBuilder.ca that polled 255 private-sector hiring officials between November 5th and 23rd, 2009.

The poll discovered that 29% of employers planned on hiring workers this year compared to just 9% who believed that they would be cutting staff. According to the report, “The results are in line with a survey of 688 manufacturers released Tuesday that also found a net positive on hiring intentions in the New Year.”

Canada’s labour market took a major blow over the past two years. Hundreds of thousands of jobs were lost all over the nation sending many Canadians spiraling towards debt and a sense of hopelessness. It appears as if, at the very least, some of that hope has been restored as the market has been stabilizing as of late.

And while The Canadian Press notes that the nation “still has much catching up to do”, Statistics Canada reported when 73,000 jobs were added this past November. It marked the most positive employment report in more than a year.

Proudly, Synergy has done its part in increasing Canada’s workforce as we currently are working within our largest team yet. With a great outlook for the new year and the many years to follow, we hope to encourage business owners all across Canada to do their part in ensuring our country’s financial status continues to strengthen.

Whether through the hiring of new staff or the growth of a business through investing in renovations, expansion or new inventory, Canadian business are in a position to look forward to securing greater profits and becoming more successful. This is a position, of course, that many thought would be impossible just a year ago.

Happy new year! And as Synergy Merchant Services brings in 2010 with upbeat optimism and best wishes for Canadian consumers and business owners alike, it appears as if the nation is already off to a good financial start.

Before the holiday season, there was a lot of talk about Canadians spending cautiously in order to combat the hardships brought upon by the recession of 2009. It was assumed that they would be spending significantly less on gifts although a Moneris survey that we blogged about before the new year proved otherwise.

Today, the QMI Agency reported in The Toronto Sun that “Canadians are starting 2010 off on a prudent financial note, with most paying off their holiday shopping bills and avoiding January sales”.

Previously, it appeared as though the biggest concern for Canadian shoppers was the accumulation of debt in the new year, due to the traditional increase of spending during the holidays – no matter how cautious the spending would be. However, according to the Royal Bank of Canada’s Canadian Consumer Outlook Index for December, 75% of Canadians plan on paying off their holiday spending avoiding the dreaded long process of escaping severe debt.

In addition, the report indicates that more than half of Canadians have no plan to search for post-holiday deals this month. As the QMI Agency suggests, there is less worry over the nation’s employment situation now than there has been over the past year. Says the report, “Job anxiety was down considerably from the bank’s last index by about 6% with only 21% of Canadians reporting one member of their household was worried about losing their job.”

British Columbia was the only province that showed no change where job anxiety was concerned. Interestingly, however, RBC found that just more than half of Canadians have a “good” impression about the health of the nation’s economy.

Says David McKay, head of Canadian Banking at RBC: “Canadians are becoming more optimistic but as this index shows, their focus remains on managing day-to-day expenses with many finding it hard to save for their retirement or their children’s education.”

The new year has certainly brought about a new sense of optimism throughout the nation. In fact, today’s report indicates that more Canadians are expecting their financial situations to improve over the course of the next three months.

RBC notes that the Canadian economy is expected to grow in 2010. With that, the optimism of Canadians should continue to experience growth as well. Happy new year, indeed.

Trying to save money this holiday season? Well, take a page out of Santa Claus’ book and make a list, making sure to check it twice. Quite honestly, you will likely check it more than twice if you are a bargain-hunting shopper, and that should suit you just fine.

As is evident, we are currently in the middle of the craziest shopping season of the year. For many people, it unfortunately marks the beginning of a debt-ridden new year. But this, of course, does not have to be the case. Too often, holiday shoppers stack charges for gift after gift on their credit cards. In doing so, they forget just how much they have spent until they receive their credit card bills in the mail.

Needless to day, charges add up. To save yourself from the misery associated with inflated bills that are hard to pay, shoppers should create holiday gift shopping lists that they literally check off as they are shopping. Writing down the price of each item as it is purchased will help you to determine just how much you have already spent and how much you may spend going forward.

Essentially, you are keeping a running tab. Without doing so, you may eventually overspend and be caught in a situation where you cannot afford your purchases.

Another thing shoppers should always do is keep their receipts. Yes, this practice comes in handy when making returns becomes necessary. But even more importantly, consumers can ensure that the charges on their bills are indeed correct. From time to time, an incorrect charge may appear on a bill, swelling a consumer’s balance unnecessarily. In worst case scenarios, these charges are purposely made fraudulently, although most often they are simple mistakes.

Being aware of these errors will help for a bill to be paid correctly and within the realms of one’s budget. Often credit card users overlook these incorrect charges and end up paying for something that they did not purchase.

Cross-reference your receipts with the charges on your bills each and every month to make sure your spending is accurate. If you have already listed each of these charges on your holiday shopping list, your credit card bill should come as no surprise.

Obviously, the holiday season is meant to be a joyous time. However, all too often, people get themselves trapped in debt due to careless spending. Make your list, check it twice, and you will be sure to have happy holidays.

At many workplaces, colleagues get into the holiday spirit by partaking in an annual tradition. Some call it “Secret Santa” while others refer to it as “Kris Kringle”. Some simply call it the “Gift Exchange”. No matter the name, participating in this joyous act of giving can really help boost spirits around the office as employees approach the holiday season.

And while the “secret” gift-giving game can be quite fun, it can also lend itself to creating some anxiety among work associates. What do I get this person? What does he or she want? How much should I spend? What if he or she doesn’t like the gift I buy?

These above questions are often raised in a mini-fit of panic by many a worker. But rest assured, there are numerous ways to get around them to ensure that your “Secret Santa” experience is a fun and stress-free one.

Firstly, if you plan on setting up a gift exchange activity in your workplace, you should definitely set a clear spending limit. Be certain that the limit is a reasonable one for your employees to ensure that it is not unaffordable. Generally, limits are set as low as ten dollars and sometimes as high as 25 bucks.

As long as a comfortable number is set, no employee should feel uneasy about the amount required to spend on the gift for their colleague.

Secondly, try not to worry about what to get an associate that you may feel unfamiliar with. There are ways of discovering what someone may like as a gift without revealing who your “Secret Santa” selection is. Going about getting this information can sometimes be a sneaky practice, but as a result, one that is lots of fun.

In some offices, employees put up small “wish lists” at their desk for anyone to see. That way, fellow workers can anonymously peruse each list so that they may inconspicuously discover what the perfect gifts would be for their selections. Some choose to play the “someone wants to know what gift you’d like” game by simply asking around.

The smartest way to play this one is to ask several associates the same question so as to not give away who your secret selection is. It’s no fun to simply reveal who you have chosen. This, of course, defeats the purpose of the secretiveness of the event.

If all else fails, there are countless types of gift cards out there that should easily satisfy even the hardest-to-read co-worker. Gift certificates for shopping malls or restaurants are near impossible to disappoint. Sometimes, simply allowing your gift recipient to choose what he or she would like to purchase makes life that much easier. It is, however, less exciting.

One thing to avoid, however, is overdoing it! Keeping the spending limit in mind is important. While it may be greatly appreciated, buying someone a gift that is more expensive than everyone else’s gift is sure to put many of your co-workers in an awkward position. Remember, it’s not about showing off, it’s about showing holiday spirit.

Sometimes we forget that the holiday season can be a very stressful one for many people. Having to deal with excess bills or perhaps even obnoxious family members may put a lot of individuals on edge. Today, the Toronto Sun reports that there a lot of different ways to cope with both clients and co-workers who may be experiencing the type of frustrations that may negatively affect their moods.

Denis Grignon and Cinnamon Tousignant of the Canadian Mental Health Association offer a number of tips to cope with these tension-filled types. According to Grignon, stress is a healthy response to a situation that requires a response that doesn’t have to be negative. Unhealthy ways to respond to stress, he warns, include ignoring it, blaming others or becoming aggressive, unhappy or angry.

Often workers experience stress on the job. Especially during this year’s recession, employees may fear the potential loss of their jobs. Employers can certainly do their part to quell these fears by clearly articulating “roles, responsibilities, authority and deadlines,” says Grignon.

Keep in mind that everyone has different personalities. Do your part to listen and understand where a complaint or concern is coming from. Expressing empathy can go a long way. Consider that people have lives outside of their jobs that may potentially affect them in the workplace. Be sure to get as much information as possible about each individual situation to make a fair assessment before you respond.

Both Tousignant and Grignon offer up a list of solutions to deal with stress. It includes establishing specific, measurable and achievable goals, writing down short and long-term goals, dividing these goals into “chunks” so that they can be worked on bit by bit and of course, setting priorities.

Following these steps, of course, will help alleviate your own stress as well. When you are thinking with a clear and focused mind, you also will be better suited to handle the stress of others in the appropriate way.
Taking time to focus on fitness and nutrition will also help you to be at your physical and mental best to deal with stress, say Tousignant and Grignon. Believe it or not, there are also physical ways to avoid getting yourself stressed out during this time of year. One suggestion is actually to try squeezing and releasing your hand when a customer or co-worker starts getting on your nerves!

This practice, in fact, will help to calm you down and allow you to handle the situation effectively. Making time for yourself is also key. Read, meditate or take a walk, if necessary, to give yourself some moments to relax.

Remember that your reactions are the only things that you truly have complete control over. Sometimes difficult behavior requires difficult decision making. Make good decisions and you’ll not only have a great holiday but a great future as a business owner.

December is here! And the craziest shopping season of the year has accompanied this month, as it does annually. With the holidays soon upon us, it is expected for shopping malls to become crowded madhouses with just about everyone in town scurrying from store to store looking for the perfect gifts.

Even though Canadians have been hit hard with the recession this year, there is still reason to believe that those in the holiday spirit may still be out to spend big bucks on presents. Even when it is not within one’s price range, shoppers often find themselves in a situation where their credit card bills are overly huge by the turn of the year.

Today, the QMI Agency, through an article in the Toronto Sun, warned Canadians to be mindful of their spending during this holiday season. They report that January and February are typically the busiest months for debt collectors…and with good reason. Too often, holiday shoppers rack up bills larger than they can afford. Due to their out-of-control spending of the past, unmanageable debt becomes a big part of their future.

The article offers some advice as to how to manage your holiday spending, especially when using your credit card, so that your bills don’t get too robust. Keeping tabs on your expenditures and making notes of the dollar amounts spent on each gift from each store is a good start.

Laurie Campbell, executive director with Credit Canada had this to say: “I can’t tell you how many times I hear people says they didn’t realize what they were spending…If you are going to use credit, write down every expense. That way when the New Year comes around you are aware where the money went.”

Even with the struggling economy and job losses that have resulted from it, the holiday season is expected to remain the busiest time of year for retailers. Many consumers find it hard to sacrifice getting into the spirit for the benefit of their family and friends. Drowning in debt, however, is never a good way to celebrate this festive season.

The article also notes that recent statistics have shown that bankruptcies in Canada have increased dramatically in recent months. To avoid having these numbers continue to spike, it is highly recommended that planned spending becomes part of your holiday plans.

Says Nancy Marescotti, director card marketing, at BMO Bank of Montreal: “The best way to avoid post-holiday statement shock is to develop a realistic spending plan…Create your plan early in the season before you get too caught up in the excitement of buying gifts.”

Some things to avoid this holiday season include waiting for the last minute to do your shopping (which often leads to “panic buying”) and paying for extended warranties on items you don’t really need.

Shopping can be fun, and the holidays are supposed to be. Be smart. Plan ahead. Budget appropriately. And the joy of the season should last well into the new year.

At this time of year, Canadians are gathering together their wish lists for the upcoming holidays. And while some may be sending these lists off to Santa Claus, others are actually wishing that their gift of getting a new job will come true. Of course, the nation is still reeling from the recession and during its current battle to have its economy recover, hope is all that some Canadians have.

Sadly, although it is the season for cheer and joy, The Canadian Press reported earlier today that “Canadians are becoming more pessimistic over the strength of the economic recovery and what it will mean for their finances and job security, a new consumer confidence survey shows.”

In the Conference Board of Canada’s monthly survey, it was found that in November, confidence had dropped 5.7 points to 79 per cent. The greatest concern among respondents is job security. The unfortunate loss of over 400,000 jobs in the past year is clearly a contributing factor to this result.

Things don’t seem to be getting much better either. Even companies as large as Rogers Communications were forced to slash over 900 employees this past week. According to the report published by The Toronto Star: “The November survey found only 19.7 per cent of the respondents expected to find more jobs available over the next six months, down 3.2 points from October. As well, 25 per cent said they believe fewer jobs will be on offer, up 1.2 points.”

The report also notes that some economists see these low levels of hope as signs that consumers will naturally continue to spend less causing only further strain on the economy. Other economists, however, place less importance on these surveys questioning their accuracy to predict future economic performance.

Nevertheless, the latest survey, in addition to the recent increase in job losses only strengthen the notion that Canada is further away from true recovery than expected. Consumer confidence has decreased all throughout the country with only Quebec and the Prairies showing no major changes from the previous month.

One of the more startling revelations to come about from the November survey is the fact that 25.6 per cent of respondents felt that their finances were worse than they were six months ago. With so many Canadians feeling that their situations are only worsening, there is fear that even during the holiday season, spending will remain low.

The wish lists mount, as does concern for the state of the national economy. While many are thinking of shopping at this time of year, so many more are concerned about securing those jobs that will help them to even think about shopping next year at this time.