The holiday season is upon us, and this year more shoppers are turning to the internet to get all their holiday shopping needs met. Since I have friends and family in the Midwest and on the East Coast, I will definitely be doing most of my shopping online. It's convenient and there are deals aplenty! Shopping online allows me to hone in on the best gifts at the best prices. At least, that's my strategy this year! Here's how I'll be shopping this holiday season, share your tips in the comments:

Tips for Shopping Online and Staying within Your Budget this Holiday Season

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  Gift yourself with a game plan. Sounds more fun than "set a budget" right? Before you start shopping, come up with a ballpark figure of what you want to spend. Visualize how happy you'll be in January once you've followed through with your plan!
  
  


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  Start shopping yesterday. Traditionally, the deals get better as the holidays grow closer, but things are different this year: Retailers are carrying less inventory, so you might be better off shopping early for those hot products (toys especially). I'm actually looking forward to getting all my holiday shopping done ahead of time for once!
  
  


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  Never shop without a coupon. Check out sites like RetailMeNot.com, which I've mentioned in the past as one of the best sites to get reliable coupon codes. They've even set up Black Friday and CyberMonday deal pages with countdown clocks to those two huge shopping days.
  
  


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  Try "stacking" coupon codes. Some online stores like Victoria's Secret actually let you enter more than one coupon code to get additional discounts, free shipping or free gifts.
  
  


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  Comparison shop online even if you plan to buy in store. Online price comparison engines like BeatMyPrice.com make it easy to guarantee you are getting the best deal available.
  
  


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  Be sure to scan for sale and return policies to make sure you can get a refund of the difference if the price drops after you have made your purchase. Take advantage of price protection services like PriceProtectr.com to keep track of your purchases so you'll know when you may be able to get a price adjustment.

Have you started your holiday shopping yet? What's your strategy?

With the recent launch of some new products to the Christopher Drummond Beauty makeup collection—an innovative line created by former model and professional makeup artist Christopher Drummond—the company sent me free sample sizes of a few of their products to test and review. This line prides itself on being "100% natural, vegan, made with organic ingredients." I like it because it's great makeup.

The newest product to become a part of the Christopher Drummond line is the (2) Revitalizing Facial Serum ($55), which contains the "breakthrough" organic ingredient DMAE along with carrot extract, meadow foam extract, aloe, sugar cane and vitamins. This product certainly seems to have the ability to do it all! Firm, lift, tighten, hydrate, exfoliate and fight the effects of aging (whew!). Of course, only time will tell if this product can deliver on all its promises, but what I can say with certainty is that it feels great going on, absorbs into the skin nicely and leaves no greasy or sticky feeling in its wake. If I could afford to drop $55 on this stuff, I would, but I can't…so I won't.

Lucky Brand's acrylic Spectrum Patchwork Scarf retails for $69 at Macy's. There's also a matching hat for $35.


This scarf has a similar boho vibe and looks handmade (if you can knit or know someone who does, make this a DIY project!). It's the Mossimo Supply Co. Multicolor Patchwork Scarf and you can get it at Target.com for $16.99.


If you love the look of the scarves above, you'll love this hat, too. It's the Mossimo Multicolor Patchwork Beret, and it can be yours for just $12.99 at Target.com.

I have some exciting news for those of you who love Michael Kors, but love a good sale even more! The Budget Babe has partnered with HauteLook to promote its exclusive, limited-time, online sale from Michael by Michael Kors on Thursday November 19th 2009 for one day only.

Click here to access The Budget Babe / Hautelook Michael by Michael Kors Sale Now

Fancy, huh?

The sale will take place on Thursday, November 19th, at 8 a.m. PT, so make sure to register beforehand to ensure you have access to all the deals as soon as the sale starts. It's free to join and everyone is welcome.

I went with Michael by Michael Kors because he's one of our fave American designers who designs modern, classic pieces every woman loves to wear. We love his coats, his dresses, his boots, his handbags! All his pieces have a laid-back glamor and a sense of effortless style.

Michael by Michael Kors is the designer's more affordable line which you may have seen at your fave department stores such as Macy's, Dillard's or Nordstrom. Because the fashions in this collection are on-trend without being trendy and affordable without being "cheap", I think this sample sale will be a great opportunity to pick up some quality pieces at a steep discount. All in all, should be a good value for you (a holiday treat) or friends (who wouldn't want to be gifted with a Michael by Michael Kors anything?!).

Thought you'd be impressed.

Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the sale!

I know many of you are on the hunt for the perfect pair of black riding boots, and with good reason: This classic style of boot with equestrian roots looks good on most every modern gal. You can pair these babies with everything from skinny jeans to skirts and take your look from day to night—all while keeping your feet warm and pain-free! A quality leather pair will last for years with a little TLC (store them with rolled up magazines in the shaft to keep the shape, and polish once or twice a season to protect the leather and help it keep its color and shine.) But there are some equally great synthetic options, too, if you prefer. Shop for affordable riding boots at your nearest Nine West Outlet store (many styles are under $100, and that's where I scored mine last season) or DSW Shoe Warehouse—which launched an online store earlier this year that's been blowing me away with their great deals and selection. Browse some of the best budget-friendly riding boots available at DSW.com using the widget below. Your perfect pair might just be a click away!