The Most Interesting Scheduling Tool I've Ever Used

Whether you are planning a girls night, a family get-together, or anything in between - scheduling can be tricky. You try to figure out when everyone is available and your email gets bombarded, and then you have to write down who can come which days and times - it can be tedious.

Enter: Doodle.com

This is a fantastic little FREE tool my friend Amanda introduced me to several years ago while planning a night with my college roomates, the G's.

It is simple:

1. Go to doodle.com (you don't need to set up a login)
2. Create an event and enter all the date and/or time options you want people to choose from
3. doodle will send you a link that you can email out to everyone who is invited
4. They click the link, enter their name, check all the days/times they are available (you will be notified each time someone responds or comments)
5. It keeps a count for you at the bottom of how many people are available for each option

Here is what an event looks like:

Or you can use it for choosing a location:

Additional poll settings include...

• a confidential setting so responders can see their availability, but only the organizer can see everyone's responses
• participants can only choose ONE option
• limitations to the number of responders who can choose a specific date or options (great for limited-space trainings)
• as the moderator you can edit the poll at any time, or edit someone's response if needed
• an option for people to choose their preference not only as Yes or No, but also "If need be"

Give it a try!!

The fastest, easiest way to make someone's day

This is the perfect way to say Happy Birthday, Thanks, I'm sorry, Congrats - or to light up someone's day in just a matter of minutes. The best part? It's quick and easy. All you need is their email address.

Send them a $5 Starbucks gift card to their email instantly. 

You can set the delivery date for a future occasion if you're the type who likes to plan ahead. Once received, it can be spent on anything at Starbucks or even transferred to a registered Starbucks Card.

This is a great gift even for the  non-coffee drinkers like myself since they have a nice selection of gourmet hot chocolate and baked goods. Stuff you don't always buy for yourself, but that is a nice splurge.

You choose a design, add your own personal message, choose the amount, enter an email address and hit send!

Extra hints:

• You set the delivery date for a future occasion if you're the type who likes to plan ahead. At the beginning of the year you can do them for all the birthdays on your list and not have to think about it again
• You don't need someone's home address to send them something nice
• It makes a great bribe - I used one of these once to ask someone to let me interview them about their business. It ensured that I got a quick response.
• Starbucks keeps you updated on when it is opened so you don't have to wonder if they got it. If the card has not been opened in a certain time frame they will let you know, tell you to notify your friend, and will re-send it. (but it shouldn't get stuck in spam filters since it appears to come from your email address)

Some other great last-minute gifts you can send by email

• a Kindle ebook
• iTunes - give a gift card, a song, or an app 
• audio books via Audible
• Amazon gift card (more on this coming soon!)
• Best Buy gift card
• Target gift card

Want free shipping on Amazon?

If you don't have Prime, or Amazon mom then this may be of use to you.  The majority of Amazon purchases qualify for free Super Saver Shipping if your order total is $25 or more.  However, sometimes you may have an order that comes up just shy to qualify. If that is the case, use filleritem.com to help you find items that will push you up to that $25 mark.

It lets you input the amount needed, choose which categories you are interested in, and then provides you with a comprehensive list that has the popular items bolded or with photographs. Hope you find this useful!