INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Gossiping is inappropriate (and often unsubstantiated) talk about others’ personal affairs. It’s the opposite of minding your own business. If you know people are gossiping or prone to gossip, the easiest solution is to keep your distance. If you find yourself involved in a conversation that involves gossip, you can powerfully communicate your objection by simply walking away. Give yourself an out, such as, “Sorry to interrupt; I’ve got work to do,” and excuse yourself from the situation. If a conversation veers towards gossip, steer it in a different direction. This will demonstrate that you’re not willing to participate in gossip without having to admonish the guilty parties. The best way to do this is to refocus the conversation on a big-picture issue rather than on a private one. For instance, if you’re at work, switch to discussing the business rather than a fellow employee’s personal business. Don’t let yourself be drawn in by gossip or reciprocate by adding new fodder to the conversation. It’s better to stay silent. If you do find yourself in a gossipy conversation, don’t repeat its contents elsewhere. Make sure the buck stops with you. If you find yourself making or about to make a gossipy remark, gently stop yourself. If you slip up in a conversation, acknowledge that your remarks were inappropriate, and change the subject. Doing so will enhance your awareness of how you participate in gossip, and make it easier to avoid in the future. It also gives you a chance to set an example by taking responsibility for perpetuating rumors and negative behaviors. Gossip is a negative form of speculation about others. Counter it by focusing your conversations on the good things you know about a person. For instance, if someone is spreading rumors about the sex life of your co-worker Anthony, refocus the conversation on his recent standout report or volunteer work at the local food bank. You want to show that you won’t participate in damaging gossip, but you also don’t want to seem self-righteous about it (which is a form of interfering in itself). The solutions is to be a leader through your actions and behavior, not through lecturing or being dogmatic. If you’re having trouble staying away from gossip, start small. Challenge yourself to not participate for a full day. If you succeed, extend the length of your next challenge until it becomes a habit rather than a challenge.

SUMMARY: Keep your distance or walk away. Change the subject. Stop the cycle of rumors. Catch yourself in the act. Make a conscious effort to share positive news. Set the example.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you don't have any idea of what you want, seriously question your purpose in heading out into the crowds. Without a plan, it will be tempting to spend money you don't necessarily have on items you don't necessarily need and the experience will be fraught with exhaustion, impulse buying, and possibly even guilt. It is a lot better to have a plan in mind, or else you could be using this day more constructively to take a rest or see a movie!  If you're shopping for gifts, write a list of all the people you're planning on buying gifts for. This way, you can keep track of who receives what,  creating an organized method for your shopping and helps you to avoid duplicating gifts or missing out on anyone. Decide which person is the recipient of which item. If you're buying things for yourself or for the household, again write a list. If you're after clothes, specify what types of clothes rather than thinking "Oh anything that looks reasonably priced". If you want a pair of jeans, new pajamas and a stack of new socks, write these things down. Anything else is peripheral. Same goes for household items: avoid wandering along in the hope of adding "stuff" to your kitchen or other areas of the house. Think about what is actually missing, broken, or outdated that could do with adding or upgrading to your household rather than buying gadgets you're not even sure what to do with!  Plan your budget. If things are tight, a budget is essential. Even if they're not tight, a budget will help to rein in impulse buys and can curb the temptation to buy things just because you think someone else "might like it". Decide how much money you have spare, and stick to that amount. Not only is the budget and list important, but so are the methods you plan to adopt when going in for the bargain. Timing is everything with limited bargains, so the first thing to keep in mind is hour at which you intend to turn up. The earlier, the better, if you have your eye on items that you know will sell out fast. If you're super keen, you might like to camp out - read How to Camp Out for Black Friday for more details on how to do this.  Find your bargains. Collect all newspaper ads, circulars, and coupon packets mentioning Black Friday discounts. Know what is on sale, who is selling it, and during what period  those items are on sale – some stores have Black Friday sales going on all day, but others keep them going for only a few hours. Develop a plan of attack by drawing up a map of places to visit in a particular order. It is good to know what stores you need to hit first, preferably the one with the most important items or gifts on your list. Be sure to clearly mark those stores having sales on only at certain times, along with the time marked clearly. Organize your transportation. Remember that the parking lots will often be congested and parking rage can start early on. Are there other solutions than taking the car? Perhaps you can be dropped off and picked up later. Or take public transportation? Or stay with a friend who lives near the stores, and ferry your purchases back there before returning for more shopping? . It's a good idea to think about what alternative items you might substitute for items you're seeking that have already sold out. The chances that you won't always get the items you've planned to buy are fairly high, especially with popular items. Look through the catalogs for alternate, and less popular, items, including gift alternatives if you're gift shopping.

SUMMARY:
Know what you want before heading out. Make a specific "battle plan". Think laterally, by considering alternatives and substitutions