Champagne tastes on a beer budget
Sure, your 401(k) has become more like a 201(k) and your annual raise is on hold until “further notice,” but that doesn’t mean you have to forego a little celebratory bubbly on New Year’s Eve. If you haven’t already bought your beverages for this evening’s festivities, here are five perfectly snazzy champagnes* that won’t break the bank:
Ballatore Gran Spumante ($7.99): For those who prefer their sparkling wines on the light and sweet side, the Ballatore is comparable to Martini and Rossi’s Asti Spumante, but half the price.
Cristalino Extra Dry, Rosé Brut ($9.99): Deep pink in color, this Rosé has a raspberry and watermelon nose and tastes of cherries, strawberries and minerals.
Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut NV ($12): With its flavors of pear, lime and balsamic, this brut recently outscored a $150 bottle of Dom Perignon in a national taste test of 540 wines by 500 consumers.
Wilson Creek Almond Champagne ($16.95): If you’re lucky enough to live in southern California (or you live in a state where wine may be shipped), this sparkling wine is a gold-medal winner with just a hint of pure almond. Yum!
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut ($18): Known for being consistently good, this sparkling wine is said to have “apple strudel aromas joined by whiffs of strawberry and mild nuttiness.” Sounds tasty to me!
*Only sparkling wines made using grapes from the Champagne region of France may truly be called “champagne.” French law also dictates that all sparkling wines made in that area must be made by a special process called the traditional or champagne method. Only then, may it be called Champagne. That said, “Sparkling wine tastes on a beer budget” just didn’t have the same ring to it so I used a little artistic license…
Filed under Deals, Food/Wine | Comment (0)FREE Revlon Matte Makeup
Walgreens just released its January EasySaver Catalog and much to my excitement, among the “free after rebate” items are lipstick, blush, eyeshadow and eye pencils from Revlon’s new Matte Collection.
I was introduced to the EasySaver program in September and since then I’ve gotten free L’oreal facial moisturizer ($20 value!), Revlon nail polish, Crest toothpaste, L’oreal cleanser, Almay mascara and Rimmel foundation…all told, about $70 worth of free products in four months!
Honestly, I have no idea how Walgreens can afford to offer such deals, but my job is not to ask how but to take advantage of the savings! :-] So, here’s how you can take advantage too:
1. Visit your nearest Walgreens and pick up an EasySaver Catalog near the entrance of the store. According to this month’s catalog, there’s $577 worth of savings inside. Typically, though, I only use one or two of the coupons and the rebates that make the items free after purchase.
2. Find the items and make sure the price sign underneath shows the “free after rebate” tag. Be sure to double-check that the item is exactly the same as the one listed in the catalog – size, brand, color, item type, etc. – since they will not reimburse you if the product is not the same.
3. Once you’ve purchased the item, log onto Walgreens.com and click on the Easy Saver Catalog icon, then “Claim Rebates.” The first time you visit you have to enter your profile information but it takes less than five minutes and the site walks you through everything. Input your receipt details, choose how you want to receive your refund and then sit back and enjoy your savings!
Some Saver in the City tips:
*Try to visit the store as soon as possible after the new catalog launches since the “free after rebate” items tend to sell out quickly (go figure…)
*If you shop at Walgreens for other purchases, opt for your refund to be deposited onto a Walgreens Gift Card rather than a rebate check since you receive a 10% bonus.
*Look to see if you have any manufacturer coupons (or you can find coupons online) for the items that are free since there’s no restrictions on using such coupons. I did this with the L’oreal cleanser and after receiving my rebate, they’d actually paid me $2 to buy the product!
*Most important of all: If possible, submit your receipt online and wait to receive confirmation that the rebate is approved before you use the product.
I bought Pantene shampoo and conditioner back when I was an EasySaver novice and much to my surprise the check came back without my promised $5 rebate. In a huff, I called Walgreens only to learn I’d bought the wrong product type and that they were not eligible for the discount. Nor could I return them since I’d already used the product…it was an expensive lesson to learn!
Filed under Deals, Saving Ideas | Comment (0)5 money lessons from mom and dad
My parents divorced when I was seven but I am fortunate to have a great relationship with both my mom and dad, not to mention wonderful step-parents who’ve also contributed to my upbringing. Being home for the holidays got me thinking about the many money lessons mom and dad have taught me over the years.
Sometimes I knew a lesson was being imparted and other times I didn’t know until reflecting on it much later, but regardless each has taught me something that I see at work in my current financial philosophy. So without further ado, below are the top 5 money lessons from my parents:
1. Budgeting and frugality – Right before my freshman year of high school, my mom announced that she was no longer going to randomly dole out money to my sister and me. Instead, she would give us $300 for new clothing, entertainment, eating out, etc. for the school year and we’d be responsible for pretty much all other expenses. At first, we were thrilled because the lump sum sounded so much more impressive than the $5 here or $10 there my mom used to hand out.
But I quickly learned that stretching that money throughout the year was not going to be as easy as expected. After buying one outfit at Wet Seal – including the mandatory matching socks, earrings and scrunchie – my stash of cash was not as large as I’d originally thought. My mom’s move not only taught me how to budget, it showed me the value of money because I was forced to take on extra babysitting jobs to pay for my ever-growing list of wants. Working for my money – rather than having it handed to me without effort – suddenly made that list of wants much shorter since I began to weigh whether I wanted something enough to work for it.
The $300 rule also instilled in me a love for finding a bargain. It became a game of sorts, trying to stretch that money as far as possible by finding high-quality clothing or items at discounted prices. Although I don’t remember my first time shopping at TJ Maxx or Marshalls, I’m sure my love affair with these stores started around the same time my mom cut me off.
2. Money’s not always the most important thing – The summer before my senior year in high school, I found myself shunning babysitting for a more regular job since sporadic babysitting money barely covered my gas and the other things I found important as a teenager. My dad wanted me to look into an internship in journalism since I had expressed an interest in being a writer one day, but all the internships I found were unpaid and I was stubborn.
After I applied for a job at a fast food restaurant, my dad (probably out of desperation) told me he would pay me the same hourly wage if I secured an internship at the local newspaper. Other than that promise, he left it up to me. I had to apply and get the job myself, and luckily after a well-written, creative cover letter to the editor-in-chief, I was offered an internship at the newspaper. Each month, I reported my hours to my dad in memo format and he wrote me a “paycheck.”
Although some people might scoff at the idea of my dad paying me to work, it is because of that first internship that I secured my next internship (at a PR agency), one that was paid. Each subsequent job resulted in a new addition to my resume and a pay increase. As I saw the benefit of hard work and building on my experience, my ambition also increased and gave me the motivation to set new goals for myself.
Now that I’m not a money-hungry teenager, I look back and know without a doubt that – if I had to do it all over – I would take the non-paying internship over a minimum-wage job any day because I understand and appreciate that more experience parlays into better (and higher-paying) jobs in the future.
3. Making mistakes – Although it probably made them cringe, my parents always sat back and let me make my own financial missteps – and deal with the consequences – while growing up. From buying into the Agatha Christie book club because “I’d get five free books” (which ended up costing me $92 when all was said and done) to signing up for a variable annuity IRA because my financial advisor “friend” told me it was a great idea, they’ve let me make my own mistakes.
Although I hate having done these things, they’ve given me a healthy dose of cynicism and curiosity. Instead of taking things at face value, I now look into the true value and the fine print to see if it really works for my needs. I still make mistakes, but I always learn from them and use this knowledge to improve myself and my finances.
4. The power of interest – When I bought my house, my dad loaned me the money for the down payment with a 5-year repayment term. While he charged me interest, he also committed to forgiving half of the loan with the caveat that I had to pay that money to myself via an IRA or my 401k (also due in full in five years).
My dad’s loan arrangement resulted in two lessons. In addition to teaching me the importance of contributing to my retirement (and in the process, the magic of compounding interest) he showed me that something has a higher personal value if you have to work for it. My dad could easily have afforded to give me the down payment outright, but he knew I would have much more of a personal stake if I was required to spend my own hard-earned money. Because of this, I make sure I take care of my house because I’ve already invested so much of my own money and time into it.
5. Diversification – Instead of a new car or a trip around the world, my dad’s present for my college graduation was $2,000 to buy stock in whichever company (or companies) I wanted. To put it mildly, I was underwhelmed. I had always been content putting my money in a savings account and forgetting about it as it slooowwwly grew in value, and I didn’t have the knowledge or the interest in investing. Once I bought stock and saw how its value could rise, though, I wanted to know more. I’ve since read books, signed up for investing newsletters and taken a much more active role in my investing portfolio. Although I’ve also seen how stocks can fall over the years, I recently cashed in that first investment for a 100% profit.
I don’t have children now and quite frankly it is daunting to think that one day I will be responsible for instilling in my children so many important values, from money management to work ethics to personal accountability. I only hope I do half as good a job as my parents.
Filed under Career, Finances, Investing, Personal | Comments (2)Flying home…a little bit heavier
I think the most annoying new invention of 2008 has got to be airline bag fees. I love all the presents I received from my family in California, but unfortunately many of them are heavier than the items I brought out here. When I left home my bag was 39 pounds…today (two bottles of wine, a knife set, new sheets and various other items later) it weighed in at a healthy 49.1 pounds, at least on my parents home scale.
Before I could get too excited my step-mom told me she always weighs a little more at Weight Watchers meetings than she does on her home scale, so now I’m wondering if the scale is actually incorrect. The difference between being right and being wrong is a whopping $35 dollars since a regular checked bag is $15 dollars and an 0verweight bag is $50!
It may be close so hopefully the person at the airport is in a good mood – unlikely considering today is the second busiest day at airports following the Sunday after Thanksgiving – and she’ll let me pass even if it’s just a few ounces over. Safe travels to everyone flying or driving (or any other form of transportation) home today!
Filed under Finances, Personal | Comment (0)Merry Christmas from Saver in the City!
As I sit here in my pajamas, stuffed with French toast casserole and surrounded by a pile of thoughtful presents from loved ones, I just wanted to take a quick moment to wish y’all a Merry Christmas! I hope your day is equally as meaningful and special, and I look forward to sharing more of my mis-adventures in saving in the coming months!
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