BYOB and Other Wine Cost Saving Tricks

Between a wide array of wine shops, grocery stores, and websites (such as my favorite discount site, Wines 'Til Sold Out), there are plenty of discount and budget options for wine nowadays. Don't be fooled, wine makers are feeling the pinch of this economy, too, and it's starting to show in retail price tags across the world. Yet, if you've eaten out recently, you've probably noticed that it's not showing up on restaurant menus. Why is that? For starters, the markup on wine in most restaurants is usually at least 2 to 3 times the wholesale price they pay, which makes small discounts look like fractions of pennies. There's a valid reason for this, restaurants have a lot of overhead and waste they have to cover in their pricing structure, and alcohol (all types, not just wine) is a good way to recoup some of those expenses. Secondly, many of these places buy so far in advance that their current wine offerings aren't showcasing the discounts yet.

In the past, people have simply paid the prices, chalking them up to part of the experience of a nice evening out. But this doesn't seem to be the trend any longer. Everyone is looking for alternatives to pinch some pennies. And why not? Wine doesn't have to be relegated to the upper echelon of society or break the bank, nor does it have to be expensive to be good. It can be an enjoyable and affordable part of dinner. It just takes a little research and ingenuity. I've provided you with a few of my favorite budget-savvy options, but I'm sure you can come up with more. If you do, feel free to email them to kristen@sipaday.com and I will make sure to test them out!

1. Bring Your Own Bottle ("BYOB")

Although this is not a new concept, it is one that is starting to make a comeback, in a rather deterrent sort of way. Restaurants are recognizing that their patrons may prefer to bring their own and are accommodating that desire - for a corkage fee. The corkage fee typically includes wine glasses and the waiter opening the bottle for you. At most places the charge runs $15 to $30 and is designed to bring the price of the wine closer to those on their wine list, eliminating the value of BYOB. In addition, many restaurants require that the wine brought in must not be on their current wine list. As a result of these rules, it only makes sense to utilize the service if you have a special bottle of wine (e.g. one you had at your wedding that you want to use for your anniversary) or you have a very expensive bottle of wine.

That said, not all restaurants are taking this route. My husband and I used to be regulars at a Thai restaurant that did not have a wine list. They allowed us to bring in our wine for free when we ate there. The "regulars" part is important to note in this situation as they did not allow everyone to BYOB. Sometimes building a relationship with restaurant owners can make a difference between getting a yes or no to your "may I drink my wine here" question. But in either case, it never hurts to ask.

Other places, often along wine routes or wine centered areas, recognize the value of allowing people to bring in wine and only charge a nominal fee (such as $6 for a place in Oregon recently mentioned in Wine Spectator) to defray the service cost. How can you tell the difference between which places have high prices and which don't? Call the restaurant and ask or surf the net for reviews that mention corkage fees and select your restaurant accordingly. It may take a while to find the places that are more BYOB friendly, but once you do, the time will be worth the money saved.

2. Take it Outside.

When my husband and I were first dating, we were fans of picnics for broke college student reasons. This is still a fun way to go for us in nicer weather months, but we prefer to add a little bit of entertainment to the bill. We live in the DC area, which offers a lot of options in that regard. Jazz in the Garden, for instance, is a free jazz concert in the Smithsonian Sculpture Garden every Friday night during the summer months. Wolf Trap, a Virginia venue, also offers inexpensive lawn tickets for music concerts (and even deeper discounted ones for pre-season purchase; if you're local, get on their mailing list for more info). Both places allow BYOB and food. We pack a picnic, a blanket, wine, and stake out a spot on the ground. Even with the price of the tickets at Wolf Trap, this is often cheaper than a meal at a restaurant, it lasts longer, and it feels better to be outside, enjoying the sunshine. Check out your local newspaper listings for events in your area. You may be surprised to find that many cities are offering similar entertainment.

3. Half-Price Bottle Night.

This is definitely not a new concept, but as the economy is dipping slightly south, it's popping up at many restaurants like it's the new bell bottom for the 70s. Take advantage while you can. In my area, I know of at least 6 restaurants that do this at least once a week. Even if you pick the more expensive wines on the list, you'll find that the prices are much cheaper than BYOB+fee. Recently, we did this at a restaurant close to our house. We bought a bottle of Alsatian Pinot Blanc and paid only $5 more than the same bottle sold for at the local grocery store.

4. Take Out.

This is a great alternative for my husband and me on our busiest nights. We grab a meal on the way home, pop the cork on a bottle of wine, and enjoy a date at home. Although we tip on carry-out, the tip is not as high and we find that we spend and eat less when not prompted with the menu every 20 minutes. So it's a money saving proposition all the way around. If you have some favorites for take-out, keep a few go-to bottles at home, at the ready for those "I need a break" nights. My favorite pairings include Viognier with Indian curry, Gewurztraminer with Thai, and Sake with Sushi.

5. Have it for Dessert.

If you still want to eat out, but you don't want to pay the fees or the wine list prices, then plan on having your wine for dessert. Skip it at the restaurant then head home and drink it. In the summer, we like to drink on the porch as the light wanes and the lightning bugs dissolve into view. In the winter, we light a fire in the fireplace and cuddle up beneath the blankets as the logs pop fireworks into the air.

However you decide to drink your wine, make it an experience. After all, that's really what wine is all about!

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A Mom's Little Life Lessons

Upon delving into Motherhood I envisioned a situation where I would be bestowing upon my children all the things I had learned along the road of life, giving them the benefit of all my experiences (okay, well, maybe not all…) However, I was vastly mistaken. I really had no idea that being a Mom was going to turn out to be so educational. Who knew? But yes, it is true. There are so many things to be learned as a Mom from your kids. So, for the benefit of my fellow Moms, soon-to-be Moms, someday hope-to-be Moms, or even not-in-this-lifetime-gonna-be Moms, here are just a few of my recent life lessons:

1. If you take a 3 foot piece of PVC pipe, stand only 1 foot from a large, oversized picture window and attempt to use the pipe as a baseball bat in order to hit an illusive fuzzy ball. You will most likely, in failure to make contact with said fuzzy ball, make contact with the window instead …results will not be favorable.
2. If, while standing on a three legged stool (which is clearly meant to possess four) you attempt to demonstrate for your brother a newly learned skateboard move you will, in all likelihood, flip off stool and break your arm in the process of trying to salvage the maneuver. Furthermore, if you attempt a “flip in the air off of arm of a couch,” after having your cast off for two months, just to see if it is possible and then try a grand finish that involves all the weight of your body coming down on previously injured arm, do not be surprised to hear inevitable crack from very same place.
3. If you attempt to use a cabinet door to smash a box that is clearly not “smashable” you will probably end up with a cabinet whose hinges are damaged beyond repair and a cabinet door that hangs open in much the same way a Mom’s mouth will when she next enters kitchen.

Now, these lessons are valuable indeed. But, I have to admit that most recently, I realized I was craving to understand a more valuable (and possibly more elusive) lesson. It dawned on me that the knowledge I strongly desire to acquire from my kids is their seemingly effortless ability to zone in on what truly matters to them – to legitimately feel the purest form of success; that - life is good, high five - kind of success. Not just every once in a while, but on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. (And, although I am sure all children possess this same zest for life, I would argue that my 7 year old son, who has been known to explode with such tearful utterances as “all the seasons of my youth are being wasted while I am in school”, has a special corner on that little market.) Now, the moment I stumbled upon this realization, I had to know. How do they do it? What is their secret? What are they hiding from the rest of us? (Those sneaky little short people!)
So, I did what any dedicated, seeker of knowledge and truth would do. I conducted my very own field study; you could say, “Right in my own backyard.” I observed, took notes, and analyzed data. I watched when they weren’t looking and participated when they were. I asked questions and probed for answers. I joined in their glory and basked in their triumphs. And by the end of my study, I had compiled a list of variables demonstrating how to unequivocally measure success…

Toads Collected: 11
Homeruns Hit: 1
New Friends Made: 13
Creations Concocted in the Kitchen: 4
Fireflies Captured, Observed, Then Released: 23
Winning Games Pitched From Beginning to End as an All Star: 1
Soccer Balls Caught in a Row: 50
Stars Counted: 37+
Fly Balls Caught in Play: 3
Dodge Ball Games Where Mom Was Creamed: Multitudes
Completed Tree House: 1
Triumphant Practical Jokes: 5
Games of Catch with Dad: Too many to count
Times Struck Out: 0
Bonfires where Hot Dogs and Marshmallows were consumed en masse: 3
Songs Learned: 2
Swims at Lake: 8
Cliff Jumps into Lake: 6
Creative Ploys to keep from doing Chores or Going to Bed: Bazillion
Birds Rescued From Cat: 2
New Great Books Discovered: 3
Days Left of Summer: 30

How is success counted? On my own, I have not a clue. But in conclusion to my self-immersed study of true experts on the subject I have discovered one thing for sure: By these standards, life is good - high five kind of good. How could it not be!

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Just Another Day in the Life

Today, when I came home from the store, there was a goat in my front yard. Yes, that is what I said… a two horned, split toed, gray, bleating goat, that for some reason decided my boys were its new BFFs and proceeded to follow them everywhere they went. This, of course, was completely distressing to my 3 year old border collie who, while possessing the necessary herding instincts, lacked the benefit of any actual experience. She, therefore, proceeded to take advantage of the opportunity by chasing said living, breathing farm animal round and round the house in an effort, I suppose, to regain some respect for her lineage. While the goat, who clearly was not used to being subject to such base treatment, finally found safe haven on my back porch, nose to the door, pleading for entry (leading me to only speculate as to the goat’s previous place of abode and the habits therein…).

From there, the instinctual help from her ancestors seemed to abandon my worn out, panting border collie. Or perhaps, she simply decided that herding in 90 degree plus weather was just not what it was cracked up to be. Either way, the staring contest commenced between goat and dog and continued until animal control (which consisted of guy down the street coming to put animal in truck and find it a home) arrived to spring the poor goat from a seemingly irresolvable conflict. While my border collie marched into the house with her head held high as if she had just herded South Fork’s entire stock single handedly, I contemplated why this was possibly the best part of my day.

I knew the image of my overweight dog chasing that wide eyed goat around and around my yard would be a source of laughter for me for a long time to come. And of all the gifts in this life, the one I most cherish is the ability to laugh and find the humor. When I can laugh with my boys, I am happy. When I can invoke my husband's laugh, I am blessed. When I can laugh instead of cry, I am saved. And, when I can make others laugh, I am truly the luckiest person in the world.

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Shopping Sample & Private Sale Sites

Most of you know who I am. My name's JP, and I'm the Denim Debutante. I have what some might call a fetish for jeans. I own many, love all... but, more than anything, I really like finding great deals on them. That's what my site's about-finding awesome deals on amazing, long-lasting, high-quality items and helping you become more knowledgeable about those things you call jeans.

Tammy already did a number on what it's like to hit up sample sales in NYC... and she's a lucky one for being able to live in a city that has all those options.

Most of us aren't living in LA or NYC, though. Some of us, like me, are smack dab in the middle... and you can't really enjoy the wonders of stumbling over a Rebecca Beeson or J Brand sample sale. It's just not how it goes.

But, for us, there are Sample Sale and Private Sale sites. And, there's a specific trick to shopping them, especially if you're fond of getting things like... say, some denim.

1. All of the bigger sites offer a credit... and most are $10 and up per referral. That's right; if you refer a friend to one of the sites and she ends up buying something, you've automatically earned yourself anywhere from $10-25 to spend... for doing nothing more than giving them a link to click on. There are HUGE financial benefits to this!

2. Save up your credit for something you REALLY want/need. Just because you've got that $25 sitting in there, waiting for you to spend it, doesn't mean you have to do it right away. Case and point: I, pretty much unknowingly, accrued $75 in credit to Billion Dollar Babes from friends making previous purchases. Friday came along, and they had an insane Kasil sale (which you heard about if you regularly frequent my Denim Debutante site or Minnow's Pond). I ended up snagging two pairs of $200 jeans for $14... with shipping. That's about a 95% discount!

3. Know your style! Once again, I know they've got damn good deals on those sites. They're insane sometimes, and even I struggle to say no every now and then. But there are some things you need to ask yourself before you click that Buy button:

a.) Will I wear this?
b.) Does it match anything I already own?
c.) Can I afford it, or do I just want the great deal?
d.) Do I really love it?

Answer all these questions yes? Then own it. And do so fast... odds are, someone else wants it too!

4. Don't forget about shipping! This is a cost that most people just don't remember to factor in. Whether you're buying from a site that offers you a base level of shipping no matter how much you buy (like Gilt) and some offer an escalating price from your first purchase. If you add this to the actual price listed and then find the percentage saved. Is it still over 50%? Then you're probably still getting a great deal.

5. Don't listen to hype! Just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge, does that mean you should do it? No, of course not. Find what you like, at the price you want to spend. Gimmicks work for fast food restaurants (and Snickers bars), not for clothing... and especially not for good denim. Don't get tricked into getting something you're only okay with... fall in love with it, or don't get it at all!

Learn, live and love these five rules, and you'll find yourself swimming in great deals... and not regretting any of them!

Love,
JP

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Sample Sale Scores

Living in New York City (for most of the year, at least, when I'm at school) gets EXPENSIVE. Even if you don't go out a lot, there are still grocery expenses (because you're going to get the midnight munchies, and the dining halls aren't open that late...plus you gotta have at least a little snack food sometimes, you know?), MetroCard expenses, and all those little things that add up to, well, a lot. Add that to a love of designer fashion, and you've got one hefty bill.

Not everyone pays full price for those designer fashions, though, and I'm one of those avid bargain hunters. There are very few clothing items that I have ever paid full price for - mainly because I know where to look. And, especially in such a rich shopping environment as NYC, all you have to do is go to the right places, at the right times. And, of course, keep up with two magic words: sample sales.

New York (and Los Angeles) are fantastic sample sale locations. In New York, they are usually in the Garment District, Chelsea, or SoHo. Recently, I woke up early (really early) to catch an early train into the city, so that I could check out the Shoshanna/Anlo sample sale before going to work. Of course, my primary interest was in the Anlo denim. There were stock samples, at wholesale prices (for $65), and samples, which were $20. So, I grabbed a couple pairs that were in my size, and tried them all on.

FYI, Anlo tends to run slightly small in most cuts (from what I learned, and from advice from the fabulous Denim Debutante). I can wear a 25, but would probably have gone for a 26. I couldn't find a particular style that I absolutely loved, though. So I looked through the samples box - and found the most gorgeous pair of light/medium wash, wide leg jeans. Only a size 25 in that style was left, and I tried it on. Perfect fit - even a little loose. The specific style that I got was the Joss Trouser Jean in Caicos wash - look it up! It retails for $204 ... but I got it for $20. That's over 90% off! There was a mark on the tag - but who cares, no one's going to see it. And, it put me in an excellent mood for the rest of the (cold, gray, rainy) day.

Some of my previous sample sale finds - they're usually better at a physical location than online, but I'll share some from both:

- French Connection skinny jeans, retail $148: $35
- Diesel leather newsboy cap, retail $40+: $1
- Diesel jeans, retail $200 or so: $5 (I didn't actually get these, my friend did. This was during the last hour of the sale, when they marked everything off even further. She got four pairs!)
- b. chyll cashmere scarf (online), retail $175: $25
- James Jeans 'James' 5-pocket bootcut (online), retail $242: $33
- On Gossamer bra, retail $50: $10
- James Perse button-down oxford (online), retail $165: $40
- dVb Indigo Signature Star Bootcut jeans (online), retail $250: $35
- Habitual Jeans (I actually found these at Buffalo Exchange, brand new with tags), retail $190: $35


It takes patience to snag these deals, though, and some disappointment when you can't find your size or style. When you score a great deal like these, though, it's more than worth it in the end - you'll be well-dressed, without having to pay full retail price. So bask in those envious glances. You deserve it.

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