Classy Not Pricey

Can Wine Help You Build a Stronger Gut? Forget kombucha and kimchi: wine is the perfect probiotic! “Looking at it under a microscope, natural wine looks like a small universe.”— Gilles Verge, French natural wine grower Natural wine is a beautiful thing.  Simply, it’s when a wine is made with organic grapes and native yeast. Nothing is added, nothing is removed. No human intervention. That means natural wine is alive in the bottle, full of beneficial bacteria and antioxidants. It hasn’t been filtered or chemically altered in any way. From a taste perspective, this vitality makes each bottle of natural wine a unique experience. Leave the same bottle open on your counter overnight and you’ll wake up to a whole new wine. But the beauty of living wine goes beyond taste. All those yeasts, bacteria, and colorful compounds that make natural wine delicious also help you live a healthier life. The secret lies in your gut bacteria. What’s so important about your gut? Right now, a...

If you're wondering what the "buzz" is about with the Clean-Crafted™ wine movement, you've come to the right place. The wine is delivered to your door and has a variety of benefits, so there's plenty to gain from learning more about it. Feel free to read top to bottom or skip around to your specific questions. I'll get straight to the Frequently Asked Questions : "What is clean-crafted wine?" "Clean-Crafted™" wine is a trademarked term created by the Scout & Cellar winery. Their Clean-Crafted Commitment® requires that grapes are farmed without toxic pesticides, and that wine is produced without synthetic processing aides and is low in sulfites. The requirements are verified by internal review of documented viticulture and winemaking practices, and validated by independent lab testing.  Founded by an attorney (Sarah Shadonix) turned Advanced Sommelier, Scout & Cellar was born out of deep dive on the ingredients in the majorit...

Let me preface this post by saying that I've never been what you would call a "feminist". For a long time it was even a stretch to call me "girlie". I was the only girl born to either side of my family among all my cousins. I hated dolls. My best friends in high school were guys. Even when I made global news  about breast milk pumping in airports, I was speaking up out of frustration over the lack of basic facilities for handling a bodily fluid need, not to declare a women's rights war over the sexualization of women's breasts (to clarify: I don't have a position one way or the other here, just that whatever works for a mom and her hungry baby is what matters). I  say this just to set the stage for where I've come from in my perspective on this topic.  There's an unrest among many women in my position. We are career women who have embarked on parenthood. We have heard and embraced the ideas of, "if you can dream it, you can do it...

Well before Halloween brings trick-or-treaters to our doors, holiday shopping is already mainstream in the advertising world. Some companies want to capture their holiday sales before Black Friday even begins while others heavily rely on the Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales to make their numbers. There are families that look forward to their tradition of heading out to the shops as soon as their turkey coma has lifted. Others are thrilled to see companies like REI boycotting Black Friday and spearheading campaigns like #optoutside to get people out of the stores and into nature and time with friends and family. Whatever camp you fall into, saving money on items you already plan to buy for the (very expensive) holiday season can be welcome. I recently found a fantastic Wall Street Journal article that goes into research-tested details on the specific days to shop where you will save the most money without risking the item being sold out. Read the details here , but for a summary of ...

Salary negotiation; one thing we all go through and never like to talk about. Why? Because it's personal, tedious, and sometimes downright uncomfortable!  When you're on the market for a new job and interviewing, how do you make sure you're positioning yourself for what you deserve? Number one rule of thumb: You could set yourself back by thousands of dollars from the start if you disclose your current salary or salary history. Let me explain. A common misconception about the interview process is that money doesn't enter the picture until you get to the offer stage. On the contrary, you have valuable skills that a business knows are worth money to them, so "price" is at the forefront of their candidate search. They are looking for the best candidate that will bring them the greatest value for their investment. Recruiters have a range of salary and bonus options they can use to cater an offer for their candidate of choice. If the role you are interviewing ...

Ladies and Gents, if you haven't noticed yet it is engagement and wedding season!  Whether your Facebook feed constantly reminds you with status updates and photos, or your bank account is looking wimpy from all the travel and gifts, there's no question this season of love is in full swing. I've had a couple of conversations and questions lately that inspired me to write about wedding etiquette.  It seems, for some reason, many etiquette rules weren't clearly passed along through the generations, and that many of us will never know our offenses until we are the ones getting married!  I myself was guilty of several of these items, and reached into my past after my own wedding to make sure my wrongs were made right. To spare many a bride and guest from a variety of awkward situations, here are some of the most common wedding faux pas and how to handle them.  I will be blunt and to the point so as to be as clear as possible - no hurt feelings intended. ...

Grandpa Ferd enjoying his 90th birthday in Colorado - forever the traveling man! It seems fitting after all this time that I share the inspiration for Classy Not Pricey.  Two words:  My Grandpa. I am the proud granddaughter of a 100% Italian man, the son of an immigrant to New York City from Piacenza, Italy.   Ferdinand, lovingly called Ferdie, was the ultimate survivor.  At 91, he outlived his parents, all four younger brothers, his wife, and two of his three daughters.   He was a child of the Great Depression, although he never realized the state of his family's needs at that time.  Regardless of his financial status, he worked for almost his entire life...

Taxes.  Stick with me here... I know that's the biggest turnoff word anytime of day.  BUT, taxes and the processes of filing them each month can actually be a great time of hitting the refresh button and potentially getting back some of your well earned money!  I will keep this article short and sweet (but full of resources) with some tips for making the most of tax season. Do you do your taxes yourself or work with a tax professional? This year is the first year I've enlisted the help of a tax professional.  Previously I did my own taxes for years using TurboTax.com .     It's great!  I saved myself a lot of money, learned a good amount about taxes, saved time in back and forth with a tax pro, and every year TurboTax pre populates some of the minutiae based on my last return.  There's also no cost to try it out if you want to see how it works - you pay when you file.  H&R Block has also come into the onli...

If you haven't gathered already, we at Classy Not Pricey are big fans of being proactive - particularly when trying to build a life that is classy and affordable.  It takes work and awareness to make the most of what you have!  We're all for making dreams become realities using creativity and an openness to unique ways of achieving things. You've also probably noticed lately how much we love Pinterest!  For those of you who haven't yet joined the site or learned about Pinterest, it is a modern-day approach to what used to require magazine cut outs and a bulletin board.  Instead, you can pin web images (or upload your own photos) to different virtual boards and create a collage of photos that align with your interests and style.  Add the robustness of the web (the root of each photo links back to its original source) and suddenly you are able to browse the web, interact with your friends and family, and follow your favorite brands in a visually stunning new w...

“The best things in life are free.  The second best are very expensive” – Coco Chanel How do you define classy?  Coco Chanel had it right in this quote… almost. The most impactful, worthwhile things in life that bring lasting joy are usually free.  What are the best things in your life?  Are they people, places, or experiences?  Are they the little details of life, like the famous lyrics from the Sounds of Music: “Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?" Yes, these are free, and YES we love them!

"He loves me.  He loves me not."  "She loves me.  She loves me not."  Ah, Valentine's Day.  Love it?  Hate it?  What's the verdict? In elementary school I always looked forward to Valentine's Day.  I loved decorating the box that would collect valentines from my classmates during our parent-sponsored parties of heart-cookie decorating and cutesy crafts.  Then I would go home, spread all the valentines out on the floor and read each one - some over and over to decipher whether any of my crushes might be crushing in return...

Last weekend on our way back from a wedding, my husband and I spotted the outlet mall off the side of the highway!  Although plenty ready to be home, we both insisted (actually, I insisted and he obliged) we do some "field research" for Classy Not Pricey by evaluating what the outlets had to offer first hand.  We wanted to know... were they really a great deal?  An excellent way to shop for classy brands at non-pricey discounts? Each outlet mall, of course, has different kinds of stores.  We were thrilled to find ourselves walking through a (truly) premium outlet with fantastic brands that aren't always outlet options.  At the end of our research, we were excited to report not only great lessons to pass along to you all, but also a major success story for ourselves on some incredible Calphalon Unison pots and pans. 

In honor of the wedding (this weekend) of a very special Classy Not Pricey supporter, this post is dedicated to the bridal side of Classy Not Pricey. Sorry, gentlemen readers - this one is focused on the ladies. :) Throwing a wedding is expensive, no matter how you slice that four-tiered cake.  These days, the average wedding costs over $26,000 * !! And this does NOT include the engagement ring or the honeymoon. Yikes. We've received a few requests for suggestions on how to have a Classy Not Pricey wedding over the last couple of weeks. This is clearly no easy task! However, as one who personally planned a wedding in only four months within a budget, here are the Classy Not Pricey starting points I recommend the following three easy ways to bride on a budget...

"How would you like your salad, Ma'am?"  Thoughts swept through my head - what I needed, wanted, and what looked so dang tempting that all logic waivered. "I'll have the Asian Chicken Salad, please."  Sensible, salty and sweet, and, well, that peanut dressing is way too good to pass up. "Oh, and can you add some egg whites to that, please?" I ask, trying to add extra protein in exchange for the sweet indulgence of the dressing.  The man across the glass case gave me a minor grimace (or gag, I couldn't really tell).  "And please hold the wonton strips." Even though they were only thirty cents extra, they were a smart exclusion to stick to great tasting nutrition within my price range.  Voila!  I walked away with the perfect salad for my needs, budget, wants, and tastes. Have you ever thought of your paycheck as something you can customize, like an order at a restaurant?  It may not always feel like it, but every paycheck that heads y...

One of my recent articles that received the most attention was " Consignment, Charity, Cash... Classy! "  Part of me thinks it's because my beautiful mom was in a picture with me at the top of the post.  The other part of me thinks that the consignment of high end, designer items was intriguing to you!  So, to cover both bases, here is another picture of me and my beautiful mom :). To the tune of high-end consignment, I recently stumbled upon a relatively new site for consigning designer brands at much reduced prices: The RealReal, Inc !

This calendar year, I earned enough reward points on my credit card to fly myself across the world and back for FREE.  This is not because of lavish spending, but because 60% of the points I earned were bonus points gained from intentionally focusing my choices and buying habits on "exponential" point earning. You can too!  It only takes a few intentional habits, knowledge of the point-earning process, and the right choice of credit card to make it happen.

When the term "vacation" comes to mind, the immediate, gentle relaxing of my shoulders and a deeeeeep breeeeaaaath ouuuuut is a typical reaction. We all need times of retreat to rejuvenate and gain perspective outside of the day-to-day rush.  Vacations, however, don't have to be expensive excursions or complete disconnections from society.  Sometimes the most restful and rewarding vacation you can take is a volunteer vacation.

My husband and I are taking an overnight trip!  No flights, no long drives - just a reservation at a beautiful "mansion" hotel downtown, complete with a parking pass, two drink tickets upon arrival, breakfast for two in the morning and two souvineer mugs included.  Over 50% off thanks to LivingSocial !  How's that for Classy Not Pricey? Daily deal sites are everywhere.  I've done a good deal of hunting on them myself for great opportunities to sneak in the finer indulgences at a discount (my personal favorite is Groupon ).  You probably have too at some point.  And while many of the deals are great ones, being savvy about your choices is important, or your 50% off can potentially turn into wasted cash.

Credit cards are tricky.  I love them for their points and rewards (as I described in my From Romania to Israel to Paris on points  post), and there are cases in life where having a credit line is very important, but dependence on credit can become a dangerous financial trap. I know I've been sending out all kinds of great shopping deals and sale codes, but as the voice of Classy Not Pricey it is essential that I give you an important reminder/lesson on the actual cost of items you may be purchasing on credit, even if they are sale items... on sale :).

Being Classy Not Pricey often takes creativity and patience, but let's be honest - we live in a culture of immediate gratification. Part of the reason I started this site was to help you, dear readers, find deals easily and quickly so you can keep it classy (San Diego... name that movie!) and have extra time to spend, such as reading my other posts ;). My mother is an incredible woman, and I certainly attribute many of my Classy Not Pricey habits to her.  Last night while I was filling her in on deals I discovered and shared with you, she trumped me again - this time with something I just HAD to write about. It was classy, price savvy, creative, and included designer fashion and charitable donations. Classy Not Pricey to the nth degree!