We have one major rule for which wines we try and which wines we love. It’s a simple rule, really, we don’t typically purchase wine that is over $15 a bottle, and the wine must taste great. Often, we are able to find great wine and in the end, pay less than $10 a bottle, here are some ways we accomplish our mission:
Be choosy on where you buy your wine and spirits
This tip may be obvious, but sometimes where you buy accounts for a hefty chunk of the price tag. We are lucky enough to live close to a Total Wine and Spirits location (which we call Heaven, maybe we will share that story in a different post ?). We’ve found their prices to be great and the selection to be seemingly infinite, which works out for us. But for those who don’t have a wine and spirits mega store nearby it’s simple to take a tour of your neighborhood to see which local vendor has the best prices on average.
Search a cash back app for rebates
We love iBotta. iBotta is an app that makes it easy to cash in on manufacturer’s rebates without all of the hassle of mailing in UPC codes and receipts like we had to do way back when. I’m lazy, and actually it took me (Mira) almost a year to start using the app after Laura told me about it. By the time I started, Laura had already racked up almost $600 in lifetime earnings while I was left kicking myself for not using it earlier.
On average, we receive an additional $1-3 dollars off of each bottle based on the price. This is in addition to any coupons or existing discounts. The process is as easy as finding your purchase, scanning the barcode, and scanning your receipt. On most trips, our rebates are credited before we even make it home. I’ve gotten into the habit of submitting my rebates in the car so that I don’t forget.
Also, iBotta has rebates for many other categories, including shopping on Amazon, so it can be used to get cash back for other purchases as well… of course that means more money to spend on wine ?:).
Coupons!
I have to repeat that I’m the lazy one when it comes to bargain hunting. Laura is usually the one reminding me of coupons and deals and through her savvy ways, I’ve benefited. Sometimes, the key to saving is choosing the right time. We’ve shopped at Heaven on so many occasions that we know they will have a good coupon on a regular cadence and we sometimes schedule our trips around their coupons! Find out what deals your local store has to offer and plan accordingly. We become giddy when our favorite 20% of purchase coupons roll in or even our save $x off of $x dollar purchase coupons show up on our doorsteps.
Embrace the art of double dipping
Sometimes the worlds align and the cosmos gives us the gift of being able to double dip on a sale. We sometimes force the cosmos to align by purposefully purchasing the items that offer rebates, specifically when we have a sexy $ off coupon. We’ve seen $18-$20 bottles of wine reduced down to $10 after all is said and done.
Putting it all together
We like good wine. I have to stress this point. We like to find inexpensive wine that tastes great. Our budget dictates our need to be thrifty, and our taste buds drive our search for wine that doesn’t taste like bandaids and sweaty shoes (more on that later). There is nothing worse than trying a new wine and having it be such a trouble maker that you end up pouring it down the faucet. So, whenever possible we look for wine tastings and we rely on knowledgeable staff to guide us in the right direction. Our goal is to make our hobby as affordable as possible and to share our findings with the world.
Cheers ?