Target Wine Cube – Good Wine Great Price is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Target Wine CubeIf you are a wine lover but hate paying $15.00 or more for a good bottle of wine you need to try the Target Wine Cube. I know what you are thinking … wine in a box … are you crazy! That’s exactly what I thought, but then I tried the Target Wine Cube and and was very surprised at how good it was. The packaging is very cool and the wine is really good too. The packaging is also very convenient with a carrying handle, and a pour spout that keeps the air out which preserves the taste from the first glass to the last. And it’s very affordable and will save you money! Another great innovation by a brand leader – Target.

Innovative Packaging

The Wine Cube is available in two sizes: 3-liter and 1.5-liter. The 3-liter Wine Cube holds the equivalent of four bottles of wine while the 1.5-liter Wine Cube holds the equivalent of two bottles of wine. The eco-friendly packs are constructed of durable, renewable resource materials, ideal anywhere that glass containers are not suitable. Also, an innovative “ramp evacuation system” within the cube ensures that the wine is never exposed to oxygen and makes it possible for the wine to last four weeks after opening, guaranteeing that every drop is as good as the first.

Wine Cube Varieties

I’ve tried five of the Target Wine Cube varieties – Red Sangria, White Sangria, Pinot Grigio, Merlot and Cabernet. The reds are my favorite as I prefer red wine. The White Sangria was a bit sweet and the Pinot Grigio had a nice balance. It gets even better … they come in various sizes. We brought the little single serving wine cubes to the beach and they were just like the juice boxes for kids only way better because they’re “adult juice boxes”.

There’s a small wine cube which is the equivalent of 2 bottles of wine ($9.99) and a large wine cube cube that equates to 4 bottles of wine ($15.99). On a per bottle basis this is really cheap wine, but it tastes much better than other wines at this per bottle price point. Target also sells cool neoprene wine cube holders that the wine cubes fit into for cooling and easy transport (like out to the pool or on the boat). The cube fits in tightly and there is a handy little hole where the pour spout sticks out of.

The Complete Line of Target Wine Cube varieties are produced by Trinchero Family Estates which produces some very nice wines. Current Wine Cube varieties are as follows:

• Target Wine Cube Cabernet

• Target Wine Cube Cabernet/Shiraz

• Target Wine Cube Merlot

• Target Wine Cube Red Sangria

• Target Wine Cube White Sangria

• Target Wine Cube Chardonnay – 2 varieties

• Target Wine Cube Sauvignon Blanc

• Target Wine Cube Pinot Grigio

While you cannot buy the Wine Cube online, you can go to Target.com and find a location near you to buy the Wine Cube and check out their other cool stuff and sales all at the same time. Cheers and props for this must have goodness!

Wear Old Jeans & Save Money, Water & Planet is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

Learn how wearing your old jeans can save money, water and the planet all at the same time. These mind-blowing Eco facts will make you think twice before running out to buy the next tend in blue jeans.

• Eco fact: It takes 1,500 gallons of water to produce 1.5 pounds of cotton which is the amount required to make one pair of blue jeans! And this doesn’t include the additional water used to dye and finish the fabric.

• Eco fact: On average, 450 million pairs of jeans are sold in the United States every year. This is an average of 1.5 pairs per person. But, the average woman has eight pairs of jeans. And I know a few fashionistas that probably have twice that.

• Mathematically that’s 675,000,000,000 gallons of water per year just to keep up with the cotton production for jeans alone. Then you factor in the toxic chemicals used to distress and dye the jeans and it’s a bit crazy to think about.

While there are organic cotton options that are naturally died these eco-jeans are more expensive. They are also coming out with jeans made from bamboo which seems to be the new super eco-product of choice for everything from jeans to floors.

I’m not suggesting we stop buying and wearing jeans or cotton clothes for that matter. What I am suggesting is that you stop and think before you decide you must have that latest, greatest new jean — the skinny jean, wide-leg, boot cut, low-ride, slim cut, full cut, straight cut, distressed, destroyed, boy-cut, capri, baggy, relaxed fit, loose fit …

Just stop and think about these eco facts. Buy Less. Hold on to what you have. Wear your clothes well … and wear them for a long while. And, pull them back out when the style comes back around again — because you know it will. Another twist … think about how “in fashion” being out of fashion can be.

Peace out.

Source: Onearth magazine, winter 2009

Ways to Reduce Electric Bill and Help the Planet is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

These are some very interesting Eco Facts that offer ways to reduce electric bill, save money … as well as help the planet. They are really very simple things to do that can have an enormous impact. Please read and pass along as these facts are too important to keep to yourself.

1. Use CFL Light Bulbs (Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs) — these are the new corkscrew bulbs, but now GE has CFL light bulbs that look just like the regular light bulbs. If all 200 millions of us here in the little USofA just replaced ONE 60-watt regular bulb with a CFL light bulb, it would be the equivalent of removing 9 million cars off the road for one year!
2. Changing just one standard bulb to a CFL light bulb can save you up to $44.00 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
3. Shut Down Your Computer. If you power down your computer every night, the saving’s is estimated at over $40.00 per computer/work station in one year.
4. Another Eco Fact – did you know that even when OFF, your electronics still use power when plugged in. So, if you want to save money … unplug! Who knew.

Other interesting facts to help save the planet:

• Don’t Pollute.  A tin can that enters the ocean is still decomposing after 50 years!
• A plastic bottle in the ocean is still decomposing after 450 years!
• A Glass bottle that enters the ocean is still decomposing after 1,000,000 years! That’s just crazy. I collect sea glass, but not at that price.

Changing just a little can save a lot.

9 Ways to Save Water is a post from: LivingFrugalTips.com - Learn about: Living Frugal, Frugal Tips, Saving Money, Saving Money Tips

It is so easy to save money here and there by making very small changes to your daily life. Here are a few ways to save water … and you save money and help the plant and the same time!

1.  Scrape your plates – If you scrape your plate scraps into the trash first versus rinsing in the sink and then using a disposal you use far less water. Since I’m on septic and don’t have a garbage disposal it’s a given for me.

2.  Use the shorter dishwasher cycle – A good scrape in the trash will also allow you to use a shorter dishwasher cycle (my dishwasher has an EcoCycle) that uses up to 20 fewer gallons of water per dishwasher load. Not only do you save water, but you can save you up to $40 a year.

3.  Only run when full – Run your dishwasher and washing machine only with a full load. This could cut down on a load or two a week and save you up to 1,000 gallons of water a month. I can creatively pack that dishwasher to maximize what it holds and only run it once or twice a week!

4.  Wash clothes in cold water - Cold water washes use 90% less power that hot water washes! With less power being used, that also means that less carbon emissions are being released into the atmosphere too. A double plus. My mother-in-law has been doing this since washing began and has the cleanest laundry around (never using the warm or hot water cycles). She also line dries her clothes. Added plus there … more money saved and they smell so fresh!

5.  Don’t let it run – This is an obvious one, but worth repeating. When brushing teeth or washing dishes don’t let the water keep running. Turn it on and off when needed and fill the sink a bit to rinse or wash dishes.

6.  Use drought tolerant plants – These are my absolute favorite type of plants — “full sun, drought tolerant”  These are also hard to kill! My husband has the green thumb in our family… but not me!

7.  Get a rain barrel – We’ve got one and they are great. We use it to water any potted plants, herbs, and anything else that are not drought tolerant and require a bit more water than Mother Nature can provide.

8.  Low flow baby! – Switching out your toilet and shower head to water-efficient versions can save you big time.

9.  Water your lawn sensibly – If you must water, do it wisely. Only water on your designated day. Water over night or very early in the morning for maximum absorption and minimum evaporation. It just kills me when I see these stupid people watering their lawn in the middle of the afternoon and heat of the day. Also, don’t water on windy days … as it blows away to your neighbors lawn versus landing on your grass. Duh! Oh, and one more pet peeve … if you set your sprinklers on a timer make sure it works right. My neighbors are notorious for watering their lawn for the entire day because there sprinkler doesn’t shut off right. My husband has told them countless times and he ends up going to the outside valve and cutting it off. Bad.

We’ll that’s just a start. I could certainly keep passing along my pearls of EcoChic wisdom, but I’d rather get out and enjoy this beautiful day.

Please share your earth-friendly tips.

Peace to the planet!