BYOV

Does it bother anyone else that you can buy an entire bottle of wine from Trader Joe's for $9 and pay $6 per glass for the same bottle in a restaurant? I thought so. That's why I'm determined to remind people that many a fancy dining establishment will allow you to BYOV (bring your own vino) for a nominal fee. I love me some wine and while there are plenty of restaurants that go to great pains to pair their food with very specific wines- many have a pretty standard list of go-to bottles that will work with most anything. And for their prices, you probably have a couple of bottles on hand at home that work just as well.

Now, don't get me wrong- the idea of paying some guy in a half apron and skinny tie $10 just to yank the cork out of a bottle is not my idea of thrift. But when you grab a garden variety wine from the local TJ's, Wine Outlet or MegaGrocer for $8, add the corkage fee of $10 (some don't even charge at all), and split it between two to four folks- you can use those dollars saved to go toward something else. Like say, a second bottle of wine? Or dessert. Your call.

Similarly, next time you dine out and find an extraordinary bottle of wine on the menu... price it out through your local wine dealers. More times than I can count, a cherished $32 bottle is actually $24 when you cut out the middle man. I love being sneaky.

Image courtesy of Wine Country Cellars.