Unless you’re a real wine aficionado, you probably lack the confidence to know which of those bottles of wine on-sale at the local BevMo are a bargain and which deserve the appellation, two-buck-chuck. That’s why we’ve asked two Master Sommeliers to suggest some wines that can stand-in for more well-known (and expensive) bottles. With the right attitude and our handy chart, you’ll upgrade your wine cred, impress your guests, and save money.

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Photo: J. McPherson

December means fuller social calendars, fuller bellies, and, for most of us, emptier wallets. You’d probably love to have a festive party, but the impending financial stress of such an event may numb the joy, or dissuade you from throwing something altogether.

We’ve asked two of the country’s most accomplished professional party planners for their tricks to throwing a successful bash without painful monetary investment. TV personality Joanne Weir authored Weir Cooking in the City: More than 125 Recipes and Inspiring Ideas for Relaxed Entertaining among other entertainment-oriented books, and Bibby Gignilliat began honing the art of the party long before she launched her first party planning company, Gourmet Gatherings, in 1999. She now owns Parties That Cook!, creating corporate team building cooking events and cooking class parties in San Francisco.

These innovative women both have a reputation for throwing top notch, elegant fêtes, yet they’ve recently had to adjust their party-throwing strategies as a result of the economic downturn. Here’s how they’ve found the path to indulgent, affordable entertaining, just in time for the holiday season.

Booze on a Budget

If you want to treat your guests to a glass of bubbly, but can’t afford the pricey stuff from France, consider a bottle of proseco. This Italian wine provides better flavor than champagne at an affordable price point. “It’s the way to bring festive bubbles into your party without spending too much,” says Weir.

“Boxed wine also deserves a second look,” she adds. “My personal favorite is Black Box Wines. I empty the bag into a decanter, which looks elegant.”

Pot Lucks: Always in Season

It may seem simple, but sticking with seasonal ingredients is a great way to save money and keep the class factor high. “If you buy tomatoes in December, they’re coming from Mexico,” says Gignilliat. “They’re not going to taste great and are way more expensive than persimmons, pears, apples, and pomegranates, which are all relatively affordable and delicious this time of year.”

Gignilliat also strongly recommends pot lucks and buffets. “Everyone is always asking what they can bring to a dinner party. Pick a theme for guests to work from so the party feels instantly pulled together.”

Both experts also buy in bulk when appropriate. “You can find great quality proteins at Costco,” says Weir. “I buy a huge chunk of manchego cheese and serve from it throughout the holiday season.”

Weir loves this Spanish sheep’s cheese because it has become affordable, and a lot of people don’t know what it is. “Manchego is almost always a conversation starter.”

Impressive Edible Greetings

As much as we’d love to get all Julia on our guests, expensive, labor-intensive dishes are not in the cards for your budget friendly fête.

“We’re in an age where easy, healthful, and simple is chic,” says Weir. Her favorite elegant suggestions, requiring minimal sweat and dough follow:

* Warm a mix of olive types with a bit of olive oil and a pinch of crushed red pepper in a sauté pan. Serve in small bowls as a pre-dinner snack.
* Roast whole raw almonds in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Toss with Kosher salt, a touch of olive oil, and some citrus zest.
* Make your own gourmet chips by toasting pita bread in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Provincial Panache

“Think peasant food but serve it in elegant bowls or plates,” says Weir, who buys top round, bottom round, or chuck beef and braises it with red wine, onion, carrots, tomato, parsley, mint, thyme, bay leaf, and Savory Choice stock.”

When done, Weir blends the strained vegetables and herbs in a food processor with some Parmesan, then serves atop pasta as a starter. She plates everything in pretty serveware, including the beef roast, with a simple side of sautéed broccoli tops as the second course. “It’s a jaw-dropping, amazingly-affordable, two course meal.”

For dessert, Gignilliat swears by her homemade version of soft caramel spread, dulce de leche, when she’s tight on funds. She removes the label from a can of sweetened condensed milk and places it in boiling water for two to three hours, replacing the water as it boils off. “You get the most delicious, authentic dulce de leche,” she says.

Not only does Gigniliat give this, placed in a mason jar with ribbon, as a hostess gift, she also tosses the warmed spread with sliced apples, pears, and cranberries, then tops it with crushed amaretti cookies for a beautiful, super-cheap finale to holiday meals.

Set the Stage

It may seem like a challenge to fancify your home or apartment without investing a hundo for that Christmas tree you’ve been eyeing.

“There are so many ways to create décor drama with things you probably already have around the house,” promises Weir.

One of her favorite table toppers is actually a collection of all the candles she has at home. She places them in a cluster at the center of the serving table with the largest ones at the center, then lights them when it’s time to eat. “I also up the ‘wow’ factor by placing additional candles in unexpected places like the bathroom and the hallway.”

Both Weir and Gignilliat eschew flowers immediately when looking to save. “Flowers are expensive and only last a few days,” says Weir. “I forage instead. You can find amazing things in your backyard or on your block if you just look. I use bowls of persimmons or pomegranates as accents throughout the house, and fallen branches make for wonderful table runners.”

Get the Party Started

Gignilliat pulls out games to make for epic events. She’s had the most success with these:

Place a question under everyone’s plate that they have to answer at the end of the meal. Questions can range from the light-hearted (What’s your feeling on double dipping?) to the serious (What was the toughest thing you went through over the past year?).

Ask guests to write down the first two sentences of their autobiography and place it in a bowl in the center of the table. Read sentences periodically throughout dinner and have guests guess who wrote what.

Place the names of famous individuals on sticky labels and put one on each guest’s forehead. Ask people to walk around the party and ask yes-or-no questions of fellow guests to determine who they are.

“These activities get everyone laughing, crying and don’t cost a thing,” said Gignilliat. “After over thirteen years in this industry, I’ve realized fancy food items and expensive entertainment aren’t what make a party work. It’s these fun experiences that bring everyone together.”

Photo: Simon Blackley

A guy walks into a mechanic and asks for a tune-up.

“Looks like your car needs a lot of work,” says the mechanic. “After a quick inspection, I estimate about $1000 worth of services.”

It may sound like a joke, but car owners are often hit with an unhappy diagnosis like this. Many of us have little-to-no car expertise. We feel helpless at the sometimes-merciless hand of our mechanic. After all, who are we to say when a spark plug needs changing or steering should be flushed?

Jon Bartunek, owner of his family’s Union Street Garage in San Francisco who has worked in the car repair business since he was ten years old, has some empowering tips and guidelines to offer.

“Many car repair shops are in the business of selling auto repair, not the business of repairing autos,” says Bartunek. “Keep in mind that any good shop is a combination of both, but you want the mechanic you work with to have your best interest in mind.”

Read on to find Bartunek’s words of wisdom to help you through the car maintenance and repair process without spending an unnecessary, exorbitant amount of money. Bartunek shares his knowledge on how to be informed before and after service, the common traps car repair shops will use to get more money from you, and what you absolutely must require of any mechanic who performs work on your car.

A reputable mechanic should provide:

ASE [National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence] or AAA [American Automobile Association] certification, and/or a state license, which is required in many states

• A clean garage, free of empty cans, dirty rags, and old tires
• A friendly, polite staff that communicates well
• Before service: an itemized bill with a written estimate for repair work
• After service: a detailed invoice of work done and parts supplied

How to approach a new mechanic

Get a recommendation. Ask someone with a similar income level and car type if they have a good relationship with their mechanic. Don’t ask a friend who has a car or lifestyle that’s very different from yours because they may work with someone who’s not suitable for you.

Use the owner’s manual. This manual is your most valuable defense tool when visiting the mechanic. You should never, ever walk into a mechanic like the guy in our opening example and say, “I need a tune up.” This is way too vague and your professional may see this as an open invitation to charge you up to $1000 for miscellaneous unnecessary services such as spark plug replacements when you don’t need them. Bartunek advises, “Cars don’t need tune ups like they did years ago. Go by the services in your owner’s manual. Most list the necessary services according to the mileage you have on your car. Just saying something as simple as ‘I need my 30,000 mile service,’ shows your mechanic you are informed and not someone he can easily take advantage of if he is so inclined.”

Get an estimate. Before service, make sure your prospective mechanic gives you a detailed parts-and-labor estimate so you’ll know exactly what he plans to do and what went wrong if you have a post-service failure. Never accept a verbal estimate or a sheet of paper that says something unspecific like, “Fix Car – $800.” Make sure you sign the itemized estimate and walk away with a signed copy.

Ask questions. Never be afraid of asking questions such as “Do I really need that?” or “I don’t see any symptoms of failure. Is work on that part absolutely necessary right now?” If your mechanic makes a generalization like, “The part is old,” ask for details. Find out if it’s leaking, losing pressure or what the specific problem is. Then ask to see the part. A good mechanic should be able to physically show you the problem with the part on your car or explain it to you by using a removed car part. Similarly, if the price quote sounds expensive, tell the mechanic what you were hoping to spend and ask him if you can get by safely with a less expensive job.

Finally, if you think the job sounds expensive and your car seems to be working fine, get a second opinion.

Common traps

Drastic statements like, “We need to tow your car out of here because we don’t want to be responsible for you driving it,” are almost always a scam. Bartunek has seen many car owners succumb to these warnings and end up paying an arm and a leg to get their car back from the mechanic in “driveable” condition. He advises, “If you drove your car into the mechanic with no issues, most likely you can drive it away from any threatening advice without any problems.”

Coolant and power steering flushes are common services some of the larger mechanic chains will propose in order to make money. Check your owner’s manual to see how long your fluid is supposed to last so you know if your mechanic’s suggestion is warranted.

Do your research before having a catalytic converter or other emissions part repaired. Some of these pieces have a very long factory warranty including free replacement of covered parts.

A muffler that lasts a lifetime does not exist. Many of the larger companies give you free replacements and make their money on expensive exhaust system repairs.

The $55 brake pad job is also a scam nine times out of ten. No shop can make money on a $55 dollar brake pad replacement job. It’s an excuse to suggest the replacement of other parts such as brake rotors when you don’t need them.

Keep up on car maintenance

In addition to being a savvy buyer of proposed services, it’s important to keep up on regular car maintenance to avoid unnecessary breakdowns or repair costs. Here are Bartunek’s suggestions:

Get regular fluid changes as per your owner’s manual. This includes oil as well as brake, windshield and coolant fluids.

Replace the air filter when needed or suggested in the owner’s manual.

Keep tires inflated properly for your safety. Check once a month and before long car trips to make sure your tires have a little bit less than maximum pressure.

While all these warnings and rules may be overwhelming at first, there are some great mechanics out there. If you remember these tips, you’re much more likely to find a helpful professional than a wallet-draining scam.

New! Compare Auto Insurance with Mint.com.

In today’s economy, the percentage of employees across all industries who will receive a raise is down…way down.

You’re probably working harder than ever to hang onto your job and receiving less financial payback than you should. As friends and colleagues continue to get laid off or struggle with unemployment, you don’t feel justified in “pushing it” to demand the pay increase you know you deserve. You feel lucky to even have a job. You’re afraid to rock the status quo and risk being rejected, demoted, or worse, fired.

Joel Garfinkle, acclaimed career coach and author of Land Your Dream Job and four other impactful career guidance books insists that now is a better time than any to ask for your well-deserved raise.

Read on to learn why it’s necessary to negotiate a salary increase in a down economy and how to go about doing it successfully.

Why ask now?

Your fear isn’t rational

“Never in my 13 years of being a career coach, has anyone ever been fired for asking for a raise,” says Garfinkle.

In this economy, it’s difficult to predict if your boss will be financially able to grant you more pay. But Garfinkle asserts he can guarantee your boss is going to have more respect for you if you spend the time to ask for a raise. It’s this respect that’s going to differentiate you from your colleagues when it’s time for lay-offs and promotions. Asking for a raise is a crucial strategy to solidify your importance to your company and retain your job. That’s right, you’re actually less likely to be fired if you ask for a raise. How’s that for ammunition?

The art of asking

In a down economy, it’s very important to remember that your boss is under more stress now than ever. Address this by entering the salary discussion with a phrase like, “I realize the company is financially strapped more than in years past, but there are a lot of things I’ve achieved to increase our profitability. I’d like us to take a second look at my compensation together.”

Confidence

No matter where, how or when you negotiate for your raise, the most important thing to have in your arsenal is confidence. Drum it up by doing ample prep work before entering the salary conversation. Garfinkle recommends creating a list of fact-based, quantifiable data to illustrate your accomplishments. Make sure you state the financial impact each item had on the company. Here are the things to include:

1. Goals met
2. Responsibilities filled
3. Projects completed successfully
4. Problems solved
5. Experience gained
6. Expectations exceeded
7. Positive feedback and praise from colleagues and clients
8. Innovative ideas
9. Successes of your group or department

If compiling your dollars-and-cents argument hasn’t helped with complete confidence, consider these additional strategies from Garfinkle:

Know your monetary value. Human Resources departments agree that it costs them one and a half times your salary to hire a new person due to training costs. The dollar amount you’re asking for is minor in comparison to that – not to mention the hassle your superiors would face in finding someone new.

Envision your “impossible” number. One of Garfinkle’s greatest strategies for gathering confidence is to have a salary number in mind you feel you could never ask for. Structure your argument with the hard data you would need to make a case for that “impossible” amount.

Avoid emotions. Stick with numbers. Ego-driven or emotional arguments such as “My staff really responds to my leadership.” or “I deserve the raise.” are easy to refute. Facts like “I increased sales by a $3,000 dollars.” or “Under my leadership, employee turnover rate was reduced 25 percent.” are much harder to turn down.

When to start negotiating

It depends on the circumstances, but it’s customary to ask for a raise every 12 to 18 months. If you received a raise that’s too low, it’s fine to ask your boss if you can have another discussion in 4 to 6 months.

So how do you know if your salary compares to that of your industry peers? Garfinkle recommends the calculation tools on the following web sites to assess how your pay measures up: Jobnob.com, SalaryExpert.com, and the “Pay and Benefits” tab on the Bureau of Labor Statistics web site. When you know you’re not making as much as others who hold comparable positions, you can be more aggressive in asking for a raise.

Garfinkle asserts the best times to approach your boss are after you’ve completed a huge win for the company or at any time when you know that your boss is feeling good about you. Choose the least stressful time of the week for your boss: whether it’s Wednesday afternoon or after she’s met a huge deadline. If it’s appropriate in your office culture, ask your boss to meet you for coffee so you can discuss what you’ve done for the company in a low-commitment environment outside of the office.

What to expect

When you’re going in to ask for a raise, you need to be prepared for rejection. Garfinkle coaches his clients to expect rejection, so that they are ready with their retort.

Get ready for phrases like “We can’t afford it” or “No one else has gotten a raise, so why should you?”

“No” is a green light

Take an initial rejection as an invitation to pursue different avenues of negotiation. When your boss throws out her defensive “no” phrase, restate the positive points you made about yourself earlier and then calmly and compassionately ask if other perks are feasible. Extra health benefits, tuition reimbursement, work-from-home days and professional group or gym memberships are great ways for your employer to compensate you if they can’t afford to give you a raise. The money you save with extra employee benefits may seem like small potatoes compared with the raise you were gunning for, but the dollars saved will add up at the end of the year.

If you walk away with no additional compensation, make sure you set up a re-evaluation meeting in six months. Ask your boss what tangible things you can do between now and then to get a raise. Then do them.

Now that you’ve got the guidelines, asking for a raise may still seem daunting. Get started anyway! Check out the salary calculators. Envision that impossible number, and get cracking on the reasons your company should increase your pay. The bottom line is: no one’s going to give you the money you deserve, unless you ask for it and explain why you deserve it!