Lauren Letter Blog

Champagne Mistletoe

Welcome back my friends and followers, today I bring you a “spiced up” (see what I did there) version of some of my favorite festive holiday cocktails. These beverages instantly put me in the holiday spirit. The best part of these is that you don’t have to be perfect, they are made exactly how you like them. Added bonus – there are items in each of these recipes that would make for a perfect gift for any fellow cocktail lover. Keep scrolling to see how to make these festive holiday cocktails.

I pop the bubbly all year long so it was only natural to make this with a holiday twist. There are tons of versions of the “Mistletoe Cocktail” so feel free to make it yours. Here is how I did mine:

• Rimmed the glass with a thick grain sugar (I used baking Truvia and it was perfect).
• Add champagne to 1″ below the top of the glass.
• Carefully pour in cranberry juice until you reach the color you like.
• Garnish with whole fresh cranberries, you can even stick some pine needles or rosemary in the cranberry for an extra festive twist!
• Bonus: add a small squeeze of lime juice for a nod to the classic Cosmopolitan.

Spiced Hot Toddy

Hot Toddies have quickly become one of my favorite fall/winter cocktails. These are one of those drinks that can vary depending on your taste preferences. Here is how I make mine:

• Begin by boiling water ( I use this electric kettle and I love it)
• Juice one half to full lemon depending on your taste into coffee mug or cup of your choice
• Add 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of honey (again depends on your preference)
• Add 1-2 shots of Bourbon (my favorite is Bulleit)
• Pour 6-10oz of the hot water and stir to combine
• BONUS: add cinnamon stick for a bit of a festive flare.

Hot Mulled Wine

This is an ULTIMATE festive holiday cocktail, it tastes like Christmas in a cup. All the spices and the wine are hearty and warm the soul instantly. Same goes with this libation, adjust to your liking. Here’s what you need to make it:

• A large bottle of CHEAP dry red wine (I like the Kirkland brand Cabernet)
• Star Anise (3-6 whole stars)
• Cloves (1/2 – 1 tablespoon whole cloves)
• Cinnamon Sticks (4-6 small, 2-3 big whole sticks)
• Brown Sugar (1/4 cup should be plenty)
• Oranges (quartered)
• 1/4 – 1/2 cup orange juice or apple cider (I only had OJ but it would be fantastic with apple cider)
• BONUS: Brandy or Spiced Rum to top it off

In large sauce pot, like a dutch oven, mix the wine, spices, half the sugar, half the juice and juice the oranges and dump the juice and the oranges into the pot. Bring to a simmer and taste. You will know if you want it sweeter or not, adjust accordingly.

Serve in a coffee cup with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice, I top mine off with a shot of Captain Morgan to give it a ‘lil kick.

I hope that that this episode of “Libations with Lauren” has brought you some holiday inspiration. Even though I wish I was sharing these with friends and family, knowing that I can share it with you all is just as good. If you aren’t following me on Instagram and LIKEtoKNOW.it, you better get on that! Lots of exclusive content there.

Cheers!

-Lauren

I realize this is not ground breaking info or newsworthy techniques, but they are effective and not nearly as utilized as they should be. I am spilling the tea on my money saving secrets how I not only save money on almost every purchase but how I actually MAKE money on purchases. That one gotchu eh? Glad I have your attention.

Loyalty Programs

If you are not signed up for a loyalty program for EVERY VENDOR you spend money with, why though? Loyalty accounts are set up mostly so the vendor can track your shopping habits (data = $$$ to them) but they typically reward you for letting them spy on your spending. Some of the rewards are worthy of a whole entire post of their own but I will save that for another time. Here are some notable mentions:

• Ulta/Sephora– coupons, free items, AND FREE $$$! They reward you by giving you a point for every dollar and points = $ off your purchases.
• Target – Not only does target give you exclusive % off offers that you can redeem online or in store, but they also store manufacture coupons (target offer + manufacture coupon = 2x the savings). AND, they give you 1% back to spend at target.
• Walgreens/CVS – Similar to target, this reward system lets you store manufacture coupons on your account and they also have a $$ off point system. Some purchases come with bonus points and so do prescriptions.
• Clothing Retailers – far too numerous to list but many of them have a similar points per purchase, points = $ system. Nordstrom, Express, Dicks Sporting Goods are a few of my frequently used ones.
• Grocery Stores – A staple, I am sure most people have this one already. But did you know that you can log onto the app/website and download exclusive store and manufacture coupons?? Now you do.

Coupons

You heard me mention coupons quite a bit, and yes; I am that crazy coupon lady! It’s basically free money if you use them right. I never NEVER use a coupon just to use it for something that I will never use. But more times than not, you will find a coupon for something you planned to buy anyways. Here are my favorite hacks with coupons:

• Stack ‘Em – many times a brand will have a coupon for “$1.00 off 1 item” and then another that says “$2.00 off 2 items”. You can use both coupons! So if you buy 2 items you actually can get $3 off , rather than just $2.
• Singles Only – Bed, Bath & Beyond. IYKYK. These coupons find their way into just about every mailbox in the US, so don’t trash them when you get one!
  • They don’t expire despite what the coupon says,
  • b.) you can use one per ITEM. So if you are buying 6 new bath towels, you can use 6 20% one item coupons!! I literally have a zip lock bag full of them.
• Double Up – There are times when the manufacture coupon is already loaded to my loyalty card, but I also happen to have a printed version. In these cases, you miss every shot you don’t take so you might as well try to use the printed coupon too! Believe it or not, sometimes the cashier will do it, and if not just play the blonde card ;).

Rebate Apps

I will be the first to admit that I did not think these apps were legit, I was a skeptic. That is, until I finally tried it and I am thankful for it. Hundreds of dollars that have actually been deposited into my account in the last year. I will be sure to leave referral links that get you $ on your first purchase.

• Ibotta – This one is slightly different in that you find offers for what you bought then upload your receipt and they credit your account for the amount of the offer. Once you get $20 you can cash out via PayPal. Again data = $$ to brands so they use your receipt to track spending behaviors. Referral Link: https://ibotta.onelink.me/iUfE/1005cd3f?friend_code=ttbvvob
• Fetch: Again, this one is an app where you upload photos of your receipts (literally just about any retailer) and you get points for each purchase and maybe even bonus points. 5,000 points = $5 gift card. The rewards are not as quick but its still free money for snapping a pic of your receipt. Referral Link: https://fetchrewards.onelink.me/vvv3/referraltext?code=P57EY

Putting It All Together

If you’ve made it this far you are a real frugal Fran and a true friend of mine. Here’s an example of how using all of these money saving secrets together can really add up. Imagine if you will, you are in need of some Crest 3D Whitening. What do you do?

1. Hop onto your target app, hey look at that! 20% off Crest 3D Whitening. Add offer.
2. Open up your Sunday paper, and there you have it $1.00 off Crest 3D Whitening coupon.
3. Check Ibotta – what do you know? $3 rebate, yes please! Add offer.

You make your purchase, you use the coupon and now you have some toothpaste, SCORE! So lets see how it all worked out:

What we paid:

• Toothpaste: $3.99 – $1.00 manufacture coupon = $2.99
• $2.99 – 20% off cartwheel offer = $2.39
• $2.39 paid for toothpaste.

What we made:

• $3.00 rebate on Ibotta
• $.02 in cartwheel money back
• $.025 towards a gift card in Fetch

When you do the math you spent $2.39, but you made $3.04, so you end up with a free toothpaste and PROFITING $.65! WHAT??? I know its not a lot for this one item, but when you can apply this method to other items it really starts to add up. Not to mention the reward points on a credit card, but again that is for another post.

I grew up with not a lot of money so I will always work to find ways to save money where I can. These tips allow me to spend money on the things I want (like Sweaters and Sangrias), not the things I need. I hope these money saving secrets have helped you on your penny pinching journey. Let me know what you think!

-Lauren

I have been on the prowl for a gray entryway bench for some time now. The frugal Fran in me was determined to do this as a DIY and on a budget. So seeing how we are spending so much time at home I figured this was the perfect time to do it.

What a Deal!

With that frugal mindset, I have been pursuing Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor looking for an entryway bench. And as much as I want to take credit for finding this entryway bench, I did not find it. My husband did! A lady less than a mile from my house was selling the bench for $20. That’s it. Just $20, including the baskets which I later sold on Facebook Marketplace for $10. My out of pocket total for the bench was $10! Holy heckenbob what a deal.

As seen above, this piece was originally white but thanks to my last DIY project (take a peek here) I already had the perfect color in mind – Urban Bronze by Sherwin Williams. A neutral gray that pulls cool and warm depending on what you pair it with.

Let the Work Begin

Now that I have picked the color it was time to prep this piece. I started by wiping it off really well with some antibacterial dish soap and warm water. Next, I needed to level off some of the damaged areas using some spackle. Lastly, once the spackle dried up I went in for a light sanding with 180 grit sand paper. Nothing extraordinary, just trying to give some texture for the paint to grip to.

Ultimately, this piece ended up needing 3 coats of paint. I had to buy more and only used about 1/3 of the half gallon which was about $10 worth. Once the paint was all done I added some felt pads on the bottom and began my search for decor, the best part if you ask me 🙂

The End Result

Ta-da!! It’s perfect for this area and provides a nice welcoming space to our guests. Some benches I was looking at online were retailing for $150-$200. My total for this unit including all the decor was less than that. The bench it self ended up costing around $25 (the net cost of the bench was $10, the paint was $10 and miscellaneous supplies were $5). Here is a list of all the other things I purchased for this area:

• Pillows // Target // $19.99 ea
• Baskets // Amazon // $10.75 ea
• Arrow Hooks // Houzz or Hobby Lobby // $19.99 (use a coupon!)
• Lambs Ear Wreath // Etsy or Hobby Lobby // $19.00 (use a coupon!)
• Tray with Jars // Overstock or Big R // $10
• Wood Block Decor // Hobby Lobby // $10

Overall, this piece ended up exactly how I wanted it to. The next time you think you need to spend a ton of money to get a trendy piece of furniture, look to your neighbors to see what they are parting with.

I hope you all find this inspiring and helpful! If you choose to recreate make sure to tag me on Instagram @LaurenLetter.

-Lauren

Many companies are sending people to work from home “indefinitely”, present company included. These are learning opportunities for many of the country’s organizations. Opportunities to better develop business continuity plans, how to accomplish more virtually than we do in person, and how they have created a monster when all their employees won’t want to go back into the office.

While the jury is still out for me on this whole “working from home indefinitely”, I have come up with some helpful tips on how to not lose your mind and how to be productive.

• Set dedicated working hours.
  • With your computer just arms reach away it will be tempting to reply to each email your boss fires off at 8pm. RESIST.THE.URGE. Setting these boundaries allows for better work life balance, which is essential under normal circumstances but even more so during these isolation periods. I like to use a planner to lay out my day and what I would like to accomplish, like this one.

• Set a dedicated work space.
  • Having a dedicated space in your home also helps to keep work life balance. This space will signify to your brain that when you are there, it’s time to get to work. It also means when you leave that space you can leave your work there until tomorrow. Even a simple desk in a part of your room will do the trick. Here is the one I have.

• Hydrate
  • I am totally guilty of this, I just get so involved in what I am working on that I forget to drink water. My water has to be ice cold, and the bigger the better (chortle chortle chortle). This is my favorite one, even my husband has one!

• Get Ready For The Day
  • I have to say, this was not always something I followed. When I would occasionally work from home I would literally roll out of bed, maybe brush my teeth, and get right to work. But I recently started getting ready, like hair and makeup (alert the press) and I have to say it really makes me feel a lot more productive. Don’t get me wrong, I take some short cuts, like LOADS of dry shampoo and using a curling iron that keeps my waves for days.

These are the things that work best for me, right now. They could change though given the current circumstances. Stay tuned for updates as I try other tips and tricks! Tag me on instagram @laurenletter if you try some of these.