Champagne when you’re broke – how to live the high life at a fraction of the cost

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Champagne when you’re broke – how to live the high life at a fraction of the cost.

Is it possible to live the High Life when you’re net worth is less than $1 million bucks? How can you drink champagne when you’re broke?

Well – the simple short answer is – You Can’t (not the real stuff from France)…. but that’s not going to stop us. (Sorta)

 

 

Living the High Life assumes you are now out of debt and have a little wiggle room in the budget for a few of life’s niceties. Please

don’t start down the road to “indulging” if you are not at this stage yet. That’s just plain stoopid!

I decided to take a wee change of direction on the blog because – as great as getting out of debt is and making more money on the side; it’s bit serious… like, all of the time and I want to have a little fun.

Here’s my first post in the high rollers section. Living life large but not spending a whole heck of a lot. I hope this helps add a little sparkle to your life, especially if you’ve been where we’ve been and life came to a standstill for you too.

Champagne is Awesome – but expensive.

If you’re anything like me then appearances do matter and for the two years it took us to crawl out from our Economic collapse (Read more here) I practically hid myself away. Not going out to my usual brunch spots (can’t really do that when you’re broke) and being seen drinking bubbly and laughing with girlfriends; not seeing movies; not buying shoes (Oh shoes, how I missed you). This had a huge impact on my mental well-being, not to mention my social status.

Now I am able to go to brunch about once a month, as long as I budget and here is my first “appearances” hack.

A 750 ml bottle of Veuve Cliquot is $69.99 (at a government liquor store so my best guess for a restaurant or bar is at least double that) and it’s not a particularly good bottle but, placed in an Ice bucket or on the table it makes people look. Sitting back with a Flute of Fizz actually changes how people react to you (especially servers!). There is a certain smug feeling of accomplishment being able to order a bottle of expensive wine whilst your fellow diners sip water. Of course – these fellow diners could probably afford the good stuff but chose not to and that’s OK.

For me – it was a “feel good” fix at the end of an extremely long and hard week. Have you ever worked for a Narcissist? It’s exhausting and draining and soul sucking.

For a long while there, after losing my position of power with the soul sucker, I was in a space of anger and rejection and it would have been very easy to drown my sorrows… except we had no money. Ha!

 

Now, a 750 ml bottle of Mionetto Prosecco Doc Treviso is $15.99 (same liquor store) and, when placed on a table it can easily be mistaken for the good stuff and once poured – Only you know the difference!

Our Favorite thing to do now is to be seen on the Patio of our most prestigious Golf Club a couple of times a week. Looking a little polished and wearing great shoes (more about shoes later) and always, always, really enjoying the time together and the little indulgence that was so long missing from our lives.

People say “it’s the small things” and I truly believe this to be the case. Once you can get back to appreciating the niceties, and if you start with hacks, then life is on an upward trend and we’re gonna keep right on pushing forward.

Is your mood lifted after a great haircut? Are you bummed when your “grays” start showing? Do you hide your crappy car at the bottom of the lot and feel “less than” when people you used to know now ignore you? I know.

It’s time to build up this little arsenal of life hacks to get your Mojo back.

Budgeting is key to getting this right. It’s no good heading to a patio and ordering the cheap fizz for a quick feel good if that’s the grocery money you’re using. All good things come in time so be patient.

 

Here are a few more alternatives:

Moet & Chandon $67.99                    Chandon $29.49                                           Moet rose 77.99                    Chandon Rose $32.99

                 

 

 

When life has kicked you in the pants, what little tricks do you use to perk right back up again?  Let me know in the comments.

 

XO

Anna