Recession Proof: When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Drink

Apparently we all want to dull the pain a bit.  That seems to be the common wisdom explaining why alcohol sales go up during a recession.

The EconoMuse, who also works in the wine industry, remembers clearly a call-in radio show on NPR before the holidays that was exploring bright spots in this dismal economy.  The host wanted to hear from those whose business was booming.  Since the EconoMuse was knee-deep in musing about the best way to give wine as holiday gifts, her ears pricked up when a caller claimed his premium beer distribution was having its best season ever.  This led to the inevitable "dull-the-pain" theory, and it got the EconoMuse thinking, "What the ?" (to quote my little friend Davey M.)

Oprah may have her "Aha" moments.  The EconoMuse has her "What the ?" moments. She could understand that people tend to drink more during tough times.  All the beverage analysts are saying that (so it must be true, right?).  But this caller was selling premium beers, and no, Joe Six-Pack, that is not Coors Extra Gold. We're talking $15-20 per bottle!  How could this possibly be a good time for that?

Well apparently it isn't.  Ms. E-Muse thinks the caller was drinking a bit too much of his own merch over the holidays, and he has probably woken up this February with a big post-holidays hangover.  According to Jerry Hirsch of the Los Angeles Times ("Recession Reshaping Drinking Strategies"; January 20, 2009), this recession is hurting alcohol sales more than previous downturns.  Apparently people are trading down from premium brands and stepping away from the cabernet.

Muse Lynne gave Ms. E-Muse some of her own anecdotal evidence.  Apparently Lynne has friends in high places (that would be K&L Wine Merchants to all you Bay Area types, aka Mecca for those who want to have fun trying interesting wines at lower price points.  P.S.: they do ship.)  Anyhoo, Lynne reported that holiday sales were brisk at K&L.  The big diff this year?  Price point.  People are running to the less expensive brands.  The EconoMuse thinks this is a damn fine idea because almost anyone can make a decent cabernet for $80-100.  The real fun begins when you find a great wine for $20-30.  Or even less.

So, with this in mind, the EconoMuse would like to make Recession Proof a recurring feature of this blog. Each week (or so) she'll explore the joys of drinking for less.  But it is not as much fun to drink alone, so please, send the EconoMuse your own frugal finds.  

Recession Proof Sip of the Week

The EconoMuse is starting off by alienating all her wine-drinking friends and throwing down with a beer. And for good reason.  This beer saved her life on Super Bowl Sunday.  Its one of her new faves, Gordon Biersch Blonde Bock.

For just $7.99 a six-pack at BevMo, this beer can keep Ms. E-Muse and her fellow Blonde Bock fan Muse Maria entertained for a whole evening!  That's a measly $3.995 each!  And seriously, when you are thinking about good value during a recession, it doesn't get much better than that. Apparently, bock beers were originally brewed by monks in the 1600s to minimize hunger pangs during fasting periods.  (Could that be Renaissance Recessions?)  You've gotta admit that's a lot of history and--no doubt--a lot of experience with dark days.

But it isn't all doom and gloom with our friend the Blonde Bock. This is a golden, medium-hopped beer with a deep, malty flavor and a rich creamy head.  Apparently blondes do have more fun in a recession. (Foreshadowing Alert--future blog post!) 

And just how did this beer save The EconoMuse's life on Super Bowl Sunday?  Well, she had a bit of the belly bug but still rallied for the annual party.  Since there was no ginger ale to sip, she thought maybe a beer would be OK.  It was more than OK!  The light fizz and the creamy consistency soothed her tummy as well as that pink stuff could. Plus she won $100 from the half-time score, reconfirming that it is OK to be watching football and drinking beer with a belly bug.  (But please, try this at home.  It probably isn't a smart idea to road test the theory at a party with a lot of people you don't know like The EconoMuse did.)

Less is the new More

EconoMuse, here!

Welcome to all you Recessionistas out there.  Our time has finally come.

If you are like me, that last decade of unprecedented growth in the Dow--while welcome to your pocketbook--left you a little queasy.  Maybe you were never comfortable parting freely with money.  Or you were raised by thrifty parents.  You know the type: Mom made your prom dress (complete with elastic waistband because it was easier to sew). Or your parents only bought clothes for the first born, and by the time they were handed down to you--the fourth--you still had to wear them, even if you were the only daughter.  Or perhaps you had to mow the lawn, like Ms. EconoMuse's husband, who was paid $10 to mow for the job--which seemed like a good deal in the 1970s, until he realized that it was a 10-hour job that he had to do every weekend.  Mr. EconoMuse quickly learned about the beauty of compound interest since he was too damn tired to spend his money.  Or maybe you're simply the responsible type who thought you should save your money in case times turned bad.  (Smart thinking, Girl!  Color you psychic!)

So while the last decade was good to the EconoMuse and her husband, she has to admit that her inner thrift always battled with her outer consumer.  And, no, Ms. E-Muse is not cheap.  She just hates to waste money.  So while her gal pals were out plucking Pradas from Neiman's, Ms. E-Muse was combing the racks at Marshall's, looking for something that said "Expensive Italian" (at the same time that it said "Last Season.")    And on those rare occasions when Ms. E-Muse finally decided to splurge, it would takes weeks of agonized shopping to find just the perfect item that she was sure to get her money's worth from.  And in the end, she would often not pull the trigger (except for the full-retail Cole Haans that ended up sitting in the back of her closet because she was afraid to ruin them, confirming forever to Ms. E-Muse all that is wrong with her spending more than $250 on shoes.)  In short, Ms. E-Muse felt like a poseur.  She knew she just couldn't wear expensive clothes like she was born to it.  She figured no matter how much she spent, her outfits would scream, "Clashing!  Can't mix expensive fashions with practical nature!"

But to all you Recessionistas out there, no matter how you came by the moniker, know this: every cloud has a silver lining (or in our case, silver-plated, but that's no matter).  Our time has come.  Thrift is in. Overconsumption when friends are getting laid off is gauche.  Potlucks are now "quaint."  Repurposing is higher up the food chain than recycling.  Less is the new More.  And this economizer no longer hides in the racks at Marshall's when she sees fashionable friends wander in.  After all, they are now shopping there too.