Did you ever wonder what the best blogs are to help you save money?

Yeah, me too.

I’ve only been blogging about savings for a little while. So I’m always finding and reading savings blogs now. Man, when I was putting myself through grad school … if I only knew then what I know now. Live and learn, right?

Anyway, savings blogs are really a very interesting animal. It seems like everyone has their own focus, style, and personality — but everyone genuinely wants to share their insights on how to save money, whether that’s through a coupon or a word of advice. There’s a huge range.

That’s a good thing. In times like these, that diversity and enthusiasm is super important. There’s something for everyone out there.

Here are my personal favorites. At least for now.

the simple dollar – There’s something very real, honest, and down-to-earth, about Trent Hamm’s financial wisdom. I swear, if everyone just followed Tren’ts 14 Money Rules, this country would be in a much better state.

The Frugal Find – Julia seems to know about every deal out there. Plus, she’s really nice.

Frugal Living – About.com always has good content, and Erin Huffstetler does her part with solid info on frugal living, money management, and ways to save by doing things yourself.

Entrepreneur Daily Dose – I’m fascinated by business. If you’re a small biz or entrepreneur interested in saving (and making) money, the Daily Dose is a constant contiuum of ways to save in running and marketing your business. With more and more people running their own small businesses every day, out of desire or necessity, this type of quality content is very valuable.

Pinching Your Pennies – Full of grocery deals and coupons, Pinching Your Pennies provides more than just penny pinching. It’s filled with kitchen logic and ways to stretch a dollar. The kind of things you never think about, but make complete sense.

Baby Cheapskate – Okay. I don’t really read this blog. I don’t have a baby. I subscribe to the RSS feed because I like the pictures. Maybe this is my way of prepping for someday when we do have a baby. I know. I’m weird. But if you have a baby, you’ll probably think it’s great.

SavingAdvice.com – Pure, practical advice. The Swiss Army Wrench of savings blogs.

Oh. Yeah. I forgot. YOURS.

There’s always room for more savings, so there’s always room for more savings blogs.

That’s why Gaucho launched Gaucho Pages — to make it easy for you to blog about savings without having to design a blog. Check it out.

Looking to eat healthy and still save money?

Whole Foods Market offers some online resources to help you do just that.

Here’s the Deal With the Whole Deal

The Whole Deal is a savings specific part of the Whole Foods site. First off, it offers some good Coupons that you can print out. Then there’s Sure Deals, which is a list of everyday low-priced items that give you high-quality goods for less. Lastly, there’s Three Under $3, which is exactly what it sounds like. That’s a nice bunch of specials to help you save when shopping at Whole Foods.

Get Cooking

On top of the deals, this section of the site offers some very useful information and resources.

Their money-saving meal plans can help you cook up some cost-conscious meal ideas for one or a whole family. Some of them are pretty tasty looking. Worth checking out.

Learn to Cook, Learn to Save empowers people to save money by teaching them to cook their own food. Right now, the focus is on quinoa.

Quinoa is a great Peruvian grain that’s very high in protein. It’s quite filling, but easily digestible and can be used like rice with just about any sort of food. It has a slightly nuttier, more roasted flavor than rice. Kids like it and it’s healthier for them than rice, too.

I’m really a huge quinoa fan. It’s great to mix with sauteed mushrooms, peas, dressings, or you serve as a side with almost anything. If you’re going to a BBQ or potluck, cook the quinoa with some soup stock and mix in some veggies after you cook it. Makes a great dish.

Anyway, check out the Whole Deal — good deals, good savings, and good grub.

It’s that time again. If you drink wine and you live in California, you probably know about BevMo’s 5-cent Sale that’s going on right now.

If you don’t know about it, well then I’d like to welcome you to the wonderful world of wine exploration. There are very few things about living in California that you get at less expense than those living elsewhere. Great wine happens to be one of them. Take advantage of it.

The Real Deal About this Sale

With over 200 bottles to choose from, BevMo members can buy one bottle of wine and get the second one for 5-cents.

The BevMo Drama

Now, there are complaints online that BevMo marks up the cost on the first bottle. I’ve had friends mention this, too. However, this is really a ridiculous argument. Of course, the savings varies by bottle, but even if they mark a bottle up 30%, you’re getting 2-for-1. According to my English-major math, you’re usually coming out with a general savings of 20% – 35% on two bottles of wine.

That said, you do need to be a bit wary. On a day-to-day basis, BevMo has some questionable pricing on a few items and this can carry over to the sale.

Look Closely

You know, if you go to CostCo, you’re pretty sure you’re going to find a competitive price on whatever you’re looking to buy. That’s not the case at BevMo. Most of the time they have good prices, but then they’ll drastically overcharge on a few random items for rather mysterious reasons.

But, is it any real surprise to learn that you have to pay attention to find the best deal? Our savings savvy readers know this.

So, when shopping on a regular basis, frugal Gauchos who enjoy good wine will compare the prices of their favorites at places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

You’ll Probably Score a Deal

With the 5-cent sale, the chances are that you will get a good deal on anything on the sale list. There are exceptions to that, so it’s best to not go in totally blind, but this really is a sale worth checking out.

No one ever seems to know the exact end date for this sale, they always say it’s for a limited time, but it’s better to go sooner for best selection.

Why This is Great for Winos

Living in the Bay Area, everyone loves wine and many of the winos I know love to take advantage of this sale.

It’s perfect for stocking up on a favorite, but it’s also a great way to learn about new wines.

Half of the art of wine is knowing what type of meal to drink it with. So, take advantage of this sale and mix it up. Try a new bottle with dinner and think about what it would go well with. Store it away, then pair it with with more purpose later. It’s a fun way to explore wines and how they interplay with food.

What to Get

The BevMo employees might help you find a bottle, but they aren’t wine experts. I wouldn’t go in there seeking their council on what to get, or take it too seriously if it’s offered. You’re almost better off just guessing.

Now I’m no wine pro, but I did bartend my way through college and I’ve been to Napa enough to tell you what I like and why. If you don’t know what to get, here are my picks.

Cosentino “the Cab” – The classic big cab. Dark cherry and tobacco flavors. I don’t think it’s quite as good as it used to be, but, that goes for most of the Napa cabs. At $16, this is a great deal for 2 bottles of a big, well-rounded cab. You can’t get it at the winery that cheap. Great with steaks and heavy meats.
Elodian Cabernet ‘05 — I’m probably too cheap to spend $35 on a bottle of wine, let’s be honest here. But, for 2 bottles of wine, this is the type of thing that might catch my eye. Why is this a great deal? Because ‘05 was THE epic big year for cabs in Napa. This seems like a late release which means it could have some big flavors. Worth the gamble. This wine probably sells for $25 elsewhere, and they’re marking the price up here, but for 2 bottles of wine, $35 is better than $50. This is where I’d consider trying one sometime in the next few months, then saving another for a later date.
Shiloh Road Cabernet ‘07 — I’m not sure why, but BevMo really seems to push this wine. They must get a lot of it at a good price. If I was paying $17 a bottle, I wouldn’t get it. For 2, this is a good deal for a decent, middle-of-the-road cab. It’s not fantastic, but it’s pretty tasty.
Carneros Creek Pinot Noir Reserve ‘07 — Carneros Creek, which sits in a fog belt south of Napa, does a great job with sparkling wines and pinots. 2 bottles for $25 is a great deal.
Irony Pinot Noir ‘07 — I like Monterey County pinots. This one can usually be found at Safeway for $13 – $14 bucks. At $16 for 2, this would probably be my pick of the day.
Red Bicyclette Chardonnay ‘07 – $13 for 2. If you’re a chardonnay drinker, I think this one is worth a try.
Cosentino The Novelist Meeting — $17 for 2. A nice Sauvignon Blanc-based blend.

So those are my choices. What would yours be? I’d love to hear.

President’s Day has a been a bit glossed over this year, what with Valentine’s Day falling on a Sunday.

Yet this holiday created to honor Presidents of the United States seems to coincide more closely with winter stocks that need to be liquidated, so it’s more famous for big sales. This year is no different.

Here are some of the hottest last minute deals we could find — but don’t worry — there’s still plenty of time to get in on them.

Kohl’s – Wide variety of collections on sale. Free shipping with orders over $75 through the 17th. Take an extra 30%, 20%, or 15% when you use your Kohl’s charge in store or online through 17th. Get $10 in Kohl’s Cash for every $50 you spend.

Casual Gameplay – Get flash and other casual games — all games are 30% off the normal $699 price, use the code PREZSALE at checkout.

Best Buy – Sunday and Monday, 2 days only, online only. Stand out deal: Get a 42″ Phillips LCD HDTV for $729.99 plus free shipping.

Sears – 50% off mattresses, 25% off all ENERGY STAR appliances, 20% off all appliances, 75% off all fine jewelry, shoes – buy 1 get 1 50% off, extra 8% off on HDTV’s over $599, more.

Amazon.com – Amazon can be awesome for saving money. Right now, they have a year-end clearance on clothes and luggage. Now through Monday, you can get $10 off $50 and $25 off $100. Up to 75% off.

Yankee Candle - 3 for $15 on all sorts of small candles. 25% off larger ones.

Staples – Lots of useful supplies on sale. Get a Brother 575 fax for $9.99 after a $50 rebate. Monday is the last day.

Overstock.com – 10% off on office chairs. Great selection to choose from.

In this GauchoCast, Marv talks with Julia of The Frugal Find.

They talk about how Julia got started with The Frugal Find, favorite deals, great deals of the week, Blissdom 2010, the new Apple iPad and more.

Are you offering a discount on a product or service that you’d like to get some exposure on?

Well, if you’re a true-blooded Gaucho, you know that you can post your deal to the GSS to let the Gaucho crowd know about it.

But, if that’s not good enough for you, then pitch Gaucho.

That’s right, pitch Gaucho.

Pitch Gaucho

If you have a deal or a product that you’d like me to blog about or Marv to do a GauchoCast on, then hey, let us know. Tell us about your deal, and what makes it a good deal. Or, if you have a product that can help people to save money, tell us about it.

If we think you have a good enough deal or product, then we’ll write a post or create a video blog about it for the thousands of readers and watchers following the GauchoBlog. If that sounds good to you, just leave a comment on this blog post, or email our PR department at tolu@gaucho.net.

Exclusive Discounts

If you really want to get business rolling, email Tolu (tolu@gaucho.net) to discuss the possibility of promoting an exclusive discount within the Gaucho community.

Everyone is more than welcome to post their discounts to our GSS. But, not everyone gets promoted as a Gaucho partner offering an exclusive discount. If you have an exclusive discount that you want to offer the Gaucho community and we think it’s good enough, then we’ll include it in our email newsletter. Plus, we mightblog about it or do a video cast on it, too. It all depends.

You won’t find out until you contact us.

Why Are We Doing This?

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Meaning, what’s good for the Gauchos is good for Gaucho. We’re all about sharing the savings at Gaucho, so if you have some savings to share, let us know about your deal so we can share it with others.

See how nicely this works? I’m telling ya, we could be great together.

There are some hot, hot, HOT! holiday sales going on out there today. Remember, the day after Christmas is the day when many retailers are hoping to dump the inventory they haven’t sold in preparation for the new year.

If you have a gift to return, or perhaps you’ve been kindly waiting for the post holiday sales in order to buy yourself that special something you’ve always wanted — or at least have wanted for a little while — here are some deals that will motivate you to get that car or mouse revved up as quick as you can to go get ‘em.

Deals Delivered Daily

Don’t forget to check out the GSS for more deals and discounts. Gaucho gives you ways to save everyday, not just during the holidays, so keep coming back. See ya soon.

If you’ve waited until now to buy a gift for someone, your options are dwindling — as you well know.

You can go out and fight the crowds and the traffic, and HOPE you find something good. But you better know where you’re going, what you’re looking for, and either have done your research (by visiting the GSS) or just cross your fingers and hope for the best.

The better way to go is, you guessed it, the ultimate turn to for last minute gifting in the cyber-age — the Gift Card. Send it by email and it’s sure to get there on time.

Gift Cards Rule

Some say giving a gift card is just giving money, with no real thought behind it. You know what? That’s true. You know what else? I’d take it every time. I have no problem with someone helping me to get something I want. I end up feeling like I got a great deal, especially when I find something marked down for post-holiday sales. Last year, I added up my gift cards and got a 1TB Seagate external drive. It was on sale and I spent like $30 of my own money, so I was stoked.

I don’t know anyone who really gets offended by a gift card. It’s definitely better than cash. You just need make sure it’s for a store where they can find something they want. And, for people that are tough to buy for, I’ve found this to be the best and most efficient option for all parties.

Here are some popular eCard options:

Click On and Get Your Shop On

Well, that should cover just about everyone — man, woman, child, young or old — and since I know your time is limited in clicking out these last minute gifts, I’ll only wish you good luck and happy holidays!

Gaucho 12 Days: Over, But Not Done Yet

While we’ve completed our Gaucho coverage of the 12 days of Christmas Savings, we’re not done yet. Tune back in tomorrow when Marv will be entertaining you via video GauchoCast.

Did you put off getting a gift for that niece, nephew, or other smallish humanoid?

During a time when school art programs are having drastic cutbacks due to the economic climate, why not support the arts by buying the gift of music for a child?

Not convincing enough, huh. Okay. How about this one — torment your family and friends by buying their kids musical instruments!

Really, most kids love music and learning to play music teaches many lessons aside from those concerning notes and rhythms. Kids can learn about the creative process, working together to blend sounds and harmonies, and doing your part in a group endeavor.

Here are a couple of great gifts for the future musicians and miniature music lovers out there. Or, jump to the end for more general last minute gifts.

The Roll Up Drum Kit

Hammacher Schlemmer has a fantastic replacement for a full drum kit. This roll up kit can be stored away much easier than the real thing and connects via USB to a Windows PC. It also boasts a variety of sounds, rhythm patterns, and drum loops that you can customize.

At $59.95, it’s a better deal than a real drum kit, too. This 3-piece Junior Kit is $179.99 new.

I guess there’s no replacing the real thing, though.

Electric Guitar Packages

A Fender is a classic guitar that is great to learn on and will set any kid on their way to rocking it. This Starcaster package in Midnight Blue is $199.00 at Amazon and includes everything you need to get strumming — the guitar, an amp,  strings, picks, a strap, a 10′ cable, a tuner, a gigbag, guitar stand, and an instructional DVD. Or, get the Candy Apple Red for 186.64 (and free shipping).

This is a tough deal to beat for a starter package. Many guitar shops sell this guitar alone for the same price.

The Wood Block

Keep is simple. Nothing is more basic than banging a block of wood with a mallet. Let them develop metronome-like precision before moving to more advanced matters. At $7.77, this Hohner wood block is quite a bargain.

Harmonica

Speaking of Hohner, a harmonica (or pocket harp, as some like to call it) is another low-cost, low-ear damage musical gift. With prices ranging from $5 and up, it’s affordable. It’s potentially tolerable to listen to, since all the notes are set to a specific key. (The key of C would be the standard to place to start a harmonica collection/practice.)

iSpin

For $99.95, you can make those teenage dreams of DJ fame come true. Or, at least, make them possible. The iSpin lets you spin and mix songs on 2 different iPods, without needing a computer. Hook it up to an multimedia speaker, or headphones with a 3.5mm jack.

Last Minute Gifts for Kids: Non-Music

If you’re looking for gifts for those kiddos but aren’t feeling the music thing, here are a few great spots to check out. Hit them up now, because today is the last guaranteed day for Christmas delivery.

Happy deal hunting on those last minute gifts! Just remember, it will all be over soon!

Guys aren’t that hard to buy for, even though some might say differently. For most guys, there’s always some gadget or gear they’re lusting after.

Yet, without fail, many women make the mistake of buying clothes for a guy. This isn’t a mistake in and of itself, the problem comes when ladies buy their guys the type of clothes they themselves like, or might want to see their guy wear — then become dismayed when the guy doesn’t wear it because its not comfortable or his style.

Whether you’re buying for a brother, a boyfriend, a husband, a Dad, or a distant uncle, here are 10 clothing gifts that guys will like.

1. For the Traveler

The Scottevest company makes some awesome jackets, vests, hoodies, and more. With a focus on urban styles, Scottevest produces clothes that look good and are functional. With hidden pockets built-in, they make it easy to carry devices, documents, and more without lugging around a backpack or manpurse.

At $140, the Fleece 5.0 Jacket shown here isn’t cheap or necessarily a deal, but it is competitively priced and offers high value for the money. Scottevest offers plenty of other options, like shirts and pullovers, that start at $25.

2. For the Track Star

There’s room in every guy’s wardrobe for an Adidas track jacket or jumpsuit.

Prices range from $39 and up, depending on if you get just the track jacket or the complete deal, and are available everywhere — from Amazon to Ross. Great for traveling or chilling. Also works well for its original intended use, exercising. Score bonus points by buying him the velour, especially if he’s a hiphop artist or in the mafia.

A special Star Wars collection is available next month. I kid you not.

3. For the Hipster

A great last minute gift, get the hipster guy in your life a threadless t-shirt or two. They’re on sale for $10 each. Lots of great options.

4. For the Lounger

Slippers are a somewhat notorious Dad gift. Why not get him a pair that have some style?

The Volcom Axis Slide Creedler Slipper can be found at dogfunk.com for $27.95 and they’re offering 2-day shipping for $5.99, so you can still have them delivered in time for Christmas.

The DC Villain TX is on sale for $44.96 over at blackholeboards.com.

Both are perfect for the guy who likes to look good doing nothing.

5. For the Commando

Take a look at this Men’s Commando Sweater from Deluth Trading. On sale now for $69.50. Great for the rugged guy, whether he’s working around the house, or off to practice some field maneuvers.

6. For the Fisherman

Orvis is one of the most famous brands in fly fishing and travel gear. If you have an avid fisherman you’re looking to buy a gift for, take a look at the Orvis Clearwater Vest. An easy way to keep everything close at hand, whether he’s wading around or rocking in a boat. At $49, this is one of the better deals you’ll find from the notoriously overprices Orvis brand.

7. For the Rock Star

If you’re buying for a music lover, you can’t go wrong with a t-shirt paying homage to his favorite performer or group. Slingshot T-Shirts has a huge variety.

8. For the Hiker, Skier, or Snowboarder

AA guy can never have too many good beanies, especially this time of year. REI-Outlet.com has a bunch of good ones to choose from, with many priced under $10.

9. For the Preppy

Nothing says preppy like the iconic logo of a man playing polo. Polo.com has sweaters, jackets, shirts, and more all around 40% off for their holiday sale.

Check out this Shawl-Collar Fleece Pullover on sale for $49.99. (Normally $85) Good deal.

10. For the Teenager

PacSun is running a buy one, get one 50% off sale for tops and jeans.

Get this 44mm Kyle 2 Woven Flannel for $39.50, and another one for half off. Spend over $75, and PacSun will throw in free 2-day shipping.

Happy shopping! Stop back tomorrow when we’ll be talking about music and last minute gifts for kids.