Well, the samples are in and my completely unscientific taste test has commenced. Nescafé is marketing their own brand of instant coffee to provide an affordable answer to the Starbucks VIA.
I made a cup of the Taster's Choice similar to the Starbucks, using half water and heavy on the steamed milk for optimum flavor. I also tried the hazelnut flavored Nescafe, when I probably should have stuck with the Columbian blend to compare apples to apples. Or, should I say, coffee to coffee. But I digress...
Does it pass the test? Is the Starbucks VIA just a bunch of hype? According to this frugal coffee drinker, the verdict is in. While the Taster's Choice does offer a different choice for instant, microbrewed single serve coffee, the delivery is lacking. It makes for a nice hot beverage, but lacks the firepower imbued in the VIA. Both drinks have a very smooth delivery, which is not typical of instant coffees, so they both represent an improvement. However, the VIA packed a lot of coffee flavor and the high octane energy boost to boot. After drinking the Taster's Choice, I was still dragging and felt like the extra hazelnut flavor replaced the missing coffee.
So there you have it. The Starbucks VIA is an instant coffee with a smooth delivery that really does pack a punch! Looks like you can believe the hype.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Pasadena Maryland Freecycle Meet and Greet
Another deal that I just stumbled upon.... it's happening TODAY, Saturday November 13th!!!!! Don't miss it!
Money Stretching Family: Pasadena Maryland Freecycle Annual Free For All & ...: "Come all, come one next Saturday to our annual Pasadena Freecycle Free For All and Meet and Greet. We hope to see you there!! TimeSaturday..."
Money Stretching Family: Pasadena Maryland Freecycle Annual Free For All & ...: "Come all, come one next Saturday to our annual Pasadena Freecycle Free For All and Meet and Greet. We hope to see you there!! TimeSaturday..."
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Four Awesome Family Deals This Week!!!
You know I love a good value. This week is chock full of them!
Check out these four events, all happening this week!!!
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010, 7:00-9:00pm
Free Parenting Workshop
10 Secrets to Stop Defiance & Power Struggles
at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, Severna Park, MD
If you don't have discipline issues, maybe you'd like your family to boost their fitness....
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010, 7:00-8:30pm
Family Shape Up Solutions
at the Severna Park Community Center
$25 to register, check flyer for details
Thursday, Nov 11, 2010
Free National Park Admission Day – Veteran’s Day
Saturday, Nov 13, 2010 - 2-5pm
Friends of ECI Children’s Consignment Sale
at the Severna Park Community Center
Now you can shop, get informed and have fun while saving money! Enjoy!
Check out these four events, all happening this week!!!
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010, 7:00-9:00pm
Free Parenting Workshop
10 Secrets to Stop Defiance & Power Struggles
at Woods Memorial Presbyterian Church, Severna Park, MD
If you don't have discipline issues, maybe you'd like your family to boost their fitness....
Wednesday, Nov 10, 2010, 7:00-8:30pm
Family Shape Up Solutions
at the Severna Park Community Center
$25 to register, check flyer for details
Thursday, Nov 11, 2010
Free National Park Admission Day – Veteran’s Day
Saturday, Nov 13, 2010 - 2-5pm
Friends of ECI Children’s Consignment Sale
at the Severna Park Community Center
Now you can shop, get informed and have fun while saving money! Enjoy!
Monday, November 1, 2010
An Election Campaign Technique That Gets My Vote
I was dumbfounded when I went to pick up the phone in the midst of all the pre-election frenzy to get votes. Instead of getting another prerecorded message, I got a live person. Even better, the candidate's name was actually displayed on my caller ID. So I took the call.
I told the person, a volunteer telemarketer, that I would be voting in the election, but wasn't too savvy with the candidates. (Yes, I'm terribly uninformed when it comes to politics...) She was able to give me a nice summary of the things the candidate hopes to accomplish if I vote for her and the issues that she will address. Sure, the caller could spin things to make the candidate sound great. But the difference is that I had an opportunity to have a dialog about these issues.
So guess what? I'll be voting for this candidate. Had I been really informed in politics, I would have had an opportunity to ask more questions, ask about specific issues and have, gasp, a CONVERSATION with a real person, instead of listening to yet another message sucking up my answering machine's recording time. With my little guy tugging at my leg and my phone time grinding to a halt, this method worked.
I told the person, a volunteer telemarketer, that I would be voting in the election, but wasn't too savvy with the candidates. (Yes, I'm terribly uninformed when it comes to politics...) She was able to give me a nice summary of the things the candidate hopes to accomplish if I vote for her and the issues that she will address. Sure, the caller could spin things to make the candidate sound great. But the difference is that I had an opportunity to have a dialog about these issues.
So guess what? I'll be voting for this candidate. Had I been really informed in politics, I would have had an opportunity to ask more questions, ask about specific issues and have, gasp, a CONVERSATION with a real person, instead of listening to yet another message sucking up my answering machine's recording time. With my little guy tugging at my leg and my phone time grinding to a halt, this method worked.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
No Slots at the Mall
I am not politically savvy. However, this Halloween, I have to post about the posturing and masquerading of big business and the lobbyists over a big issue here in Anne Arundel County, MD.
Big business and the teachers and police unions are pushing the opportunity to have slot machines installed at Arundel Mills Mall. There are signs everywhere talking about increased jobs and revenue as a result. It's despicable, really. Let's promote a questionable activity that we would not allow our kids to participate in and use it to support our kids. Blood money!
Are we that desperate for money and jobs that we would use any means necessary?
Come on! Let's put the gambling where the gambling already exists - the Laurel racetrack. (If if were me, I'd vote to not have gambling, but that is just a personal, moral issue with me.)
Big business is not exactly being truthful with all this increase in jobs and revenue. More of it is going to end up in their pockets, and whatever is distributed to schools will be distributed across the state.
Are the lobbyists worried? I think so! They continue to cloud the issues and mention all the perceived benefits while ignoring the real issues of traffic, mall access and displaced jobs elsewhere. Not to mention the moral implication of providing money for our children with an activity that causes many participants to lose their savings and encourage indebtedness.
Being a fair person, I'll let you decide for yourself. Compare No Slots At the Mall and Vote for Question A. The No Slots site is much easier to navigate and really gets to the issues at hand. The Vote For site provides a lot of text, but hides under the banner of "More Jobs and Revenue".
Check out this op-editorial in the Baltimore Sun.
Big business and the teachers and police unions are pushing the opportunity to have slot machines installed at Arundel Mills Mall. There are signs everywhere talking about increased jobs and revenue as a result. It's despicable, really. Let's promote a questionable activity that we would not allow our kids to participate in and use it to support our kids. Blood money!
Are we that desperate for money and jobs that we would use any means necessary?
Come on! Let's put the gambling where the gambling already exists - the Laurel racetrack. (If if were me, I'd vote to not have gambling, but that is just a personal, moral issue with me.)
Big business is not exactly being truthful with all this increase in jobs and revenue. More of it is going to end up in their pockets, and whatever is distributed to schools will be distributed across the state.
Are the lobbyists worried? I think so! They continue to cloud the issues and mention all the perceived benefits while ignoring the real issues of traffic, mall access and displaced jobs elsewhere. Not to mention the moral implication of providing money for our children with an activity that causes many participants to lose their savings and encourage indebtedness.
Being a fair person, I'll let you decide for yourself. Compare No Slots At the Mall and Vote for Question A. The No Slots site is much easier to navigate and really gets to the issues at hand. The Vote For site provides a lot of text, but hides under the banner of "More Jobs and Revenue".
Check out this op-editorial in the Baltimore Sun.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Frugal Find: Free Taster's Choice Coffee
Folks that know me know that I love free. So, I registered for my free coffee sample of all 6 varieties of Taster's Choice coffee individual instant coffee packets. Positioned to be a wallet friendly competitor to the Starbuck's VIA, I figured it's worth a shot.
Want your free sample? Just register at www.tasterschoice.com/thesmartchoice
I've had the VIA and it's pretty good. As soon as I get my samples, I'll post my opinion here...
Enjoy!
Want your free sample? Just register at www.tasterschoice.com/thesmartchoice
I've had the VIA and it's pretty good. As soon as I get my samples, I'll post my opinion here...
Enjoy!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Frugal Families: Saving Money with School Lunches and Snacks
Check out my latest post for Chesapeake Family....
Frugal Families: Saving Money with School Lunches and Snacks
You can also follow me on Twitter...
Frugal Families: Saving Money with School Lunches and Snacks
You can also follow me on Twitter...
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