More Hip Than Hippie #279 - Sticker Shock

Stock up now on those items that are likely to cost more in 2011!

Just when you thought you'd started living within your means, it looks like your means have, well, less meaning. The Hipsters prepare you for the sticker shock with a list of things that are likely to be more expensive this year. Also, Val goes on a rampage (possibly fueled by New Year's junk food), and Dori promises to save her a seat at Joel Salatin's local appearance.

Beer: Our first beer of 2011 is the seasonal Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale. While it has a cool label and is definitely more welcome than winter, this English brew didn't make a big impression. Dori: 4 hips Val: 4 hips

Chocolate: Our new Favorite Listener is Amanda in Nashville, TN. She provided 2 bars from her local chocolatier, Olive and Sinclair. We sampled the Southern Artisan Salt & Pepper bar and found it delightfully spicy, though a tad too crisp. Overall, an excellent treat. Dori: 5 hips Val: 5 hips.

Finds:

• Val's Favorite Thing! It's time for a revolution in the way you drink water. The innovative design of this Drinking Cap for stainless steel water bottles provides a pop-up straw and a leak-proof seal. Best of all, it fits most of your favorite bottles, including the classic Klean Kanteen.
• Get Up, Brand Up. Bob Marley's kids are launching a line of eco-minded products called Marley & Co. No, you can't smoke the hemp headphones.
• Free parking. Plan your vacation around the National Park Service's 2011 free admission days. Just keep an eye on your pic-a-nic basket.

• Feeling lucky. Kudos to Google, who handed over a $4 million grant to NatureBridge for environmental eduation.
• Shock to the system. At the CES, Ford Motor Co. announced that it'll market an electric Ford Focus sedan by the end of this year.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

Sew clever! Stuck with stacks of wax? Repurpose your old candles as pincushions. Toss that taper into the sewing basket so you can take a stab at it. Bonus: Needles and pins will slide through fabric more easily when lightly coated with wax.

Sure, prices are always on the rise. But 2011 may bring some nasty surprises. The Hipsters consult dealnews.com to get the latest predictions for budget-busting items. Remember, forewarned is 4-armed!

• Withdraw all your money from the bank and find the nearest gold vending machine! Hurry, prices adjust every 10 minutes.
• Still using snail mail? Stock up NOW on those Forever stamps.
• If health insurance premiums are killing you, look into a Health Savings Account (HSA). You can save pre-tax income for medical expenses.
• Movie ticket prices going up? Hello, Netflix and Redbox!
• You'll have to pry our chocolate and coffee from our cold, dead hands.

Happy New Year! 2011 brings news of hook-ups, babies and success. Join the conversation at hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our blog!

• Jeromy in Arkansas is a "scared little closet hippie" who has created Operation Green Thumb to spread green awareness in his area. Attaboy! Got any tips for him?
• Kelly in Maryland saves all of her veggie scraps in the freezer, then boils them up to make a healthy vegetable stock. "Soup"er idea!
• Chris in Montana shares news about officials in Paris testing a ban on SUVs in the city core. Magnifique!
• Sandy in New York raises a WTF? about Monsanto's Neotame molecule in organic foods. Happily, it looks like this could be a hoax.