BITS & PIECES | BevMo!  is opening a new store at 2220 Oak Grove Road in Walnut Creek. The location is the former home of a Long’s Drug Store.

The booze retailer’s Web site says the official grand opening is April 4. A large banner over the front entrance tells people they are hiring. The grand opening will feature wine tasting and bottle signings by winemakers. I guess it’s like having an author sign your copy of a book, who knew?

Large reusable shopping bag from The Container Store, $7.99.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | Time to learn a new accronym: BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag). I learned from my feeble attempts to become a shopping bag-reuser that making the switch to BYOB from disposables is hard (read my previous post), so I wrote an article about it that ran in yesterday’s paper. Check it out by clicking here.

I am proud to tell you readers that this weekend I and one of my roommates, succeeded in bringing home a week’s worth of groceries in reusable bags! Not only have I converted myself, but also my three roommates. It also helps that in the process of writing my recent story on this topic, I somehow amassed six reusable shopping bags from different retailers - Whole Foods, Safeway, Half Price Books, Cost Plus, Food Maxx - and a really cute one imprinted with none other than Hello Kitty (yes, the obsession continues).

Anyhow, numerous experts explained to me that in order to shake decades of programming to blindly accept disposable shopping bags, you should try the following:

• Find the right tools. Get some reusable bags that are durable, easy to carry and big enough for all your purchases.
• Find them a home. Make a place in your house or car for your reusable bags. Put them there as soon as you are done using them. Some people suggest hanging them on a door handle, putting them in the glove compartment or trunk or inside a purse (if they fold down).
• Make it a habit. Write it down in your planner. Put it in your Blackberry. Tape a note to the door. Do whatever you need to do and keep trying until it sticks.
• Think outside the grocery store. You should consider always having a big tote on hand for any shopping trip. Let’s face it, few retailers provide bags that are easy to carry or don’t wear out as soon as you walk out the door, so having your bag can be much more practical.

Don’t make excuses, readers. Using reusable shopping bags is easy, convenient and makes you look cool (green is the new black, remember?).

CONSUMER CRUSADER | Martha Rogers of Walnut Creek walked into the Hallmark Store in Sunvalley mall yesterday and walked right out after seeing that the store was only offering 40 percent off its merchandise. “That’s not fair,” she told me. “They’re trying to get that extra 10 percent.” Rogers made a rule of only buying goods that were at least 50 percent off.

Go Martha! She deserves an award for her commitment to saving money. Lots of retail experts have reluctantly called this year’s holiday shopping season a “buyer’s market.” Retailers, of course, don’t like the sound of that. They like when people spend without measure and willingly plop down their credit cards for things they can’t afford. President Bush would call that helping the nation’s economy. I call it being a bad consumer!

On Christmas Eve, we reported that American’s credit card debt and delinquency rates in repaying that debt have soared. One reader, Jane from Brentwood, was disturbed by the news:

The article “Credit Card Mania” really saddened me. Partly, because it shows how greedy we are and are teaching our children to be. Also, because people don’t take the time to shop carefully for something the recipient would really like. Christmas, Hannuka, Kwanza are not just times for gift giving. They are times to reflect about why we give gifts, about giving thanks for what we have, for sharing our blessings.

We all love to receive gifts. Let’s teach our children and grandchildren that it is not how many gifts they received or how much they cost, but the love and consideration that went into the buying or making of them.

Today, CNN reported that consumers will spend $60 billion in the next week, giving a boost to what has been a mediocre holiday shopping season. Retailers are offering some major deals this week, but those deals are only valuable if they are goods and merchandise consumers need and would pay more for otherwise. For example, if you know you need a winter coat, you might as well buy it now for 60 percent instead of buying one full price next fall. That is of course, if you really need a winter coat (we are in California, remember?!).

My philosophy on this blog has always stemmed from the idea that you should make your money count - every penny! So please shoppers, shop responsibility and make sure you can afford what you are buying! Don’t go into needless debt!

Here are some tips we published in late November to help consumers plan their holiday spending:

Holiday Budgeting Tips

• Make a list including names, gift ideas and spending limit before hitting the stores.
• Plan your budget according to what you’ve spent in the past, not an unrealistic figure.
• Don’t spend more than half your net monthly salary.
• If you use credit, set a spending budget you can afford to pay off in a few months.
• Start shopping as early as possible and spread the shopping out to keep big purchases from overwhelming your pocketbook all at once.
• If you use credit, use a card that offers incentives such as cash back or rewards points. Also, check how many rewards you have earned and make sure you use them before they expire.
• Don’t browse in stores for too long. Give yourself a time and store limit per shopping trip.
• Start saving now for next year by opening a separate high-yield savings account.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | I wrote a story about giftcards for yesterday’s paper and received some calls and e-mails from readers asking for advice on problems they’ve had with gift cards:

One reader, Robert P. of Antioch tells me that he received a $100 gift card for Somersville Towne Center in Antioch when he retired from his job as a teacher in 2005. His wife tried to use the card a few months ago and was told it was worthless.

What gives? Well, I did some research and found out that California has a state law against putting expiration dates on gift cards, except for one condition: open-network that can be used at various retailers.

Robert’s card had an expiration date on it and was being charged $2 per month service fee starting from one year after the purchase date.  Those $100 went right down the Visa drain.

My advice: read the fine print! Those kinds of regulations are normally explained to the gift card buyer, but not the recipient, so don’t assume your lovely piece of plastic is as good as gold.

Another reader from Antioch, Bea H. wrote to me and said she mailed her granddaughter in L.A. a $50 Target gift card last October that never arrived and wondered if she has any options to get a refund.  It turns out Target’s policy is to replace lost or stolen cards as long as you have a receipt, so perhaps Bea is in luck.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | One of the interesting things about being a retail/consumer reporter is that I’m a consumer, too, so many of the topics end up having a personal effect on me. Take, for instance, a story I wrote for today’s paper about a 20-minute film called “The Story of Stuff” created by Berkeley environmental activist Annie Leonard.

This short flick puts into perspective the idea that owning lots of stuff does not just lead to clutter, it can also have devastating effects on the world. The cycle of consumerism is what Leonard calls “a system in crisis.” What I liked about Leonard’s message is that she emphasizes the bigger picture. She doesn’t try to make you feel guilty about every bottle of water you buy or that plastic bag you didn’t recycle. While individual choices are important, what’s more important is changing the larger forces that shape our world.

In my household, which consists of four mid-20s women, I am known as the one who “owns too much stuff.” My roommates are astounded each time they peek into my overflowing closet. They found it very ironic that here I am writing stories about the problem of “too much stuff,” when I am clearly an addict. All I can say is that I learned a new way of thinking about my stuff and maybe I’ll take some this weekend to clean out my closet. So, check out the film and let me know you think.

Evian = the enemy? Say it isn’t so!

CONSUMER CRUSADER | You better think before you dare walk up to a cash register or vending machine for a bottle of water. Bottled water, once praised for its sterility and convenience, is the latest consumer vice against which activists are now campaigning. Click here to read more.

I think consumer outrage is awesome and who doesn’t love a dose of ardent activism. While other issues like drunk driving, oil spills and prescription drug abuse become passé, we need a new villain, a new vice to tackle. Bottled water, your day has come.

How did this product stoop so low? Check this excerpt from a New York Times article:

… with her reusable plastic Nalgene bottles dry and her son Charlie working up a thirst in an indoor playground, she broke down and bought a bottle of water. To most people it would be a simple act of self-refreshment, but to Ms. Pollack it was also a minor offense against the planet — think of all the oil used to package, transport and refrigerate that water.

Besides the global concerns, bottled water is expensive when you can get free tap water almost anywhere. I’m not much of a patriot, but this is America and you can get fairly clean water out of the tap. So, while I love Evian (hey, at least it’s spring water), I do agree that filling up a reusable bottle is much more environmentally friendly and economical. Also, there are some great water filters on the market, like those from Brita. I think these are great holiday gifts and for those who already one (like me), a pack of new filters is also nice. Save the planet and keep hydrated!

CONSUMER CRUSADER | I downloaded Radiohead’s new record, “In Rainbows,” a few weeks back for free simply because I could, but as it turns out, most people did the same. We had a story in today’s paper stating that 62 percent of people who downloaded the album paid nothing and those who did pay, paid an average of around $6 — far less than what CDs normally sell for in stores.

I love it. Perhaps Radiohead’s gross sales won’t be that great, but they also cut out the record company and retailer middlemen that suck up a lot of the proceeds from CD sales. They’ve also gleaned plenty of attention.

From the consumer standpoint, if something is free, why not take it? Usually “free” things are worthless marketing materials, but this is a real, valued product. For those of us who paid $0, we are not cheap, we are just exercising our options. The value of the album is what we place on it and in this case, Radiohead, has given its listeners true consumer freedom. Rock on!

Check out this interesting post from the Doshdosh Blog.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | Consumers frequently rely on word of mouth to decide what businesses to use for anything from home remodeling and lawn care to having a piano tuned or a dog groomed.

Angie Hicks, founder of Angie’s List, has moved that concept online by creating a web site where locals can share recommendations or warnings about businesses.

“Collecting information from other people can be time consuming and people can’t necessarily amass lots of information,” she said. “On Angie’s List, consumers can tap into thousands in the area to see what companies are doing good work and who isn’t.”

Angie’s List started back in 1995 as a hotline and magazine, both of which are still part of the services.

The site recently launched its Bay Area edition and residents can sign up for a free yearlong membership. Users normally pay $5.95 per month to be members.

“People are willing to pay for trusted information,” she said.

Hicks says her site offers useful reviews, not just a series of rants. Members can only comment on a business once every six months. Business owners are not allowed to post reviews, but can respond to negative or inaccurate reviews.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | The San Francisco ban in plastic bags is an interesting coup for the environmental movement and I truly hope it helps some consumers change their behavior.

Ever since I wrote about this topic, I cringe everytime I look in my hallway closet and see my bin overflowing with plastic bags. I also cringe now when I use plastic bags as trash liners because I know that allow I’m reusing the bag, it’s going to end up in a landfill where it won’t break down for years.

I’m curious to see if this ban lasts and consumers will embrace it. Perhaps it will just cause a big headache for the grocers who are used to dolling out plastic bags.

CONSUMER CRUSADER | The Whole Grains Council, a food issues advocacy group, has started urging consumers to ask for whole grains at restaurants to persuade those businesses to add some or more whole grain items to their menus.

I personally prefer whole grain breads and pastas, but besides that fact, I’m glad the WGC took this step because they are trying to empower consumers to take action. I’m the type of person who takes a moment to think anytime a server or cashier asks, “did you find everything okay?” or “did you find everything you were looking for?”

I have to admit that I once complained I didn’t find something I wanted to buy only to have the cashier tell me “that’s too bad,” but there was nothing she could do or anyone she could tell about my complaint. My response: then why did you ask? I guess cashiers are trained to ask those questions, but businesses should at least be prepared to do something with the responses.

So, if you like whole grains, ask away! Also, if you want a button like the one pictured above, let me know since I have two up for grabs.