The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. My husband and son had a 5:30 P.M. soccer game last night, which meant we didn’t get home until after seven. (Keep in mind it was the day after daylight savings, which made it seem later.) It would’ve been easy to succumb to takeout or a warm restaurant meal, but I’d anticipated the poor timing and had a plan. The plan wasn’t elaborate, as it was simply “cook pinto beans in the Instant Pot,” which after a quick smush and a sprinkle of bulk purchased “taco seasoning” transformed into tasty refried beans. I’d already crisped up our stale tostada shells earlier in the day, so all that was needed were dribs and drabs from the fridge to turn this into a complete meal. (Dribs and drabs being shredded jalapeño jack cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, lettuce, salsa and sour cream.) I’m pretty sure we inhaled dinner while standing over the kitchen island, but that’s just a slice of real life for you.

2. I assembled a small oatmeal apple crisp from bruised windfall apples. There was enough undamaged fruit on each apple to make it worth the work to carve them up. I’m including the above photo so that you can see how much I’m not exaggerating about how bruised they get from bouncing directly onto a city sidewalk. What can I say? I love free food and I don’t mind the extra effort.

3. I’m at that point in the year when I fire up the furnace in the morning and then turn it off an hour or so later. I snuggle under a blanket and maybe even a heating pad if I’m sitting on the couch with my laptop, as I believe in heating myself, not an entire empty house. My husband and I use a thick down comforter plus flannel sheets, which makes it unnecessary to heat the house at night. We also own a small space heater, but haven’t needed to pull it out yet.

   It was “see your breath” cold at last night’s soccer game, but I was toasty with my sweater, wool eBay Allbirds wool sneakers*, a thrifted from “the bins” Land’s End coat and my ancient fleece hat. There’s a saying that “There’s no such thing as cold weather, just the wrong clothes,” which certainly holds truth. It’s almost “wool socks every day” season, but I don’t want to jump the gun.

4. • Someone put a couple of necklaces into our little free library yesterday, so I pulled them out to give to Goodwill. (It’s amazing how many non-book items people put into the library.) However, one of them was a simple silver chain, which I’ll keep after I remove the cheap charms.
   • I started reading my library “Lucky Day” copy of Abby Jimenez’s Just The Summer last night and discovered that it shares characters with Yours Truly, which I read a couple weeks ago. Very enjoyable!
   • I renewed all my Facebook Marketplace listings, although I doubt they’ll get much action as I think the entire nation is holding its breath.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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My “frugal things” are getting progressively narrow, as I post daily in the lead up to Tuesday, aka “the day that shall not be named.”

1. I heated up the last of my homemade butternut squash soup, which provided two small servings for my husband and I. I’ll assemble a new soup this afternoon, probably a chicken variety as my husband picked up a $4.99 Costco rotisserie chicken last week and it needs to either be processed or thrown into the freezer.

2. I realized that our old Wii Fit balance board works perfectly as a barrier to confine the robot vacuum cleaner to the kitchen. Unlike the stool that I’d previously used to corral the vacuum, this solution doesn’t make it difficult for humans to access the kitchen. I always pat myself on the back when I somehow figure out a solution to an annoying everyday(ish) problem. Even when it’s a silly little solution to a silly little problem.

3. I raked the front sidewalk and the backyard using hand tools, (a rake and a snow shovel which serves as a dustpan of sorts) instead of a leaf blower or a lawn care service. I also spent a few minutes raking for a neighbor as it’s no extra work once I’ve got the momentum going. Most people in my neighborhood manage their own yards, but I’ve seen an uptick in landscaping service companies as property values have increased.

4. I dropped my son’s ballot at the library near my mother house, as I was going to pass by it either way.

5. I didn’t self medicate my anxiety with retail therapy. I checked and the last thing I bought new was a replacement refrigerator door shelf, after the last one fell developed a huge crack. Hardly an impulse purchase.

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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1. I went onto the library website at 12 A.M., November 1st to see if they’d loaded fresh “Cultural Passes,” which has worked well for me in the past. (Fresh passes load on the first of month.) Unfortunately the only passes that popped up were for OMSI, (The Oregon Museum for Science and Industry) which is mainly for kids and be best left for young families.

   I did notice that they had Oregon State Park parking passes available, which are normally $5 per vehicle/per day. This is great information to tuck into the back of my brain and I’ll definitely be coming back for a free parking pass!

2. My husband’s friend gave us four Portland Trailblazer tickets for last night’s game, but we were too zonked after our adventure day to brave a dark and rainy 8:30 P.M. basketball game. He didn’t want them back, so I passed them along to my friend Lise, whose husband follows the team. I’m always happy to make frugal opportunities for other people.

3. My neighbor put out another Bonne Maman jam jar in her recycling bin, which I brought home and added to my stash. They’re perfect for the random food items that I buy in bulk at Winco.

4. I finished reading my library copy The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, by Gabrielle Zevin last night. A really enjoyable read, I feel like I’m on this streak of fantastic books! I hadn’t realized until just now that it’s also a movie and available to watch on Hulu, which we have through an old college friend. Free book and free movie? Cool.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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My husband and I used our free library passes for The Portland Art Museum today, which was the perfect excuse for a day of adventures as I’m in great need of quality distraction.

Step One:

Dim sum at Excellent Cuisine, perhaps not technically frugal, but still worth every penny. I suppose you could lean towards the cheaper plates, but it’s hard to know the prices with the language barrier. This restaurant has the most amazing Chinese food and I’d eat there every day if I could. Our total was $45 before the tip and we have leftovers to enjoy this evening.

Step Two:

The art museum, which is a rare treat since the admission is normally $25 per adult. Unfortunately much of the museum is closed for construction, but beggars can’t be choosers so off we went to downtown Portland. I’ve loved the museum on previous visits, but today was not my favorite as there were only a few open gallery rooms with standard art. Their two main exhibits were Paul McCartney photographs and Psychedelic rock posters and fashion of the 1960s, neither of which really really held my interest. (I might get some hate here, but they both felt gimmicky.) I was disappointed that their Native American exhibit was closed, but again . . . my tickets were free! Still fun to wander the museum with my honey.

Street parking was $5.40.

Step Three:

I’d been holding onto a two-for-one Stumptown Coffee coupon and today was the perfect day to cash it in. As much as I’m loathe to admit that pricier options are worth the money, Stumptown coffee really is superior. My husband and I both ordered 16-ounce café lattes and the barista handed over the first coffee complete with breathtaking latte art and joked “that one’s the free coffee.” I responded with “the free one should be uglier.” She then got to work on the second coffee and wrote the word “FREE” on top with milky foam. Mind you, she has no idea that I’m “The Non-Consumer Advocate,” which made it extra funny!

$7.75 before tip.

We didn’t indulge in a treat as my plan was to come home and bake something from scratch. (Maybe pumpkin scones?) Instead I got a text from my next door neighbor asking if we wanted their leftover Halloween chocolate candy. Umm, let me give that some thought . . . hell, yes! I was in my feelings last night with nothing but kid friendly Hi-Chew candy for trick-or-treaters. An excellent plan to keep myself from snacking on candy, (Hi-Chew does not appeal to me!) but kind of a bummer.

So yes, I was happy to accept the neighbor’s leftover chocolate!

Was my day a success? Absolutely! I barely thought about the distressing state of the world and we stayed on budget. Plus we now have a bag of emotional support candy, which can only be a plus.

Are you doing okay? Have you found some quality distraction?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

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Okay, I’m trying to blog every day until the election. Let’s see if I can come up with five new frugal things . . .

1. I transferred our savings from an account with a 4.75% interest rate to one at a full 5%. The first account had started at 5.5% interest, but had a variable rate. I knew the 5% one was locked in for a full year, so this was an easy decision. They’re both with the same credit union, so it just took just a few minutes of time.

2. My friend is a vegetarian, so she gave me her coupon for a free pound of bulk sausage from New Season’s Market. It’s only good from November 27th through December third, so I’ve added it to the calendar, complete with an electronic reminder.

3. I sold a trio of garbage picked frames for $15 through Facebook Marketplace.

4. I set out the same Halloween decorations that an old neighbor handed down to us in 1998 or so. No need to buy anything new.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Instagram.
Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.

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1. I walked to the temporary mini-library to return my books and pick up holds. I also grabbed a “Lucky Day” copy of Abby Jiminez’s Just in Time For Summer. I found a penny and a ponytail holder along the way.

   

2. I peeled and chopped the apples that I scored from a neighbor’s tree a couple weeks ago. They all had flaws, but it didn’t matter as they were for pies and it’s easy enough to cut off the bad bits. I now have two apple pies in the basement freezer that’ll help Thanksgiving be that much easier to host. I’ll file this under “a favor to future Katy.” I also made the crusts from scratch.

   

3. I rolled out the leftover pie dough and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar to make “brinker bronkers,” which is what they’re called in my family. Yes, I know it’s an insane name, but since they’re a yummy treat let’s just let this one slide.

   

4. I filled out my ballot, as Oregon is 100% vote by mail and has been since 1998. I specifically remember the year, as my son was born on the very last in-person election day and my husband voted in between the birth and picking up our daughter to go meet her baby brother. It was a finicky process as local elections are now “ranked choice,” which added an extra level of annoyance to the process. I’ll drop it off at the library tomorrow.

   Please enjoy the above photo of me looking all relaxed and optimistic. I considered taking an actual in focus picture, but let’s be real, there ain’t nothing relaxing here in the United States right now.

5. I never subscribed to The Washington Post, so I didn’t have to cancel.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Instagram.
Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.

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1. My son and I went to Winco Foods and I ended up with four bags of groceries, even though I only had a few items on my list. (Pinto beans, white beans, fresh ginger and cleaning wipes.) The traditional money saving edict is to always “stick to your list,” but I dislike this advice as I find it to be short sighted. Why? Because to only buy what’s on your list means you aren’t stocking up on unexpected sale items. A good example of this are the above English cucumbers, which are all the rage right now thanks to Logan, aka the “Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber” guy. 48¢ is a screaming good deal for safe sex cucumbers, English cucumbers, so I bought two. Were they on my list? Nope, but this variety of cucumbers are popular for a good reason as they’re tasty, healthy and versatile.

   My grocery total was $54.12, here’s what I bought:

   • 18-pack carton of eggs — $3.66 This is the price for “the first one” only.
   • Can of green salsa — $1.03
   • Peanut butter — $2.88
   • A bag of frozen mixed vegetables, perfect for stir fry — $2.48
   • A bag of frozen tater tots — $2.68
   • Fresh ginger — 60¢
   • Container of cleaning wipes for the bathroom — $3.19
   • Bag of fresh spinach — $2.28
   • Bag of frozen peas — $2.98
   • Bag of sweet mini peppers — $2.98
   • Two English cucumbers — 98¢
   • 4.13 pounds of great northern beans — $4.45
   • 1.5 pounds of pinto beans — $3.22
   • 3.11 pounds of garbanzo beans — $1.76
   • Bananas — $1.83
   • Two big tubs of Fage Greek yogurt — $11.58 (My husband prefers this budget buster brand for his work lunches.)
   • Two 8-ounce containers of cream cheese — $2.98
   • Flour tortillas — $3.08

   Winco generally has the best prices in town, but this is a not a truth universally acknowledged. I stock up on two-pound loaves of Tillamook cheese when they’re less than $6.50, which happens often enough at Safeway. Winco had theirs at $10.85, so this was a hard no. Luckily I stocked up on Tillamook cheese when it was on sale. Like the stock market, you “buy the dip!”

   

2. I showed my son that he was paying more per ounce on the larger bag of frozen blueberries when compared to the on-sale smaller bags. This is a lesson for everyone, (even me) that the larger package is not necessarily the cheaper choice.

3. My husband and son had a 5:30 P.M. soccer game this evening, so I started rice in the rice cooker and programmed it to not start until an hour later. We then came home and cooked Trader Joe’s potstickers in the cast iron skillet and doctored up a salad kit with extra lettuce and a chopped cucumber. Having a plan for post-soccer dinner saved us the expense of eating out. The plan doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be thought out. I try to keep a couple of easy meals on hand for this very reason.

4. • I deliberately cooked extra rice to use for veggie fried rice at a later date.
   • I finished reading my “Lucky Day” library copy of Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett. So so good!
   • I sold a pair of glittery vintage pumps* that I’ve had on eBay for ages. $30 and I’m happy to see them go!
   • I sold a $20 bloody clown costume through Facebook Marketplace.
   • I picked up an enormous $2.49 butternut squash at Trader Joe’s and used half of it to make a large pot of butternut squash soup. Heavy produce is actually a bargain at Trader Joe’s as they charge per item instead of per pound. Butternut squash, cauliflower and cantaloupe can be a great deal!
   • I thrifted a soft drapey cardigan sweater for just $3.50, as it was the half-off tag color. It was the only thing I bought.

5. No treasonous Cyber trucks.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”

Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Instagram.
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* This is an eBay referral link.

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