Five Frugal Things -- Using Buy Nothing to Get Rid of Stuff
1) I wanted a bookmark from The University of British Columbia's Anthropology Museum, so I grabbed a pamphlet. The paper was too flimsy for long term use, so I grabbed a thick postcard I already owned, glued the two papers together and cut it to shape.
There, now I have the postcard I wanted and it only cost a few minutes of my time. We spent $52 Canadian on museum entry, so I feel zero guilt for this frugal hack.
2) I started reading a library copy of Out on a Limb, which someone on the blog recommended.
It'll qualify for the "Author/Main Character with a Disability" square on my Powell's Books bingo card and get me that much closer to the full "blackout."
I know that Powell's intention with this game is to sell books, but I rationalize my I-only-read-library books with the knowledge that they they make a healthy profit from the books I sell to their used books department.
3) I panic purchased eight brand new bed pillows in April when readying my house for four house guests. We simply didn't have enough decent pillows and I didn't want to be accused of P.A.H.B. (Passive aggressive hostile bedding.) I take pride in providing comfortable accommodation for my frequent house guests and lousy pillows undo best intentions. Mind you, I have enough good pillows for a guest or two, but four guests put me over the edge.
Unfortunately, I ordered online and somehow didn't notice that they were "queen" size and absolutely enormous. Think "bolster" instead of "bed pillow." (You can hardly even cram them into standard pillowcases!) They'd be great to lean against while reading in bed, but your neck would suffer were you to sleep directly on them.
I get a crick in my neck just thinking about it!
Standard porch chair for size reference.
I set them aside once my guests returned home and got on with my life. Until yesterday while setting up my youngest's childhood bedroom for my sister. I had the epiphany that people in my Buy Nothing group might welcome essentially brand new pillows.
Bingo!
Three Buy Nothing neighbors wanted two apiece and four pillows have already been rehomed. I'm holding onto the last two as bolster pillows and happy to be putting six to use, instead of cluttering up my home. I just need to figure out better pillows for the next time I get an influx of guests.
4) We gifted all the beer brewing equipment that my husband had been storing in the basement. I hadn't realized how much there was, so I'm extra happy to clear it from the house!
This is where you learn that we have a really big basement, because I was 100% unaware of how much physical space these items were taking up!
Anyway, happy to use Buy Nothing to put this Stuff back into circulation and declutter another area of our home.
5) I sold two more items on eBay, both to the same buyer. She sent a message to let me know she was a blog reader, so I offered to refund the shipping on the second item.
These sales are from my $100 Goodwill Gift Card Challenge, so all profits will go to the Oregon Food Bank. I bought both these lightweight items at the Goodwill bins, which means I have less than a dollar into them.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
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.
I stopped at Panera using my sip club for ice tea. They made too many cinnamon crunch bagels so they offered me a free one. Yum yum
Made a return at Target and scanned the receipt for Fetch and Aisle rewards.
If you are a “I-only-read-library-books” person, then where do you get books to sell to Powell’s? Are you sourcing them from the bins? The bins price seems very expensive, so I wonder about strategies to make sure a book will be worthwhile.
I’m back from my trip and agree that there’s nothing like sleeping in your own bed after a vacation.
I have a whole lot of canning to do over the next month. So much ripe fruit! And tomatoes!
I get them from various free boxes.
Nothing to lose!
And the 80% that Powell's doesn't buy buy into my little free library.
1. I used my credit card points to buy a plane ticket to visit my daughter.
2. I had my car serviced at the dealership for "free". I get free maintenance for the first 25,000 miles. I took advantage of the free soda and snacks while i waited.
3. I used a BOGO coupon at a new coffee shop for drinks for me and my youngest.
4. I cleaned and cut up my elderly produce and made a dill dip. I'm eating this with meals until I can get to the grocery store.
5. I organized all the charging cords in my cupboard. I used items I had on hand to store them in. I also found two more tamagotchis that I will sell for my youngest. I have already sold all of my middle daughter's for her.