Five Frugal Things -- Day One in Vancouver
1) My husband and I took everyone's advice and explored North Vancouver's Lynn Canyon Park to traverse its famous suspension bridge. The drive there was chock-a-block, but the spectacular Lion's Gate bridge made up for it.
I had to snap a photo for my cousin "Lynn," because, c'mon . . . . they even spelled it correctly!
Be not fooled by the smile on my face, this narrow suspension bridge was supporting more humans than I felt comfortable with, especially as people walked both directions. It's hangs 50 meters above a ravine, which is the approximate height of a 15-story building.
It's in constant motion and terrifying.
I did some souvenir foraging to self regulate.
Luckily it had been a full nine days since a black bear was observed in the area.
This bridge was much more sturdy. Please enjoy that I'm sporting my recently embroidered baseball cap.
2) This was thirsty work, especially as there were 160 stairs from the canyon floor back up to the top! Luckily I'd filled my trusty reusable water bottle from the hotel gym's water dispenser. I'd spied it on my initial hotel exploration and it's my go to from here on out.
The hotel does provide free bottled water in the rooms, but I try to avoid single use plastics whenever possible.
We enjoyed our breakfast buffet apples in the car after our hike.
3) It's good that our breakfast and lunch leaned heavily into protein and fruit, as dinner was straight up junk food! Yes, we drove all the way up to Canada to dine on Costco Polish dogs and poutine!
We did choose plain seltzer instead of soda if that helps. Please enjoy that the cups say both "Go Canada" and "Allez Canada," which I didn't notice until I uploaded my photos.
I can report that the Costco poutine was straight up delicious! I've had poutine in the past and absolutely did not enjoy the "soggy French fry" mouth feel. However, these fries were extra crispy, which helped to retain their texture and the cheese curds melted really nicely. Much better, I get it now.
Our grand total was $10.61, which converts to $7.62 American dollars! Did I just win the frugal Olympics? This meal was especially inexpensive as we were initially in the neighborhood for Japanese udon noodles, but balked at paying $14 to park in a nearby structure.
5) We took another evening walk along the harbor, making sure to end the evening at the 2010 "Fire on Ice" Olympics cauldron/sculpture/thingy. I can imagine it was very dramatic with the flames.
We even made it all the way to the beginning of Wolk-Stanley Park, although we had to turn back as it was getting dark. Got our daily steps up to 14,872!
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.
Ooh! AND you are wearing your embroidered jacket, too!
1. Washed clothes at night for less expensive energy cost
2. Washed clothes in our 40+ year old washing machine, which was a hand-me-over from my parents.
3. Hung clothes out to dry on a drying rack.
4. Partner and I are doing a mystery shop for dinner tonight.
5. I made a small batch of "golden gravy" (sauce made with yellow tomatoes) that we will not have a chance to eat before they go bad.
I absolutely brought my embroidered denim shirt!
Yellow tomatoes are my favorite.
Your 40+ year old washing machine...all I can say is they don't make 'em like they used to.
We had a hand-me-down Maytag that was 35 years old when it suddenly blew up, water everywhere. Impressive! We replaced it with a scratch-and-dent Neptune, which was one of the very few front-load washers on the market at the time.
I laughed out loud at your “self-regulate” comment. LOL! I could not do that suspension bridge, all a-wobbly and full of people! No ma’am! I always enjoy your daily posts, Katy! Stay safe up north!!
It was swaying, which didn't help!
You were very brave to go on that suspension bridge. For years I had a recurring dream where I was on a swaying suspension bridge with big gaps in the slats and the water below was whitecap turbulent. A dream analyst would have had fun with that.
I made a big pot of veggie soup that included using bags of frozen veggies that had been hiding in the back of the freezer. I tried edamame in the soup and loved it. I also added a random grain (farro) I need to use up.
I pressure washed the entire deck that has needed it for years. Every single board from top to bottom, plus the inside part of the fence I didn’t get to last year, and the part of the siding that gets the most shade thus has the most green on it. I still have some more to do but I need a break after those 7 hours in the heat. I know I saved hundreds because my mom had her house siding and drive done and it was $900.
Sewed a towel that had a large rip instead of demoting it to the rag shelf.
Yesterday I went to the bent ’n’ dent grocery store and spent $17 compared to the $60 I would have spent at WM. That includes our 9.75% tax on food. I mostly got canned basics (tomatoes, green peas, and a few cans of beans) plus a couple of fun things, like a vegan m&m-type candy that was $1, normally $5-6 and some vegan Kraft mac and cheese, priced at .59 each instead of the usual $3 or so a box. When I got to the register I was told they were now 3/$1 so yes we now have 6 boxes. Lol All dated this year and I can pretty much guarantee the white pasta and powdered cheese is going to be good for quite some time!)
Got a surprising 4,575 points for a receipt on Fetch and a planned $12.48 back on Ibotta for the exact pet items I needed to buy anyway.
Took our almost-15 year old dog for his first pup cup when we got ice cream at ColdStone. He got his free whipped cream and we got $3 off our Silk chocolate ice cream thanks to an offer on my rewards card.
You are hitting the best parks! I've never seen the suspension bridge that busy.
Your hat is so happy in the wild!
I'm impressed with your Costco full meal deal, however, if you feel exotic there is a Japanese hot dog restaurant that is so oooh good!
Thanks for taking us on your trip!
No way would I go on that suspension bridge! I admire your bravery.
This morning I got a haircut. I got 20% off for being a senior. Then I tipped 20%, so it all came out even.
Beforehand I had breakfast at Corner Bakery, using my birthday coupon for a free treat. I opted for a filled croissant. I also bought a small coffee, and I was a little shocked that it cost $3.65. I shouldn't be, I know. I didn't drink it all, so I brought home the remainder and added it to the coffee already chilling in the fridge.
I walked for 40 minutes. I found a perfectly good clementine and two empty shoeboxes that will be great for shipping. Also a receipt.
I watched more Ted Lasso on my free trial. My son recommended Shranking and Severance also. I don't think he understands that I don't watch TV 24/7. Will never get that done in just a week!
We have been asked to conserve water, as our reservoir is full, and the rains keep coming. I took a sponge bath this morning and I'm delaying running the dishwasher.
Beth, I'm confused - why is it necessary to conserve water when the reservoir is full and the rains keep coming?
It looks like a great time! I dont know if you have watched the movie Canadian Bacon, but a fun fact they highlight is when John Candy's American character brings a truck into Canada, and gets pulled over for the truck not having it's signage in both English and French. Apparently it is a custom to have the signs in both languages. I'm wondering if that is true for the cup and other things.
My frugals lately.....lol...
1. I am picking my son up from school from an after school activity. He has requested food. I think I am going to take him to Costco shopping with me and get him whatever he wants at the food court which will be larger in quantity and lower in price than most places.
2. Last night we got a Costco roaster chicken and had leftover rice and some frozen corn. Best $5 dinner ever.
3. My neighbor rehomed some cat food to my house. My cats are very excited about wet cat food treats.
4. I have started to become a Taco Bell person. I know this is controversial, but their $5 luxe box is not a bad deal. It's a beefy 5 layer burrito, taco, soda, and cinnamon twists for $5. I remember when the beefy 5 layer burrito came out and was just .99 cents about 17/18 years ago. I would go get one as a treat for myself when my son was a newborn. Those were the days....
5. At some point this year I decided not to buy more personal care products in an effort to use down what we have on hand. I have now officially run out of liquid soap and am on the last soap which is foaming. We are down to bar soap!!! Glad we are using what we have instead of continuing to buy buy buy
Oh that suspension bridge! I give you, Mr. NCA and every other person on that bridge a pat on the back. It looks too high for me. Plus the motion...feeling a shiver thinking about it.
1. I bought a large green pepper on sale and fried it with an onion then froze it for future American Chop Suey. Or as my late father used to say: American Slop Chewy.
2. I went to the town library to my once a month volunteer job of shelving returned books. While there I returned two books, and picked up another one. With the help of one of the librarians, I carried in five bags of books to donate to the Friends of the Library's ongoing sale in the lobby.
3. For reading two more books I earned two more tickets for their Summer Reading Bingo raffle which will be drawn later this month. The prizes are specific genre book bundles, puzzles and other gifts. It's always fun to do plus I read anyway so why not get in on it.
4. I washed and hung our shower curtains outside.
5. The weather has started to cool down a bit so no need for the air conditioner during the day. That's a win since the humidity has been like soup for days now. The meteorologist says one more day of it, then drier air is moving in. Yay!
I do not usually comment on this site but as you are in my country and visiting one of my favourite cities (I live on the other side of the country and I don't get there often!), may I recommend you visit Granville Island. There is so much to see and do there....and it shouldn't break the bank! LOL
So glad you two are taking a vacation and you are posting during it. THANK YOU!!!!
Ditto.
FFT: called a few farm supply places and found a good deal on dog food. We are feeding 12 dogs. The 4-hers are keeping me in homemade dog and horse treats.
2. Received a load of sawdust for bedding in the barns from a cabinet maker.
3. My uncle brought us a tote of watermelons and 50 lbs of Walla Walla sweet onions on his way home from Idaho.
4. My friend with a farm stand brought me the leftovers from the previous day. We weigh and keep tally and will pay him when the refugees can go back home.
5. Picked a bushel of wind fallen peaches to freeze.
Boring list, I know.
BGF, I think your list is the opposite of boring!
What will you do with 50 pounds of onions?!
I make Instant Pot caramelized onions for the freezer when there's a windfall. They reduce to nothing and make everything delicious.
Enjoying your vacation with you! It was 102 today and is "only" 96 at 9 p.m. so enjoy the cooler weather.
1. Took apart an LED flashlight I had gotten free a few years ago from Harbor Freight. It was a major undertaking. This is a square flashlight and you have to unscrew three little bitty screws to get it apart. I used a tiny Phillips screwdriver made for eyeglass repairs and got the thing open. It takes 3 triple AAA batteries and I found some in the stash my former roommate left behind. Didn't have to buy anything to repair it. The thing is working again, so I'm very happy. It has several rows of little round LED lights, and the ones they now have only have one strip that lights that aren't as bright.
2. Some outdoor lights on the far side of the garage do not work due to bad wiring. So I took a magnetic battery operated light that looks like a light switch out there. It has a strong magnet on the back. I attached it to some metal on the side of the garage so that it is near the water spigot. This will allow me to see well enough to turn the sprinkler on and off in the dark. I don't get home until after 8 p.m. and watering restrictions mandate that we only use the sprinkler in early morning or late evenings on certain days. I can't get all the watering done in the mornings, and now that the sun will be setting earlier, I have to be able to see that outside faucet when I water at night. It's so hot that the St Augustine grass is withering, so I need to water the grass longer
3. Filled up with gas at $3.57 a gallon, cheaper than a week ago.
4. Dumped ice from a dozen ice cube trays into an old ice bin in the freezer, and am filling up one or two trays a day to refill the bin. With the August heat, we are using LOTS of ice!!! Its even better than when the automatic ice maker worked because these cubes are various sizes; all the ice cube trays are different, obtained at different times from different garage sales or relatives giving us their old trays. That helps ensure we have the right sized cubes for whichever water bottle or glass we're using.
5. Was not the subject of a doctor's essay in the New York Times asking what's wrong with me and am I unfit for my job.
Poutine as you describe it is an abomination. Hot beef/hot turkey sandwich with gravy over fries sans cheese is okay. What you ate is an insult to potatoes. Notice no gravy over the Polish. And this is from a person who loves gravy but it only should pair certain main proteins.
I have to disagree: poutine is DELICIOUS!
Oh, I beg to differ. Poutine (done well) is a very delicious treat!
Poutine done poorly, however, is not quite so appetizing.
Glad you are enjoying Vancouver! AKA my home city. Here's a link to all the public places you can access drinking water if you're out and about this week.
https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/water-fountains.aspx
Thank you!!!
Doh! If I'd known you'd be on campus (Day 2 post), I'd have included that link too. UBC and the surrounding lands are not part of the City of Vancouver - random fact that many Vancouverites also do not know.
1) My son finally gave up on his troublesome dishwasher and found a ~$2000 Asko on FBMP for $100. My husband helped pick up and install. It's gorgeous, incredibly well made, and so quiet you can't tell it's on. Like my $5 thrifted Kenmore - which had never even been fully installed - it was part of a fancy new kitchen that was never used because it didn't represent the deep soul purpose of the new owners. I know, so snarky! I don't make a habit of judging others' spending, and what we judge can be a clue to what we envy, but I've checked my conscience. While I wouldn't mind being a person who *could* - that's not the same as being a person who *would.* I remind myself that this kind of extraordinary deal wouldn't be available without wastefulness, and selling it is far better than trashing it.
2) I picked up free beets from Buy Nothing and will make borscht with the chicken stock from our homemade wings (BOGO wings and hot sauce, rebated feta in the dipping sauce), and a $1.50 bargain bag of 1.5 large horseradish roots, while planting the top for more fresh horseradish. Skipped the Tuesday grocery trip and made do. Made falafel, and was shocked to realize that the last jar of tahini in the pantry, all the way in the back, expired in 2019. I was about to throw it out since rancid sesame oil is a least favorite smell, then forced myself to stop and check it. Pristine and delicious.
3) Checked the house and yard for derecho damage. We were lucky; others in the region lost their homes or cars, but we had just a few lost shingles. Small branches everywhere. It's a reminder to update our home insurance.
4) I've bought 58 items on Vinted: it's time to stop and finish relisting everything I'm not keeping while the free shipping deal is still on. Seems excessive, but I really do need to replace most of my clothes, and don't have the spoons for in-person thrifting. I returned two items via USPS.
5) I've been meaning to make a small, low Little Free Library just for preschoolers. Son's friend found one being given away by a coworker, and we'll fix it up together. I'm ruminating on a fun new roof and decorations.
PS: didn't starve sailors (er, "suckers and losers") trapped onboard in my foolish war until they abandoned ship.
So glad your trip is going well! I had to cross a smaller suspension bridge on a hike in New Zealand - it wasn't optional, as there was no other way to go. There were quite a few on the hike, over large waterfalls. I tried really hard to walk smoothly/steadily, while getting across as quickly as possible.
1) Leftovers for dinner (or, planned "overs", rather)
2) Bought additional workout classes when they offered the bonus classes with it. I've priced out a full membership at my studio, and the math definitely doesn't work because I travel so much. I'll re-run the numbers once I've stopped working (and traveling for work), but I still think the class pack is better for me.
3) I've been running scenarios to determine the best ROI on our spend for the year. We put everything on our credit cards (which we pay off every month) & they offer rewards. I've hit one of the milestones on a card, which means I could switch to one of two other cards for rewards. Now I just need to determine which one has the best rewards redemption options/or what we will get the most value out of in the upcoming months.
4) Planned ahead for DS19's move in by ensuring the first & last month's rent is paid, and then submitted for a 529 withdrawal for the first month's rent. I'l need to wait on the last month's rent, as that's technically in a different tax year, and expenses + 529 withdrawals have to happen in the correct tax year.
5) Went through & pulled out all of the ski clothes in our two largest duffel bags. Put everything in garbage bags, which will be used as garbage bags once the duffel bags are back in circulation. Said duffel bags will now go with us to college move in, and then I can fold them up and take them home in my carry on. Let's see how much we actually have, once DS19 starts packing.
We must live in parallel universes. I had a long day & then went to Sam's to get my Rxs before the pharmacy closed. It was 1900 & I had not had dinner. I had a delicious Nathan's all beef hot dog w/ all the trimmings. I had mustard, ketchup, relish, and sauerkraut piled on. The hot dog was massive & filling. I also had a diet Dr Pepper. No poutine in Texas. I didn't know what poutine was until I read the comments. Super cheap (but unhealthy) meal at $1.62.
I see you are wearing your thrifted duds in your blog pics. Purple tee, embroidered shirt & cap, topped off w/ red sunglasses courtesy of the American Red Cross. When you add the cheap meal at Costco your have entered frugal nirvana.
Frugal from the top of my head to the tips of my toes!
That’s the Capilano bridge. I had to work up courage to cross it; I hate heights!
Thanks for all the photos and ideas. I live in Chicago but have been privileged to visit Vancouver several times - a beautiful location. I suggest frugal transport: Vancouver has an excellent public transport system. Every station, train and bus is clean and trips are quite inexpensive. People watch rather than watching for traffic signals. Relax and see the city as locals do. Easy to hop off and explore an eye-catching park, old building, art center, or restaurant. Save gas costs, parking fees, and those nasty emissions into our precious air!