My Non-Consumer Elevator Pitch!
by Katy on September 17, 2025 · 23 comments
One thing that I got out of last week’s FinCon Expo was that it forced me to tighten up my “elevator pitch.” You know, that tiny speech where you rush through your hopefully impressive vision in the short amount of time you get while sharing a metaphorical elevator. Okay, I wasn’t really trying to impress anyone, (nor did I take any elevators) but I wanted to concisely and articulately explain what I write about as The Non-Consumer Advocate.
Concise and articulate is easier said than done.
Yes, my blog about frugality, but it’s also about the ways in which our spending choices have the power to influence the world we live in. It’s personal finance, but also activism. It’s being #cheapaf for a reason.
Breathe, Katy . . . .
It went a little something like this:
“Hi, I’m Katy Wolk-Stanley and I’ve been writing The Non-Consumer Advocate blog since 2008. I made a decision in 2007 to not buy anything new for a year, and when that year I was over there was no going back. I encourage my readers to think about how their purchases influence their communities, not only from a financial standpoint, but also as a form of power.”
Short and sweet.
I’d then answer questions and learn about their platforms. I met so many amazing people and was not shy about introducing myself to people I follow on YouTube and Instagram. Of course I also discovered new accounts to follow and gained my own new followers.
My pitch seemed to land well and I subsequently have a couple possible opportunities as a result of the connections I made.
What do you think of my elevator pitch? Do you have anything to add? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s a great elevator speech. I also take away from the blog: community with a circular economy and consider the real cost of purchasing an item. How was the person who made it treated? What happens to the item? Can it be repaired or recycled.
I think your pitch is fantastic. I’m glad FinCon was such a good experience for you.
Perfect pitch!
Love the pitch. It would make me want to learn more about you and your blog, Insta. Also will you share the new people you are following on Insta? I am always up for learning new things.
It sounds like a great week all around at FinCon. I’d be interested in hearing about new content creators/bloggers/resources as well. I spent a minute thinking about how I have come to follow you and other frugality/financial independence/budgeting folks, and realized that YOUR blog led me to these creators:
Budget Girl (Sara)
Sara led me to Whitney Hansen of The Money Nerds
How to Money podcast with Joel and Matt
Kristen, the Frugal Girl
Oh, and Ken Ilgunas (oldie but a goodie) of Walden on Wheels (book)
And those folks have led me to even more frugality (and the like) resources. I guess all of this is to say– THANK YOU! Since I began reading your blog some 10 years ago, I have doubled (tripled?) down on buying used and rethinking consumption.
And I think it’s affected my family too, as my husband crafted me a small, reclaimed wood picnic table to use on our outdoor adventures and soccer games, etc. He sourced the wood from our neighbor’s mother’s old chicken barn (100+ year old redwood slats), plus maple from an old bowling alley floor (courtesy of the same neighbor), a leather belt portion to keep the legs in place when folded, and a carry strap that my mom had. It is the best gift I have ever received!
The backstory is that we saw a cute, small wooden folding table at a hotel in August, and I did an image search to discover it cost over $15o. He said subtly, “I think I can make that” and he did — but way better. 🙂
Your husband? A keeper!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!
When you mentioned FinCon last week, I went to their website and did some sleuthing. I was hoping to find some new blogs to follow. What I discovered is that there are a lot of blogs on how to manage finances, but very few that have the right feel. You seem like a real person. What I like about your blog is that you blog about little things, that don’t seem that effective, but that add up over the long run. I think everyone has observed that if you use your credit card to make a little purchase here and a tiny purchase there, it can add up to a surprisingly high bill. Your approach is like the converse of that. Avoiding little purchases here and tiny purchases there, can add up to surprising savings!
Another thing I like about your blog is that you keep it real, with none of the relentless positivity that other blogs lay on thick. Some blogs are so POSITIVE that I start thinking there must be something seriously wrong in that blogger’s life, and they’re overcompensating for it. Yes, I have an active imagination. Ha!
I also like that you normalize some of the crazy frugal things I do. For example, I just spent an hour cleaning a curb-found area rug, and now it is sitting out in the sun to dry. 🙂
Thank you, my blog is definitely different than the happy happy stereotypical mommy bloggers that proliferated back in the day. I love writing about my crazy lil’ frugal life, I know I learn nothing from standard blogs and platforms. I need nutty outside the box ideas!
I love that you brought home and cleaned a curb picked rug!
Good observations, Li! So many blogs start from the point of “When you spend money, do this to save.” This group is looking at how not to spend money in the first place. Not nutty or crazy at all!
I also appreciate that some but not the majority of the content suggests using electronic resources, apps, etc. I am not anti-technology; I am more peaceful when I limit its demands on me for time and information.
Love it! I don’t know how you could smush more down into 30 words or less, or whatever, but also let ’em know you pioneered boycotting the big box stores, huge corps., Schmezos and other billionaires back before it was fashionable. Meanwhile, there’s a lot of boycotting and consumer strikes going on these days. It’s the new fashion! On my facebook, I follow “TheOneCalledJai.” This guy posts regularly on social media, and just this year, founded an organization called The People’s Union Jai has called for several large-scale economic protests. You and he should get together and exchange notes!
I also follow @theonecalledjai. He/The People’s Union USA have called for a total economic blackout that started yesterday (9/16) and continues through September 20. I’m trying to hold off any spending for the five days, but am willing to make exceptions for essentials that can’t wait or local/indie purchases.
I appreciate that Katy doesn’t “neutralize” herself so she’ll be palatable to a larger audience. A friend used to have a budget cooking blog, and I remember her telling me that, because a large part of her readership was of the Christian home-schooler ilk, she had to be careful not to let them know her political views. It’s great that when people protest here that (boo-hoo) Katy is “making it political”, she just replies that everything is political, and she carries on as she always has.
I agree! I love everything about Katy’s blog.
I think your elevator pitch is spot on. I told someone today that my garden was my way of resistance. We have spent $130 on groceries this month so far, for 2 people and I’m gluten free (more expensive). Much of this was bulk shopping, 25 pounds of oats, 25 pounds of sugar, 25 pounds of flour, 25 pounds of pinto beans, 5 blocks of cheese, etc.
Would also like to know who/what accounts you have followed.
An elevator pitch of my own sounds like an interesting project.
A local thrift store that I like just sent out an email saying they were going to be more picky about what donations they accept because 1. people were dropping off unwashed, broken, missing parts items but more importantly 2. they were receiving so many donations that they couldn’t manage them all. I asked my friend (a historian) why she thought the thrift store was receiving so many donations in a down economy and with tariffs. She thought it was a great question and her guess was that people don’t realize the prices that are coming. It’s definitely not because people are doing well. I have seen more houses for sale and people leaving so this would account for some donation increase. I’m holding on to clothes I can remake, household items that could legitimately be useful to us or our adult children’s families. And not upgrading electronics (I’m looking at you Google pixel 6a with a faulty battery). We are loaning a car to one of our adult children’s families so that no one needs to participate in the car market right now.
Kara,
Another historian here (with a focus on material culture). I actually think a lot of people are becoming overwhelmed with owning so much stuff, especially cheaply made things. So not only are they decluttering, but deciding what to keep and what to let go of is–for many people–one of the few things they can control in life, especially in chaotic times. Just another perspective.
That is an interesting perspective! Thank you for that.
That has been going on for a while though. I’m super curious why in these last 2-3 months donation habits have changed.
Too many use donations to get rid of garbage. I do think some people know they may/will have to seriously downsize due to a rotten economy. And perhaps on short notice.
Upside is unlike 1981 thru 1985, 3/5/7 arms are *not* a thing. When “arms” are a mortgage option, you know rates are high (can you tell I am fed of with the whining that 7% and less mortgage rates are “high”?)
Kara, even (especially?) in the last 2-3 months, I think one of the ways people are dealing with being overwhelmed is by clearing the clutter. It’s one of the few things we can still control. I wonder, though, how much the increase in donations is fueled by people anticipating that they might have to move or downsize either because of a job loss or having their hours cut. I also suspect donations have increased because of people who have chosen to leave the US. I’ve read about an awful lot of folks who are choosing to become expats.
Also, younger generations today don’t want their parents/grandparents’ stuff. They might be looking for ways it can be used, through donations, rather than just trashed.
I think it is also demographics- especially the Boomers downsizing, dying and going in to assisted living. Some of it is seasonal too – it’s easier to clean out and donate in the pleasant weather months.
I volunteer at an upscale charity thrift shop and we have a ton of donations at the moment. We often have people donating deceased loved ones’ items. Often they can’t bear to discard them so they donate them and let someone else do the deed. We have people who are retiring and donate their professional wardrobes. We have lots of people downsizing or moving and now having to get rid of years of accumulated stuff because they suddenly have to “get real” about how much space they will have and the cost of moving all that stuff.
Katy,
That’s a spot on elevator talk for FinCon! I’d love to see you add a little component to mention why you focus on frugality and then post it in the NCA facebook group. There seems to be ongoing debate in that group about what qualifies as non-consumer. I would bet that the majority of people who follow that page have never read your blog.
I’m interested in how you know what items you curb pick or get fro
GW you can refurbish to sell