Non-Consumer Mish-Mash

by Katy on April 1, 2010 · 24 comments

It’s time again for Non-Consumer Mish-Mash, where I write a little bit about this and a little bit about that.

A New Discovery

My son and I were driving home yesterday from finally ordering his glasses, (yay!) when I noticed a store that had somehow escaped my notice. Not only was the parking lot full to bursting, (a good sign) but the store’s signage was so big as to be almost noticeable from space.

I cut across two lanes of traffic and aimed our brand new SUV towards the store, and boy am I glad I did, because this store was so wonderfully cheap I may never shop anywhere else ever again!

My son and I were greeted by a lovely older gentleman whose kind welcome warmed my heart. He must have been the owner.

We grabbed a shopping cart and began to grab the bargains left and right to fill it up. Myley Cyrus CD’s with all the profanity removed? Awesome! Cases of bottled water so crystal clear as to melt my heart? Bring it on!

Before I knew it, my cart was filled to the brim and it was time to pay for our purchases. Sure, there was some pushing and shoving, but I pretended I was a punk rocker and this was simply a mosh pit. The check out girl tried to sell me some reusable bags, but that’s just un-American, (I’m all about supporting the manufacturing industry at all costs) and I got the plastic bags I deserved.

Wow. Thank you Wal-Mart!

Feeding a Family of Four on a Budget

It’s getting harder than ever to keep a family’s food budget under control, but I’ve worked out a system that is sure to both save money and keep us filled up at all times!

And it’s called McDonalds drive through!

Before you jump to criticize, please hear me out. McDonalds is cheap, filling and most likely within a few miles of where you live. Add in the convenience of not having to cook or get out of your car, and it’s a win-win situation. My family eats at least 21 of our 35 meals per week from McDonalds and we’re never been happier!

Our favorite tricks are to order the double cheeseburger value meals and then super size it, which then feeds both the kids. My husband and I are partial to the Angus Bacon and Cheeseburgers. And at 790 calories, you know you’re getting your money’s worth. If we’re not uncomfortably full, then we know we’ve been scammed.

Give the McDonald’s diet a try. And make sure to tell them that The Non-Consumer Advocate sent you.

The Value of a Second Hand Item

My loyal readership knows that nothing makes me happier than finding second hand items that would otherwise have been sent to the landfill. My sons both had dental appointments this week, which turned out to be very profitable indeed. Why? Because your dentist’s office is a treasure trove of free and useful second hand items!

Don’t limit your dental dumpster diving (DDD) to toothbrushes and dental floss though, because their paper garbage can yield all kinds of financial documents from other patients. It’s like free money!

So next time you make a dental appointment, make sure to bring along one of your handy-dandy Wal-Mart plastic bags, cause you’ll be filling it up with goodies galore.

You’re Welcome!

Do you have any special frugal tips to add? Please share your ideas in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

P.S. Happy April Fool’s day!

{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }

Shannon April 1, 2010 at 9:07 am

LOL!!! Outstanding!

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tara April 1, 2010 at 9:18 am

Awesome!! Don’t forget my fave part about McDonalds: There’s no cleanup! Just toss all the wrappers in the trash! And I love having a houseful of inexpensive chinese made toys from the happy meals. lolz.

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Angela April 1, 2010 at 10:51 am

Love it. “He must have been the owner.”

I remember last year’s hilarious April Fools Day post about the Non-Consumer swimming pool.

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Katy April 1, 2010 at 11:59 am

That was my favorite part.

-Katy

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Lisa April 1, 2010 at 11:44 am

I read then re read the first mishmash. Wal Mart??? I knew it had to be the April Fool’s Day post! (Thank goodness! For a second I thought you’d went off the deep end.)

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Susanne G April 1, 2010 at 11:49 am

My heart sank as I read today’s post. But once we hit the McDonald’s part, I knew it was a joke. Thank you for all your great tips and ideas.

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Kristen@TheFrugalGirl April 1, 2010 at 11:56 am

I now know Katy well enough that my heart didn’t skip a beat. lol

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Katy April 1, 2010 at 11:59 am

Katy <3 Frugal Girl.

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Jinger April 1, 2010 at 1:55 pm

Well…I do shop at WalMart…on my budget, It’s where I go weekly.

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Katy April 1, 2010 at 5:21 pm

But are you buying profanity-free Miley Cyrus CD’s and bottled water?

-Katy

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Marilyn April 1, 2010 at 3:22 pm

Katy,
Yep, very cute! Happy April Fools day to you too!

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Dana April 1, 2010 at 3:25 pm

You totally got me.

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Judy April 1, 2010 at 3:28 pm

Katy,
LoL, It took me a minute, but Happy April Fool’s Day to you !

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Judy C. April 1, 2010 at 4:34 pm

This was scarier than “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”! 😉

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Susan B. April 1, 2010 at 6:39 pm

You totally had me for a second. Happy April Fools Day!

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BarbS April 1, 2010 at 6:40 pm

Best laugh all day!

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Lisa P. April 1, 2010 at 8:02 pm

Very cute but I can’t knock mcdonald’s ~ their sundae cups seriously make GREAT greenhouse-like planters for seedlings – keep the cup and the cover, wash well, add potting soil and place on a sunny window sill. Transplant and re-use! 🙂

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Jessica Wolk-Stanley April 1, 2010 at 9:44 pm

You forgot to pass on the amazing savings easily achieved by shoplifting from your favorite boutiques. It’s pennies on the dollar!

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Raffaella April 2, 2010 at 3:58 am

Bwahahah!!

I still prefer Myley with profanity anyway… she’s so neo-punk!

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Tracy Balazy April 2, 2010 at 4:31 am

I read your ChemLawn tweet (“Chemlawn is on their way over to spray my yard. Got to protect my investment, it’s the Non-Consumer way!”) and then re-read it, and then got to the ones about giving your kids black coffee before school and shopping at Wal-Mart, and then I KNEW it was a joke. You had me there for a minute!! 🙂

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Kim April 2, 2010 at 8:18 am

Truely funny! I’m just sorry I didn’t see this yesterday 🙂

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Stacey April 2, 2010 at 8:37 am

Wow, I can’t believe it took me that long to figure out it was an April Fools joke! I kept thinking, “Um….Walmart? McDonalds? What’s wrong here?!”

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Brian April 2, 2010 at 10:55 am

You didn’t fool me long! I stumbled over “new SUV”, read it a couple times and then realized it was yesterday’s April Fools post!

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Marie-Josée April 2, 2010 at 8:32 pm

Ha, ha, ha…. Gotta jump into a shuttle to get me some bottled water… I keep seeing that big sign every thirty minutes up here from the International Space Station!

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