The Non-Consumer Advocate

My sister is visiting from New York for a couple of weeks, so today’s blog post is going to be very sister-centric. Both of us are rather cash poor at the moment, so we’ve assigned a theme of “Two Thin Dimes” to her trip. Because why not rebrand a limitation as a fun challenge?

1. We invited our mother and step father over for dinner last night and served a “burrito buffet” of pinto beans cooked in the Instant Pot, (bulk purchased from Winco of course!) rice, plus a variety of veggies and such. Dessert was a carton of $3.99 Tillamook chocolate peanut butter ice cream, which is my favorite flavor.

   Zero complaints, at least not in front of me.

2. I set up my son’s old bedroom for my sister, which involved washing the bedding, dusting the room, running my beloved robot vacuum and placing a laundry basket in the room. I also brought up a small table from downstairs and placed some of my backyard hydrangeas in a vase. I was tempted to pick up a sweet treat, but my son talked me out of it.

   How is this frugal? I chose “I’m having a house guest” as a creative challenge instead of an excuse to buy anything new (or even thrifted) for the room. I remembered that I had a bag of hard coffee candies, which I’d received as a gift, so I put one on her pillow case. The room looked all fresh and inviting and I didn’t need to spend even one thin dime.

3. My son wanted something specific from IKEA, so we went after his work day, which happened to be on a Tuesday. Their entrees are all half-off on Tuesdays, so the two of us had dinner for just $7.98. And yes, we had the meatball platters.

4. • I put a pile of CDs from the after-garage sale freebie night into our little free library. I’d run them past a consignment shop first and these were the ones they didn’t take.
   • My sister and I stopped into a small church thrift shop and I didn’t buy anything, although my sister bought some crocheting supplies for her classroom.
   • I donated a bag of miscellaneous things to Goodwill and made sure to get a receipt for my taxes. I wrote down everything I donated to get the full deductions.

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.
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In addition to this blog, I also run a companion Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group, which is currently hovering around 79,000 members. Prospective members have to answer a simple question, which helps to weed out the ever present spammers. The answers are always interesting, so I’ve started saving them to share in blog posts. 

Enjoy!

1. I read your blog and comment fairly regularly and always enjoy a frugal community.

2. Because my house is fit to burst with the amount of ‘stuff’ I keep buying and I desperately want to change this.

3. To be wiser in spending and learn from others.

4. Be part of a frugal community.

5. I’ve followed your blog for many years. My background is frugal PA Dutch but I continue to learn many new money saving tips/tricks from the blog.

6. Join like minded people saving money.

7. Trying to cut down the amount I consume and spend.

8. I follow you on IG and I just love your frugal tips!

9. To find more people who are like me.

10. I’ve been living frugally for over 40 years, but there’s always room to up my game! A community of likeminded folks is inspiring. Also, have followed your blog for years.

11. I love your blog and want to be even more inspired with using what I have.

12. Inspiration to spend less money on things I don’t need. To be less wasteful with what I already have.

13. I am inspired by the blog posts and am hoping to be part of the group to hear what others are doing to be frugal.

14. To share frugal and money saving ideas.

15. Saw your profile on the Frugal Girl’s blog. I’ve had to be frugal my entire adult life….so, always looking for ways to save.

16. Refill shop owner.

17. I’m interested in learning more about being more of a minimalist and less of a consumerist.

18. I’ve been reading your blog for almost a year, and get great ideas/motivation from it. I’d love to see what others are doing/posting.

19. I saw this group mentioned on the Tightwad Gazette Fan Club and was intrigued. I am a proud frugalista and will do whatever I can to use resources wisely rather than automatically buying new.

20. I would like to live more self-sufficiently, and more sustainably.

21. My wife is a podiatrist and reads your blog.

22. Moving towards less consumerism.

23. To learn how to save more money in life.

24. I want to become a non consumer don’t know where to start.

25. I would like to see more anti-consumption information and inspiration in my feed to combat facebooks ads.

26. I was actually invited to this group by a friend so I really don’t know much about it. But I am interested in consuming less, reusing things, mending, and repairing things.

27. I follow the Instagram account and enjoy it, so this seems fun!

28. Get ideas from other like minded people.

29. Because I LOVE your IG posts!

30. Ideas.

31. I enjoy reading your blog, including the comments. I think the Facebook group might give inspiration as well.

32. Joining the non consumer movement.

33. Learned about you from the frugal girl and I love your blog; I have downsized and want to do more without feeling guilty about selling all my kids things as they are done with them-other people keep some or lots of their kids outgrown items

34. Recently found your blog from a link in frugal girl and am loving it.

35. Looking to live a more frugal and simple life.

36. To join a like-minded community.

37. Ideas.

38. Joining the non consumer movement.

39. Your blog is comical and light hearted but very interesting on how you progress through this consumable world.

40. To learn and meet people who consume less.

41. I’m trying to be content with what I have.

42. A friend shared it with me thinking i may like it. read the NYC post and was intrigued. 🙂

43. You are My People!

44. I’m always interested in getting more ideas to be frugal and take care of our planet.

45. I would like to be better at using what I have before purchasing more.

46. Learn.

47. Want to stop buying.

48. I like and need ideas and inspiration for being a non-consumer.

49. I like and need ideas and inspiration for being a non-consumer.

50. As a lifelong frugal guy originally from New England, I’m fascinated with the benefits of a low consumption lifestyle but finding it hard to practice in a large family with so many wants. Looking for daily inspiration!

51. I’m addicted to shopping and need inspiration for less.

52. I’d like ideas to spend as much use less

53. I be under-consuming 🤠

54. To reduce my carbon footprint.

55. I despise society as it stands. I want community.

56. Reduce consumption, be more self conscious of consumerism and save money.

57. Because I need to reverse course from being an over consumer… this hasn’t been a healthy way to live…. please help!

58. I’ve been following reduce, reuse and recycle for years.

59. overconsumption disgusts me.

60. I think I would fit in.

61. It seems to align with my values.

62. Information.

63. Slow spending, waste less.

64. Currently started my pursuit into becoming a Consumer (“non”-consumer”) Advocate for NJ Citizens! Would like to gather any & all information from every angle possible that would better help me in helping our people!

65. Long-time blog reader. Not on FB much, but would love extra NCA content and community.

66. I have been mostly a minimalist for about 15 years and I have just come across “underconsumption core” which is what I already do. I came across your website which I had forgotten about and it led to finding this group.

67. I am interested in reducing my spending and acquiring on stuff.

68. Because I’m trying to stop buying stuff I don’t need.

69. I’m looking for others who are like minded.

70. To help the environment.

71. To get advice on pricing used items to sell and purchase.

72. Interested in ideas and inspiration from like minded folk.

73. Interesting.

74. I need to limit my shopping and do better with using what I have and make better choices.

75. Advice.

76. For support to not feel like I need to consume.

77. Get ideas on how to minimize consumerism.

78. I’ve long been interested in ways to make our family lifestyle less consumer focused, more minimal and frugal, and have enjoyed the content on your website – would love to be a part of a larger community!

79. To get some helpful tips.

80. My sil and I have spent years supporting each other on our frugal journey. She recently mentioned the Non Consumer Advocate blog, I started reading, and now I’m hooked.

81. I’ve shared a post on my wall that a member of this group thought that would be appropriate here so I am coming here to check it out and learn stuff.

82. Wanting to become less of a consumer and would appreciate great ideas from other like minded individuals.

83. I love DIY projects and upcycling or recycling what others would consider garbage.

84. Learn about reusing.

85. Looking for ideas to reduce what I send to the landfill.

86. Interested in thrifting, up cycling and zero waste!

87. Getting myself out of the mass consumerism mindset.

88. To use less resources. Saving money is nice too.

89. I like to try to find useful ways to use items rather than throw them away.

90. I don’t like being a consumer first and a person second.

91. To ask creative people for ideas.

92. Learn to live simply, not consuming.

93. To learn from others.

94. I am inspired to find more ways to be frugal when I observe others doing the same.

95. I found you through the Frugal Girl Blog. I am reading your blog and love what I am learning and have been on quest of my own to consume less, buy from the thrift store and use what we have.

96. Because…the earth!

97. To get ideas about the repurposing and recycling of throw away items.

98. Decrease waste.

99. To learn new ideas.

Which was your favorite? I rather enjoyed “I despise society as it stands. I want community.”

“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 received a $2.21 “Peak Time” rebate on my electric bill for decreasing my electricity usage from 5-8 P.M. on a specific day. Portland General Electric sent me a head’s up text the day before, so I knew to be deliberate with my electricity. It just so happens that we was going to be out of town that day, so it was no sacrifice.

   However, I’d somehow not earned that same rebate on a day my husband and I were also at the Oregon coast, so I thought about what to do differently this time. I turned off the air purifiers that we run 24/7, as well as the whole house fan that we also run all summer. (Asthma gal likes the cleanest air possible!) Apparently this was enough to make a difference. I’ll remember these changes for the next peak time notification, as I’m perfectly fine to go without them for a couple of hours every now and then.

   As a reminder, we have simple window unit air conditioners and only run them if we’re cooling off a bedroom for sleep.  So there’s not actually that much to cut from our normal electricity usage.

2. I made another batch of blackberry jam from the berries that I foraged during our overnight anniversary trip to Astoria, Oregon. I now have fifteen jars in the basement, which should get us through until next year. Lucky that I stashed a couple big zip-top bags in my purse for the 4-1/2 pounds of berries that I gathered!

   Considering that a single jar of Bonne Maman blackberry jam is $7, I dub this a frugal win of the highest order!

3. My husband and I stopped at a Home Depot that’s directly off the freeway on our way home from the Oregon coast. My husband and his brothers are madly working to ready his late parent’s house for sale and the light is finally at the end of the tunnel. The carpet needs to be replaced, so we stopped in to choose the style and arrange for installation without it being an extra errand.

   There was a lot of delayed maintenance that created unnecessary problems with the house and it’s all extra complicated by there being no will or financial cushion. My husband and I are paying for everything out of pocket and getting the house sold is how we can repay our savings.

4. • I sold some pretty silver upholstery fabric* that I’d listed on eBay at least two years ago. (Forty bucks, minus fees!) I love selling fabric as it takes up almost no space to store and is the freaking easiest thing to mail out, as it slips into a mailer bag and there’s zero chance of it breaking en route!
   • I used the cooled down canning water to water my backyard plants.
   • My husband and I shared a plate of fish-and-chips for our anniversary dinner.
   • I batched errands, which allowed me to stop by a specific garage sale, bring my husband the packed lunch he forgot at home, pick up my library holds and stop into Fred Meyer for sugar. These stops created a logical loop to avoid going back and forth for single errands.
   • I bought a $1 pair of kitchen tongs at the garage sale.
   • I froze the additional blackberries.
   • Our next door neighbor fed the cat while we were out of town. We took in their mail and watered their plants when they were out of town last month. No money changes hands, just neighborly good vibes.

5. No Lear Jet and I didn’t fly myself to France to show off my awesome break dancing moves.

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.

*Referral link

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1. I wanted black bean burgers for dinner, but didn’t have buns or interest in making them from scratch. Instead I mixed up a batch of black bean burgers and and spread them on corn tortillas. I then grilled them over thinly sliced onion in an oiled cast iron pan and served them with cheddar, sliced peperoncinis, ketchup, mustard and lettuce. I would’ve added tomatoes and pickles, but I didn’t have any on hand.

   I’ve seen people making these “smash burgers” tacos with hamburger meat, but I thought I’d play around with the recipe. People, they were delicious and a huge hit at my house! Super cheap, (I cooked the beans in my Instant Pot) healthy and yummy. Definitely getting added to the rotation!

2. My husband and I went out of town to celebrate our 31st anniversary and used points to pay for the hotel room. We chose to eat at home before leaving and to grab $1.50 Costco hotdogs for lunch. Dinner was taco cart burritos as we’re being very careful with money right now. It’s okay to be cheap.

   

3. I picked blackberries at my secret spot in Portland and had enough for seven jars of jam and plus extra for the freezer.

   There were tons (and tons) of wild blackberries growing next to our hotel, so I filled a gallon-size ziploc bag and brought them them home for another batch of jam. Have I mentioned that I love free food?

4. • My step mother gave me a bag of fresh figs from her tree.
   • I picked up another ponytail holder, which I’ll throw into the dishwasher to sanitize.
   • I finally used up the 10¢ boxes of pectin that I bought on clearance at Fred Meyer a few years ago.
   • Still rocking the dorky orange sunglasses that I pulled from a neighborhood free box last year.

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.

* Referral link.

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The weather has been extra nice here in Portland, so I decided to go for an after-dinner walk. My friend Lise was busy and my husband was tired, so I took off on my own. I opened my free Libby app to cue up my current audiobook, (Yours Truly, by Abby Jimenez) and began my journey.

I left the house yelling over my shoulder that “I need fresh inventory,” which was a joke. Mostly, because it’s uncommon for me to return home without having picked up something or other that my area’s residents set out for free. Sometimes it’s something to keep, but lately it’s something to sell. Just yesterday I sold a small curb picked coffee maker locally for $7 and I also sold two freebie chairs while I was out of town, one for $40 and the other for $75!

Mostly though, I’m out to get a bit of exercise and clear my mind. That is, until I come across a free box/pile.

Like this box of downed apples and pears. I took four apples, which were in better condition than the ones I left behind in this photo. I didn’t take any pears as they do a number on my gut.

I passed by a few other free boxes without falling to temptation, like this one:

I was briefly excited by this array of free items, but I didn’t end up taking anything. In retrospect the push mower would’ve been a smart item to grab for resale, but instead I left it for some other lucky pedestrian.

Too bad I didn’t need hangers:

The one freebie that stopped me in my tracks was this trio of Rejuvenation light fixtures! Although Rejuvenation was sold to Williams Sonoma awhile back, they’re still a Portland based business in my mind and very popular with Portland buyers. Their quality stands out in a Home Depot world and is easily recognizable.

Even in the waning light I was able to confirm my suspicions.

I quickly called my “tired” husband, giving him directions to my specific location and then stood guard over my loot. And like the weirdo that I am, I even took a selfie:

By the way, these light fixtures start at $249 apiece before you add a glass shade!

My job now is to wash and shine them up and then list them for resale on Facebook Marketplace.

So in the end it turns out I was walking for fresh inventory!

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 signed up for Portland General Electric’s Peak Time Rebates program, where you “earn rebates on your bill by reducing your energy use during these peak times.” I looked through the small print and it doesn’t seem like there’s a possibility of being charged extra, so it’s a slam dunk win. Especially since we don’t have central air conditioning and only use an individual AC unit at night to be able to sleep comfortably.

   Discount on my electric bill? Yes, please!

   

2. I decanted all the starts I’ve been propagating on the kitchen windowsill and got everything planted, mostly in outside flowerpots as there’s still so much warm weather left to the year. I now have extra monstera, fuzzy bunny, purple heart, pothos and mint plants to enjoy — without spending a penny! Needless to say, I scavenged the potting soil from various unused flowerpots.

   My favorite is the “purple heart,” which I combined with the “fuzzy bunny” and is now planted in a gorgeous flowerpot that I curb picked in early June. I really like the combination of deep rich colors.

3. I accepted a pretty Venetian glass necklace from someone in my Buy Nothing group, that I’ll probably give to my niece for her upcoming birthday. It was perfect timing too, as I’ve been experiencing jet lag and it forced me to peel myself off the couch and go for an evening walk.

   

4. • I did bring small gifts for my husband and kids from NYC, but they were simply unique Italian-food items from her grocery store. Inexpensive, tasty and didn’t add clutter into their lives.
   • My son stopped by and the two of us walked to the library to return books.
   • I baked a loaf of no-knead artisan bread, which costs maybe 25¢/loaf.
   • My neighbors are off on an overseas adventure and they brought over a cucumber that would’ve gone to waste.
   • I set a large ceramic flowerpot on the curb for someone else to enjoy. It was curb picked to begin with and I never truly liked it in the first place.
   • My mother took me out to lunch and my meal was oddly greasy. I’ve ordered this specific dish in the past and knew this was an aberration, so I spoke to an employee and they agreed and remade the dish for me. I had them pack it to go, as I wasn’t actually all that hungry and then dropped it off for my lucky daughter to enjoy.
   • I sold a Looney Toons Fiestaware plate* on eBay while I was away and I mailed it out using second hand supplies.
   • I was out of bar soap, so stopped by Dollar Tree on my way back from lunch and picked up three $1.25 two-packs. I miss when they were 3/$1, but this is still cheaper than other places. I also grabbed a couple bottles of shampoo and conditioner since I was already there.

1. No Lear Jet and no health issues from swimming in the Seine.

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.

* Referral link.

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“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.

{ 82 comments }

“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.

{ 45 comments }