The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I stopped at the library during their evening hours to pick up my holds. Portland libraries stay open until 8 P.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, which comes in handy more often than you’d think.

   

2. My daughter and I enjoyed delicious tostadas with a base of bulk purchased black beans, queso blanco, lettuce, pickled red onion, waffle-ironed tater tots, green salsa, cilantro sauce and hot sauce. If I could, I’d eat this meal every day.

3. I had my friend Sue over for lunch and I prepared a simple homemade lunch instead of heading to a restaurant. This way we both saved money and could relax at the house instead of pacing our time together based on restaurant service. My back patio is idyllic in the early afternoon and provides a better atmosphere than any neighborhood restaurant.

   

4. I wanted to fancy up some cheese and crackers for lunch, so I took a recently opened block of cream cheese and smushed a bunch of homegrown chopped chives and a bit of seasoned salt into it. I then molded it into a cylinder shape and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Looked like goat cheese, tasted amazing. I served it with my favorite Dollar Tree “Monet” crackers.

5. My green beans and raspberries are starting to ripen and I’m now eating a couple per day.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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I thrifted this outdoor chair at Goodwill maybe ten years ago, as it had a matching loveseat and the two pieces slotted perfectly onto the front porch. The fabric isn’t all the exciting, but it was neutral enough to be inoffensive. I love having the outdoor furniture and my husband and I enjoy having this space to hang out.

Apparently the fabric and stuffing was exciting to a neighborhood squirrel. Mind you, I’m pretty sure this happened at least two years ago and I’ve been going about my happy little life without doing anything about it ever since.

Until last night when I decided to attempt patching the torn areas, using fabric from the back of the cushion. I figured I couldn’t make it worse and the cost of the project would be $0.00.

I wasn’t worried about matching the fabric, as the back of the cushion is designed to never be seen. This replacement patch is made from a canvas tarp, stained but clean. I’m no seamstress, so I don’t have a fabric stash.

It’s kind of the same color tone?

I quickly learned that the sun bleached fabric was quick to tear and I created a few new problems as I mended the previous ones. Also, you’ll note that the fabric patches from the back are brighter than the top fabric that’s enjoyed years of sun exposure. However, I was going for a “good enough” solution, not a “behold the perfection” vibe.

Here’s the repair in the light of day. Not perfect, but also nothing to draw the eye. I figured out a solution that worked for me and will allow me to get years more service from this functional item.

There, much better!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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I’ve been practicing extreme frugality ever since I discovered The Tightwad Gazette while on maternity leave in 1998. I had a two year old, a newborn and an overwhelming  job working night shifts as a labor and delivery nurse. The ideas in that book hit me at just the right time.

I started washing out baggies, found free activities and I stopped frittering my money away five dollars at a time. My kids might be grown, but I still work hard to spend as little as possible on the small stuff. This might sound dour, but I consider it to be a creative challenge.

I figure out new ways to save money at least a couple times per week and those ideas often come from the comments section of this very blog!

You already know my favorite unusual money saving ideas, but today I want to know yours! What are you doing to stretch your dollars?

Please share your money saving hacks in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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1. I made a batch of pickled red onion, which’ll be a fun topping for various savory dishes such as tacos, salads, chili, etc. I spent 56¢ on the onion and used a cup of white vinegar, water, 1/6 cup of sugar, peppercorns, garlic powder and salt. The recipe recommended using a mandoline, but I have a recently sharpened knife and decently adequate knife skills. I followed this recipe, although they’re pretty much all the same.

2. I set two wastebaskets out on the curb and one was nabbed by a passerby before I could even walk back into the house. I put unwanted items out on a nearby corner that gets significantly more action that my own front yard and I don’t think I’ve ever set something out that didn’t get taken.

3. I took the 46 pounds of my late in law’s financial papers to the free shredding event that I wrote about last week. (Saved us $46!) What I didn’t write about was how among their hundreds (and hundreds) of unopened pieces of mail were two checks. One from a class action lawsuit for $200 and the other from their insurance company for $800. My husband contacted the insurance company and provided them with the proper paperwork to get it reissued. He also mailed paperwork to the class action firm, although that one’s likely to be a lost cause. My husband is the estate administrator, so he’ll split any funds with his two brothers.

4. • I borrowed two books — Emily Henry’s “Book Lovers” from my mother and Molly Gloss’ “The Dazzle of Day” from my father.
   • I mixed chopped chives into the last of some cream cheese. The chives have been in my freezer since last autumn when I harvested them from my garden. It’s good to preserve food, but it’s the goal to remember to actually eat it.
   • I mixed up a batch of The Frugal Girl’s cilantro sauce to use up some cilantro that was on its last legs. I’m not sure what I’ll use it for, but I’ll figure something out.

5. #5 is from my sister, who is a NYC high school teacher. They have a tremendous amount of cafeteria food that goes to waste, so the teachers can take home certain items. This is directly related to her sudden interest in making batches of “raisin forward” granola.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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1. I scored this Bonne Maman jar from a free box. My neighbor who sets them out in her yellow recycling tub is moving away, so it’s good to have a couple backup jars. These jars + Winco’s bulk food section =  a match made in heaven!

2. My next door neighbor invited me over for tea and croissant yesterday morning and we had a lovely chant and vent session. I brought my own tea and she supplied the pastry. We take turns hosting and it’s a perfect way to scratch that socializing itch without breaking the bank.

3. I made a cranberry coffee cake using this fantastic recipe that’s infinitely adjustable. The “cranberry” part was just leftover cranberry sauce that I swirled into the batter. I brought a couple squares to my neighbor, as well as serving it to the guest I was hosting.

4. I’ve started rehabbing a Restoration Hardware metal wastebasket that I picked up for free. I’ll do the reveal tomorrow, but rest assured that it’s worth the effort. Here’s a sneak peek of the rusty interior:

   

5. I made a big pot of white bean rosemary soup yesterday, which was extra yummy as I still had a bit of bacon leftover from making baked beans a few weeks ago. I like this frugal recipe as the white beans are a nice break from the pinto and black beans, which are a staple in my kitchen.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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1. I picked up a free Abercrombie & Fitch sweater at last week’s neighborhood garage sale, as it was cotton and I like natural fibers. It was a bit fuzzy, so I pulled out my sweater shaver and got to work. It didn’t actually look that bad, but I was still able to remove a satisfying amount of fuzz.

   

2. I spent a good twenty minutes weeding the parking strip in front of the house, which is a chore I’ve been procrastinating for at least three months. It sure would be nice to have someone else do my least favorite tasks, but it sure is cheaper to do them myself.

3. My husband gave away an extra bike that’s been sitting in our garage for a couple of years. We could’ve sold it, but he wanted to do something nice for a friend.

4. I watched a YouTube video from Frugal Fit Mom on why “Why looking poor is important in 2025” and paused the video to write down two different quotes:

   “Admire, don’t acquire” and “When you try to purchase status through objects, it does not work.”

   

5. I planted six summer squash seeds that I got for free, even though the packet was dated from 2022. Can’t hurt to try!

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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I started using a Mossery brand daily planner in 2020, as they were sold at a neighborhood store and I liked the size and configuration of the calendar pages. I also appreciated how you didn’t have to replace the entire thing each year, as they sell replacement inserts to tuck into their reusable covers. I learned that this specific planner helped me to stay organized and productive on a daily basis, which is how I became brand loyal.

Then I figured out that you can get a full year and a half from the planners by purchasing the blank pages instead of the calendar pages, so I switched over to that in 2021. Yes it took an hour or so to draw a calendar grid on each page, but I’m never one to shy away from a time consuming frugal hack!

My hack job calendar is a few weeks from running out, so I drove down to the store last week for a fresh blank insert only to discover that they’d closed their brick and mortar and don’t sell the blank inserts on their website. I even went to the Mossery website only to discover that the shipping on a single planner was $24.98, so I hatched a new plan.

Deep breath, Katy . . .

My friend Rosalie and I happened to walk over to a local consignment shop the other day, where I discovered that they had an entire shelf dedicated to nothing but used blank books. I chose one big enough for my over the top daily to-do lists, yet small enough to fit in my purse.

This $3 specimen fit the bill.

It took me a couple of hours to transform it from a blank book into a daily planner, but it was satisfying work and justified the binge watching of some old ER episodes. My current calendar still has a few weeks before it runs out of pages, but I’m now ready for that event.

I put way too much research into sourcing a not expensive planner replacement, but am ridiculously happy with my $3 solution. I didn’t overspend, I didn’t support that Schmeff Schmezos guy and I got to exercise my creative muscle! I love nothing more than figuring out frugal solutions to everyday problems.

Katy Wolk-Stanley 

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

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