The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I finished reading my library copy of Lisa See’s Peony in Love, which I started last month and somehow set aside. It’s an intense novel, and I do better with these types of books when I dedicate the time to reading them in sustained stretches. Worth it!

   For those looking for gripping book recommendations, may I suggest Lisa See’s The Island of Sea Women and The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane. Both amazing novels that I wish I could read for the first time all over again.

2. I enjoyed a filling and tasty tuna melt, made with a 28¢ can of Starkist tuna, between two slices from a $1 loaf of Franz rye bread. My dinner also featured an entire 50¢ container of raspberries from the Fred Meyer clearance shelf.

3. I happened to be at my laptop when an email popped up offering free Supercuts training center “long layer” haircuts. They only had one spot available, but I responded in under a minute and now have an appointment to get my straggly hair under control. For free. Free!

4. I bought a $13.79 box of chocolate dipped biscotti at Costco and dropped them off at an amazing LGBTQ+ health clinic that I can only imagine receives their unfair share of negative attention. I love that Portland has these important resources and I want to nothing more than to shower them with love. I’d make something from scratch, but know that food from a stranger is better when it’s sealed and trustworthy.

5. I sold a trio of vintage Mary Engelbreit Home magazines on eBay that I swear I listed around fifteen years ago. I subscribed to this magazine back in the day and loved how they shined a light on artists’ homes and studios — so creative and inspiring! Each issue featured a paper doll on cardstock, but I sold those for a pretty penny in 2005 or so. These late 1990s/early 2000s magazines predate the blandifying effect of HGTV on the American public.

Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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1. I pulled a Bob’s Red Mill mug from a free box. They recently closed their retail store, which is a huge bummer as it was always fun to shop from the bulk food section and then get lunch from their cafe. In the actual building that’s on all their packaging! Sigh . . . .

   

2. I used the IKEA bins that I curb picked a couple weeks ago to help my youngest move houseplants from their old apartment to their new one. They worked perfectly for the task and then stashed neatly back into the basement, as I’m still figuring out how best to use them.

   

3. I made sure to get enough money to take advantage of the 25¢/gallon cash discount at my favorite gas station. Sometimes the discount is as much as 45¢/gallon, but I’ll take what I can get.

   

4. I grabbed a couple thick plastic bags from this Safeway recycle container to reuse as kitchen bin liners.

5. I took a friend who recently moved to Portland to the recently opened Albina Library to get their very first Multnomah County library card!

Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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1. My husband and I stopped at the IKEA food court when we were there the other day. Of course I grabbed a pair of their $1.15 veggie dogs. My other half got a $5.99 meatball plate, which brought the total to $8.29, which is not too shabby in these economic times. Coffee was free.

2. My husband and I were picking up a few things at Costco, (rotisserie chicken, eggs and coffee) and took five minutes from our day to accept a pair of flu shots. Vaxxed and ready for flu season!

3. Our kids and their friends have their mail-order purchases delivered to our house, as they’re less likely to be stolen here than at their apartment buildings. Nothing frugal about being a crime victim.

   

4. I baked a loaf of no knead artisan bread, which takes nothing more than flour, salt, yeast and water.

5. I ordered some free Priority Mail boxes from the USPS website.

Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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1. My husband and I stopped into normally pricey New Seasons Market and happened upon an excellent sale on Portland Coffee Roasters beans. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but my husband is and this is one of his favorite brands, which is how we ended up buying eight pounds of coffee!

   

2. My youngest just moved from a studio to a one-bedroom apartment, which is fantastic as they can once again enjoy a healthy amount of elbow room. However, they were a few furniture items short, specifically a kitchen table. Luckily they have a thrift savvy mother with an eye for bargains!

   This drop-leaf table caught my eye, as it A) has a small footprint, B) is stylistically neutral; and C) was priced at $24.99, including two chairs! I texted a few photos and got the go ahead and made my way to the register. Our Goodwills have a “Plus” card, which gives you a 5% discount on purchases over $25, So I added a 49¢ Tootsie Pop, which earned me a $1.27 discount. Mama’s no fool!

   Here’s a photo of the table and chairs, which currently sell at Lowe’s for $658.51!

   

3. I stopped by a garage sale while my husband was running an errand across the street and came across multiple boxes of reproduction fruit crate prints. After leafing through the boxes I ended up spending a dollar for two different sets, one of which was “Tom Cat” brand and the other was a “happy,” umm “rooster.” I’ll let you click here to see what I mean. I think there were three of the Tom Cats and probably twenty of the Happy Roosters. I’ll try my luck with them on eBay.

   

   Seriously, how cute are these old prints?

   

4. My husband and I stopped into IKEA to check out their wall hanging hardware kit for our youngest’s new apartment. (Didn’t buy one.) I considered picking up this Trixit tool kit for our daughter’s birthday, but instead added a Facebook Marketplace alert to get a “push notification” if anyone in my area lists one for sale. This a great tool for finding second hand versions of specific items. Will it work? Maybe, but it can’t hurt to try.

   

5. My friend Lise texted to ask if I wanted to walk with her to Fred Meyer and I was quick to answer in the affirmative as I’m currently obsessed with their produce clearance section. Hello, three packages of raspberries for $1.50! I grabbed two of them.

   

Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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1. I cut a new batch of rosemary for the bathroom, which reminded me that it had been awhile since I offered any up to my Buy Nothing group. (I replace my bathroom rosemary every month or so when it starts to resemble a February Christmas tree!) I have just one taker so far, but that’s okay as I’m not exactly on commission.

   As you can see, she’s a grower!

   

   

2. I picked up my daughter’s repaired boots, (this time with a check in hand) and will deliver them tomorrow. I’m happy to pay this bill, as $45 is a much bigger percentage of her income than it is for me.

   

3. I walked around the corner to see if a specific apple tree had dropped any more free fruit. I’m happy to take the bruised or otherwise hinky windfall apples, as they’d otherwise go to waste. There were only three apples on the sidewalk, but I’m not too picky to cut off the unpalatable bits.

   I noticed there was a sign asking people to not “pick the apples,” which makes me wonder what prompted this unexpected plot twist. I’m friendly with the owners, so I’ll get them to spill the tea!

   

4. I stopped at Fred Meyer for milk and scored two $1.50 clearance bags, each holding two pounds of strawberries. (I’m never going to turn down 75¢/pound strawberries!) I paid using my gift card from The Frugal Girl. I made myself a humongous bowl of yogurt with strawberries and then froze the rest.

   

5. I ran a couple loads of laundry, mostly sheets as Portland has been both sunny and windy the past couple of days. There really is nothing more luxurious than sun dried cotton sheets — solar energy at its finest!

Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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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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