The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I made my own sauerkraut on Saturday, which is still in the fermentation phase so I can’t report on its success yet. However, I’m feel very optimistic as the process is so simple I can’t imagine how anything could’ve been done incorrectly. I wrote a blog post about it on Sunday, but am including it here in case readers didn’t catch it.

2. I cut multiple armloads of flowers from my backyard hydrangeas as I didn’t want their blooms to be destroyed by an overnight frost. Instead of clogging my home with floral arrangements, I put together eight bouquets of five flowers apiece for various neighbors. Some of whom I know well, others less so. However all appeared happy to receive a surprise flower arrangement.

   I even brought flowers to my backyard neighbors who I barely know as they’re renting the house from a family member. They weren’t home when I deposited the hydrangeas on their porch, so I texted their cousin so he could let them know who the flowers were from. (I didn’t want them to be weirded out.) They in turn surprised me with a thank you note and a heavy bag of apples from their tree!

   This was so much fun, I know I’ll repeat the practice in 2024.

3. I spent the week that my husband was playing baseball in Las Vegas visiting with friends and family, puttering around the house and garden; and indulging in the most delightfully low brow TV shows.

   I’d initially planned to accomplish mighty tasks, but somehow somehow it felt better to chill out and not force myself to be performatively productive. It was cheap, relaxing and not too shabby!

   P.S. My husband didn’t gamble a single penny.

4. • I set out the very same Halloween porch decorations that I’ve put out every year since 2006 or so, when an old neighbor handed them down to us.
   •  I pulled a pound of sale price butter from the freezer as I’ve decided to make my Thanksgiving apple pies ahead of time. (Seriously — so many apples!) Stocking up on sale price food saves me a ton of money in the long run, even when it costs extra at the time of purchase.
   • I raked my sidewalk and brick patio by myself instead of paying someone to run a leaf blower as many of my neighbors do.
   • I made a huge pot of chicken soup with carrots, onion, celery and peas using the last scraps of a Costco rotisserie chicken. Cooking it down in the Instant Pot also supplied extra broth for the freezer, which is a favor to my future self. A perfect meal for this cold weather.
   • I walked with my friend to drop her paper grocery bags at a consignment shop that’ll put them back into use.
   • I haven’t touched the Halloween candy that I bought at the beginning of September at Costco. This, my friends is a true frugal accomplishment!

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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{ 71 comments }

1. My childhood best friend Carol had been wanting to get together and since I’m the exciting person that I am, I suggested we hit Costco together. She lives very close to the warehouse store, so the two of us were able to enjoy each other’s company while crossing an annoying task from our to-do lists.

   Buying cat litter and a rotisserie chicken has never been so much fun!

2. They didn’t have the 2-pound bags of carrots that I normally buy at Winco, so I bought a 5-pound bag and gave some to my friend Lise. She and I frequently share when we have too much of certain foods, so it all balances out. Last month’s excess cilantro becomes this month’s carrots.

3. Portland’s weather has taken a dip into Autumn temperatures, which means my sieve of a 109-year-old house is decidedly chilly. However, it’s just me at home, (my husband is still in Las Vegas for his baseball tournament) so I’m hesitant to turn on the furnace for my big ol’ house until I’ve employed a few actions.

   Here’s how I’m staying warm when the interior temps hit 58-60 degrees:

   • I wear either a sweater or hoodie sweatshirt to preserve my body heat. Cozy socks and shearling slippers warm my feet.
   • I plug in a heating pad for my lap, which I then cover with a pillow or blanket. Obviously, this is for when I’m seated on the couch. This really is pure luxury!
   • I open the curtains if the sun actually peeks out from behind her cloud cover.
   • Tea to warm my hands and tummy.
   • I sleep on flannel sheets and under a thick down duvet.

   I know nothing on this list is new or exciting information, but I still wanted to share how I’m choosing to preserve the natural gas that powers our furnace. Sure, it’s a I-hate-to-waste-money issue, but it’s also because the natural gas industry is nasty and a major contributor to climate change. If I can acclimate myself to cooler temperatures there’s really no downside.

4. • I noticed that dried chives were $22.48/pound in the bulk section at Winco. This makes me extra pleased to have grown and dried my own chives.
   •  Safeway had another sale on Tillamook cheese, so I picked up two more 2-pound loaves of white cheddar cheese for $6.47 apiece. I also activated a $2-off-anything coupon in the “rewards” section of their app. This cheese is often twice this price, so I stock up whenever it’s on sale. Their expiration date is far into next year, so it’s no problem to stock up.

5. I didn’t buy any teeny tiny Lear Jets.

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

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{ 40 comments }

1. I have a pot of chives that I planted maybe twenty years ago. and they reemerge every year without fuss or bother, which is my kind of gardening! I snip bits throughout the summer and then forget about them until the following year.

   This year I realized that I should be preserving the unused chives instead of letting them go to waste. I went outside with my kitchen shears and was surprised by how much was still left. I looked up how to preserve chives and read that it’s as simple as cutting them up and just setting in a bowl to air dry. Just shuffle them around every day or so. They were taking a bit to dry as Portland’s been especially damp this week, so I set the bowl at the back of my stove to take full advantage of any oven heat.

   This action saved me maybe 50¢ as I buy my spices in bulk from Winco, but I’m sure my freshly dried chives will be tastier and certainly more satisfying!

2. I got an email from LL Bean this morning to contact them about the ripped fitted sheet that I mailed back (at their expense) a couple weeks ago. They explained that although my 2-1/2 year-old sheet was outside the normal return period, they’d replace it anyway. It took a few minutes on their end as I’d bought it as part of a set, yet wanted just the single sheet replaced. It’s back ordered for a few weeks, but that’s no problem as I’m embracing dim rainy weather with flannel sheets at this point in the year.

   Their fitted sheet normally costs $69.95! So yeah . . . it should’ve lasted much longer.

3. I stopped by the Franz Bakery Outlet on my home from visiting my father. (I had a completed punch card and carbs are my love language.) Normally I have to pick through the shelves to find what I want, but today they were overflowing with amazing choices.

   In the end I came home with two loaves of their Dave’s Killer Bread dupe, an eight-pack of pub rolls, a restaurant size loaf of whole grain bread and a loaf of sourdough black rye bread. I paid nothing and found a penny in a puddle outside the store.

4. I picked out every single goddamned embroidered stitch on the hand towel that I bought at the pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet last week. I completed this task over the course of two evenings and I would estimate I spent close to five hours on this task! However, it was while watching TV and I like to keep my hands busy as I zone out.

   Does it look great? Not exactly, as you can definitely see where the stitches used to be. But that doesn’t bother me and there aren’t a lot of new frugal “hacks” to add to my repertoire at this point in my journey and I like to challenge myself to find new ways to take my frugality that much further. Total cost was maybe 15¢.

   Here, see for yourself. Before:

   

   During:

   

   After:

   

5. I didn’t buy any tiny Lear Jets.

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

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{ 57 comments }

1. My husband is spending a week in Las Vegas for a baseball tournament, and here’s how he’s staying on top of the finances:

   • He paid for the trip by working overtime shifts.
   • He’s sharing an AirBnb with two of his teammates.
   • Their rental is outside the city limits.
   • He’s sharing a rental car with one of those teammates.
   • His first stop after settling into the AirBnb was to grocery shop so the three of them can prepare their own meals.
   • He has no interest in gambling, so there’s zero chance of him losing our life savings.

   He did invite me to join him, but I went to Vegas once at the end of nursing school and let’s just say we didn’t bond. Hard pass. Ick.

2. My mother turned 81 and we celebrated by shopping at the Goodwill pay-by-the-pound outlet, (her choice) followed by dinner at my house. We didn’t exchange gifts as she already has everything she wants and needs.

   I haven’t been thrifting much lately, but I did pick up a midcentury teak and enamel wall clock, a Reed and Barton silver plate bowl, a terrycloth hand towel, a Catan Jr. game, two pairs of cribbage pegs, a Coach brand leather belt and a sealed bag of Legos. My mother bought a mug, a scarf, a baby blanket and maybe something else. The grand total was $11.17. I paid for both of us, which can hardly be categaroized under “generosity” as everything at the bins is so crazy cheap!

   Dinner back at the house with the family was Asian-style marinated chicken thighs/drumsticks (the ones I picked up for 87¢/pound) rice and roasted cauliflower. Dessert was a certain box cake per my mother’s request. I chose the menu based on how much could be prepared ahead of time, which is a very specific goal. The entire meal set me back around $15!

   Happy birthday, mom!

3. I got together with my next door neighbor for an hour or so of tea and cozy chatting. We both simply drink tea from our own homes, which can hardly be simpler or more frugal. We schedule these laughably cheap dates every month or so and they always hit the spot.

   I love getting together with friends and do so pretty frequently. Unlike fictional characters who indulge in pricey brunches and retail therapy, (I’m looking at you, Carrie Bradshaw!) we center our socializing on frugal activities such as going for walks, visiting in one another’s homes, thrifting or even just running dull errands together.

   Get yourself a friend who’s happy to grocery shop with you. It’s the best!

4. • My son and I stopped at IKEA after dropping my husband at the airport and dropped batteries/lightbulbs for recycling and then filled our travel mugs with free coffee.
   • I listened to Jennifer Weiner’s The Breakaway audiobook through the library’s Libby app.
   • My husband and I went to dinner at a local British-style pub and shared an entree.
   • We watched a couple Paramount Plus episodes of the original Twilight Zone after my mother’s birthday dinner. I was halfway through cancelling this streaming service recently and was automatically offered three free months. Umm . . . yes, please!
   • I sold a $2 Ozzy Osbourne thrifted Halloween costume for $75 on eBay!

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet, not even at the Goodwill Outlet.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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{ 44 comments }

1. I hosted a family dinner for an out of town cousin last night, which took a bit of creative planning as:

   1) Two guests were vegetarian.
   2) One of those people was about to board an airplane, which removed “beans” as an option. This decision was a public service.

   I went ahead and served “bangers and mash” as it was simple to pull together and it’s just as easy to cook veggie sausages as it is to cook regular ones. Plus I had the last of a 10-pound bag of potatoes that needed to get used up. A bag of frozen peas, a free loaf of ciabatta bread and a homemade apple pie completed the menu.

   There were no complaints.

2. I used free apples from the neighbor’s tree for last night’s apple pie. Free food somehow always tastes better.

3. My scooped up my cousin for an afternoon of adventure during his stay here in Portland. His first choice was to visit the Portland Japanese Garden, but sadly it was Tuesday, the one and only day that they’re closed. Instead we drove up to Forest Park and hiked around for an hour or so, which ended up being a perfectly acceptable plan B. Plus it was free.

4. • My daughter gave me a pound of butter, a bag of corn tortillas and the aforementioned loaf of ciabatta bread from her schwanky grocery store.
   • I refreshed the stale ciabatta bread by running it under water for a second, wrapping it in aluminum foil and then reheating it in the oven. This hack is amazing!
   • I smoothed out the aluminum foil and put it back for reuse.

5. I didn’t buy a tiny 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.

{ 66 comments }

1. We celebrated my daughter’s 28th birthday at the house featuring a gluten-free box cake with homemade chocolate frosting. My mother and stepfather provided takeout from our favorite barbecue restaurant, which was much appreciated even though the restaurant forgot to include my entree. Luckily I had a Costco rotisserie chicken in the fridge, which hit the spot just fine once I added BBQ sauce to my portion. My stepdad called the restaurant for a refund, so it was actually a frugal event?

2. I put the last of the rotisserie chicken in the Instant Pot and made two pots of chicken soup, (one with dumplings) plus enough broth to stock the freezer. This meal was perfectly timed as my son is nursing a nasty cold and Portland is finally enjoying some chillier weather. Soup and sweater season has finally arrived!

3. • My friend Lise brought over a surplus bottle of rice wine vinegar she no longer wanted.
   • I also brought home more apples from the neighbor’s tree. They’d set out a big bag with “FREE” written on it, so I took enough to bake a pie.
   • My husband used a $25 Fetch Fred Meyer gift card to buy his work lunch supplies. It took forever to accumulate enough points to earn this card, but it was minimal effort so I’m happy to jump thorough a few hoops. I’ve been more consistent with tracking deals, which translates into earning points a little faster.
   • I picked up three tubes of toothpaste and two bottles of shampoo from Dollar Tree.

4. I nabbed another Bonne Maman jar from my neighbor’s recycling bin. I utilize these jars for bulk spices, as well as bits of leftovers as I prefer cohesive storage and think their faceted sides and gingham lids are super cute. Being able to easily source them for free ain’t too shabby!

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet, not even on Amazon Prime Day.

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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{ 67 comments }