The Non-Consumer Advocate

There is not much that can be called “frugal” about traveling to Japan. The flights are expensive, the hotels are expensive, transportation within the country is expensive and I imagine that the food is expensive. Because this is a highly organized group trip, (33 children, six adults) there’s not much under my control. Everything is planned out, so it’s not like I can take off on my own and find a cheap noodle joint for lunch. There will will be some free time, but I’m not counting on it.

But my goal with this trip is to be as frugal as possible with the things that are under my control.

For example:

We needed four roll-aboard suitcases, but we only own three. I borrowed instead of bought the extra suitcase. Total cost = $0

Both my son and I had to bring a “formal outfit” for the trip. Because we are casual Portlanders, we started this from square one. I first tried to borrow the slacks and dress shirt from a friend, but my son is rather small, so this went nowhere. However, I was able to find him a new looking pair of trousers at the kids’ consignment shop for $6. I actually head store credit here, so they handed me five dollars and change when we completed the transaction. It turns out we already had a dress shirt, and a child-size tie was found at Goodwill for $3. Total cost = +$2.

I wanted a book to read during the trip, so I stole a copy of paperback copy of The Hour I First Believed by Wally lamb from one of my mother’s guest cottages. Some tenant left it there, and my plan is to abandon the book in Japan rather than cart it around once I’ve finished. My mother is A-OK with this plan. Total cost = $0.

I went to my favorite consignment shops and bought a pretty skirt and a Chico’s Travelers top for myself, which together look fancy. And the top can also be worn with jeans or anything else. Total cost = $30.

I am neither bringing my cel phone nor my laptop. I am bringing my son’s iPod touch, (which came free with our refurbished laptop.) and my husband has set up a FaceTime account, so we can communicate if necessary.

I needed an attractive bag to put host family gifts in, (can’t wrap the gifts, as customs might unwrap them) and I wanted to give something non-disposible. I had seen that Powell’s bookstore was giving an extra $5 to all book sellers this weekend, so I brought in a couple of my son’s books, which they bought for $4. With my $9 in store credit, I bought two darling lightweight canvas totes with the Powell’s logo and some extra decoration. (Yes, they put a bird on it.) Total cost = +$1.

Bringing “Omigaye” host family gifts is a big deal, but I neither wanted to burden the family with useless knick knacks, nor did I want to spend a fortune. I ended up buying:

• Bob’s Red Mill apple and blueberry granola packets on a day when all B.R.M. products were 40% off at Fred Meyer.
• A box of six-packs of Oreos in different varieties. The host family that my son will stay with is the same family my older son stayed with two years ago. The daughter, Erina then visited us for two weeks that summer, so I know them well. This little slip of a girl motored through an entire box of Oreos one day which was entertaining to say the least. This was very on sale at Safeway.
• Two boxes of organic Tazo Chai tea. It was also on sale at Safeway.
• Two small boxes of Applets and Cotlets, which is a local company. Of course, on sale. 😉
• Two pairs of cool hipster knee socks that say “Portland” up the side for both Erina and the teenage girl in my host family. (I bought these at Sock Dreams, and used a $5 off coupon from The Chinook Book.)
• A bag of Ghiradelli chocolate mints. Yup, on sale.
• A set of Mod-Podged Portland map coasters for each host family.
• A tea towel printed like a vintage Oregon tablecloth for both of the host moms. And no, these were not on sale.

I estimate that I spent $45 on everything for the two host families. I’m pretty sure that I’m actually bringing too many gifts, but I end up doing this.

I do not plan on buying a whole bunch of souvenir knick-knacks while in Japan, although I am bringing $300 in spending money. (What’s leftover I’ll give to my older son who’s going to Sapporo for the summer.) I would like to go to a Japanese fabric store if I get the chance. (I get one free weekend with my host family.) Otherwise I do not plan on shopping my way through the land of the rising sun.

My younger son does plan on emptying out the shops. He has spending money from his grandparents and is hot to spend it all.

I still have a few tasks to complete, like buying slippers, grabbing a couple of smallish Goodwill wallets for both of us, (mine is stupidly huge) and you know, cleaning the house. And, oh yeah . . . I still need to pack.

Wish me luck, I am absolutely dreading the long flight, as my bad back makes extended sitting a nightmare. ARGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CLICK HERE to see what I sent along as host family gifts when my older son went on the same trip two years ago.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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I went to a fantabulous Frugal Living NW event last night, and am all freshly inspired to put a better effort into spending less at the grocery store. (Thank you, Angela for inviting me!) Not that I’ve been completely out of control, but we’ve certainly been less than penny pinching. Mind you, it hasn’t resulted in any defaulted loans, but it’s been bugging me nonetheless.

For those out of the loop, Frugal Living NW is a local blog devoted to couponing and all things frugal. I’m not a big couponer at this point in my life, but there’s something at least once a week that’s worthy of pouncing on. Because there’s always lots of featured deals on real, healthy food.

There was a Q & A session at end of the event that was very interesting, and it got me thinking about how and where I shop. Costco for this, Trader Joes for that and Fred Meyer for the other. It may sound like a pain in the tuchus to run around town, but I’ll buy multiples when I shop, so the trips are actually pretty infrequent.

Here’s what I buy and where:

Costco

• Cat food
• Cat litter
• Olive oil
• Baking powder
• Yeast
• Yakisoba noodles
• Individually frozen chicken breasts. I hate that we buy these, but my husband cooks with them and frankly, I’m happy to have occasional nights off from making dinner.
• Optical services. I did a lot of research when my son started wearing glasses, and Costco was the cheapest!

Trader Joe’s

• Toilet paper — a 12-pack of 100% recycled content paper is $4.88, (Seventh Generation is almost twice the price)
• Dishwasher detergent — It’s environmentally responsible stuff without the Seventh Generation sticker shock.
• Hummus (I have not been able to replicate their hummus at home.)
• Wine. (Duh.)
• Pasta
• Nuts and dries fruit.

Fred Meyer (Kroger)

• Avocados
• Romaine lettuce
• Fruit. (Their sale prices are pretty great)
• Tillamook cheese. (Their twice a year $3.99 sale on 2-lb loaves provides the opportunity to stock up until the next sale!)
• Beer.
• Bulk spices.
• Shampoo/conditioner/toothpaste, etc.
• Cereal — usually combining sale prices with coupons.
• Laundry detergent ingredients. (Washing soda, Borax and Fels Naptha soap.)

New Season’s Market

• Milk
• Eggs
• Sale produce.
• Meat. I buy sausages, as well as occasional grass-fed hamburger. I’ll also buy seafood when it’s on sale. Otherwise it’s insanely expensive.

Dave’s Killer Bread Bakery Outlet

All of our bread. We buy a dozen loaves at a time and throw them in the freezer. This organic grainy bread normally costs between $4.50 – $5.00 a loaf, and buying day-old loaves from the bakery brings the cost down to $1.50 a loaf.

Bob’s Red Mill

I buy bulk items here when I do my Dave’s Killer Bread runs, as they’re across the street from each other.

• Dried beans.
• Oatmeal.

Grocery Outlet

• Fun food for vacations, entertaining or various fun food events.
• Crumbled bleu cheese.

Fubonn Asian Grocery Store

• Nori wraps for making sushi
• Furekaki for sprinkling over rice.

Safeway

I used to do the majority of my grocery shopping at Safeway. Their $10 off $50 coupon plus the coupon doubling was too good to pass up. But then they razed my Safeway and I established new habits. The new store opened up a couple of weeks ago and I have zero interest in going there. The I-tried-to-park-there-once-but-was-creeped-out parking is mostly underground, (which always feels closed in and dangerous to me) and I absolutely hate how new Safeways are set up. Perhaps it’s having read too much about marketing, but I feel like I’m a target when I shop in these overly thought out stores.

Addendum: I bit the bullet and hit up the new Safeway this afternoon. It was what I expected. Although it’s located on funky Hawthorne Blvd, it looks like it could be in Iowa, Central Oregon or Missouri. There’s no natural light, (like a casino) and the corporate atmosphere is stifling. However . . . there are some opportunities for crazy cheap deals on actual food items. I used coupons for four different items, (which they then doubled) for Red Rose tea, (two of them) C&H sugar and cereal. I bought a number of BOGO items such as pasta and Ziploc bags. (For our toiletries while traveling.) I was in the middle of a million errands, and bought myself a packaged of fresh tuna roll sushi was was rather yummy.

I was able to park on the street, which I think will be key to shopping here.

There are also infrequent items like apples for applesauce (Portland Nursery after the Apple Festival, when they’re selling the leftover apples for cheap, cheap, cheap.)

It would be very easy to buy everything we need from a single source, but I’m really picky about what I buy. I want high quality food, preferably organic-ish,  and I want to pay as little as possible. I do pay a bit more for cage-free eggs, New Season’s milk, and various organic sale items.

Of course, I break my rules all the time, as dinner is often a last minute affair. But that’s just a life of this working mom. Especially one who’s getting ready to go to Japan at the same time as learning an entirely new computer charting system at her hospital.

I don’t obsessively scour the sale circulars though, as Frugal Living NW compiles all the information for me. That way I have time to lay around on the couch and read library books.

Which is how it should be.

P.S. A big thank you to Angela and her lovely crew for including me in last night’s Frugal Living NW festivities. It was very fun, plus I won two different door prizes!

A photo book voucher from Photo Bin.

A two hour closet detox, plus three hours of personal shopping at the retailer of my choice from the intimidatingly stylish Tara of Savvy Style NW. It’s like What Not to Wear without the $5000 clothing allowance. I was so excited when I won this $250 package, that I make devil horns with my hands and screamed out “We’re going to Goodwill!”

I am not shy.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Twitter.

Click HERE to join The Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook group.

Click HERE to follow me on Pinterest.

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