Recent Goodwill Finds — Tables, Tiffins, Chucks & a Stripey-Tastic Rug

by Katy on March 1, 2012 · 40 comments

When asked which posts you like best, Katy’s Goodwill Finds was a popular answer. Which, in my mind gave me an excuse to spend much, much more time trolling through Portland’s many fantastic thrift stores. Unfortunately, I’ve got a sick boy at home, which means you’ll have to enjoy a few recent Goodwill finds from the past three weeks or so.

I'd rather this stainless steel lunch box did not advertise for "Clif Bars," but it was not enough to keep me from bringing it home. At $5 it wasn't exactly a screaming deal, but I've checked and these "Eco Lunch Boxes" cost $22 new.

Zero waste packed lunches? Yes, please!

 

My 13-year-old son is a shoe-aholic, which means he always makes a beeline to the shoe section in thrift stores. So when he spied these Converse All-Stars in his size, it was a match made in heaven. Believe it or not, I am super picky about which used shoes I'll allow my son to buy, but this pair was in excellent condition as well as the perfect size. And at $4, much better than the $45 that Zappos charges.

 

This same son's room is ridiculously dark. (The walls and carpet are dark green, and although there are plenty of windows, they face North.) My plan is to repaint his room a lighter color when I can keep the windows open without soaking the room, (June, July?) but it occurred to me that a light colored rug would work as a temporary bright solution. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long to come across one. This 100% cotton flat-weave rug in oh-so trendy black and white stripes was priced at $13, but I had a $10 off voucher, which brought it down to a brag-worthy $3 steal! And here's the best part -- This rug was brand new with tags, even though I found it at Goodwill! Plus, it coordinates perfectly with all the zebra-striped accessories. The same rug at Crate and Barrel will set you back $40.

 

It wasn't exactly a "need," but I really bonded with this Goodwill $20 antique pedestal end table. See how perfect it looks with my cushy chairs?

 

Could you resist the beauty of the table top and Rorschach-y-goodness of the wood pattern? I didn't think so.

 

Luckily, there were two $20 tables, which meant I could keep one and sell the other one to cover the purchase price. You know, later. When I'm done bonding.

Have you come across any cool stuff in your area thrift stores lately? Please share your thoughts with the Non-Consumer Advocate community in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Today’s Frugal Activities

by Katy on February 29, 2012 · 43 comments

Who's that talking to Timbers owner Merritt Paulson? Why, that would be my husband, Dale!

Today is my first day at home since Friday, although I do have one kid for company. (I think he has strep throat, and I’m taking him to see the doctor at this afternoon.) However, I’ll still be able to settle into my frugal groove.

Today I will:

  • Catch up on laundry, including washing my son’s new white Converse All-Stars, which he picked up for $4 at Goodwill. I will of course use my homemade laundry detergent and wash in cold water.
  • Cuddle up with library books. (I have many at the moment. Yay, me!)
  • Experiment with using a wet rag and hot iron to de-dent the hardwood floors. I will choose an out of the way spot to start, as I’m not sure if it will work. Luckily I have many, many dented spots to choose from. Lucky me.
  • Sand my project chair, which is the perfect project for an indoor rainy day. I brought home a nice clean tarp from the hospital, (They’re used to cover sterile supplies) to lay on the ground. No need to ever pay for a tarp!
  • Cook up a big pot of chicken soup from the leftovers from the rotisserie chickens my husband bought for last night’s dinner. (He spent all day yesterday standing in line to buy Portland Timbers soccer tickets, and did not cook a dinner.) Of course, I will incorporate all kinds of miscellaneous  refrigerator volunteers.*
  • Start to ponder whether or not to sell my antique Morris chair. I love the look of it, but the truth is that it’s damned uncomfortable. And I am over having a chair in my living room that’s just for looks. However, I would only sell it if I could get $300 or so. (See? I’m starting to “ponder,” which in my book is an uber-frugal activity!)

Do you see how nothing here is particularly earth shattering, yet together adds up to the daily simplicity of a frugal life?

How about you, are you participating in any frugal activities today? Please share your thoughts with the Non-Consumer Advocate community in the comments section below.

*Will not include any Thai food takeout.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Looking Forward

by Katy on February 28, 2012 · 48 comments

I have a lot that I’m looking forward to, (a key component to happiness) so I thought I would share.

  • I am looking forward to Wednesday, which is my next day off from work. I want to sand my project chair and give it a coat of primer. Last night I cut off the broken caning and then chiseled away at the chipped veneer detailing. (I ended up using an iron to make the job somewhat easier.) I scored free foam from my friend Lise, which I’ll use for the padded seat.
  • I am looking forward to warmer weather. I want to enjoy the great outdoors, (i.e. my yard) and soak up some vitamin D. I want to open up my windows and sit on the front porch and visit with my neighbors.
  • I am looking forward to my trip to Japan at the end of April, although a bit worried about the cycling in an apparently very mountainous town. There may be some walking of the bicycle.
  • I am looking forward to hanging my laundry on the outside clothesline again. It’s such a simple task, but it gives me such pleasure.
  • I am looking forward to the start of the new season of Mad Men.
  • I am looking forward to my mother being done with living in Nebraska this semester for her graduate degree. C’mon, grandma!
  • I am looking forward to my son finishing the second book of The Hunger Games. He’s being really poky with it, and I really want to read it already!

How about you, what are you looking forward to? Please share your thoughts with the Non-Consumer Advocate community in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Food Waste Question

by Katy on February 27, 2012 · 96 comments

Last Friday was a busy day for me. I met my father for lunch, which then overlapped into getting together with a childhood friend who was in town for the week. In the midst of all the fun, I somehow forgot to give even a single thought to planning dinner. My husband had worked a 3 A.M. – 3 P.M. shift, and there was no way I was going to ask him to prepare a meal. (In our family, the person who works gets an automatic pass on meal prep and cleanup.)

So I ordered Thai takeout.

Pad thai, salad rolls, green beans in black bean sauce, sesame beef, chicken in lemongrass. Yum, yum, yum!

And it was delicious until my younger son found a nest of hair in his food.

Gag, gag, gag.

I called the restaurant, and they immediately refunded the price of the entire meal.

At this point we all pretty much stopped eating, (although we’d all filled up anyway.)

I looked through the rest of the containers, and wasn’t able to find any more hair, but it was nonetheless tainted and unappetizing. However, I did put it all into the fridge, where it still sits. Which brings me to the question:

What should I do with the leftover Thai food? I neither want to throw it away, nor do I want to feed it to anyone. I feel like such a privileged American, but there you have it.

Please join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Non-Consumer Photo Essay — Vintage Map Light Switch Plates & M.R.A. (Mushy Rice Avoidance)

by Katy on February 25, 2012 · 33 comments

Even though I made my vintage map blinds in 2004, (oh, how time flies!) I still have a bit of leftover material. And who knows why, but I decided to get crafty and cover the boys' light switch plates. All I did was to cut rectangles, which I glued onto the covers, trimming the excess with a very sharp pair of scissors. I then cut an "X" over the center hole and glued those triangular parts onto the back side. This project was super easy and took maybe 15 minutes to complete. The cool thing is that you can use any paper which catches your fancy, so they're not just for kids.

Here's a second light switch plate, which is in my older son's room.

And since I was on a roll, (A.K.A., my hands were already all glue-y) I decided to try a fabric covered light switch plate for our spare bedroom. I think I used a less than ideal glue, (Aleen's Original Tacky Glue) as I had a *very* hard time getting the fabric to stick properly. I do not own any Mod Podge, but am going to add some to my arsenal of crafty crap supplies in the near future. In the end though, I think it turned out pretty good. Sure, it borrows from the "fussy grandma" aesthetic, but I'm going with it.

See? It matches the curtain/door that I just made for the closet in our spare bedroom.

Remember the Goodwill lamp that I've been wanting to paint? Well I finally went ahead and bought a can of automotive chrome spray paint for the project.

But when I took the lamp apart, I discovered that I am not the first person with the clever idea to paint this mid-century lamp. I absolutely love that I am only one in a hopefully long line of home decor lamp transformers. So perfect!

I cheaped out and bought a bag of pretty much inedible rice a few months back. (Many of the grains were broken, which meant it cooked up all mushy.) However, my son dropped his cell phone outside, and it spent an entire night out in the rain. Luckily, I remembered a trick where you disconnect all electronic components and put them in a bed of dry rice to absorb the moisture. Being the person I am, I had saved the offending rice, which was then put to efficient non-gastronomical use. I consider this to be the ultimate pinnacle of food waste avoidance. Because, seriously, this rice was N-A-S-T-Y!

 

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Please, Introduce Yourself

by Katy on February 24, 2012 · 460 comments

How cool am I? What, not cool at all?! I'm okay with that.

Every day I write a bit about myself. So you already know that I am a mother to teenage boys, labor and delivery nurse, utility bill scholar, laundry hanger-upper, library patron, dorky goofball, leftovers technician, crafty upcycler, frequent napper, and Star Trek enthusiast.

But what about you?

Many readers regularly share their two cents in the comments section. But just yesterday 3000+ readers clicked on the blog, yet only four chose to comment. That’s a lot of lurkers, my friend.

I want to know about you!

  • Where do you live?
  • Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
  • Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
  • What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
  • Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
  • And anything else you wish to share.

Because seriously, sometimes I get tired of hearing myself speak. Today is for you readers. I really want to know about you! So please, delurk!  I will reply to every single comment today, although it may take awhile, as I’ve been doing it for a couple hours straight now and need to shower and attend to some dental hygiene.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Non-Consumer Photo Essay — Frugal Fun with The Cullens, Han Solo, Chelsea, John and Sherry

by Katy on February 23, 2012 · 15 comments

My friend Chelsea and I spent yesterday together. First we went for walk and then a nice, frugal lunch. (My share was $5)

Our walk included an historic pioneer cemetery:

Cullen? This is for all you closeted "Twilight" fans out there.

This tombstone may actually be grumpy pioneers encased in Carbonite.

 

See? It's the same thing!

We then drove on over to the Portland Home and Garden Show ostensibly to peruse the wares, but pretty much just to hear John and Sherry of  Young House Love. (Chelsea is a huge fan, and recently introduced me to their blog.)

Katy, Chelsea, Sherry and John. At the end of a looong day, which may (or more likely not) excuse the goofiness. If you look to the right of this photo, you can see that we're in a ginormous convention center space, not a cozy bedroom.

So how was it frugal to go to a paid admission event? Well . . . I had some credit on my Groupon account, so I was able to get free tickets! Which then justified paying $8 to park the car. (I didn’t want to be taking public transport at night. In the rain.)

There are infinite ways to have fun outside of the mall. Better fun, goofier fun, more memorable fun.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Look Who Followed Me Home

by Katy on February 22, 2012 · 24 comments

Sometimes I feel like The Pied Piper of discarded household goods. And as much as I try to not come home with other people’s unwanted Stuff, it continues to mysteriously sneak into my home.

Just yesterday I was walking my son home from martial arts class, when a collection of ratty looking furniture in front of an apartment building caught my attention.

Hmm . . . that chair has really cool detailing along the back, I wonder if it’s sturdy?

Sturdiness confirmed, I found myself lugging the chair home through the dark and rain.

Yes, it's ratty looking, but this chair has some major potential.

Even under less than ideal lighting, the detailing caught my heart:

Chisel off the bits at the top, and this chair is going to shine!

My plan is to cut a piece of plywood to fit over the caning, and then place foam and cute fabric on the seat. I’m not sure what color to paint it, but figuring that out will be half the fun. (I’ll start to keep an eye out at the Habitat ReStore.)

And as a bonus, I have to share with you a crackin’ new addition to my kitchen:

This Goodwill purchased vintage Union Jack tray had me at "ello luv."

I attached the tray using velcro sticky tape, which meant I had it installed in a jif. Hopefully the groovy Austin Powers-ish-ness of this tray helps to cut down the cutesy vintage vibe that threatens to take over the kitchen.

Don't you think the bold red lines coordinate without being too match-matchy?

I do so like having fun with my house. And when I can indulge that urge without spending more than a couple of bucks, all the better.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Paying Others to Do Your Dirty Work

by Katy on February 21, 2012 · 50 comments

Hello my pretties, welcome back!

I am obviously a big proponent of doing your own labor. My husband changes the oil in our cars, we do almost all of our own home maintenance, (new roof = hiring people who know how to not fall while standing on a steep slope) we cook from scratch and I have never once paid anyone to clean my house or work on my yard. (However, I would currently pay someone $10,000 to get my 16-year-old son to clean his room, but that’s another post for another day.)

So when a sort through my jewelry stash uncovered three gorgeous, yet broken semi-precious stone necklaces, (garnet, tourmaline and amethyst) I knew my next project was to get them back into circulation. (My mother-in-law sells staggeringly beautiful stone beads for a living, and she always makes me a necklace for Christmas. I have been with my husband for 25 years, so yeah, I own a lot of necklaces!)

Armed with my you-can-do-it attitude, (this is to be spoken aloud in a Bela Karolyi accent) I took my broken necklaces down to the local bead shop to buy the supplies for restringing.

The knowledgable clerk started to tell me how I should do a certain finicky technique to loop the string to the clasp so it wouldn’t bend and break so easily. At this point I’m starting to think this project might be a bit over my head. But then . . . she mentioned that the store charges $12.50 per hour to restring necklaces. As I was currently in the midst of picturing myself spending hour after frustrating hour recreating elaborate pattern necklaces, it was as if the clouds parted and a beam of light shone upon my face.

This woman in front of me knows exactly what she’s doing, and is willing to completely (and properly) fix all three of my necklaces for $12.50 an hour! And since she estimated that the job would only take two hours, I could hand this job over and know it would get done correctly and promptly for twenty five buckeroonies. 

In the end it cost $30.25, which included a sterling silver clasp, supplies and some extra beads to replace ones that scattered too far to be found. (One of the necklaces broke at work, and I even had a Perinatologist on her hands and knees at the nursing station helping me to gather up tiny garnet beads!)

Could I have tackled this project on my own? You betcha’! But I would not have had access to extra garnet beads, the crimping tool, and probably some other stuff I don’t even know about.

And the best part is that it only took two days, and I’m now getting to wear my favorite jewelry again. Plus, I get to feel good about supporting a local small business!

Win-win-win!

Are there ways that you pay others to do the stuff you either don’t know how to do or simply hate doing? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Can You Help Bring Maggie Home?

by Katy on February 20, 2012 · 18 comments

Update: Maggie was found in Brooklyn at an animal rescue place. (BTW, that is very far away from Washington Heights!) They scanned her chip and saw that she had been listed as a “lost dog.” She is soon to be reunited with her family. Thank you to everyone who helped to spread the word on this story, it was much appreciated!

Maggie trying on my Goodwill purchased Christmas tree skirt.

My sister Jessica lives in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City with her husband, two kids and  their beloved dog, Maggie. Sadly, someone untied her from a post and took her, most likely assuming she was abandoned. (There were reports of of an irate woman going into local businesses demanding to know who left the dog outside.)

This happened Saturday night.

My sister and her family have plastered the neighborhood with flyers, are visiting shelters, are working to spread the word throughout the local dog community and are offering a reward.

They are devastated.

The following is from a Craigslist posting my sister put together:

Please help us find our dog “Maggie”

She was accidentally left tied up in front of Smile Deli on 181st and Fort Washington Ave. on Saturday the 17th at 7:30. She is friendly but sometimes weary of strangers. She has a reddish gold/brown coat ans some white around the muzzle. She is a shepherd/ridge back mix and is about 75lbs. She barks at trucks and buses. She was wearing a pinkish collar and a pinch collar and was tied with a black fabric leash to a parking meter. She is chipped and can be brought to a vet to verify her ID. She is a beloved family member, please help her get back home.

Call with any information (503) 780-9969

image 0 image 1

Can you help bring Maggie home? And can you please share this on your Facebook wall, Twitter or anywhere else you can think of?

Thank you.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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