When Doing The Right Thing is Cost Prohibitive

by Katy on December 11, 2010 · 65 comments

As The Non-Consumer Advocate, I wholly believe in buying used instead of new; puttering around instead of shopping and fixing instead of replacing. And when my $15 Craigslist microwave went kaput last month, (it was making Mordor-like sparks and flashes) I was totally fine with melting butter on the stovetop and reheating leftovers in the oven. It was not a big deal and I enjoyed the addition of the extra kitchen counter space.

But then my Japanese host son asked if I could please buy a microwave oven. I can’t think of anything else he’s asked for, so I told him I would buy one. So I started to peruse the Craigslist ads and unsuccessfully even replied to a few $30 listings. My husband priced one at Costco that was around $90.

Then I called an appliance repair business to investigate getting our old microwave fixed. I was quoted $109 for labor, plus parts.

$109 plus parts when a brand new microwave oven is $90?! I am all about walking my talk of non-consumerism, but I simply cannot prioritize my ethics over financial responsibility. I’ve only been getting about half the number of RN shifts the last month or so, and money is tighter around here than a glass slipper on a step-sister’s foot. Sure, we have enough money to pay for all the basics, but I don’t want to have to dip into savings until it’s an official emergency. And honey, not having a microwave is hardly an emergency.

This started me thinking about some ways in which we spend more than we have to. We pay extra for clean energy electricity, we sponsor a Zambian girl through Child Fund International and we have opened up our home to a Japanese teaching assistant without any compensation.

I want to provide a living wage to the appliance repair person and I want to fix instead of replace, but I just can’t make myself do it. I will continue to spend out in a few key areas, but I have to pick and choose the ways in which I can afford to do so.

What would you do in my situation? Would you pay to repair the microwave, buy a new one or keep an eye out for a used one? Would you risk a possibly dangerous home repair? Do you walk your talk? 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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Mooch Your Way to a Non-Consumer Day

by Katy on December 8, 2010 · 12 comments

My day yesterday was not going to be much to write home about. I was scheduled to work, which should have meant that there was not much in the way of non-consumer action aside from a possible nip into the West Burnside Goodwill on my way home. Sadly, I showed up at work, only to be told that I was not actually on the schedule, which means I got up at 6:00 A.M. and drove a twenty mile round trip for nothing.

Blarg!

However, it opened my day up considerably. So I called up my father who had left a message the day before asking about going to lunch together and set that up.

Free lunch? Check!

My father and I had a lovely meal at my very favorite restaurant in the entire world, (Jade) and then walked down to The Looking Glass bookstore so my father could pick up some books he had ordered, (I warn you to never get him started on an Amazon.com rant) and had a lovely chat with the owner. I had offered to give her a darling children’s chair to use in the kids’ book section on an earlier visit, but instead explained how I had been caught in a sudden rainstorm while spray painting it, which makes it now look like it’s suffering from a nasty case of smallpox. Needless to say, I haven’t followed through on my offer to bring in the chair.

The owner told me how she used to have a tiny caned rocking chair in the children’s section, but that the kids had been too hard on it.

“People think that every store is Barnes and Noble, they just don’t think about how the chair has an actual owner.”

Hmm . . . gotta get that chair repainted.

My father and I then walked a couple blocks down to the Columbia Sportswear outlet store. I had broken The Compact a few weeks ago and bought my 15-year-old son a brand new winter rain jacket. My son takes the city bus to high school and back, and needs to have good rain gear. And here in Oregon, that is serious business. Sadly, my son left his jacket in his biology class and it was gone faster than an heirloom tomato at a Michael Pollan fan club meeting. E-mails to the teacher as well as spelunking trip through the school’s lost and found proved unsuccessful. Luckily, the store still had the same coat, which was marked down $31.50 from $115. And even luckier, my father insisted in paying.

Mooch-power, activate!

And yes, I wrote my son’s name all over that coat this time. I highly doubt I’ll be able to buy this coat a third time.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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


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An Important Non-Consumer Message

by Katy on December 4, 2010 · 19 comments

Note: This video is somehow no longer available through You Tube. Sorry.

Okay, this is the weirdest freakin’ video of random somewhat hasbeen actors, musicians and athletes singing the Beatles’ Let it Be. I am going to pretend it has something, anything everything to do with non-consumerism in order to share it with you guys.

Extra points for those who note the Portland connection, which has to do with a certain local violent ice skater who shall go nameless. 😉

Seriously, it is bizarre. Enjoy the Norwegian subtitles!

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

Okay, I figured out the non-consumer connection, which may be “do without.”

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Old Fangled Meat Defroster — As Seen on TV!

by Katy on December 3, 2010 · 24 comments

But wait, there's more!

Remember those infomercials for the instant defrosters made of cast iron? Well my microwave went kaput last month, and we’ve been making do without ever since. And my cast iron pans? They also work to quickly defrost meat, (or a cube of frozen spinach for that matter) as the iron and the meat passively work together to equalize their temperatures. You’ll know it’s working when you grab the pan’s handle and it’s colder than a witch’s tit, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, a snowman’s Christmas plans.

Give it a try, it really works and doesn’t even require a bizarrely enthusiastic studio audience. And of course, click here to read all about food safety.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Stop Yelling “Echo” into my Refrigerator!

by Katy on December 2, 2010 · 12 comments


Yesterday was a busy day for me. Not only did I work, but I also needed to do a big grocery shop as we had finally finished up the bulk of our Thanksgiving leftovers, and the inside of the fridge was so empty that tourists were starting to show up to yell the word “echo” into it. (Which wouldn’t be so bad, except that they kept tracking mud into the house.)

Luckily, I had a fresh $10 off $50 Safeway coupon to use, so I gathered up my reusable bags and drove out into the dark and rainy night. Here’s what I bought:

  • Box of 100 Red Rose tea bags
  • Bag of pretzels
  • One can of evaporated milk
  • One box of lasagna noodles
  • One can of “Pam” style spray canola oil. (If I don’t use this, I have to use cupcake liners for muffins)
  • Three boxes of Raisin Bran*
  • One box of Grape Nuts*
  • One can of pumpkin puree
  • Two pound bag of shredded mozarella
  • Half gallon of whole milk
  • Two cans of concentrated orange juice
  • Four loaves of bread
  • One pound of bacon
  • Two packages of shrimp
  • One avocado
  • One tomato
  • One head of romaine lettuce
  • A pound and a half of brussel sprouts
  • Two mangos
  • A ten pound bag of potatoes
  • One pound of deli ham (Dinner was two huge sub-style sandwiches on nice french bread)

* = Used a coupon.

In all I spent $46.76, plus received a coupon for $2 off my next orange juice purchase. Although it was the last thing I was in the mood to do last night, I’m happy I got the shopping over with. Now, I have enough dinner ingredients for a number of meals, plus those pesky tourists will stop mucking up my house.

Now, if I could only find my mop . . . .

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Spending Less Than Ever

by Katy on November 30, 2010 · 31 comments

My family is most definitely a two income family. My husband works full-time in emergency services and I work very part-time (16 hours per week) as a labor and delivery nurse. I’ve been in the same job for over fifteen years, so my hourly wage is generous. We are normally able to cover all of our expenses, while having enough leftover to pay down debt and never feel like we’re holding back on the things we want and need. (The income from the blog pretty much covers the hosting fees and not much else.)

We’re able to have this financial wiggle room because we make multiple frugal choices on a daily basis. We keep the thermostat low, fix instead of replace, cook at home, follow The Compact, (buy only used) and pack school and work lunches from home. However, we’re also spending $220 per month on tutoring for our younger son, which is allowing him to return to a public school language program that he’s been away from for over four years. In other words, we scrimp on the little things in order to afford the big picture stuff.

“I’m sorry honey, we can’t afford your tutoring because we like to eat restaurant food.”

However, my job has been providing me with significantly less work than usual. It’s not unusual for birth rates to fluctuate, but my last three paychecks have been approximately $700 less than usual. I’m used to riding the ups and downs of my irregular income, but this is starting to hurt.

So, have we been starting to rely on credit cards, or are we cutting back on our son’s extra tutoring? No way. We’re using extreme frugality skills to float us through this low point. For example, my sister and her family were in town for Thanksgiving, and instead of hitting up the Goodwills, (our favorite activity) we hung out at home and feasted on leftovers. Instead of providing different fruit choices, I have a bowl of whichever fruit is on sale. (99¢ per pound organic Gala apples) I’m not buying deli meat for school lunches, and instead am making egg salad sandwiches and onigiri from leftover rice. My special me treat yesterday was a stop into a library across town (I was in the neighborhood to pick my son up) and checked out some audio books as well as the newest novel from one of my favorite Chick-lit authors.

I thought about stopping into Trader Joe’s and didn’t, as it is my Achilles heel of impulse puchase-ery.

“Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s? You bet!”

We will not need to dip into savings, nor will we suffer in any way. We’ll put a little less into debt reduction and cut back on most anything extra. And yeah, I’ll be using the $10 off $50 Safeway coupon that ran in today’s newspaper.

Having the ability to happily survive whether the purse strings are tight or loose is an important mindset in life. Hey, this might even inspire me to finally list some stuff on eBay. You never know. 🙂

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Homemade Gifts or Expected Expensives? — Ask the Readers

by Katy on November 28, 2010 · 72 comments

A reader comment came is this morning from Rachel in response to the Black Friday Musings post that I published the other day. She wrote:

“It’s been getting increasingly tricky for me to be a non-consumer during the holidays. My older sisters have moved on to well paying jobs and have high expectations for gifts, to such an extent that driving home from Thanksgiving I started crying because I realized that I had the choice of getting everything they wanted or being able to eat for the month of December.

I’m a fairly crafty person, and while I do still put out duds sometimes, I’m really happy with what I’ve made so far this year and have left to make, but my family’s made it clear they don’t enjoy homemade gifts. This leaves me with lots and lots of stress, to such an extent that I’m not really looking to the holidays this year – except for my small celebration with my roommates, where the only the expectation is of ‘presence’. “

This comment saddened me, as no one should ever have to decide between buying gifts for people who most likely have everything they need and buying groceries for themselves.

I am lucky. My family has weathered through my lean and flush years and has never once complained about the caliber of gifts they’ve received from me. Also, my family does not have a tradition of giving one another gifts that we’ve placed orders for. With a few exceptions, I consider that to be unsporting and pointless. (If there’s something that I need, then I’ll just figure out a way to get it for myself.)

I want you the readers to suggest alternatives for Rachel. How can she deal with her family’s high expectations? Should she figure out addition income streams to buy what is expected of her, or should she have a series of frank conversations with her family?

Please write your ideas for Rachel in the comments section below.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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In Defense of Plate Hoarding

by Katy on November 27, 2010 · 34 comments

In my family, Thanksgiving is always hosted at my house. Not only do I have the space for it, but I am a bit of a late-to-life control freak who needs to have things done my way. (Cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie prepared the day before, with rolls and veggies done at the last minute.)

And most importantly, I have enough dishes and serving ware to host a lot of dinner guests. This year saw only twelve people at the house, but we’ve had as many as twenty without having to resort to *gasp* mis-matched plates, or *gag* paper plates.

I was admiring my hyper-organized cupboards last night, when it occurred to me that I should count how many plates I own. I stopped at 102, although there may have been a few that I missed. Yes, I included platters and dessert plates, but I really didn’t inflate this number whatsoever. (I just realized that I actually skipped the built-in buffet in the dining room.)

Do I have too many plates? No way! I have room for them all, and since they all match, (Fiestaware) they serve as both form and function. The combination of color and shape are almost sculptural in quality, and frankly I never had a chance to not collect Fiestaware, as I my sisters, mother and father all suffer from the same affliction. (And yes, my great grandparents lived in the same tiny Ohio town where Fiestaware continues to be manufactured.)

I no longer use the vintage dishes due to lead concerns, and I certainly stay away from the “Red”, (actually orange) dishes that include enough Uranium to make a geiger counter dance the jitterbug. But I love it all anyway.

I may be looking to pare down my excessive belongings throughout the rest of my house, but I will hold onto these dishes as long as I have room for them. Which I guess, is why I’m getting rid of so much stuff everywhere else. 😉

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Black Friday Musings

by Katy on November 26, 2010 · 18 comments

I’m not sure when it happened, but somehow the day after Thanksgiving became known as “Black Friday.” My guess is that this term had been used by the business community for decades, and only recently entered the vocabulary of American consumers at large. I’m not going to mock those who choose to pick up these screaming deals, as these sales do afford a lot of people to buy gifts they could not otherwise afford. I do find the term a little creepy though.

To me, there is no deal that screams loudly enough for me to get up at 2:00 A.M. and stand in line. Especially when I’m freshly off a pie bender. Oy.

I actually enjoy figuring out gifts for my friends and family. Yes, we’ve winnowed down the gift list over the past few years, but I really enjoy the challenge. I have a reputation for giving really good gifts, despite mostly shopping at thrift stores. I totally cheap out on some things and then completely splash out on others. (We usually give my in-laws a $100 gift certificate to their favorite restaurant.) Of course, I totally panic at the last minute as I try to figure out those last minute gifts.

What am I giving this year?

Unlike previous years, I’m almost done buying for the kids’ Christmas stockings. I’ve already stashed away cute Xmas mugs, (free pile) iTunes gift cards, (Swagbucks) as well as a few cute thrift store finds, (like a new-in-the-box tiny Japanese calligraphy kit.) I have amassed a large amount of Amazon gift card codes, (also through Swagbucks) and will judiciously use these to fill in the gaps. I subscribe to Frugal Living NW, which is a fantastic source for great Amazon deals, (I bought my husband a $5 subscription to This Old House magazine and my step-mother will be receiving a $10 subscription to Real Simple magazine.)

My husband and I do not exchange Christmas gifts, as neither of us see the point in spending unnecessary money. My husband took some convincing in this matter, (he likes to buy me stuff) but my birthday is January 4th, so I do allow gifts then. (Aren’t I fun?!)

I am neither artsy nor crafty, so it would actually be insulting to give anyone a handmade gift from me. (Seriously, nobody wants my patented rocks with googly eyes.)

I have tried hard over the past couple of years to transform the holiday season from a time of dread and stress into something joyous. But as a non-consumer as well as a non-religious Jew, it’s slim pickings.

Do you stress out over the holiday season? Do you have any tips to share to magically turn a season of teeth gnashing stress into a blissful time? 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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“Be Thankful, Not Wasteful:” A Challenge and Guest Post from Wasted Food’s Jonathan Bloom

by Katy on November 24, 2010 · 4 comments

The following is a guest post from Jonathan Bloom of Wasted Food. There is simply no such thing as a Thanksgiving meal without bestovers, (and seriously, what would be the point?) and staying on top of avoiding food waste can become a daunting and often frustrating task. The following tips will hopefully inspire you to be as waste-free as possible.

Please spread the word of “Be Thankful, Not Wasteful” on your blogs, Facebook pages and Twitter. (Click HERE to view Bloom’s original post.) Let’s band together to make food waste avoidance more important in 2010 than 5:00 A.M. Blu-Ray doorbuster deals. And don’t forget to read American Wasteland, Bloom’s in-depth look at food waste, from farm to crisper.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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


I hinted at this on Monday, but I wanted to throw down an expanded call to action for Thanksgiving and after: Be Thankful, Not Wasteful

Thanksgiving celebrates abundance. And we should absolutely enjoy the celebration. At the same time, I don’t think we honor anyone or anything by wasting food.

I’m calling on you to help ensure that your family or friends do their best to eliminate or minimize waste at your Thanksgiving feast.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Be sure to distribute the bounty. If you’re the Thanksgiving host, suggest that your guests bring along a few plastic containers of various sizes to fill with leftovers (or have a bunch on hand). There’s no sense centralizing so much food that we’ll struggle to put to use. Being so overt about leftovers may feel a bit odd, but that slight discomfort will pale in comparison to the disappointment from having to toss pounds of once-good food.
  • Celebrate abundance, not excess. Don’t take too much when you serve yourself. You can always go back for seconds! Keep in mind that the average Thanksgiving dinner today comes in, conservatively, at 2,057 calories. And remember, what’s on our plates is seldom saved.
  • Properly save those leftovers. And do it quickly. Not letting foods sit out too long in the bacteria danger zone (40-140 degrees F) will mean they’ll be safe to eat and also last longer.
  • Plan for your leftovers…and eat them! Whether it’s a turkey pot pie, turkey soup or turkey tacos, find some fun ideas that’ll get you excited to use up your T-day remains.

Share Your Tips and Tricks:

Help others reduce waste around Thanksgiving by sharing your insight. We’ve already received a few helpful tips, including Rachel’s idea to make notes on the number of guests, the amount of food eaten and the amount remaining to help prepare the right amount next year.

I’m directing people to the Wasted Food Facebook page where we are compiling a series of tips, successes and–should they occur–failures. These can be videos, photos or descriptions from inside people’s Thanksgiving dinners.  Feel free to post during the prep, the dinner itself, or the “aftermath.” Together, we’ll create a living blueprint for how celebrations can balance abundance with respect for resources.

A few more ideas:

• Videos describing what your friends/family are doing this year to reduce food waste. Or, if a video is too much, a photo or description of the steps taken will work just fine.
• A recipe or two for your favorite dishes made from Thanksgiving leftovers.
• Your preferred way to make the perfect leftover turkey sandwiches.
• An “unboxing” video of leftovers from the dinner you attended.

Spread the Word:

  • I hope you will consider letting your social network know about the Be Thankful, Not Wasteful initiative. Please share this post and ask folks to take action on their own. (And of course to post their results!)
  • Do you blog? Please consider a post or video encouraging your readers to participate. Ask readers to join you in adding their voice to the discussion.
  • Mention the initiative–and this fabulous new book–at your Thanksgiving celebration. I mean, I don’t want you to start any dinner table arguments or anything, but…
  • Solicit tips and tricks from your friends and family who aren’t social media savvy and post them yourself – I know I’ll be asking my Grandma for some ideas.

Thanksgiving is the one day of the year where we’re all focused on food. Let’s leverage that as a call to action to change our wasteful ways for the rest of the year. I think the day will be more meaningful that way. And remember — even incremental changes can have a massive effect if they’re done by millions of Americans.

Jonathan Bloom

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