The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. The mint I was rooting on my kitchen windowsill was taking forever to grow roots, so I asked a neighbor if I could have a bit of the mint that plagues her backyard. She dug up a plant and brought it over that evening and I quickly planted it in one of the Mexican terra cotta pots that I scored for free a few weeks ago. I’m fully aware of how invasive mint can be, which is why it’s in a pot. It’s a bit scrappy now, but I expect it to fill in. My goal, as always, is to spend no money.

   I later lent her our recycling bins to block off our street for her son’s (fully permitted) birthday party, complete with rented bounce house and water slide. Almost all of us on this block do nice favors for one another, which helps us all be comfortable asking for help when needed.

2. I saw an article about how a few different Pittsburgh museums will be free during the month of August, so I went to their websites and was able to reserve four tickets to the Smithsonian Heinz History Center. My husband and I will be in Pittsburgh to visit with family next month, so this is perfect timing! These tickets are normally $18 apiece, so I’m very excited with this score, especially since they have the original Mr. Rogers set as an exhibit!

3. I’ve been slowly deep cleaning and reorganizing my kitchen and gave away a number of random things through my Buy Nothing Group.

   • Two can of Sterno canned cooking fuel.
   • A set of vintage milk glass spice jars along with their original shelf.
   • A collection of assorted miniature kitchen items that I’d passively collected over the years.
   • Three slightly chipped vintage Fiestaware bowls.

   I also assembled a couple grocery bags of miscellaneous things to donate to Goodwill and let my kids paw through everything before it got donated.

4. • My mother read my Khloe Kardashian blog post and gave me a half-gallon mason jar from her basement. She also gave me a pair of hand me down outdoor cushions to replace a couple of worn out ones.
   • My friend Lise and I stopped by 7-11 on free Slurpee day. Even though I’m friends with the franchise owners and they never charge my family for Slurpees.
   • My mom let me put some bubble mailers in her pricey Ridwell recycling box.
   • I drove through McDonald’s on free french fry day and then swung by my daughter’s apartment where the two of us shared the large order with lots of ketchup.
   • I started listening to The Break, by Marian Keyes through the library’s free Libby app.

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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I first published this blog post in 2013, but am reposting it a mere decade later as I’m sure I’ve assembled a few new readers since then. The original blog post had 251 comments, and were a fascinating reread so I recommend that you click over to time travel back ten years.

I invite you to share your stories in the comments section below.

Who Are You & What Makes You a Non-Consumer?

As The Non-Consumer Advocate, you all know who I am. A wife, a mother, a nurse, a sister, an aunt, a daughter and a lover of all things non-consumerish. I buy almost nothing new, find joy in the simple tasks of daily life, and scour thrift shops like my life depended upon it. And I try not to take myself too seriously.

Me. Katy Wolk-Stanley.

But The Non-Consumer Advocate is more than a blog about a single person, it is a community. We share ideas and commiserate about our daily struggles. We find like-minded people to remind ourselves that our frugal and simple aspirations are admirable rather than weird. We’re here in America, and we’re all over the world.

But today, I want to know about you. Who are you and where do you live? How did you start coming to The Non-Consumer Advocate and what kept you coming back? How has non-consumerism affected your life, and what has been your family’s reaction to any changes you may have made?

Essentially, what makes you a non-consumer?

I will be checking in frequently throughout the day and I’ll try to reply to all comments. So please, share your thoughts and join in the discussion. After all, this blog is about you.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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1. I took two partial boxes of stale cereal, two partially full but stale bags of marshmallows, the last of a jar of peanut butter and three-quarters of a stick of long leftover margarine and assembled a pan of the most delicious faux Rice Krispy treats.

   I’m happy to rid my cupboards of this old food and ecstatic that the result was so delicious!

   

2. My husband and I took a spontaneous day trip to the Oregon Coast, which we timed to take full advantage of the low tide. As always, we stopped in Tillamook for Mexican food. Our favorite food cart was closed for the day, but the one down the road was decent enough. Our burritos were enormous and served as both lunch and dinner and we’d filled our travel bottles with enough water for the entire day.

   We spent a couple hours on the beach looking through the tide pools for marine life and were rewarded with views of anemones, crabs, sea stars and tiny fish. The tide was even low enough to walk all the way across to some caves, although not low enough to actually go in them. We then sat on a bench to watch the tide come in while munching our burritos.

   Lastly we drove up to the Cape Meares lighthouse to enjoy the view that never disappoints.

   We could certainly rent a hotel room or a cabin to stay overnight, but I actually really like how a day trip puts me back in my own comfortable bed by nightfall. Less to plan, almost nothing to pack and the cost is simply a bit of gasoline.

   

3. I used some neutral Resor-A-Finish to gloss over a watermark from where I stupidly set my tea slightly off the inset tile on my midcentury coffee table. This stuff is a freaking miracle, although it’s supposedly a controversial product in the furniture refinishing community. But really, can you argue with these results?

4. • My son and I drove over to a friend’s house to ooh and ahh over her two-week-old kittens. She sent us home with 18 freshly laid eggs from her backyard chickens.
   • Me being me, I’d just bought two packs of eggs at Safeway as they were priced at 97¢ per dozen. Oh well, I’m set for quite awhile!
   • I boiled up the last of the 10¢ ears of corn and then poured the cooled down water over some backyard ferns.
   • I received a free, yet new looking pair of Marimekko espadrilles through my Buy Nothing Group.
   • I stopped by the dented vegetable store and came home with two grocery bags of produce plus two boxes of matzoh crackers for only $10.31.
   • I picked up an extra $1 bag of organic Roma tomatoes for my friend Lise.
   • I thrifted a $4 frame for a watercolor that my insanely talented and creative daughter painted her first year of college. It’s been sitting dusty and propped up in her room ever since then, but it’s now protected and on hanging the wall of her childhood bedroom.
   • I know I already blogged about it, but I’m including that I painted over a large stain to keep my porch rug in use.
   • I’m almost done listening to Willa Cather’s My Antonia through the library’s free Libby app.
   • I found four items in my kitchen, (two mugs, a plate and a glass growler) that can go to Goodwill. Not an impressive amount, but it’s these consistent small donations that keep my house from getting too cluttered.

5. I didn’t buy a 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.

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I was sitting on the couch just now and wondered what a Chat GPT AI written blog post would look like. So I created an account and gave it the prompt “Write a frugality blog post,” and it immediately spit this out. I’m freaking out and I totally get why writers, artists and other creative people feel threatened. Also, why is it so good?

P.S. The above image is from me writing “Blogger in Portland, Oregon” into an AI image generator. Nailed it!

So here it is, a well written but dystopian bland blog post.

In a world driven by consumerism and materialism, adopting a frugal lifestyle can provide a refreshing perspective on personal finance. Frugality is not about deprivation or penny-pinching; it’s a conscious choice to prioritize value, mindful spending, and long-term financial well-being. In this blog post, we will explore the art of frugality and how it can lead to financial freedom, helping you achieve your goals and live a more fulfilling life.

1. Embracing Mindful Spending: Frugality starts with developing a mindful approach to spending. Instead of impulsive purchases driven by advertising and societal pressure, take the time to evaluate the value and necessity of each expense. By asking yourself whether an item or experience aligns with your values and goals, you can make informed decisions and allocate your resources accordingly.

2. Budgeting as a Tool for Empowerment: Creating and sticking to a budget is a cornerstone of frugal living. It allows you to gain control over your finances, track your expenses, and identify areas where you can cut back or optimize. By setting financial goals and allocating funds strategically, you can make progress towards your aspirations while still enjoying the present.

3. Living Below Your Means: Frugality involves living below your means, spending less than you earn, and avoiding unnecessary debt. It doesn’t mean sacrificing your quality of life but rather finding creative ways to maximize your resources. Look for ways to reduce expenses, such as cooking at home, using public transportation, or exploring affordable entertainment options. These small adjustments can add up to significant savings over time.

4. Embracing Minimalism: Frugality often goes hand in hand with minimalism, a mindset that values experiences and relationships over material possessions. By decluttering your life and focusing on what truly brings you joy, you can avoid the trap of consumerism and find contentment in simplicity. Consider selling or donating items you no longer need and make deliberate, thoughtful purchases that align with your values.

5. Investing in Your Future: One of the key benefits of frugality is the ability to allocate resources towards long-term goals and financial security. By saving and investing wisely, you can build an emergency fund, plan for retirement, and create a safety net for yourself and your family. Frugality empowers you to prioritize your future self and make choices that will pay dividends in the long run.

Frugality is not about deprivation or sacrificing happiness. It is a mindset that empowers you to make deliberate choices, align your spending with your values, and build a solid financial foundation. By embracing frugality, you can gain control over your finances, reduce stress, and work towards financial freedom. Remember, it’s not about how much you earn; it’s about how you manage and allocate your resources to create a life of abundance and fulfillment.

Katy “Robot Writer” Wolk-Stanley

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Although some of my frugality is impressive, most of it is just a series of small rather dull actions. Repeated ad infinitum. Drinking tap water instead of canned sparkling water or soda, cooking from scratch or listening to audiobooks instead of paying for an Audible subscription.

It’s not news worthy. It’s the stuff that usually doesn’t even make it into a Five Frugal Things blog post.

But put all together, these tiny actions add up to a something sizable. I look back on the past couple of days and I like what I see. Nothing spectacular, but still worthy as a whole.

• I walked to the library to return a book that was due that day. I picked up a pony tail elastic along the route, which I later put through the dishwasher.
• My daughter stopped by on her way home from work and gifted me with two bakery muffins, a quart of skim milk, a container of fresh pasta and a bag of ginger snaps.
• I picked (and ate) raspberries from my yard. I planted them after a neighbor put out some free canes maybe ten years ago.
• I made sure to stop by Safeway to pick up a pair of two-pound Tillamook cheese loaves that were on sale for $6.67 apiece. These last forever if you’re careful to only open just one at a time.
• I finished listening to Willa Cather’s O, Pioneers and then started listening to My Antonia through the library’s free Libby app.
• I took some ground beef leftover from a hamburger night and used it to make Cottage Pie Baked Potatoes. I saw the recipe on Instagram reels and amended it to conform with the ingredients I had on hand. Instead of the beef being enough for two hamburgers, it now made enough for six meals. (By the way, I added a can of tomato paste, plus a lot more herbs and spices. I also didn’t bother oiling and salting the potatoes.) I served these on the evening of my husband and son’s soccer game so no one would be tempted to splurge on takeout.
• We washed our filthy cars in the driveway instead of driving them through an automated carwash.
• I mended my son’s sweater and got a couple stains out of a shirt.
• I defrosted a packet of fancy hotdogs that my daughter gave me a couple months ago from her schwanky grocery store.
• I drew calendar pages into the blank book that I’m currently using as a daily planner. I started doing this a couple years ago and it works great, plus I get much more than 365 days out of each book. It ain’t pretty, but it’s functional and cheap.
• I texted my friend Lise, to let her know I was stopping by Trader Joe’s for 19¢ bananas and hummus. She asked for a can of coconut milk, which saved her a trip. I also let her know that Winco’s coconut milk was $1.18 vs. $2.50 at Trader Joe’s. (She’s like me and also tracks prices.)
• I accepted a free plum at Trader Joe’s, but waited until I was home to enjoy it properly.
• I’m letting a couple of backyard flowerpots sit empty as I patiently wait for some cuttings to root enough to plant.
• I made dinner for a neighbor going through hard times, but kept it simple. (Curry lime chicken satay with rice and a Caesar salad) I also picked up sale priced $2.77 Tillamook ice cream sandwiches for the dessert, but stashed them in the basement freezer so they wouldn’t get gobbled.
• I didn’t buy any fireworks.

None of these mini frugal actions will draw the attention of The Today Show, but they add up so much more than a kicky new frugal hack. Every day, under the wire, drinking my tap water out of a thrifted water bottle.

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.

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