The Non-Consumer Advocate

My husband and I used our free library passes for The Portland Art Museum today, which was the perfect excuse for a day of adventures as I’m in great need of quality distraction.

Step One:

Dim sum at Excellent Cuisine, perhaps not technically frugal, but still worth every penny. I suppose you could lean towards the cheaper plates, but it’s hard to know the prices with the language barrier. This restaurant has the most amazing Chinese food and I’d eat there every day if I could. Our total was $45 before the tip and we have leftovers to enjoy this evening.

Step Two:

The art museum, which is a rare treat since the admission is normally $25 per adult. Unfortunately much of the museum is closed for construction, but beggars can’t be choosers so off we went to downtown Portland. I’ve loved the museum on previous visits, but today was not my favorite as there were only a few open gallery rooms with standard art. Their two main exhibits were Paul McCartney photographs and Psychedelic rock posters and fashion of the 1960s, neither of which really really held my interest. (I might get some hate here, but they both felt gimmicky.) I was disappointed that their Native American exhibit was closed, but again . . . my tickets were free! Still fun to wander the museum with my honey.

Street parking was $5.40.

Step Three:

I’d been holding onto a two-for-one Stumptown Coffee coupon and today was the perfect day to cash it in. As much as I’m loathe to admit that pricier options are worth the money, Stumptown coffee really is superior. My husband and I both ordered 16-ounce café lattes and the barista handed over the first coffee complete with breathtaking latte art and joked “that one’s the free coffee.” I responded with “the free one should be uglier.” She then got to work on the second coffee and wrote the word “FREE” on top with milky foam. Mind you, she has no idea that I’m “The Non-Consumer Advocate,” which made it extra funny!

$7.75 before tip.

We didn’t indulge in a treat as my plan was to come home and bake something from scratch. (Maybe pumpkin scones?) Instead I got a text from my next door neighbor asking if we wanted their leftover Halloween chocolate candy. Umm, let me give that some thought . . . hell, yes! I was in my feelings last night with nothing but kid friendly Hi-Chew candy for trick-or-treaters. An excellent plan to keep myself from snacking on candy, (Hi-Chew does not appeal to me!) but kind of a bummer.

So yes, I was happy to accept the neighbor’s leftover chocolate!

Was my day a success? Absolutely! I barely thought about the distressing state of the world and we stayed on budget. Plus we now have a bag of emotional support candy, which can only be a plus.

Are you doing okay? Have you found some quality distraction?

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Okay, I’m trying to blog every day until the election. Let’s see if I can come up with five new frugal things . . .

1. I transferred our savings from an account with a 4.75% interest rate to one at a full 5%. The first account had started at 5.5% interest, but had a variable rate. I knew the 5% one was locked in for a full year, so this was an easy decision. They’re both with the same credit union, so it just took just a few minutes of time.

2. My friend is a vegetarian, so she gave me her coupon for a free pound of bulk sausage from New Season’s Market. It’s only good from November 27th through December third, so I’ve added it to the calendar, complete with an electronic reminder.

3. I sold a trio of garbage picked frames for $15 through Facebook Marketplace.

4. I set out the same Halloween decorations that an old neighbor handed down to us in 1998 or so. No need to buy anything new.

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.
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1. I walked to the temporary mini-library to return my books and pick up holds. I also grabbed a “Lucky Day” copy of Abby Jiminez’s Just in Time For Summer. I found a penny and a ponytail holder along the way.

   

2. I peeled and chopped the apples that I scored from a neighbor’s tree a couple weeks ago. They all had flaws, but it didn’t matter as they were for pies and it’s easy enough to cut off the bad bits. I now have two apple pies in the basement freezer that’ll help Thanksgiving be that much easier to host. I’ll file this under “a favor to future Katy.” I also made the crusts from scratch.

   

3. I rolled out the leftover pie dough and sprinkled it with cinnamon sugar to make “brinker bronkers,” which is what they’re called in my family. Yes, I know it’s an insane name, but since they’re a yummy treat let’s just let this one slide.

   

4. I filled out my ballot, as Oregon is 100% vote by mail and has been since 1998. I specifically remember the year, as my son was born on the very last in-person election day and my husband voted in between the birth and picking up our daughter to go meet her baby brother. It was a finicky process as local elections are now “ranked choice,” which added an extra level of annoyance to the process. I’ll drop it off at the library tomorrow.

   Please enjoy the above photo of me looking all relaxed and optimistic. I considered taking an actual in focus picture, but let’s be real, there ain’t nothing relaxing here in the United States right now.

5. I never subscribed to The Washington Post, so I didn’t have to cancel.

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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1. My son and I went to Winco Foods and I ended up with four bags of groceries, even though I only had a few items on my list. (Pinto beans, white beans, fresh ginger and cleaning wipes.) The traditional money saving edict is to always “stick to your list,” but I dislike this advice as I find it to be short sighted. Why? Because to only buy what’s on your list means you aren’t stocking up on unexpected sale items. A good example of this are the above English cucumbers, which are all the rage right now thanks to Logan, aka the “Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber” guy. 48¢ is a screaming good deal for safe sex cucumbers, English cucumbers, so I bought two. Were they on my list? Nope, but this variety of cucumbers are popular for a good reason as they’re tasty, healthy and versatile.

   My grocery total was $54.12, here’s what I bought:

   • 18-pack carton of eggs — $3.66 This is the price for “the first one” only.
   • Can of green salsa — $1.03
   • Peanut butter — $2.88
   • A bag of frozen mixed vegetables, perfect for stir fry — $2.48
   • A bag of frozen tater tots — $2.68
   • Fresh ginger — 60¢
   • Container of cleaning wipes for the bathroom — $3.19
   • Bag of fresh spinach — $2.28
   • Bag of frozen peas — $2.98
   • Bag of sweet mini peppers — $2.98
   • Two English cucumbers — 98¢
   • 4.13 pounds of great northern beans — $4.45
   • 1.5 pounds of pinto beans — $3.22
   • 3.11 pounds of garbanzo beans — $1.76
   • Bananas — $1.83
   • Two big tubs of Fage Greek yogurt — $11.58 (My husband prefers this budget buster brand for his work lunches.)
   • Two 8-ounce containers of cream cheese — $2.98
   • Flour tortillas — $3.08

   Winco generally has the best prices in town, but this is a not a truth universally acknowledged. I stock up on two-pound loaves of Tillamook cheese when they’re less than $6.50, which happens often enough at Safeway. Winco had theirs at $10.85, so this was a hard no. Luckily I stocked up on Tillamook cheese when it was on sale. Like the stock market, you “buy the dip!”

   

2. I showed my son that he was paying more per ounce on the larger bag of frozen blueberries when compared to the on-sale smaller bags. This is a lesson for everyone, (even me) that the larger package is not necessarily the cheaper choice.

3. My husband and son had a 5:30 P.M. soccer game this evening, so I started rice in the rice cooker and programmed it to not start until an hour later. We then came home and cooked Trader Joe’s potstickers in the cast iron skillet and doctored up a salad kit with extra lettuce and a chopped cucumber. Having a plan for post-soccer dinner saved us the expense of eating out. The plan doesn’t have to be fancy, it just has to be thought out. I try to keep a couple of easy meals on hand for this very reason.

4. • I deliberately cooked extra rice to use for veggie fried rice at a later date.
   • I finished reading my “Lucky Day” library copy of Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett. So so good!
   • I sold a pair of glittery vintage pumps* that I’ve had on eBay for ages. $30 and I’m happy to see them go!
   • I sold a $20 bloody clown costume through Facebook Marketplace.
   • I picked up an enormous $2.49 butternut squash at Trader Joe’s and used half of it to make a large pot of butternut squash soup. Heavy produce is actually a bargain at Trader Joe’s as they charge per item instead of per pound. Butternut squash, cauliflower and cantaloupe can be a great deal!
   • I thrifted a soft drapey cardigan sweater for just $3.50, as it was the half-off tag color. It was the only thing I bought.

5. No treasonous Cyber trucks.

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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* This is an eBay referral link.

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1. I will never get over scallions (spring onion) being priced at more than 33¢/bunch. So when I saw that Trader Joe’s was selling large bags for 99¢ apiece, I made sure to throw them into my basket. Luckily scallions they’re almost infinite, as long as you preserve some of the rooted bottom part. It’s as easy as placing in water and setting them on a windowsill, which is within most people’s skill set. The ones in the above photo are 1-3 days old and already showing impressive growth.

   Of course my cute sake glass was nabbed from a stranger’s recycling bin. What am I, a Rockefeller?

   

2. I stopped at Costco for cat litter and added two 30-ounce bags of Hi-Chew candies to my cart. I switched to this candy a couple years ago as A) The kids love them and B) I most definitely do not. (There’s nothing frugal about buying Halloween candy to only give into temptation before the 31st!) I was extra pleased to find the $3 “instant rebate” on the candy, as I would have bought it either way.

   Happy Halloween to Katy!

3. I finished up the last of some delicious homemade chicken soup this morning, even though chicken soup is far from a traditional breakfast food. What we eat for breakfast, lunch or dinner is cultural and a false construct. There’s really no reason why certain foods are only acceptable at specific times.

   One example would be how cake is for after dinner, but a muffin is for breakfast. Think about how much food waste could be avoided if we simply ate our leftovers without regard to time of day.

4. • I finished reading a library copy of Glendy Vanderah’s When The Forest Meets The Stars and then picked up a couple more library books that had burst free from my hold list.
   • I didn’t buy anything besides the cat litter and candy at Costco, although I did accept a couple of samples. I paused at the food court, but then scolded myself as “we have food at home.”
   • I let my son list a couple items on my Facebook Marketplace account, as he works standard office hours and isn’t available to coordinate with buyers as well as me. This meant that I was able to sell an $80 guitar pedal for him yesterday.
   • I put together a big batch of fried rice which included carrots, onions, cabbage and eggs. I’m a big fan of less expensive produce, which are just as tasty and nutritious as their pricier counterparts.

5. No candy covered Lear Jets.

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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1. My husband is in Las Vegas all week to play in a baseball tournament and I’m torn between committing to extremely productivity or the full hurkle durkle experience. (Somehow I think the answer is “both” and “neither.”) Either way, it’ll be a frugal week for me. Or . . . maybe just the opposite. I kind of like that the week contains nothing that I “need” to do.

   Time will tell.

2. I switched the ceiling fan in my living room from “summer” to “winter” so that it’ll spin clockwise and push warm air down instead of drawing it up. This was actually a bit premature as I only run the fan while actively using the furnace, but I know that chilly days are right around the corner.

3. My husband and I added pretty much nothing from his parents’ estate into our home as A: We’re established adults with everything we already need; and B: We’ve worked hard to establish a clean and organized home. However, there’s an unfortunate number of their random things that snuck into our basement in the rush to ready their house for sale. One of those items was a kitchen shelving unit that I realized would slot just so into a small niche across from our chest freezer. It was pretty filthy, but it cleaned up nicely after I took soapy wet cleaning towels to its many nooks and crannies. It can now hold infrequently used kitchen items and backup pantry supplies.

   Removing these large items from other basement shelves freed up enough space to then shelf the handful of items that lived on the floor.

   By the way, my late in laws’ house did sell! Phew . . . .

4. • I walked my stored up “clamshell” plastic over to New Seasons Market for their free recycling.
   • I put It Lasts Forever and Then it’s Over on hold at the library, after seeing that it won the 2024 Ursula K. LeGuin Prize for Fiction.
   • My husband is sharing his AirBnb with four teammates and his rental car with a friend. They’ll mostly cook at home. Luckily my husband is not a gambler.
   • I put together a bouquet of backyard hydrangeas for my mother.
   • I made a big pot of chicken soup using a half eaten Costco rotisserie chicken that I’d thrown into the freezer a couple months ago. It was more chicken than I needed, so I’ll use the rest for fried rice.

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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1. Our cell phone bill went up by $20, so I called Verizon and was able to get them to lower it by $50 per month. (All I had to do was to say that were considering switching to a different carrier, which is always true.) To clarify, this is for four cell phone plans, plus internet. Plus they lowered November’s bill by an extra $100. We also receive a “first responder discount” through my husband’s job, which helps.

2. I swung by Domino’s for a free gluten-free pizza for my daughter, as I’d earned a free “emergency” pizza last week from my son ordering a pizza. I had to order it in person as the gf pizza comes in the small size, while the free pizza was for a medium. Kind of a pain, but also not the worst thing. I brought a library book to kill time in the car while I waited.

3. I gave away four propagated spider plant starts and a folding table through my local Buy Nothing group. The plant starts left in glass Oui yogurt jars, which I’d pulled a neighbor’s recycling bin.

4. • I sold a thrifted Frankenstein costume on eBay for $22. This was very stale inventory and I’m happy for it to have found a new home. Buh-bye!
   • I wanted to buy a replacement heating pad for my husband, as the last one stopped working, so I looked up the brand on Amazon and then went to eBay to find a cheaper alternative. This way I support an independent seller instead of Schmeff Schmezos, plus the purchase doesn’t trigger the manufacture of a brand new item. There were multiple options of the “new in box” heating pads for $20-$25, instead of the $45 that Amazon charges. Buying used instead of new will always be my first choice.

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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