The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I stopped by the outpatient pharmacy at my hospital and picked up 100-count bottles of Tylenol and Ibuprofen, which allowed me to use my employee discount. I paid $6.59 instead of $16.78 and simultaneously found a penny on the ground. It probably would have been cheaper to buy mega-huge bottles at Costco, but I’d rather imagine a world where and my husband and myself don’t require such enormous numbers of anti-inflammatories.

2. I sold an antique photo on eBay that I bought at the pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet. I’d estimate that I spent 20¢ on it, which makes the $14.99 a decent profit. I pretty much only buy items for resale if it’s something that I personally like, and this old collegiate team photo ticked that box. I think I’d had this up on eBay since last spring and am surprised that it finally sold. Luckily I keep my inventory very organized and it’s always easy to find items when they sell. (It’s in a corner of our spare bedroom.)

3. Neighbors are moving and set out furniture and boxes of random items with a “free” sign. I stopped by and rifled through the boxes and helped myself to an unopened bag of sun/shade grass seed from a local nursery. I have long given up on having a lawn in the backyard as A) its’s extremely shady, and B) it’s far from a priority for me, C) I’m unwilling to waste water by watering a lawn and D) I hate gardening. However, I am willing to sprinkle the seed over the supposed lawn area and let nature take its course. Portland will be extremely rainy through mid-June, so I have nothing to lose. Click HERE to see the Instagram photo of said free pile.

4. I renewed my books through the library website, I got called off from work on Tuesday, (which means I lose 12 hours of paid work) however my husband and I live below our means and can handle income fluctuations, I arranged work shifts through the end of March, I worked on a couple of different Clark Howard article drafts, I bought dull grocery staples at Fred Meyer (Kroger) even though I was in the mood for some fancy Trader Joe’s comfort food and I renewed a couple of Craigslist listings that had expired.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar solid gold toilet.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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The following is a reprint of a Non-Consumer Advocate blog post written in 2011, when Americans were beginning to pull themselves out of a recession mindset.

I awoke yesterday to the headline Frugal frenzy may be all spent: Recession-born shopping lessons are likely to be quickly forgotten by Laura Gunderson in my Oregonian newspaper. Of course I had to read the entire story. The gist of the article was that although consumers say that the recession has made lifelong changes in their spending, current studies say otherwise.

One paragraph from the article really stuck in my mind, which was:

“Consumers who lost jobs or had pay cut likely will stick with the money-saving tactics longer, Perner said. Those who simply felt the recession emotionally, are more likely to default on budget-cutting plans and be back at Starbucks sooner.”

Actually losing your job affects you more than watching others lose theirs.

I for one, felt and feel (Oregon unemployment is still over 10%) the recession more than I was actually affected by it. I’ve been in the same well paying job as an RN for almost 16 years. I have never at any point felt that my job was in jeopardy. Although my husband was laid off from his dream job in January of 2009, (they technically had him quit in order to later rehire him, which meant that he didn’t qualify for unemployment) he was able to find work again within a few months. (Don’t ask, it was complicated.)

I would like to think that the frugal living lessons brought about over the past few years are tools to be utilized through our entire lives. The difference between wants and needs; and the ability to use our creativity and community to weather financial difficulties.

Yes, American Express is reporting record spending, but I use mine for Costco purchases such as cat food, coffee, olive oil and my son’s prescription glasses. I am not using it for restaurant meals, Hawaiian vacations or designer handbags. I like that it has to be paid fully every month, and yes, I like that I get a yearly annual Costco voucher in the amount of at least a hundred bucks. (We already have our eye on a chest freezer that would allow us to stock up on great food deals and cook in bulk.)

I concede that many employ frugal tactics solely due to situations out of their control, and are happy to shed their latte-free lifestyles, but many others recognize the empowerment that comes with knowing how to control your finances. To lose the anxiety of living paycheck to paycheck. To learn how to not have life’s pleasures be tied to a fat wallet.

Researchers may disagree with my conclusions, but I truly feel that frugality once learned is a powerful tool. It may get set aside here and there, but it’s still available in a pinch.

Are you moving away from frugality in your life? Are you anxious to start up your formerly spend-happy life? 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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1. I worked both Friday and Saturday and brought leftovers from home both days. (Of course I drank the free coffee and tea in a thrifted travel mug.) I still had a $5 food voucher for the cafeteria, so I went down and bought cookies which I then shared with my co-workers. I work with a team of kick-ass labor and delivery nurses and it’s important to show my appreciation now and then. Without them I would have changed careers a million years ago.

2. I used last week’s paycheck to pay off our one credit card. We don’t carry a balance on the card, but had been succumbing to it a lot over the past month. We normally only use it for gasoline and out of town purchases, (and always pay off the balance) but the last month was insanely expensive due to the winter term tuition payments, renewing my nursing license, a surprise computer repair, an unexpected out of town trip and holiday expenses. We made a lot of financial sacrifices over the past month to continue our debt-free journey and it’s a relief to move forward. This paycheck included a bonus that I received for working over a certain number of hours in 2017, but only ended up as a normal amount as I had an entire week of work cancelled due to low hospital patient levels. The next double tuition payments aren’t due until April, so we can breathe again while we scurry to pile up another mountain of cash.

3. I sold two items on eBay including a brand new NBA branded fleece robe that I’d picked up at Goodwill. I actually bought two at $9.99 apiece as I saw that they were selling for between $50 and $75. I priced mine at $50 and sold it within a few days of putting the listing together. The other item was a pair of Starbucks mugs that are on their merry way to Lancashire, England. Most of my listings, both on eBay and Facebook Marketplace are pretty dormant right now, but I’m not worried as January is always a slow month for sales. People are recovering from the holidays and hunkering down at home. I know I am!

4. I sautéed a pan of 5-for-99¢ Grocery Outlet peppers for burritos, I washed up a sodden filthy towel to use as a cleaning rag,  (see above photo) I wore the same wool socks three days in a row, I found a quarter and five pennies on the ground while out and about and I walked to do my grocery shopping and ended up strolling home to chat with a neighbor which wouldn’t have happened had I driven.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar solid gold toilet.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. I offered to stay an extra four hours at the hospital for a 16-1/2 hour shift. (I had a lovely patient assignment, which I was more than happy to extend. Especially at time-and-a-half plus night shift differential!) I put in a request for a meal voucher, which means that I’ll now be able to spend $5 in the cafeteria when I work next. I’ll still bring food from home, but will be able to enjoy a treat as well.

2. I went to my husband’s fancy workplace banquet last night, enjoying a free delicious meal, but did not indulge in anything from the no-host bar. I made do from my minimal wardrobe and avoided any temptation to purchase fancy clothing or footwear. I ended up chatting with another wife all evening and look forward to having her as a buddy for future work related events.

3. I started listening to a friend’s new personal finance podcast. It’s called Pour Not Poor, and each episode intertwines a financial topic with a specific craft beer. I know one of the podcasters (Joel Larsgaard) through my work with Clark Howard, as he was my first editor there. Great guy who I hope to meet in person some day. I’m not a craft beer fan, (I rarely drink alcohol) but enjoy personal finance enough to let that one go.

4. I sold a thrifted suitcase, put together a couple new eBay and Craigslist listings, walked to the store for grocery staples, am arranging a thrifting date with my friend Sarah from Portland Sampler, am eating down a fresh batch of red lentil soup with ham, and I Facetimed with my son for a couple hours instead of driving the four hours to hang out with him.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. I was sent a coupon for a $19.99 Honda dealership oil change that included a car wash voucher. (This is cheaper than buying the supplies ourselves. Plus this car is in a state of whatever is worse than “nasty  filthy.”) I made an appointment to bring in our 16-year-old minivan, but first confirmed that they’d honor the coupon since it expired on December 31st. I used the down time to approve Non-Consumer Advocate Facebook members and start a new library book. I sent a text to my sister that I was “adulting,” although die-hard Star Trek fans can call it “grup-ing.”

2. Money is very short this month as we recover from making winter term’s tuition payments, renewing my nursing license, Christmas expenses, repairing our sons’ laptop and all the other shit that happens in a “shit happens” world. Add in that both of my 12-hour hospital shifts were cancelled last week due to low patient census, and you’ll see my husband and I doing all we can to minimize our expenses and maximize our earnings. So far this week my husband has worked an overtime shift, I returned bottles and cans from our back porch, I sold a $10 mug, I put myself on call for work, (and ended up with seven hours of time-and-a-half pay) I scheduled an extra hospital shift, I’m selling a few items that I picked up at Goodwill and we’re starting to make a dent in the massive pot of turkey soup that dominates our refrigerator. Not a lot of fun, but low bank accounts make me queasy with anxiety. Debt free living is not for the faint of heart.

3. My next door neighbor took me out for a lovely birthday/thank-you-for-feeding-my-cats breakfast at a local restaurant. I had enough leftover food that my husband was able to add a couple of scrambled eggs to it and create an entirely new meal. Thank you, Nancy!

4. I put another book on hold at the library, turned the heat down to 61° last night since I was already under a blanket watching TV, wore the same outfit two days in a row and I sold some alpaca yarn that I had picked up at the Goodwill Outlet, (light as a feather, so it was the perfect item to buy by the pound!)

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. My younger sister treated me to lunch to celebrate my belated birthday, which then expanded to include a trip to Goodwill and an evening visit to a comedy club as her friend had two extra tickets. (In case you hadn’t noticed, my plan is to milk my 50th birthday for as long as humanly possible!) It was very fun and certainly a departure from my normal evenings which feature flannel pajama pants and the fourth season of Orphan Black.

2. I chipped 2017’s leftover Thanksgiving turkey from the basement freezer and simmered it on the stove all day. What I was thinking, I’m really not sure, as I’m now in possession of approximately 7423 gallons of turkey soup for just my husband and I. Anyone looking for either of us can just follow the wafting scent of turkey. Possibly into the month of March.

3. I received an email from the New Seasons grocery store about a free drip coffee if I used my debit card that’s registered for paper-free email receipts. I carted in my own travel mug and received enough coffee to share with my sister after our lunch.

4. I sold a pair of Lucky brand jeans through Facebook Marketplace. I received a mere $15, but since the jeans cost maybe a buck at the pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet it was still enough to cover the $13.77 that I’d just spent at Trader Joe’s. Speaking of which, can I get a what-what for spending so little at Trader Joe’s, which can be bizarrely expensive. (I bought 11 bananas, 1 butternut squash, 2 onions, 1 avocado, 2 boxes of Joe’s O’s cereal, 1 bag of mini carrots and 99¢ packet of peanut butter cups.) The key is to stay away from the booze and their myriad of impulse options.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. One of my eBay listings actually sold! (A lightweight mug that I picked up at the pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet.) I’d be frustrated with how poor my sales have been in 2018, except I know that people take a break from buying in the month after Christmas. It doesn’t cost me anything to repeatedly renew my listings, so I’m not going to give it any worry.*

2. My husband dug a couple dozen D-ring notebooks from the garbage at work and brought them home. I’ll donate them to our neighborhood elementary school. Today hopefully, as I’m not enjoying the three extra boxes in our living room, especially since I’d finally put away all the tree and holiday decorations. Sometimes frugality is about creating frugal opportunities for others.

3. I listed a jump rope and a pair of outgrown winter gloves on my Buy Nothing Group and quickly found takers.

4. I finished my library copy of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, and will start a new library book this evening. I would not actually recommend this book, as the book essentially tells you to go through your own stuff before you die, which is a single sentence. The rest is just rambly. I do recommend Roz Chast’s Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant for people needing inspiration to declutter before death. A wonderful and honest memoir from the amazing New Yorker cartoonist.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. My husband and I drove our kids to their respective universities and slept a single night at our go-to Ashland motel. However, I did use my AARP senior discount, (woot woot!) and saved an extra $3 from the bill. Hey, I’ll take it!

2. Our younger son realized that he’d brought his hangers home from school and somehow didn’t bring them back to his apartment. No fear though, as I am intimately familiar with southern Oregon’s thrift store scene. We grabbed 20 from the Medford’s St. Vincent DePaul for a budget and brag-worthy 50¢. Our plan was to stop back in Eugene to take him to dinner on our way back anyway, so Katy’s Hanger-Delivery-Service was zero extra effort. Dollar Tree hangers sell 8/$1, so we saved $2.50. However, I care more that we were able to buy used instead of new, meaning we didn’t participate in manufacturing/packaging/shipping from China to fill this need.

3. We were away from the house for two full days, so I turned off the furnace, dialed the hot water heater to “low” and switched off the surge protector where all our TV-related appliances are plugged in. (I knew there wouldn’t be any freezing temperatures, so I wasn’t worried about frozen pipes.)

4. I walked to Fred Meyer to buy eggs and bought nothing but eggs, I found a penny on the ground, I accepted a cookie sample which I brought home to my husband, (frugal generosity at its finest!) I’m cooking pinto beans in the slow cooker for a burrito night, I thrifted a Prius cargo cover to resell, I’m wearing a thrifted merino wool base layer instead of turning up the heat and I have The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning waiting for me at the library.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or a vulgar gold-plated apartment in the sky.

Now your turn. What frugal things have you been up to?

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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