The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I sold an autographed copy of Katherine Dunn’s Geek Love that I’d found at the Goodwill Outlet, (I accepted an offer on the book, but still made a good profit) as well as four Mary Engelbreit magazines from 1992.

   I also picked up a set of four $6.99 vintage dining room chair for resale. I actually had them sold, (the person loved them so much that she Paypal’d me the money) but returned the funds when I realized they were wobblier than I first realized. I’m going to reglue a few joints and anticipate being able to sell them again without any problem. Meanwhile, my dining room is sporting that “furniture showroom” aesthetic that often invades my home.

2. My friend Lise and I took our laptops to Ikea so we could “parallel play” while slurping down their free coffee. I finished up an article I’d already drafted at home and then answered some important emails and sent out invoices.

   It’s certainly more of a schlep to go to Ikea rather than a local coffee shop, but the bean juice is free and we don’t feel bad about hogging a table for an extended period of time.

   Lise returned a set of twin-XL sheets that her daughter never opened, and then redeemed part of her store credit to treat me to a bagel with lox. Thanks, Lise!

3. My husband and I forked over two bucks apiece to see a movie at the Academy Theater here in Portland. They normally charge just $4 per ticket, but that price gets cuts in half on Tuesdays. (So yes, we see a lot of Tuesday movies!) We chose The Farewell, which was a wonderful movie about a family’s decision to not tell their grandmother she was dying of cancer. Set mostly in China, it was a moving and insightful glimpse into this family’s dynamics and culture.

4. I nipped into Costco for cat food, chicken broth and gasoline as it was close to Ikea, I picked up library hold books, I mended a sheet, I cooked up a huge batch of chicken soup with rice, I stopped into Trader Joe’s and bought nothing more than their 19¢ bananas, I wore the same jeans three (four?) days in a row, I’m cooking up bulk purchased pinto beans for tonight’s burrito bar dinner, I watched a couple episodes of Rich House, Poor House on YouTube, my husband attended a free social event through work that included an open bar and free hors d’eouvres, (I could have gone, but didn’t feel up for an evening of small talk) and I handed my packaged book over to the mail carrier instead of driving to the post office.

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.”

{ 71 comments }

Sorry to have stepped away from the blog for so long, but I was traveling over the past week and wanted to be present and in the moment. In fact, I went an entire week without actually opening my laptop, which may be a record! Okay . . . back to work!

1. I sold a few things on eBay including an electric typewriter, a mug, two Funko Pop figures, a stuffed animal/blanket, a mantle clock, a collectible spoon shelf and some Calico Critters.

   All of these sales were Goodwill finds, most of which were from the pay-by-the-pound outlet bins which means that I spent just a few pennies on them. (Especially the lightweight stuffed animal and the small hollow plastic Calico Critters!)

   When I travel I switch my “handing time” over to two weeks, which notifies potential buyers that their item will be delayed in shipping. However, it never seems to decrease my sales, as they trickle in at the same rate as when I’m home.

   I spent a few minutes yesterday cross posting some stale Facebook Marketplace listings over to Craigslist, which took no time as I simply cut and pasted all my descriptions and photos. No sales yet, but it puts stuff in front of a new set of eyes which should help.

2. My mother and I flew to New York City last week as my sister graduated from her intensive master’s degree program through the American Museum of Natural History. The ceremony was held in the Hall of Ocean Life, which is most recognizable as the room with a life-size blue whale hanging from the ceiling.

   I enjoyed the open bar.

   For those who’ve been counting . . . yes, I’ve flown to New York five times over the past ten months. Far from frugal, but my sister went through an avalanche of major life changes and family gathered around to support her. Some trips were on my own dime, but others were paid for by my parents. (Save money on the little stuff, so it’s available for the important stuff.)

   My mother and I also stopped off in Lincoln, Nebraska to visit with her brother’s family for a few days. I visited Lincoln countless times throughout my childhood including the entire sweltering summer of 1980. (It was over 100° every day for over a month, including at night!) It was a wonderful gift to spend time with my aunt and uncle, as well as my cousin’s family.

   Money was spent on travel and food, but not a penny was spent on things or souvenirs.

3. I spent my first day home resetting back into home life. (Like an Etch-A-Sketch that’s gotten scribbly and needs to be shaken back to its blank slate.) Essentially I cooked and cleaned, and got the house back to how I like it. Traveling is such an energizing treat, but coming back home is a luxury that no five-star resort, (or Nebraska hide-a-bed) can ever compare to.

   Money can’t buy the comforts of home.

4. I packed food for travel days, I shared my seat mate’s New York Times on the way back from New York, I took daily walks around Holmes Lake while in Lincoln, I accepted an armload of bubble wrap from a neighbor, I’ve been grazing from a huge pot of homemade black bean chili that I cooked up as soon as I got home, I picked up a few things at Goodwill on my way back from dropping my daughter off at her girlfriend’s house, I renewed library books and I’ve been making smoothies that strongly feature the sliced apricots that I got for free last month.

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.”

{ 51 comments }

1. I completed migrating The Non-Consumer Advocate over to a new hosting company, which’ll save $70 per month! I did splurge on $100 for them to handle the migration, but it’s money well spent as I wouldn’t even know where to start.

   I’ve now cancelled my crappy (yet expensive) old hosting plan.

   Huge relief. Yuge!

2. We moved our son down for his senior year of college yesterday, and as much as we try to be 100% tip-top organized with the process, there always seems to be a thing or two (or five) that gets left behind in Portland. It drives me bonkers, as I hate to buy things that we already own. No big items, but things like a bathroom wastebasket or a dish drain.

   How is this a “frugal thing?”

   I drew the line at buying, (or letting him buy) a simple yet necessary key ring, and instead removed every blasted key from my own key ring, thus creating a temporary rich jangle of keys in the bottom of my purse.

   Mom has her limits. Good thing he was such a perfect baby. (See above photo of him at age two days old.)

3. I took a thrifted $4.99 antique doll chair and swapped out the nasty fabric with some velvet I had in my sewing basket. The job itself involved no more skills than the operation of a staple gun, which is well within my skill set. I’ll probably sell it to a doll collector, but for now I’m admiring the incredible craftsmanship and imagining who the original owner would have been. My bet is on some coddled Rockafeller toddler.

   Click HERE to see the before and after!

4. I watched the third season of The Detectorists from the library, we stopped at Costco for $1.50 hot dogs on our way down to drop our son at school, I cooked up a huge pot of chicken noodle soup, (which served to use up some of my free CSA vegetables as well as a forgotten half-box of spaghetti noodles) I mended a pair of jeans and have been enjoying lots of lovely fizzy seltzer from my thrifted Soda Stream machine.

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.”

{ 77 comments }

1. After having written that my eBay sales have been sluggish, I’ve actually sold a couple things over the past few days. This includes an Irish wool cap and an adorable vintage puppy lamp. The lamp was a bit of an impulse purchase as I couldn’t check exact completed listings for comparison, but in the end my intuition was correct on this one. Seriously, so cute!

   I also listed a few new items including a thrifted Roseville Sun and Moon planter, a free-pile bowl, a collectible spoon shelf, a cribbage board and a Fiestaware mini disc pitcher.

2. My neighbor is out of town and asked if I’d like her weekly CSA (community sponsored agriculture) box. My son and I picked it up last night, so I’m now the proud owner of some extremely random produce. Mind you, I’ll be sure to figure out how to incorporate everything into meals, but it’s a reminder of why I’ve never signed up for a CSA. I’m someone who needs to buy her groceries for specific meals, rather than working backwards.

   I’m very grateful that my neighbor gave us her weekly allotment, but it’s a bit of a head scratcher. Luckily, she forwarded me a suggested recipe email that should help.

   Here’s what I got:
   – 3 red potatoes
   – 2 small Jonagold apples
   – 1 white onion
   – 1 bunch of chives
   – 1 bunch of fresh oregano
   –  2 tomatoes
   – 1 green pepper
   – 1 poblano pepper

3. I’m switching the web hosting for The Non-Consumer Advocate over to a company that’ll save me $50 per month. I got the referral from my pal Kristen over at The Frugal Girl, who swears that this company has been nothing but amazing and helpful. I tend to experience paralysis when it comes to tech decisions, so I deeply appreciate her help with this matter. She’s also nudging me to switch over to a more profitable ad network, but there’s some behind the scenes tech stuff that would need to happen first.

   I made a decision a zillion years ago to not fully monetize The Non-Consumer Advocate, as doing so would be hypocritical to my core premise to buy used and shop locally. That’s why you’ll never see an Amazon affiliate link or a sponsored post for some random subscription service here. I could have made a lot of money over the past 11 years of blogging, but instead made this unprofitable choice.

4. One of the lift gate struts on our minivan stopped working, so my husband ordered $13.50 replacement ones and installed them himself, I cooked up a large Instantpot of black beans which served for multiple meals, (nachos, quesadillas, Mexi-bowls etc.) I snagged six bags of 58¢ clearance-priced chocolate chips, my son picked up a pair of Bose speakers for just $10 at Goodwill, I swapped out a Buy Nothing Group Soda Stream CO2 canister for a $15 full one and I’m soaking a pair of leather work gloves that I found flattened by traffic.

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.”

{ 79 comments }

1. I didn’t sell much over the past week, which I owe to having been out of town, (so no sourcing) plus the random whims of the world. I did sell a vintage basket and some hangers through Facebook Marketplace, as well as a box of programmable DVDs through eBay. Seriously, that’s it! However, I did post a few new things on eBay which’ll pay off in the long term.

   It’s not uncommon to doubt the stuff I’ve bought to resell only to later enjoy a rush of sales. Essentially, I just list it and forget it. Traditional retailers don’t expect to sell the entire contents of their brick and mortar stores on a daily basis, so why would I?

2. I went out to lunch with an old co-worker yesterday and hit up the nearby suburban Goodwill afterwards. It’s one of my favorites as it never seems picked over, and I don’t think I’ve ever walked out empty handed.

   I bought:

   – A couple dozen velvet hangers.
   – An antique “sun and moon” Roseville planter.
   – A Fiestaware mini disc pitcher.
   – An ornately carved antique doll chair.

   The total cost was $15!

3. I replaced all my bedroom hangers with those skinny velvet ones that take up waaaay less closet space. The total cost was a mere $18, as I was able to source them for $2.99 per dozen(ish) from two trips to Goodwill. I like the classic look of the wooden ones, but my husband and I share an non-updated 1914 closet and there’s no room for such frippery form over function.

   I sold the wooden hangers through Facebook Marketplace and put the plastic ones up on my Buy Nothing Group to keep them in circulation.

   Once I decide to get rid of something I tend to do it immediately. Not only does it keep my house from becoming cluttered, but it means that I can take the time to be extremely deliberate with how I rehome each item. This would be overwhelming if it was a huge pile of stuff, but it becomes possible when it’s just a few things per week.

4. I dropped off a handful of wine corks for recycling, I slipped a book into a Little Free Library, I was gifted a Soda Stream CO2 canister through my Buy Nothing Group, I removed some cool industrial-style drawer pulls from a junked desk, I refurbished a free cast iron skillet and I finished a library copy of Tara Westover’s gripping book Educated.

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.”

{ 64 comments }

I’m finally back in Portland after an immensely satisfying two-week stay in New York City. My son and I lodged with my sister, so these trips essentially boil down to the cost of airfare plus a few extras. I sold five eBay items while we away, but otherwise earned no money. Oftentimes I’ll indulge in paid writing gigs to offset the cost of travel, but instead I chose to put my focus on spending quality time with friends and family.

Here’s how I kept the budget under control:

1. I didn’t look at my vacation as one long shopping trip or feel the need to buy souvenirs or gifts to bring home. I had ample opportunity to buy stuff as I accompanied my sister and 15-year-old niece on excursions to buy classroom supplies and school clothes, as well as countless forays into Muji and Uniqlo stores while others shopped. I have enough stuff, as do all my loved ones.

2. I kept an eye out for dropped coins throughout my stay and ended up with $2.21, bolstered by a one-dollar bill that had blown into a shrub. I enjoy the thrill of finding money, which I add up at the end of the year as part of my Found Change Challenge.

3. I took advantage of free and inexpensive opportunities which included a afternoon at the American Museum of Natural History. My sister is finishing a graduate program through the museum, so she’s able to get us into all the exhibits, (including the paid extras) for free.

4. I packed food to eat on travel days both to and from New York, I veered more toward cheap slices of pizza than pricey sit-down meals, I discovered that the seafood restaurant across the street from my sister’s apartment had a happy hour featuring $5 mojitos, I chipped in for groceries and I was content to spend many days accompanying my sister on her career related errands.

   Of course I also picked up the tab here and there, and I tried to find that fine line between generosity and financial responsibility. Did I find it? Yes. No. Who knows?

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet or stay at a vulgar Scottish golf course.

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.”

{ 75 comments }

1. I continue to visit my sister in New York City, and as such my income opportunities are down to almost nothing. I’m not interested in sourcing inventory to sell as it would be a pain in the tuchus to get stuff back to Portland. However, I did sell a few eBay items including a set of free-box mugs, a “One-Piece” T-shirt and an antique wooden bed knob that I found at the bottom of a Goodwill Outlet bin. I set my handling time to three weeks, so I won’t get penalized by eBay for any delay in shipping.

2. I was invited tomy friend Pam’s house for dinner, and when I asked what I could bring I was hit with the answer to “just bring yourself.” My plan had been to pick up something nibbly, but my day got away from me and then I wasn’t in an area that was conducive to grabbing a nice bottle of wine. However, there was a bodega (corner store) close to her Brooklyn house, so I wandered around a bit and grabbed a $1.25 roll of Scott toilet paper. Why toilet paper? Well, I figured if I was bringing something crappy it might as well be as practical as possible. Luckily, she shares my sense of humor and thought it was funny. Because, hey . . .  who couldn’t use an extra roll of toilet paper?

   We enjoyed a few hours together and even though our friendship harks back to the late 1980s/early 1990s when my husband and I lived in New York, it was like no time had passed.

3. I’m reading my niece’s copy of Barbara Demick’s Nothing To Lose: Ordinary Lives in North Korea, which is an utterly fascinating book about everyday lives of North Korean citizens. Based on countless interviews with North Korean defectors, the details are gripping and give an inside perspective to the struggles of this proud nation.

   I highly recommend that you put this book on hold at the library!

4. I’ve been helping my sister to ready her high school earth science classroom. This involves endless errands such as visiting the Department of Education office in downtown Brooklyn, Staples office supply trips to take advantage of back-to-school sales, (composition books for just 50¢!) cleaning and organizing her third floor classroom, (“Sorry, but the elevator isn’t working today”) and picking up bizarrely heavy geological samples from Baruch College and then dropping off others at Lehman College. This may not be the typical New York City trip filled with Broadway shows, afternoons wandering throughThe Guggenheim and sumptuous restaurant meals, but it sure is cheaper!

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet and I won’t be visiting any vulgar gold-plated apartments in the city.

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.”

{ 76 comments }

1. I’m in New York visiting with my sister and her kids for a couple of weeks, so my side hustle opportunities are a bit diminished. (I did switch my eBay listings to a three week handling time so I can continue to sell.) Not too much is flying off the shelves at the moment, although I did sell a Dr Doom Funko Pop bobble head for $65, which is not too shabby considering that it was jumbled inside a large $4.99 bag of collectible figures.

   My niece and I collected free magazines from a nearby business for collaging, and I set aside a small stack of vintage Modeltec magazines and quickly listed them on eBay. I’ll delete the listing if they don’t sell before I’m scheduled to fly back to Oregon as I don’t relish lugging heavy stuff through the airport, but I figure I might as well attempt to squeeze a few dollars out of this trip.

2. I accompanied my sister and niece into the city yesterday to pick out school supplies and a new pair of shoes. We hit Muji, Staples and Dick Blick for school supplies; and then Marshall’s, Modell’s and Designer Shoe Warehouse for sneakers. I rarely shop at traditional stores, so I felt like a visiting alien.

   “Beep boop . . . take me to your sneakers.”

   I did force them to go into the Goodwill thrift shop on 14th Street, and ended up buying myself a pair of like-new Uniqlo jeans. Unfortunately they ended up fitting incorrectly around my lumpy belly, so I handed them over to my un-lumpy sister as a hostess gift. I should have tried them on in the store, but I was feeling lazy.

   Rookie mistake!

3. My son and I went into the city together on Tuesday and wandered around a bit after we hit a guitar shop that he’d been wanting to visit. We passed the Museum at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and stopped in as A) It was free, B) We both like Project Runway and C) It was free. (Have I mentioned that it was free?)

   Their current exhibit is titled Minimalism/Maximalism and is a very interesting examination of the ebb and flow of fashion, and how the minimalism and maximalism aesthetics relate to one another. A reflection and reaction to culture and era. What is considered luxury is largely perceived, which is an interesting notion to mull over.

   It’s a small exhibit, and worth stopping into, but not to make an entire day of.

4. I’ve been carrying my thrifted HydroFlask water bottle in my purse, I’ve picked up five pennies and a dime, my sister and I split entrees at two different restaurants, my friend Jennifer gave me a Carolina Herrera purse to sell, I’ve been taking the subway and walking for transportation and I staved off hunger with a 25¢ banana from a 23rd Street vendor.

5. I didn’t buy a Lear Jet and I won’t be visiting any vulgar gold-plated apartments in the city.

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.”

{ 74 comments }