The Non-Consumer Advocate

I stopped into a nearby Goodwill store to recharge my batteries and ended up walking out with three items:

• A $3.49 Salvatore Ferragamo silk necktie which I quickly resold for $30.

• A $1.99 painting from the Tanzanian artist Simon George Mpata, whose art is displayed in museums throughout the world. I put it up on eBay for just $200 as there’s no way I can authenticate the piece.

• A $2.99 vintage pixie elf figurine that I’ll likely keep.

The way that I rationalize these purchases, (and not cross the line into becoming a hoarder) is to immediately list any and all items that I buy for resale. My entire eBay inventory slots into a small corner of our spare bedroom and other than the packing tape, (which needs to be new) I exclusively ship with secondhand supplies.

I got an email for a free Redbox DVD yesterday, so I scrolled through a kiosk to see if there were any movies that my family might enjoy. However, I’d just stopped in at the library and checked out a DVD of Bohemian Rhapsody. I realized that I didn’t need to burden myself with a free DVD that charges a $1.99 per-day late fee when I was already in possession of a movie that wouldn’t be late until December 9th.

It can be fun to chase the blink-before-they’re-gone exciting deals, but in the end it’s the dull daily frugal practices that support my family’s debt-free lifestyle.

I met up for a parallel play writing date with my friend Lise. Both of us have kids in college and go to extreme lengths to not waste money. This means that our get togethers tend more towards, “Hey, they have free coffee at Ikea” rather than “Let’s meet at Starbucks.”

I have other friends who would not enjoy the weirdness of repeat Ikea coffee dates, but that just means that we rarely get together.

I accepted the offer of excess produce from a neighbor who was going out of town, I called my car insurance company to update info (which’ll save us $73.18 per year) I mended a pair of my husband’s work pants as well as my travel purse (which turned out to contain a lost pair of sunglasses!) I received some Fred Meyer (Kroger) coupons in the mail and actually remembered to use them, (free eggs and pasta sauce!) and I watched The Spy Who Dumped Me with my daughter through my mother’s Amazon Prime account.

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

After selling at a good clip, my sales have petered out a bit. I did sell a new-in-box landline phone, a vintage oil painting and a single hexagonal marble tile that I plucked from my sister’s Bronx, NY beach. Plus I also sold a funny little wooden table that I’d bought at Goodwill.

Nothing too impressive, but still better than having non-monitized hobbies.

My number one goal in life is to delay grocery shopping as long as possible, (seriously, I hate it more than almost anything!) So when I realized that I had two single chicken breasts yet four people to feed for last night’s dinner I got creative. I grabbed a whole cauliflower, (thank you Trader Joe’s for selling produce by the item instead of by the pound!) as well as a couple of zucchini from the fridge.

I then topped the dish with a slurry of soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, Sriracha sauce and corn starch. Served over rice, this impromptu stir fry allowed me to procrastinate the inevitable grocery shopping trip for some other day. Instead we stayed on budget. Another day, another home cooked meal.

My husband and I spent a rare free afternoon indulging in some shopping and dining. You don’t have to ask “where?” as you already know that we went to Goodwill. But not just any Goodwill, as we went to the West Burnside location that is conveniently located next door to Elephant’s Deli.

My dreamiest and most romantic date involves perusing the aisles for thrifty treasures plus melted cheese. We shared a fondue platter which Elephant’s sells during their happy hour (after 3 P.M.) for just $5. It’s enough food for two people and insanely delicious! A five dollar date for two? I call that a frugal win!

I was able to get 24 free temporary checks from my credit union, (which should last at least six months) I found two quarters, one dime and two pennies while on my date, my parents no longer use their Soda Stream, so they gifted me an extra CO2 canister, I gave away an unwanted wall calendar through my Buy Nothing Group, and I completed a furniture refinishing project that I’d started in 2017!

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

I sold a few things, (through both Facebook Marketplace and eBay) including a plant stand, a vintage wire shelf and a small end table; as well as a Pyrex lid, a mug, a down vest, a pair of Dansko clogs and a couple more Funko Pop figures. No hugely impressive sales, but they added up quite nicely.

I spent six hours cleaning the front porch and kitchen of my mom’s rental cottage. I need to go back and finish up the house which should take just a couple more hours, although it could be more as the last tenants were seriously messy. Seriously . . . they were there for two months and I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that they never once vacuumed.

I saw through their Facebook page that the Supercuts training center was doing free haircuts, so I made an appointment and drove over for one of their highly supervised services. This took no more time than a traditional cut would have taken, and I’ve been 100% satisfied with the six or so cuts I’ve received since I figured out this frugal hack. These capable stylists are board certified, (not students) simply new employees.

My friend Joel from How To Money gets his hair cut from a Supercuts training center in Atlanta, so it’s worth your while to check if this free service is available in your area of the country.

I stopped at Dollar Tree to pick up a few things, (seasoned salt, bar soap and a plastic drain snake) and was perusing the aisles before hitting the checkout line when I noticed that they had six-packs of Cliff Bars for a buck apiece. Not only were they unexpired, they were the “crunchy peanut” flavor that everyone likes. I grabbed three boxes and later called my friend Lise to let her know about them. She then drove over and picked up five boxes as her husband takes one per day in his work lunches.

I finally completed refinishing a midcentury credenza that I picked up at Goodwill a few years back, I started reading a library copy of Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson, I’m trying to give away a 2005 TV and TV stand through my Buy Nothing Group, I repaired a wooden wastebasket using glue and thick rubber bands to clamp, my husband took advantage of a Spotify promotion to get a free Google Home device, (which I’ll sell) I used a Jiffy Lube coupon for a $20 oil change and I’ve been really good about cooking frugal dinners at home when all I want is to get takeout.

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

I’ve made a couple of eBay sales, including a North Face toddler-size goose down puffer jacket and a tube of M.C. Escher posters. Both were Goodwill finds, but my favorite was the lightweight coat. It was a pay-by-the-pound bins find, so the profit margin was enjoyably impressive as I likely spent 50¢ on it.

I drove past Albany, Oregon yesterday, so I stopped into their Goodwill as it’s currently my favorite. (Sorry, all other Goodwills.) I picked up a vintage craftsman-style plant stand, a pair of like-new Danskos and a groovy chrome kitchen wax paper/foil/paper towel dispenser that tugged at my heart. The total for all three items was $22.97, which is not too shabby. Of course it helped that the shoes and the plant stand both sported green tags which saved an additional 50%.

I’m in the midst of slicking up all three items so they can look their best for resale. Just think of it as their spa treatment. Ahh . . . .

I get a lot of trick-or-treaters at my house, and don’t like to scrimp. However, I’m not fond of all the plastic waste that tags along with traditional candy purchases. So this year I investigated Winco’s bulk candy section and scooped up a big bag of foil wrapped chocolate coins and a bag of paper wrapped Whoppers. My goal was to choose candy with recyclable non-plastic packaging. Whether any of the packaging actually gets recycled is out of my control, but I feel good with the effort.

The coins were a huge hit, so I think I’ll just buy them and nothing else for 2020.

I noticed that the pretty wooden gilt wastebasket in our spare bedroom had split along two of its seams. Nothing too terrible, but I wanted to deal with it before it became unfixable. I rifled through our glue options and chose a small bottle of clear Gorilla Glue, which I then ran along the detached areas. The design tapers open, so I simply used a handful of thick rubber bands to hold it tight as it dried, as a standard clamp would have been tricky.

The project took maybe 15 minutes from my day, and I’ve now repaired something that others might have chosen to throw away. Not only did I keep an item from the landfill, but I saved money, as well as the effort of having to replace this practical household item.

Click HERE to see photos from the process.

I drove through a McDonald’s for a free 6-pack of McNuggets as our basketball team had scored over 100 points, (road trip food!) I cooked up a huge pot of chili from scratch, I discovered that Winco sells Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour in bulk for $1.99/pound. (This is a huge savings as a 2-pound bag can cost as much as $9.99!) my husband brought home another armload of free bubble wrap from work, I’m slowly working my way though Veronica Mars through a friend’s Hulu account, I’m holding off from a haircut until the Supercuts training center does their next round of free services and I accepted a friend’s offer of two uncut pumpkins that I can turn into puree for the freezer.

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

My eBay sales perked up a bit. Not an avalanche of cash by any means, but most sales were higher value items, which makes my credit union account a wee bit happier. Sure, I get a serious dopamine hit with any little sale, but I’d rather sell a $70 pair of thrifted sneakers than a jumble of $15 tchotchkes.

Here’s what I sold:

– A pair of Chippendale-style brass drawer handles that I pulled from a free pile.

– A like-new pair of of sample Adidas sneakers. (Portland is “Sneaker Town,” so it’s not unusual to find production samples at Goodwill.)

– A studio art pepper grinder. (This went to Spain!)

– A cross stitch kit that had been languishing in my “death pile.”

I’m working with my 24-year-old daughter to convert her room from its childhood configuration to something more like a studio apartment. Step one was to upgrade her circa-1960s mattress set to something more modern. I’d been eyeing the brand new ones from Goodwill for a couple of years, and finally took the leap and bought a full-size set.

I had enough Goodwill gift cards to cover most of the cost, and since my husband and I have held onto our soccer mom minivan, we were even able to transport it home with minimal fuss.

I put the old mattress set up on my Buy Nothing Group, and got a reply from a neighbor who’s coming by for it this afternoon. I do try to buy nothing new, but since the mattress is made in the United States (and supports a nonprofit) I think I can file this under “J” for “justifiable purchase.”

Bonus: It’s really comfortable!

Check out my Instagram feed to read more about it.

My daughter’s girlfriend showed up with a package of gourmet bacon which prompted a “breakfast for dinner” that used up a satisfying number of random refrigerator contents. Mashed potatoes, eggs and the end of a jar of gluten-free breadcrumbs transformed into potato patties; sautéed onions and peppers garnished each plate and the last of an 18-pack of eggs scrambled themselves up and were topped with the grated end of some hardened cheddar cheese. I also served everyone a tiny bowl of leftover butternut squash soup.

I do love when a meal is able to incorporate the 10,001 tiny containers of leftovers that populate my refrigerator. And since the meal was delicious, absolutely zero sacrifice was required.

I reset our programmable thermostat to better reflect my family’s current schedule, I once again set out the Halloween decorations that an old neighbor gave to me maybe 15 years ago, (without ever feeling the need to add to the collection) I renewed some Craigslist listings, I dropped off our ballots at the library which saved $1.65 (the cost of three stamps) and my friend Lise just texted to ask if I wanted a half-bunch of cilantro.

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

I’ve sold nothing, although I did pick up a cool midcentury kitchen clock and quickly listed it on eBay. I have a big blue Ikea bag of miscellaneous thrifted items to list, and may start on that task this afternoon. I’m scheduled to help my mother clean out her rental cottage between tenants, so I’ll definitely bring in some side income.

Yesterday was my mother’s 77th birthday, so we invited her and my step father over for dinner. I made meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas, as well as butternut squash soup and an apple crisp. Nothing to impress an elite gourmand, but all perfectly satisfying for a crisp (aka “soggy” as I do live in  Oregon) fall celebration.

I gifted my mother with a hand written voucher for a “Birthday Day of Adventures,” as well as a tin of stroopwaffels, which are her absolute favorite treat. We’ll figure out a date to venture out and experience what the Portland area has to offer, but for now I’m busy digesting a particularly heavy meal.

At this point in my life, I’ve transitioned to giving consumables and experiential gifts instead of traditional store bought things. I may give a few thrifted items come the holiday season, but for family birthdays, it’s straight up experiences and food. Very few of us need more things, yet most of us would welcome an afternoon of indulgence, food and fun activities.

I grabbed a huge bag of packaging air pillows from a local shop, but around half of them were too big to be practical. However, they were big enough to serve as dog poop bags, so I spent a few minutes cutting the tops open. My friend Lise has a small-ish dog, and was more than happy to give these items one more life. This delays her next purchase of brand new plastic bags, which would trigger the manufacture of ones made from virgin materials.

I picked up a neighbor’s free framed poster, a old college friend came through town and gave me a half loaf of amazing bakery bread, (thanks, Diana!) a member of my Buy Nothing Group gifted me with a bag of bubble wrap and my daughter and I watched a library DVD of Hidden Figures.

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

I haven’t sold much over the past week, although I did sell four yards of vintage Disney fabric, a set of Bob early reader books and a pair of Sodastream bottle lids.

The lids were from Amazon, (to complete a thrifted SodaStream) but they weren’t the correct configuration. I tried to return them, but instead received a refund and was told to “donate or dispose of them.” Instead I put them up on eBay for $12, and they’re now on their merry way to the British Virgin Islands. Lucky bastards.

I invited out of town friends over for a dinner party and laid out components for a “burrito bar,” buffet, which easily accommodated everyone’s individual dietary requirements. It was almost embarrassingly too frugal, as I’d cooked up bulk purchased pinto and black beans in the Instant Pot. The other toppings were similarly inexpensive, as I’d picked up onions, tortillas, lettuce, green peppers, cheese, chips, sour cream, avocados and cilantro from employee owned (and super cheap) Winco. I already owned the salsas and hot sauces, as well as some random craft beers in the fridge. Most people actually chose seltzer as their beverage of choice, (hello . . . SodaStream!) which kept the budget ridiculously under control.

But the best part is that we’ve been enjoying the leftovers for days! I then saw a picture of someone’s black bean chicken soup, which prompted the creation of a vat of soup that incorporated the last of the leftover black beans, as well as some almost forgotten diced tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, chicken broth and a dash of this and a squirt of that. Topped with grated cheese, cilantro, a dollop of sour cream and some tortilla chip smithereens, and my family enthusiastically gobbled it up. I even recreated it the next night and received precisely zero complaints.

I’d been wanting a peace lily plant for awhile, as I’d read that they’ve been shown to increase indoor air quality. I noticed that a discount grocery store was selling them next to the register for $5 apiece, and had been mulling it over since. I prefer not to pay for plants, as they’re easy enough to root, but but still kept an eye out during my next shopping trip.

Indeed they were still next to the register, although looking a bit worse for wear, with a few brown leaves and droopy flowers. However, I grew up with a greenhouse and know how to save ailing plants. I asked for and received a $2 discount and brought home the overwatered plant. I quickly snipped off the brown bits, wiped down the dirty leaves and transplanted it into a pretty glazed flowerpot that I already owned. I’m at peace with a $3 potted plant.

I accepted the offer of a coffee date from a friend of a friend who wanted blogging advice, I quickly put together three new eBay listings yesterday, I attended a free author lecture at a local university to coincide with the launch of Shedding Our Stars: The Story of Hans Calmeyer & How He Saved Thousands of Families Like Mine, I socialized with a friend by going for a walk, I grabbed a neighbor’s free framed poster, as I can have the glass cut down for a different project and my husband went into a different position at work which will save us $616 per month on our health insurance!

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