The Non-Consumer Advocate

1. I sold the vintage train case that I’d picked up at Goodwill awhile back, as well as a cute butter dish on eBay and a groovy lighting globe through a local shop. I also booked a consumer opinion panel that pays $100 for two evening hours that likely would have been spent on the couch mindlessly watching Netflix. I also won a $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant, which I consider to be pretty damned exciting!

   I tuck all this extra money into a savings account.

2. My younger son recently celebrated his 21st birthday, so my husband and I drove down to Eugene to take him out for dinner. He didn’t want dessert, which saved us the anticipated cost of treating him to Sweet Life Patisserie.

   Our gift was a ticket to the upcoming Mastadon concert. Choosing an experiential gift rather than a THING can feel off kilter, but my son needs zero physical items and genuinely loves live music.

3. My husband also had a birthday this week, although we haven’t celebrated it yet since he had to work that night. However, I did buy him a big chunk of his favorite dessert, which is the banana cake from New Seasons. I could have made one from scratch, but the two of us do not need an entire cake for the two of us. I’ll plan out a Birthday Day of Adventures for later in the week when his schedule opens up. We no longer give gifts to one another and instead plan out signature adventure days.

   Studies have shown that experiences make us happier than stuff, and I wholeheartedly agree!

4. I read one of my 75¢ used library books, (“The Age of Light” by Whitney Sharer) I joined a free online health program through my health insurance that’ll give me a free Fitbit, (you can already guess that my plan is to sell it!) I renewed my library books, I sewed a button back onto my jacket, my husband and I caught up on How To Money podcasts during a four hour drive and I’m stubbornly keeping the heat off despite the house clocking in at a chilly 63°.

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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Katy + Lisa + corndog eating an ice cream cone = Seattle fun!

1. I finally sold the $6.99 Goodwill table from last month, but since the buyer paid $80, it was worth the wait. I also sold a pair of wooden clog/sandals, some wireless headphones and a lot of vintage measuring tapes through eBay. Later today I’m meeting up with a buyer to sell a vintage suitcase.

2. I spent the weekend in Seattle visiting with my old friend *Lisa, which is always fun on a stick! And since she hosted me in her lovely home, it was also a budgetary mini vacation. Needless to say, I splurged on a generous hostess gift.

   We ate a few meals out, took a couple of walks, watched some stupid TV, met up with our mutual friend Ed, but our frugaliest excursion was to America’s largest Goodwill store! Never have I ever paid the suggestion donation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with a handful of random coins come out empty handed from this thrifting Mecca.

   So big, so well organized, such amazing donations! I’d be hitting it multiple times per week if I lived in Seattle! The concentration of wealth in The Emerald City means that their thrift stores are stocked with top notch merchandise!

   I ended up buying a pair of $14.99 Swedish sandals, (which I immediately flipped for $60) a Marimekko tray, a vintage box of Boeing note cards and an Antioch College mug. Goooo Bulldogs Straggly Anti-Establishment Weirdos!

   *Lisa want blog readers to fully understand that she is 100% responsible for any and all amazing finds that I encountered while enjoying her generous hospitality.

3. I took my mother out for a belated mother’s day lunch at Bob’s Red Mill, which set me back a mere $8.99 since I’d been hoarding a buy-one-lunch-get-one-free coupon and they don’t accept tips. Side note — their reuben sandwiches are to die for!

4. I test drove the Patagonia suitcase that I picked up last week and may actually keep it, I downloaded a free audiobook of A Court of Thorns and Roses through the library’s Libby app, I power washed my couch cushions and then set them in direct sunlight for three days, (they’re back on the couch and appear to not smell like cat pee) and I found two quarters under the credit union’s coin counting 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.”

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1. I sold a thrifted Starbucks green patio umbrella that I’d listed for sale back in the cretaceous age. It inhabited a sizable chunk of space and was one of those things that everyone was interested in, yet no one followed through on. (I just looked and 18!! people expressed interest in it before it actually sold!) In the end I profited an impressive $5, but at this point I was just happy to rid of it.

   I did sell a $5 chair for $30 and have somebody who wants the buy the cute midcentury table that I refinished a few weeks ago. I try not to count my eggs before they hatch, but the potential buyer does seem serious. Crossing fingers. Saying a prayer. Summoning a demon.

   Not that it’s a “frugal thing,” but selling the chair and the end table will help my living room to have less of the over-crowded “furniture showroom” aesthetic.

2. I ran a batch of errands in a specific area of town yesterday based on the used library store having a BOGO sale on hardbacks. My kids volunteered for the library’s summer reading program back in elementary school, and each received $15 gift certificates at the end of the season. (Remember, my kids are now adults.) However, these gift certificates never expire, and we’ve been chipping away at them ever since. I picked up two books, which drained $1.50 from the certificates.

   I also dropped off two pairs of spent sneakers at the Nike outlet store for their Re-Use-A-Shoe program which grinds up old shoes for playgrounds, tracks and such.

   I then stopped by my father’s house, as he and my step mother will be traveling through Italy for a few weeks. I hung out with my dad while he kneaded bread, weeded the garden and puttered around the house. I snipped a few more babies from his spider plant and enjoyed an afternoon snack.

   Unsurprisingly, I stopped into his neighborhood Goodwill store, where I snagged a new looking Patagonia wheelie convertible backpack which I may actually keep. I paid $12.99, but will probably list it on eBay at some point as they sell for $100 and up!

3. I washed my car in the driveway, I cooked up a big batch of black beans in my Instant Pot, I put out the word for Starbucks travel mug lids and got one from my friend Lise, I walked a couple things to the consignment shop and got $6 in store credit. (Whee!) I made sure to bring my own tap water with me while out and about and I picked up the bulk ingredients to mix up a knock-off version of Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel.

4. I used the consignment store credit to get a 15-pack of plastic hangers for my clothesline, as well as a component piece that adds an extra vertical level to my son’s specific bookshelf. I’ve only found the pieces once before, so I snapped this one up.

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 daughter and I are sorting through her immense amount of stuff, and we’re being very deliberate with how everything is distributed. (Seriously, she has so much stuff!) Anything Japanese goes to the local Japanese language immersion program, a few things are listed on eBay, clothing is donated to Goodwill and special items are being gifted to her friends. The goal is to transition her childhood bedroom into a studio apartment of sorts, which requires some ruthless decision making. She’ll get her own apartment at some point, but we’re happy to have her at home for now.

   I also went through a bit of my son’s stuff and donated his expensive martial arts outfit back to his old studio. There’s no reason for it to take up precious space in our home when it no longer even fits! My sister jokes about how there’s an inverse relationship with how much you spend on martial arts supplies and how interested your kid is in the classes. But really, this could apply to all kid activities.

2. I’m giving my couch one last chance after having been peed on by a certain cat a few weeks ago. (Hyena, it was Hyena!) I literally poured the enzymatic cleaner onto the cushions in the desperate hope that it’ll soak as deep as the urine. I’ll then spray the heck out of them with a power washer once the solution had a chance to eat away at the offending nastiness. Portland is forecast for multiple days of rare hot and sunny weather which should dry out the thick cushions. It’s definitely a last ditch effort to save this miserable couch. I could buy a new (to me) couch, but the last thing I want to do is to repeat this buy-couch-ruin-couch cycle.

   For those worrying about our two cats, they’ve been pronounced healthy and currently enjoy a luxurious numbers of litter boxes which are liberally sprinkled throughout the house. Specifically right next to the couch. So gross.

   I’ll understand if you prefer to stand when visiting our home.

3. Sarah from Go Budget Girl published her YouTube video of us “Treasure Ranger-ing” at the Goodwill outlet bins. The audio at the beginning is clanky, but if you can power through the first few minutes it’s worth the effort. The video is part one of two, the second of which will air on Thursday.

   Click HERE to watch the video!

4. My husband fixed a dresser drawer which had split, I walked to Fred Meyer for lettuce and bought nothing more than lettuce, (so challenging as it was after dinner and the ice cream aisle was whispering my name) I proposed more freelance article ideas, I reached out to a high end store about buying one of my gorgeous thrifted mirrors, I’m planning a Seattle mini-break, complete with free housing, (thanks, Lisa!) and I picked up various lovely bread items at the Dollar Tree.

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 spent a couple hours pruning my backyard hydrangeas, as well as hacking away at some oppressively low maple tree branches. I then swept and raked the brick patio for an overall tidy/well kept aesthetic. (Note the lack of words such as “impressive” or spectacular.”) I don’t want to make you jealous, but I filled two rolling yard debris containers!

   The patio furniture cushions were impressively grimy, so I treated them to a spa day soak in my beloved Dollar Tree Oxyclean. The end result? Perfectly fine. Not perfect, not magazine ready and certainly not like new. They’re now completely acceptable and I kept them out of the landfill for one more year.

   The mindset to replace things when they’re dirty or broken is important to resist. Especially when consumer goods seem cheaper than ever. The environmental ramifications of buying-and-tossing is killing our planet, so I challenge you to give your stuff a second chance whenever possible.

   Click HERE to see the before and after.

2. I didn’t end up buying Fred Meyer fuchsia starts for my three hanging baskets this year. Even though they’re priced at just 5-for-$3, I didn’t feel like spending the $9. I’d been rooting some free spider plant babies on the kitchen counter and realized that there were enough to fill one of the hanging baskets. (My dad has a huge spider plant in his kitchen that I occasionally snip from.) I now have a filled planter which cost me $0.00, and there’s an extra $9 in my credit union account. Click HERE to see the planted basket.

   Bonus win — no plastic packaging!

3. I ran out of milk yesterday, so I walked to the grocery store where I was delighted to find half-price 2% gallons for just $1.49! (Yes, “delighted.” I stand by this word.) The expiration date isn’t even until May 13th!

4. I finished listening to a free audiobook through the library’s Libby app, I sold a vintage marmalade crock for $25 after having paid $1 for it, I crisped up three almost empty boxes of stale Chex cereals in the oven, I unscrewed and then cleaned up a gorgeous old doorknob from a dumpstered door, I chose to do some writing at Ikea to take advantage of their free coffee and battery recycling, I listed more stuff on eBay and I stopped by Trader Joe’s and bought nothing more than their 19¢ bananas. No hummus, no snacks, no booze, no cookies.

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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I sold a Starbucks travel mug for $30, (that I’d just picked up for $3) which necessitated a fresh acquisition of bubble wrap. Luckily, there’s a musical instrument store in the neighborhood which always has ginormous bags of free packaging materials for the taking.

Not that it’s a “frugal thing,” but can you appreciate how pretty that bubble wrap is? Enough to make a girl snuggle up and release just a wee bit of oxytocin, aka “the love hormone.”

Or as William Morris so eloquently put it, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

Katy Wolk-Stanley    

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

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1. I sold a few things on eBay including a handmade cribbage board, a credit card reader, a vintage style clock and the Furby that I picked up last week. I also sold a pair of Danskos and a cat bed through Facebook Marketplace.

   I picked up a few things to sell including a Fiestaware deviled egg dish, a vintage barkcloth curtain panel, some zippered banking pouches and an eight-year-old Starbucks travel mug.

2. I met up with Sarah from Go Budget Girl, who was in Portland for a work conference. Together we hit up the main pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet, where she filmed me for her YouTube channel. I really enjoyed our time together and look forward to see how she edits the tremendous amount of footage into a coherent video. Not to give away too many spoilers, but she did concoct a goofy game show for me!

3. My friend Lise and I spent a few hours “parallel playing” at a local non-profit community space/coffee shop. She treated me to a drip coffee and we both worked on our laptops. She works from home so it can hard to justify social gatherings, but we’re both disciplined about staying on task. We chat during the drive, plus a few minutes here and there. Plus there’s the accountability of having a friend to keep us on task. A perfect solution for people who work from home and can feel isolated.

4. I stopped into the Dollar Tree store for bread, and although they didn’t have any of the dense multi-grain loaves that I prefer, I did pick up a couple sleeves of bagels and English muffins, I wrote up a Clark Howard article on how to price garage sale items, I made a large pot of super cheap red lentil soup and I accepted a loaf of homemade bread from my father.

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.”

{ 78 comments }

1. I sold a needlepoint piece that I’d had up on eBay for 103 years, as well as a thrifted Stumptown Coffee mug, (which is a local coffee chain.) I’d bought the mug as a experiment as I’d heard that people collect them, so I now know to grab up when they hit the thrift store shelves. I then picked up a classic $4.99 midcentury-style chair and a creepy little Furby, both from Goodwill. I did not buy the Lonely Lady Arm Pillow™.

   I did complete refinishing the midcentury end table, which I have up for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. I had some initial interest, but none of the I have to drive over right now buyers came through. That’s okay though, as it’s a great piece and I know it’ll sell. My living room goes through periods of resembling a furniture showroom, but it no longer fazes us.

2. I worked all weekend at the hospital and enjoyed the deliciousness of a unit-wide Easter potluck that sustained me throughout the entire 12-1/2 hour shift. I brought chocolate dipped strawberries, and needless to say I drank the free so-so coffee. To be precise, I drank a Herculean amount of coffee, as continuous snacking on cookies/cheesecake/coffee cake/brownies is draining to even the most energetic RN.

3. I asked for and received an armload of used padded envelopes from my neighbor who orders a lot of stuff from Amazon. She’s happy to set them aside to save them from the landfill, and I’m happy to source free packaging materials for my eBay sales. I spied another neighbor tucking envelopes into her trash can and told her I could reuse them. We then chatted for a bit and she ran into the house to grab a book for me to return as I was on my way to the library.

   Building community within a neighborhood can be as simple as returning one another’s library books and sharing resources.

4. I turned off the heat as the sun miraculously emerged from behind her cloudy fortress. Of course, it was but a few hours of respite from the rain, but it still gave me hope that the sun will once again grace Oregon with her warm and loving embrace.

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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