Five Frugal Things

by Katy on August 8, 2017 · 99 comments

  1. I was running on fumes in my Prius, so I drove across town for some of that cheap Costco gasoline action. I somehow convinced my 19-year-old son to accompany me on this adventure, probably assisted by a promise to feed him. His reward was an enormous $1.99 slice of Costco’s everything pizza and a bonus trip to nearby Ikea where the two of us enjoyed steaming mugs of their free coffee. I’m obsessive about combining errands while driving, so I’d tucked a big bag of CFL light bulbs and spent batteries into the car to drop into the recycling bins at Ikea. I would’ve been more than happy to include a stop into the close by Goodwill Outlet, but that idea was nixed by my bin-adverse son.

  2. I vacuumed up my curbside wool rug to remove the 7.2 pounds of dog hair that likely deterred other garbage pickers. I then measured it, photographed it and promptly listed it on Craigslist. My reward was $80, which will go towards looming fall tuition payments and apartment deposits for my two university students. I also sold three small wool rugs and a Pottery Barn kilim pillow that I’d picked up at the Goodwill Outlet. People found items they were looking for, I saved items from going to the landfill and I even made a few bucks for my efforts. Win-win-win!

  3. I drove past a house that had recently been hyper-remodeled to sell, and noticed that there was a large roll of what looked to be brand new wall-to-wall carpet out for free. I stopped by later with my husband and confirmed that yes, both the carpet and under carpet were indeed new. We surmised that the remodeling company had installed carpet, which the new owners then promptly ripped out. You can guess what happened next. Yup, it’s now up on Craigslist ready for a new owner.

  4. I mailed out two eBay packages utilizing my dwindling stash of used manilla envelopes, I set out my recycling and yard debris bins which is a service I share with my next-door neighbors, (saving us both $89 per year) I found three pennies on the ground, I hung multiple loads of laundry on my clothesline, I put together a few new eBay listings and I turned off everybody’s window air conditioner units that had been running almost constantly since last week’s 105° temperatures. I fear our next electric bill.

  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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{ 99 comments }

Just Say No to Brand New School Supplies

by Katy on August 6, 2017 · 16 comments

The following is a reprint of a post that gets published every year. Enjoy!

School supplies

It’s school supply time and despite the glossy ads featuring pretty new pens, pencils, binders, scissors and whatnot, it’s actually okay to *gasp* reuse the stuff you already have. That’s right, fellow non-consumers, last year’s scissors will still work this year, and that slightly used pencil can be resharpened. And that grubby binder? Try giving it a scrub and laying it out in the sun to dry. You’ll be surprised how fresh it can look.

Sure, there are some school supplies that have to be bought new such as 3-ring notebook paper and boxes of Kleenex, (umm . . .  not sure how you would buy used Kleenex.) But I’m usually able to get away with only buying a couple of things for back-to-school.

So dump out and organize your pens, pencils, scissors and general office-y mayhem; scrub out your binders, backpacks and winter coats and make do with what you already have. You’ve already paid for it, it’s already been manufactured and any excessive packaging has already happened.

It’s one of those win-win situations. It’s sustainable and will save you money. And you don’t have to be a member of the buy-nothing-new Compact to make these decisions.

So happy shopping . . . from your own stash!

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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Thrifting is My Cardio

by Katy on August 5, 2017 · 31 comments

I ran out of packing tape for securing my eBay boxes, so I called up my mother who bought a mountain case of the stuff a dozen years ago and is still lousy with it.  I drove over to her house, enjoyed a cup of tea and then convinced her to accompany me to the nearby Goodwill Outlet. (If you knew my mother you’d know that this persuasion was as easy as convincing a baby to wet their diaper.)

My mother then treated me to a pay-by-the-pound adventures which included:

  • One vintage orange lidded Tupperware container.

  • One set of Hanna Andersson striped pajamas.

  • A jumble of Brio and Brio compatible wooden train tracks.

  • A fabric headband

  • One Nordstrom brand wool beret.

  • A pair of reading glasses.

  • A jumble of Discovery Toys Marbleworks pieces.

  • One baseball cap.

  • One stoppered glass salad dressing jar. (Our one recently broke.)

  • One book of short stories from my very favorite author.

  • One new looking diaper changing pad for which my friend had asked me to keep an eye out.

Edit: Readers have asked the total cost, which was $16.50. However, this included a child size sewing machine, Pyrex measuring cup and a tin that my mother bought for herself.

On our way back we passed an after-garage sale freebie pile from which I plucked:

  • A set of meditation cards.

  • Two cool soap dishes.

  • A new-in-box car seat cover to protect against dog hair.

  • A perfect looking set of twin sheets.

  • A large woven wool rug, which I suspect was still there due to a more than liberal application of dog hair.

I’ve already listed the MarbleWorks, the meditation cards and the baseball cap on eBay, and then the Brio train tracks on Craigslist. I’ll walk the freshly washed sheets, the soap dishes and the dog hair protector drape thingy to the consignment shop this afternoon. The vintage Tupperware and Hanna jammies will be set aside until I have enough to warrant selling with same as a “lot” on eBay. And the rug? I look forward to a very cathartic front porch vacuuming session to remove the dog hair.

I’ve sold probably a dozen rugs on Craigslist through the years and know that there are always Portlanders looking to score a good deal on a quality wool rug. In fact, I just sold two yesterday!

It may sound like I’m filling my house with thrift store and curbside junk, but my eBay inventory fits in a small corner of my spare bedroom, and is satisfyingly organized. The key is that I list the things I source almost immediately. It’s my hobby, just as much as someone else’s hobby might be knitting or golf or hiking.

You might say that thrifting is my cardio.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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{ 31 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on August 3, 2017 · 115 comments

  1. I stopped into the Goodwill Outlet on Monday with my mother and picked up this Buffy The Vampire Slayer T-shirt. It’s in like-new condition, so my first thought was to list it on eBay as it’s a medium which is absolutely not my size. However, I’m concocting a plan where I cut off the graphic and then sew it onto a shirt that actually fits me. My friend Lise has a serger, so I’ll be hitting her up for assistance. I’ll let you know how this plan goes. (For my fellow Star Trek: Voyager fans, I’m referring to this as “phage-ing” my shirt. For those who steer clear of such abject geekiness, you can think of this as “make it do.”)
  2. I mailed out another eBay sale, which was a set of “Healing Cards” that I picked up from a garage sale freebie pile. I like to think that I’m putting wanted items into the hands of others. I certainly didn’t want these cards, but I was able to locate someone who did.
  3. Yesterday and today have been over 100° degrees here in Portland, Oregon. Instead of cooling off in a movie theater or a restaurant, we’ve been munching on casual meals and running our ragtag air conditioners. Yes, our electric bill will be higher than normal, but it’ll still be cheaper than the cost of restaurant meals and first run movies. I’ve also expanded on my practice of placing the crock pot on the porch to include the toaster oven. This method allowed me to bake yummy salmon without heating up the kitchen!
  4. I worked on Tuesday and brought weird leftovers, (spinach with leftover taco meat, chopped tomato and salsa) and drank the free crappy coffee and the free delicious tea.
  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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{ 115 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 31, 2017 · 101 comments

  1. I worked yesterday and of course I brought my own food, drank the free crappy coffee and the free delicious tea. I sold a $12.50 vintage Game Boy game while at work, which had only set me back 25¢ or so. Everybody loves to hear stories where I make a $100 profit on a flipped item, but these small eBay sales are what add up in the long run.

  2. I watched the newest episode of Game of Thrones last night through my free HBO. All I do is call the cable company and tell them that I’m considering canceling my cable service. Then I let them offer me free HBO for a three month period, which I accept. I’ve done this a half dozen times at least. Because of their “bundling” deal, (and our minimal package) our cable costs us around $12 per month more than straight internet service would.

  3. My son and I spent a day hiking in the Columbia Gorge and although I had the money in my wallet to pay for parking, the paid area was full which forced me to find free parking a few minutes away. A great discovery which I’ll utilize for future trip. We used Yelp to find a cheap taco joint in Hood River and then spent the evening watching the kite and windsurfers on the Columbia River. The total cost of the day was around $20 including gasoline.

  4. I borrowed a novel from my neighbor, I walked my plastics recycling to the grocery store that accepts them, I walked a few items to the Buffalo Exchange consignment store and got $33 in store credit in for my efforts. They bought a book bag, a pair of new sneakers and a silk Betsy Johnson dress. The bag and sneakers were freebies and I paid by the pound for the dress, so maybe 50¢? I then walked over to Goodwill to donate the jeans that they didn’t want. And you know that I filled out a donation receipt for tax time!

  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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{ 101 comments }

Goodwill Badwill Questionable-will — Kids’ Edition

by Katy on July 28, 2017 · 24 comments

Today’s Goodwill Badwill Questionable-will post is dedicated to the kids. All the innocent children who tag along with us as we peruse the thrift store aisles.

Oh boy, a wall of Christmas mugs! Kids love Christmas, and “Winter is Coming” is just another way of getting excited for the holidays nice and early. Right?

Oh wait . . . is that a dire wolf? This must be a Game of Thrones mug. Incest and murder and messed up sexy time? Oh my!

Definitely not for the kids!

Well then, let’s browse the toy aisle. That should be more appropriate, and look they even have a doll that’s brand new in its original packaging.

But what licensed character is this?

Is it Disney? Is it Nickelodeon?

Nope, it’s “Leather Face” from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Might explain why Junior became phobic about being left alone.

How about some clowns then? Kids hold nothing but affection for these benign lovable characters.

Oh, wait . . .

Clinically depressed and he has his pants around the ankles? Best to “just say no” when this guy asks you to “honk my nose.”

Run kids, run!

But let’s not hold that single pervy clown against the entire profession. Lots of clowns are responsible stand-up citizens. Fully clothed and responsible enough to volunteer in any kindergarten!

Uh oh . . . looks like this clown might be a bit too inebriated to be the proper choice as little Susie’s new pal.

Books. Let’s go look at books. They’ll trigger all the warm and fuzzy memories of when grandpa used to sit with us on the couch to share his love of classic children’s literature.

Grandfathers and books, the perfect combination!

Grandpa? What are you doing with grandma?

NOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Might be best to leave the kids at home while thrifting.

Katy Wolk-Stanley

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

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{ 24 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 27, 2017 · 79 comments

  1. I bought a framed poster for $2.50 at the Goodwill Outlet on Monday, listed it for $99.99 on eBay that night and then sold it the next morning while I was at work! I took a shot in the dark on pricing as I couldn’t find the exact same image, but I’m comfortable that I didn’t under price it. (Frankly, I thought I had overpriced it!) If all my thrift store flips could go this well, I could quit my stressful job as an RN!

  2. I drove my older son through Burgerville last night after picking him up from work. His food smelled absolutely divine, but instead of indulging myself I foraged/spelunked through the fridge and came up with a big taco salad which was A) rather yummy, B) much healthier and C) Waaaay more frugal. I’m not a believer in hell, but I believe it would likely resemble being hungry in a compact car while a passenger happily chomps on aromatic French fries. Man, did those smell good!

  3. I was able to create a “Frankenbox” for the framed poster utilizing an enormous used box, which I then bent and cut to size. I wrapped it in an impressive amount of bubble wrap, (which I source for free from a local business) and then taped the thing within an inch of its life. No need to use virgin shipping materials when used supplies are easily available. I made the decision over ten years ago to only buy used and if anything I’ve grown more adamant about this choice. Our planet and its inhabitants suffer under the new, new, new mentality and most people practice without a second thought.

  4. I attended a four hour mandatory meeting at the hospital yesterday afternoon and I chose to walk up to my unit and grab a cup of the free crappy coffee rather than order one from one of the on site cafes.

  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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{ 79 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 24, 2017 · 106 comments

Edit: It seems that some readers took offensive in my having used the descriptor of “plus size” to describe this hospital gown. To me, that is not an insult as I myself am such. I did not hold the gown out to mock the larger community at large, but only to show the gown. I have written over seventy-bajillion blog posts over the past 9-1/2 years and would hope that my readers would show some faith in me. I will not respond to individual comments on this subject.

  1. I fought the urge to get Mexican cart takeout and assembled my own burrito bar for dinner. I set the crock pot on the front porch to avoid heating up the kitchen for the pinto beans, and then pulled together various toppings from the contents of the fridge and pantry. I took one for the team and ate up a tomato that was on its last legs as well as a half avocado that on the sad side of the bell curve. You may think my addiction to Mexican food carts is a joke, but it isn’t as there are three (maybe four) within walking distance from my house! The struggle is real!

  2. I hung out with my mother after dropping my older son at work yesterday. For the two of us, that meant scoping out the pay-by-the-pound Goodwill Outlet. (My son’s work, my mom’s house and “the bins” are all in the same neighborhood!) I bought a number of items to sell, as well as a few things to keep. (One huge canning jar, socks for my son, an adorable cowboy vest for our dress-up bin, a vintage Fiestaware bowl, a hair band, a couple bandanas and a cute vintage canning lid.) I did not buy the above hospital gown, although I couldn’t resist snapping a photo, as it’s the same as the ones we use at my hospital!

  3. I sold two life vests that I picked up from a garage sale freebie pile, I sold a handmade wooden duck that had been lying dormant in my eBay sales, (and I assumed had been a mistake to have bought in the first place) and then finally received payment on a baseball mitt that sold last week. I arranged for a free USPS pickup from the house to avoid a post office trip.

  4. It’s been kind of hot lately, which becomes very noticeable on the second floor of my uninsulated 103-year-old house. However, I’ve been running window fans instead of using the air conditioner as it’s not that bad. Cool clean sheets with an empty duvet cover go a long way.

  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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{ 106 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 21, 2017 · 86 comments

  1. I’m going to a co-worker’s retirement party tonight and will bring a bottle of nice wine leftover from my husband’s work party, as well as a platter of pumpkin bread. The pumpkin bread (which is similar to the Starbucks version) was made using pantry ingredients plus some frozen puree leftover from 2016’s leftover Halloween pumpkins.

  2. I sold two items on eBay, neither of which I paid for. One was an adorable vintage set of travel shot glasses from a garage sale “free” table, and the other was a grubby soccer jersey that a buyer mailed back to me in a dishonest attempt to get a refund on the pristine one that I sold to him. (A common eBay scam.) Not only did eBay side with me, as each jersey is individually numbered, but I soaked that bad boy in Oxyclean and listed it for sale last night. It sold immediately. Katy – 1, scammer 0!

  3. I’ve been taking it easy the last couple of days, so there have been evenings of Star Trek Voyager on Netflix, afternoon naps and then spurts of eBay listings. There may or may not (definitely may!) have been takeout meals from various Mexican food carts. I could live off that stuff and never get sick of it! ¡Delicioso! I’m not sure how takeout can be considered frugal, except that it’s still cheaper than a restaurant meal!

  4. I reused packing materials for all my eBay mailings, I’ll be gassing up our minivan at cheapest-in-town Costco to ready it for my husband’s drive to Canada and I got to use my newly purchased vintage sifter for the pumpkin bread. (All hail my new glam rock band titled “Thrifted Sifter!”)

  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.”

Click HERE to follow The Non-Consumer Advocate on Twitter.
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{ 86 comments }

Five Frugal Things

by Katy on July 18, 2017 · 103 comments

  1. I was texted a Redbox code for a free movie, so my younger son and I picked up a DVD of Hidden Figures at the grocery store. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to watch it last night, but that’s okay since I spend no money out of pocket. I still want to see the movie, so I took this as an opportunity to put the movie on hold at the library. There were a whopping 452 holds, but since they have 210 copies I should get the movie soon enough. I waited this long to see it, I can wait a little longer. Patience is a key tool in my frugality tool kit.

  2. I’m shopping around for a cheaper web hosting company. I’m embarrassed to admit how much I’m paying per month, ($120) as you would rightly lose all respect for me as a frugal advice-giver-outer. The blog was going over its limits every month earlier this year, so I switched to a new company without doing enough research. The real money in blogging is through writing sponsored posts and affiliate links. Since I refuse to do either, The Non-Consumer Advocate ends up being a very successful yet only mildly profitable endeavor. I must keep the expenses as low as possible. It’s a huge pain in the tuchus to switch web hosts, so I’ve procrastinated this chore. No longer!

  3. My husband has a two-day work class next week that’s in Tacoma, Washington. I’m thinking I’ll tag along as a lesser not-as-exciting-as-Timberline-Lodge mini-vacation. I’ve never actually stopped into Tacoma, which is right outside Seattle before. I’ll probably just go into Seattle for fun, but am open to suggestions of anything interesting to do in Tacoma proper. Any advice or suggestions are welcome.

  4. I wanted to treat my sons to Mexican food cart burritos last night, but realized I had almost zero cash on hand. Instead I walked to the grocery store and bought peppers and refried beans and was able to assemble the rest from food already on hand. Of course they weren’t as delicious, (nothing is) but they certainly did the trick. Especially since we still had multiple bags of tortilla chips leftover from my husband’s work party a few weeks ago. I did pick up pints of Ben and Jerry’s for each kid as a special mid-week dessert. What can I say? I love to spoil them!

  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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