How cool am I? What, not cool at all?! I'm okay with that.
Every day I write a bit about myself. So you already know that I am a mother to teenage boys, labor and delivery nurse, utility bill scholar, laundry hanger-upper, library patron, dorky goofball, leftovers technician, crafty upcycler, frequent napper, and Star Trek enthusiast.
But what about you?
Many readers regularly share their two cents in the comments section. But just yesterday 3000+ readers clicked on the blog, yet only four chose to comment. That’s a lot of lurkers, my friend.
I want to know about you!
- Where do you live?
- Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
- Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
- What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
- Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
- And anything else you wish to share.
Because seriously, sometimes I get tired of hearing myself speak. Today is for you readers. I really want to know about you! So please, delurk! I will reply to every single comment today, although it may take awhile, as I’ve been doing it for a couple hours straight now and need to shower and attend to some dental hygiene.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 460 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Katy. I know what you mean about feeling like you’re talking to yourself sometimes. Blogging is like that. 🙂
I’ve been a frugalista for most of my life, although I’ve become much more so over the past couple of years. Once I decided to achieve debt-freedom (consumer debts are gone and only a mortgage remains!) I became way more frugal.
I first came to know and follow what you’re doing here when I used your sage advice on garage sales from your guest post at GRS. Keep up the great work! We’re listening.
Thank you, good to know someone out there is listening to me. 😉
Katy
I know I don’t comment because the one time I tried (on the Are Your Expensive Purchases Weighing You Down?), my comment was never published. I wasn’t rude, I didn’t call you a bitch, so I’m not sure why you didn’t publish and it hasn’t encouraged me to comment ever again. I don’t even expect this comment to show up. But in case it does…
On the topic at hand: I come from a long line of cheapskates, and my kids enjoy making fun of me on a regular basis. I like reading about what you’ve bought (or scavenged) and how you fix things up because I have no aptitude for that sort of thing.
Approved!
Katy
Yay, I’m in! Is there a cover charge?
I live in Virginia, in a town overrun with rich people who have Too Much Stuff. Yes, I know I’m judgmental. People here are nice, but most are completely clueless about frugality and the non-accumulation of More Stuff.
I’m raising 2 kids and one is a non-materialist and the other is a weapon of mass consumption.
Hey, you’re in the South(ish), so you can say whatever you want about your townsfolk, as long as you end it with “Bless their heart!” 😉
Go ahead, give it a try!
Katy
P.S. What does “Not Beehive” mean?
“Bless their hearts” Oh, so true!!! Also, you can call women and men of ill-repute “that lady” and “that gentleman” and everyone knows you mean exactly the opposite.
hmm… I’m guessing… NoVa? Or maybe Richmond?
Hailing from Charlottesville, here.
Katy I saw your picture on YHL yesterday just seconds after I read your blog and saw your pic of hanging out in a bedroom-like setting with J and S of YHL.
My grandparents were missionaries and never ever wasted a darn thing, so some of that is in my genetic make-up. I do get rid of (recycle, of course) old Cool-Whip containers however. I don’t think they ever did that.
http://www.yeoldcollegetry.wordpress.com
Last year I tried one new thing a month for the entire year and documented it on my blog. My favorite was January, where I got rid of 5 things per day. Very liberating!
It’s amazing how cathartic it is to declutter. I need to do a fresh round at my house. I’m thinking that future nice weather will inspire that activity.
The YHL Budoir photography session was my friend Chelsea’s idea. A first I was mortified, but then I got in the groove. Sherry and John were surprisingly game. Very nice couple, which was no surprise.
Katy
I live in Charlottesville too!!! 😀 However, I am originally from NoVa. I’ll have to check out your blog.
Katherine (and KimS, farther down)- I’m also in Charlottesville.
Katy, “Not Beehive” is a name I started using as a joke when a local neighbor, who wears a huge beehive hairdo straight from the 1960s, showed up in a hilarious blog post from a friend.
http://patience-crabstick.blogspot.com/2010/12/bear-went-over-mountain.html
Hi, lurker here from Scotland! During my adult life my income has varied dramatically but my lifestyle has stayed the same. This has meant (unlike many of my friends) I have never had financial worries and I have paid off my mortgage. I am fairly minimalist and hate shopping which helps. Money stuff to me is a bit of a game. A little bit me versus the world. Debt kinda scares me. My parents are sooo different to me (and my brother) so I have no idea where it comes from.
Ok, then. 🙂
I’m a brazilian girl (well, a 32 years old girl) and I live at BrasÃlia (our federal capital). I’m at the beginning of a non-shopping year project. I have several blogs – the main one is the “Dia de Folga”, or “Day Off”. I enjoy your frugal living tips and, oh yes, I’m a trekker too. 😉
Very cool, I love my international readers!
Katy
Hi Katy!
Okay, some answers:
– I live in the Northeast, in a small, working-class city (maybe more like a large town, but technically a city) that is relatively affordable for this part of the county. Like you, I have an old house – which we chose in part because it was smaller and more affordable than newer houses, and also because I just love the sturdy construction and hand-made feel of old homes.
– I don’t have a blog.
– I like almost all the posts…once and a while something doesn’t interest me, but not that often.
– I don’t know you (and have most definitely not given birth to you!)
As for frugalism, I don’t think of myself as “hard core” frugal, and my husband and I actually make a decent income. I will buy new stuff (if I can’t find it second hand), and I’m sometimes willing to spend a little MORE money on good, durable stuff. But we try to save our money to spend on stuff we care about, like the aforementioned durable things, and stuff like travel and hobbies and generally just stuff that we “do-instead-of-own”.
I guess I visit here because I’m mostly just
– anti-junky stuff and anti-planned obsolescence, and pro-repair (yay repair!)!;
– anti-generic-crap, and pro unusual second hand, hand-made, and creatively up-cycled – it’s more FUN!;
– anti-crap made in bad 3rd world sweatshops, but pro local craftspeople and small business owners who really know their stuff;
– anti keeping-up-with-the-Jones, which doesn’t mean that I don’t ever buy things, but I try to buy only stuff I really like and will USE (and usually buy second hand for better value), and avoid what is “in style” and therefore often over-priced
Your blog is fun & inspiring! If nothing else, you make me feel “not crazy” for CHOOSING to pick stuff out of the garbage and shop at Goodwill and take advantage of low-cost entertainment and just generally try not to spend money on junk and disposable stuff I don’t need!
You choices sound very balanced. I’m glad you’re part of the Non-Consumer Advocate community.
Katy
Forgot to say Katy, Your blog means a lot to me. Most people in my life are NOT interested in frugal things so I come to your blog regularly for a bit of sanity and fun in a mad mad world.
Thank you, that is very sweet of you to say.
Katy
Hiya – sorry for lurking! I hope that’s not bad manners… I’m really a reader not a commenter so much. But I’ve been reading your blog for years now, and I appreciate your taking the time to write about your life and what you do. I am not naturally frugal – I am naturally oh-honey-I’m-sure-next-week-our-ship-will-come-in-so-let’s-put-it-on-the-credit-card. But after many years of that, and after marrying a naturally more frugal man, we worked hard to pay off our credit card debt and it was a fantastic feeling. Easily one of the top ten experiences of my life. So I’m trying to train myself to have better habits, and it’s useful to read about people who already have those better habits! Take care, e
Paying off debt is so empowering, which nobody ever seems to write about.
Katy
Long time reader and I do comment. I am the person who used to live in Salem, Oregon and now, for the last 3 years, in Santa Fe, NM. I read you for so many reasons – which answers the questions which posts I live and don’t like – I like them all. My two boys have grown and moved away, so I get a hit of motherhood again. I miss the Northwest and Fred Meyers, so I get a hit of those. I love those posts when you have indulged yourself which helps me to remember to do the same for me. Apparently, I am a dyed in the wool frugalista which was news to me when I started reading these blogs. I didn’t know how much I knew! Or that I did! I love the posts that help me to remember to keep up the good work. I love the blogs in which you have done something, and I can decide that is not the path for me.
Right now, I am only working part time in something way different than what I did in Salem. I spend my time playing with fiber of all sorts and volunteering besides my very part time job as a coordinator of a program of a nonprofit.
Just because I don’t comment, doesn’t mean I am not reading. I often can’t think of something semi-intelligent to add to the conversation. But yours is the one I think I will always read – along with The Frugal Girl.
Thanks, Katy.
And I used to live in New Mexico, so we’re living geographically opposite lives!
Katy
1. Where do you live?
Austin, TX!
2. Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
Grew up in a frugal family, so always looked for deals, secondhand, etc. But no matter what we bought, I always knew there would be enough. Now that I’m on my own, I’m having to pay more attention to finances.
3. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
funnythingsinfluffyclouds.blogspot.com – I don’t keep up with it as much as I should, but hey, you asked!
4. What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
Can’t think of any I don’t like, but I’ll let you know if it happens.
I’ve never been to Austin, TX before, but my understanding is that you’re the Texan Portland equivalent. My husband is originally from Houston, so we’ve got a hint of Texas in our house.
Both of us “Keeping Weird,” even though ya’ll invented that particular bumper sticker.
Katy
Hello. I’m Molly.
I live in Chicago.
I’m a medium frugalista (let’s not talk about my budget talks with husband last night, mmk?)
Nope, no blog.
I like the projecty posts and the ones with dollar signs in them. Like
I am an internet-only person, not an in-person person.
I love carrots. Crunch.
“Medium Frugalista?” Love it. Kind of a glass-half-full way of seeing things.
Katy
Like I’ll gladly pay for music lessons, but there is no WAY I’m paying full price for diet coke.
Molly, I’m right there with you!
Hi. I’m Erin in Cincinnati, OH and I am a middling frugalista is a materialistic world.
My father was a complete spendthrift (and led my mother down the primrose path before divorcing her last year and leaving her with six figures of debt), spending far more than he made so my frugality has not come easily. It has developed from my not wanting a demanding career so that I can be a hands-on mom but wanting things like a yearly vacation to the beach and music lessons for my children. So my frugality is about choices. I hang out my laundry and make my own laundry soap but I send my husband’s dress shirts to the cleaners (cost benefit — time v. money).
My frugality is also more about not accumulating crap and about keeping up with the Joneses than it is about not spending money. I just want my life to be about experiences not stuff. By making choices, I have both the time and money I need to have that happen.
Thanks for your blog, Katy. It keeps me grounded when I am bombarded by my acquantances’ large homes, expensive cars, and rooms full of furnishings and knick-knacks. Your writings enforce the concept that it’s okay to have a simple, somewhat modest, peaceful, clutter-free home which lends itself to hanging out at the pool with your kids all summer rather than sticking them in summer camp and working to pay off purchases.
My life rocks! 🙂
–erin
Hi! Long time reader. Frequent commenter lol.
-I’m in (way too) sunny Phoenix, AZ
-I’ve had frugality instilled from a young age and have always been known as the money hoarder in my family
-I blog over at Minimalist Mommi…a bit about minimalism, a bit about decluttering, a lot of about my mental battles. And all filled with 100% honesty
-I love the more philosophical posts…and seeing how you’ve turned dumpster items to treasures because I’d secretly LOVE that skill!
-In all, I’m just one penny-pinchin’ young mommi trying to find a balance between my extreme frugality (like having a near panic attack after spending over $100 at Costco yesterday) and living a little (if someone can loosen my grip on this wad of cash) 😉
And thank you for all your great comments!
Katy
* Oregon, 100 miles south of you
* I’m pretty frugal, but I’m still a consumer (sorry ;)). I just get things very much on sale most of the time , leaving money to spend other places like kids’ sports and art and child care for my youngest.
I work half-time, while my oldest is in school. I love to do crafty things, theme parties, make cakes, etc. I’m addicted to Pinterest.
* I spend a fair amount of time in awe of your frugality. I love to read, but in reality there is no way I could do what you do. NOWAY! I do what I can though for our family, health, environment.
* I met you in high school through a youth group, but you know that already, not everyone else does, too 🙂 Lost touch for many years and thanks to your blog and FB, we are reacquainted.
And it’s been great to reconnect with you!
Katy
Hello Katy:
I think I came to your blog via Gretchen Rubin’s interview with you sometime last year.
In addition to running my organizing business, Simply Organized Life, near Ann Arbor, Michigan; I am a mom to two small kids and one large dog, wife and CEO of my household (I earned an MBA for that title).
I come from a long line of frugal folks, who believe in paying bills on time, minimizing debt and driving new, but modest, paid for cars.
I also write a blog at:
http://simplyorganizedlife.blogspot.com/
I post weekly on simple organizing tips.
And I need your help! The paper situation at this house is Out. Of. Control!
Katy
GO BLUE! 🙂
Webinars are in my future as well as virtual consulting. My newsletter is the best place to learn of updates.
http://www.simplyorganizedlife.com/signupform.html
The real secret is to keep on top of paper with time set aside at least weekly, but I recommend 10~15 minutes daily to at least sort out the recycling and shredding.
The recycling I’m good with, and I save up the shredding as I borrow the neighbor’s shredder every now and then.
I’ll have to watch your webinar later, and see if I can glean some ideas and inspiration. Thanks for sharing it!
Katy
Name is Simon. Read this site because we (Mrs. SPF and I) try to avoid consumerist tendencies and pressures. We try to stick to our needs not what media/friends/family tell us should we should want (and “need”). We don’t buck every fun thing/experience/consumer good but we sure do analyze the heck out of most every purchase to be darned sure we aren’t buying on a whim.
We’re in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. We (husband wife team) run the website sustainablepersonalfinance.com where we balance living a sustainable lifestyle with our personal finances.
Nope, don’t know you .. or your Mom.
Welcome, Simon. I’m always happy to find out that I do have some male readership. I’ll have to check out your site. It sounds great!
Katy
Hi Katy,
Although I did not give birth to you, I would be proud to have been
your Mom. I try hard to install many of the values you show, into
my 10 yr old son and who knows, he might even hear me.
I believe I first heard of your blog from Angela Bartons’ My Year
without Spending blog. Between you and Angela, I’ve been introduced
to many amazing blogs and sites of folks from everywhere. So many people who put such effort into a frugal lifestyle and making a home that will shy away from wasteful excess. Even small everyday changes can make a big difference not only for our pocketbook but for the wellbeing of our world. Keep fighting the good fight!
Love Angela, I even got to meet her in person once.
Katy
Hi, Katy! I’ve commented a couple times before on here and maybe Facebook as well. I’d do so more but I usually have to chase after my toddler by the time I’ve finished reading each post…
1. I live in very rural upstate New York but lived 8 of my 34 years in Japan.
2. I’ve never been a huge spender, but became frugal after leaving my well-paying job in Japan to come back to the States and be with family, then even more frugal when I became a mostly-stay-at-home mom.
3. I used to write a frugal-ish blog, but now I just write a weekly blog about my daughter for family and friends. http://mymissmaya.blogspot.com/
4. I like all your posts!
5. I don’t know you, but you commented on my Facebook wall last winter when I was several days past my due date and a big snowstorm left my hospital bags inaccessible in the trunk of my car. I got them out before going to the hospital, but I was calmed by your words. Thanks!
I’ve looked at your blog a number of times. Your “Miss Maya” is beyond adorable!
Thank you for all your great comments through the years! And happy to hear that my words got through to your post-due date ears. I went 13 days past my due date with my older son, and those days were AWFUL! Even without a snowstorm.
Katy
I went 12 days past my due date with my first child, and 4 of those were spent in the hospital getting induced. It was there that I learned about labor and delivery nurses. You will always have a special place in my heart. The women who cared for me were nothing short of amazing.
We are the best, but then again I may be a bit biased.
Katy
When all was said and done I went 13 days past as well and 1.5 were spent inducing in the hospital. Four days of induction sounds like a lifetime! I totally agree that l & d nurses are amazing. Even in my worst, most out-of-it moments I spared them and got pissy with the MDs/NPs instead 🙂
Thatsa girl!
Katy
Thanks, Katy!
I feel like such a creeper all of a sudden! But it also makes me feel better knowing that 3000 pageviews on a really great blog only netted 4 comments.
I write about clutter-free, debt-free and sometimes gluten-free living over at http://www.minimalish.blogspot with rare comments – mostly from my friends!
I love following you on twitter too!
Not a creeper at all. There are blogs I read, yet rarely ever comment on myself.
Katy
Ok, so yeah I’ve been lurking for almost two years, I found your blog during some nap time I’m sure. I stay at home with my 2 1/2 year old daughter, run a child care out of my home and have a candle business (Scentsy, it’s one of the few things I’ll actually buy new, but the girls at Goodwill have my number in case any comes in!). I live in southern Oregon so I don’t know you, but I feel like all Oregonians have a bond so there ya go 😉 I don’t have a blog but I’ve been thinking about it (Since I’m so incredibly interesting….?). And I love hearing about your thrift store finds! Small town thrifting is tough, and I get sad sometimes walking the aisles of Goodwill. When I go to visit friends in Seattle that’s the only thing that I insist we do, go to Goodwill(s) and find treasures!
I go to Goodwill and leave empty handed at least half the time. Of course, I don’t write about that as it is far from gripping. Maybe I should share that as well.
Katy
Yes, it’s a good idea to mention that.
There’s the tendency to think that because everything’s priced so low, we can buy lots of stuff. It’s better to go with an objective in mind and leave empty handed if you don’t find what you want.
Hi, Katy! I came to your blog thanks to my equally frugal sister, and we both live in Salt Lake City, Utah. We were raised by the the most frugal, accidentally environmentally correct mother on the planet. She takes her Scottish heritage seriously! We deviated from the path somewhat in younger years, but as adults raising children of our own, we’re back to the ways our mama taught us. We buy everything secondhand, but spend money when it’s important, like for cars, electronics, travel, etc. You end up spending less and consuming less in the long run that way, I think.
I don’t find your philosophy or lifestyle at all extreme, but I have come to realize that most people don’t live this way. I told my sister I wished you lived here, because it’s so hard to find friends that don’t think you are bizarre for picking up change or giving them gifts from the thrift store. It’s very comforting to find others who are simpatico, even if it’s only on the internet. If you are ever in need of a place to stay in SLC, my big old broken down house has a big attic guest room…
I don’t blog myself, and I like most of your posts immensely. If pressed, I would say the “list” type posts are the least interesting. Thanks for your writing—there are lots of us out here silently appreciating you!
Although I’ve been to SLC multiple times, it’s always been for a layover. I’ll keep in mind your attic bedroom though, sounds cozy!
And thanks for the feedback on the list type posts. They probably are less interesting.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I Love The Non-Consumer Blog~~~
I live in Minnesota.
I came by my Frugal ways by accident…
While raising a Young Family we practiced Frugal Living, we were not aware that our lifestyle had a name, we were just living with a lack of money 🙂
Now, years later (both of our Children are Adults) we still live frugally, though our income is now comfortable. We are not cut and dried frugalists, we live with in our means, we are very selective about what we are willing to spend our money on, which in return affords us the option to be able to purchase the things we want…Now back to you…..about that Star Trek photo….LOL. Your originality is refreshing. Great Blog.
It sounds like a lovely life. Glad to hear you like the photo, it’s one of my faves!
Katy
Madeline in Phoenix. I was raised frugalista style, my husband is more extravagant.We’re heading towards retirement so he has an interest now in learning my frugal ways! I enjoy the challenge of being more self reliant and frugal and “green.” Have begun using only vinegar for cleaning, olive oil for moisturizer, and growing more of our own food.
I love every post.
I am a retired labor and delivery nurse!
My kids are grown ,I really enjoy being a Mom, so I get to connect with teens and parenting stuff via YOUR blog.. maybe someday I will try hosting an exchange student!
I enjoy your very real, not so perfect posts and sharing.. you put yourself out there and that’s not easy! (Internet people can get so mean!)
Thanks for sharing.. it is fun to have a frugal “tribe” out there to keep the whole effort FUN!
Luckily, most (I’d say 99.4%) of my readers are lovely.
I love the idea of a “Frugal Tribe.” I can totally see us around a huge campfire chanting “Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
Then again, the smoke would aggravate my asthma, so I guess we’ll just to do it virtually.
Katy
I like this idea, so I’ll quit lurking and comment. I’m a newer reader, just a week or so.
I live in Portland, OR
I grew up in a frugal family, but strayed away from it the past 5 years or so. But I’ve been becoming more interested in the idea of self-sufficiency, getting out of debt, and moving away from consumerism. So I’ve been making changes…albeit baby steps at times.
I have a blog about my adventures in learning to cook (a huge part of being more frugal for me is cutting back on eating out and prepared foods). I’m not a very active blogger, but try to keep it up now and then. http://kitchenkindergarten.blogspot.com/
I like hearing about how people are re-purposing items. It gives me a bit of inspiration to come up with my own also.
Nope, don’t know you outside of your blog, but thank your for sending us all a little daily inspiration to be more frugal. 🙂
“Kitchen Kindergarten” is great blog title!
I think I’m going to incorporate more repurposing posts, as it seems that people really like them.
Happy to hear from a fellow Portlander!
Katy
Hi Katy! I came through your blog through the Frugal Girl or The Simple Dollar, I’m not sure which one. And you are on my favorites on all my computers! I’m an upstate NYer, but grew up on Lon Gisland (Long Island for people who don’t speak Lon Gisland-eez!)
I love that you’re so frugal and that items follow you home and you find great places and/or uses for them. I’m still a little too consumerist to have the nerve to do things like that. I think that comes from growing up on Long Island where there’s a ton of “Keeping up with the Jones” mentality. And being from a family of consumers that love to tease doesn’t help any!!! I do try, but I guess not hard enough. I’ll have to keep coming back then.
I love how you come up with great ideas from almost nothing.
I also love how you comment on life and your humor. I wish I could be as Frugal as you, so maybe that’s why I lurk everyday?!?! Possibly?!?!?!
Oh and I’m loving that you’re answering everyone today.
Ignore the teasers and live your life without the Joneses!
I’m having fun answering everyone today, but at some point I’ll need to shower and get going with things. It’s weirdly sunny today, and I want to start spray painting my Goodwill lamp and spreading the rest of my got-for-free mulch! I will catch up later though. 😀
Thanks for the nice words.
katy
Hey there…Jen from TX. Frugal, cheap, whatever you want to call it. I’m a reformed shopaholic, but I embrace frugality wholeheartedly. Our only debt is the mortgage and we are working hard on that!
I do blog: http://www.ragamuffinmusing.blogspot.com/ about life in general. We are just starting a homestead/dairy farm, so I hope to start a second site devoted to farming and gardening.
I love your site because I feel like you would understand my sewing patches on my winter work gloves instead of throwing them away (even my mom laughed at my patches) or freezing the last serving of leftover spaghetti to be thawed and thrown into the next batch. Sometimes I feel like I’m crazy and you are a link to sanity!!
Not crazy — Smart! Love that you patched your work gloves!
Mwah!
Katy
I’m Laura, from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mother of one, full-time online reseller.
My friend describes my blog, Adventures in Thrift Land, “If Erma Bombeck were thrifty.”
None of your posts bore me, but I don’t like ones with painting brick and woodwork in vintage houses, or otherwise compromising the originality of a retro house–or celebrating those who do (so I didn’t want to read the post yesterday, fearing it might just distress me). I love your letters, like the one to the bagels. And I love your dilemmas like what to do with leftover pickle relish.
Yours is one of the few blogs I look at almost every day. I love it!
This is where you and I will have to disagree. 😉 Sometimes taking dark old wood and giving it a coat of fresh paint can rejuvenate it better than refinishing. I am actually contemplating painting our dark antique mahogany dresser, as it’s sooo heavy and humorless. However, my husband is in your wood-is-always-better camp, so it may take some convincing.
Katy
I think that people want to paint everything these days, and once painted stuff goes out of style, it’s very hard to undo, and you’ll be kicking yourself. With a piece of furniture, if otherwise it would be discarded, then paint away! Actually, it doesn’t bother me nearly so much with furniture as with houses. But you take knotty pine and paint it? Criminal!
You’ll be happy to know that my father’s attic (which is huge) has wall and ceiling knotty pine. It smells incredible, and no one has ever talked about painting it.
Katy
Amen!! I’m so sad to people try to undo a vintage home’s identity.
I’m an occasional commenter. I’m the one whose resolution this year is to pretty up my world – dresses, good china, jewelry, etc. – one former co-worker actually asked if we were “going Mennonite” after seeing me in skirts so much – I nearly choked laughing! I DO live in central Pennsylvania, so “going Mennonite” probably wouldn’t be as crazy as it would be for your readers in Scotland or Brazil. 🙂 Anyway, I come from a long line of over-educated, under-funded people(teachers, preachers, etc.) – I believe the phrase in days of yore would have been “genteel poverty.” We had everything we ever needed, but were often told we didn’t have money for “that” – “that” being whatever trendy thing was tempting us. We have enough money to be comfortable, but my husband has lots of food issues, so I don’t have much choice but to spend money on food for him, ’cause I love him and all and don’t want to poison him. So, I work to save money where I can, recycle as much as possible, consume as little as possible, all the while trying to do a bit more at a time. (I WILL commit to composting this year. I WILL commit to composting this year…) We have crummy, expensive thrifting where I live, so I enjoy living vicariously through your bin posts. I also enjoy your occasional *ahem* irreverent take on things. 😉
“Genteel Poverty?” Love it! So what would the opposite be? Crass Wealth?
Irreverently yours,
Katy
* Where do you live?
Northern Georgia, not too far from the Tennessee line. The Great Recession hit here about a year ahead of most of the nation.
* Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
Dyed in the wool. My parents were Depression-era babies and wrung the worth out of every nickel.
* Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! No blog, but I like to read them.
* What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? I pretty much like them all, but especially your incredible thrift store finds.
* Do you know me, if so how? Only if we met in a previous life.
* And anything else you wish to share. Your blog’s on my Daily Frugality bookmark of sites to visit.
Thanks for de-lurking and sharing your story! Happy to hear you’re a daily reader.
Welcome!
Katy
I live just outside of Calgary, AB, Canada (moving to Calgary next month!)
I wish I could say that I was born frugal, but we were kind of forced into after years of not really knowing how to handle money. We’ve kind of come into frugality out of necessity, and also out of a desire to be more sustainable and eco friendly as a family.
I do have a blog, although I struggle to post as often as I would like to (http://sam-justanothermom.blogspot.com/) It’s basically about recovering from our past mistakes and our decisions going forward to get the life we want. I found that there are many blogs are written by people where frugality comes naturally, which is definitely not the case for me. I wanted to show that people can make mistakes, but change is possible.
I love all of your posts! Especially when you highlight your frugal days.
Another Canadian! (I’m seeing a trend here!)
Whether you were frugal from the start or late entry, it’s only what you do now that matters. Thanks for the nice words!
Katy
Hi Kati,
Good idea for a post. Even though there are blogs I enjoy reading, such as yours, (and that I do get to comment), somehow I still feel left out.
I’m Michael, and I live in a town called Brea, CA. It’s in the northeast part of Orange County CA. I work only a few hours a week, I have my own AC/Heating/Appliance repair business. And I actually do service calls on my motorcycle (I know what parts I’ll most likely need). I love the weather here, but I miss the beauty of living in an area like yours.
Not sure how I discovered you, but I’ve kept you in my reader ever since. My favorite blogs besides yours is Early Retirement Extreme and Get Rich Slowly. ERE is no longer posting but I like to go and read his archives.
I love Get Rich Slowly as well! And feel lucky to have been an “early adopter” of the Crazy-for Portland trend.
Happy you delurked today, no reason to feel left out.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I was not always frugal, but started learning how to live well with less the first time I was laid off from a job (in 2000). I made some big lifestyle changes and have lived beneath my means every since.
I love DIY projects and thrifting. I learn so much from your blog. For example, I’ve been using baking powder as cleanser for years but never thought to put it in a parmesan cheese shaker until you suggested it. I found a shaker at a thrift store for .90 last week. Woot!
I’m a blogger too, and write about finding happiness by the challenging social norms and stereotypes that can stand in our way. I also promote ethical and compassionate living.
Your blog is awesome. Keep up the inspiring work!
Do you mean baking soda? And thanks for the kind words, from one “Peculiar Girl” to another. 🙂
Katy
Oops. Yes, I do mean making soda.
Good. Because baking powder is a bit pricey!
Katy
Okay, okay…
I live and work in the Boston area, teaching at a private preschool. I have one daughter, age 10.
I grew up in the woods of Maine with no electricity/water/money, etc. so frugal living is nothing new to me—but—despite that, I have a mountain of debt (student loans, car, credit cards, etc.) that I am trying to plow through.
Yes, I have a blog (two actually):
One about tracking food expense and using up the food that I have instead of buying more;
http://eatingwhatwehave.blogspot.com/
…and one just for fun, documenting the number of times that people show up to work wearing the same outfits 🙂
http://work-a-likes.blogspot.com/
I like the posts regarding the small projects you do around the house. It makes me think that I could probably do them, too 🙂
Oh, and I found out about you when I read “American Wasteland” by Jonathan Bloom…at least I think that’s how I remember it…
Jess
I love that you have one blog that it purely silly joy!
You’ll be proud of me, we just yesterday ate up the last of a purple cabbage. I think it took two weeks, and it made its way into probably six different meals, (burritos, salads, yakisoba noodles.) And when I made Rice Crispie treat the other day, (I was channeling my inner 1970’s housewife) I used up the last slimy bit of a jar of Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter.
Bizarrely satisfying.
Katy
Okay, THIS is one of the reasons I read your blog! Two weeks of purple cabbage, LOL!
I once made pumpkin soup…a LOT of pumpkin soup. At the time, I had no idea how much soup one pumpkin – or in that case, something like 4 or 5 pumpkins – could make. Once I got started, it was too late to back out! I froze the soup and ate it for months because – well, it was good, nutritious food, and what else was I going to do with it? (Before you suggest “give it away”, believe me, I tried – and discovered that I know exactly ONE person who likes pumkin soup!)
But I come here and read about 2 weeks of purple cabbage and think about the months of my pumpkin-soup-apalooza, and somehow it makes my day!
I’ve made pumpkin soup before, but nobody really liked it. I have a recipe for pumpkin scones that are delicious, as they stay moist. I’ll have to dig it up and share it here.
Happy to hear that I made your day with my cabbage tales. I really hate food waste and get such happiness when I can avoid it. I do a happy dance that nobody but me knows about. Umm . . . and you guys as well. 😉
Katy
Jess, I grew up just north of Boston! 🙂
1. Where do you live?
Originally from Boston, currently living in metro KC, have also done stints of living in the UK and Australia.
2. Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
I am an aspiring frugalista–still recovering from years of spending money I didn’t have and learning about careful management day by day.
3. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
I do, and it’s called Roving Lemon’s Big Adventure (http://www.therovinglemon.blogspot.com). It’s mostly about food, but coincidentally, I just put up a post about frugal redecorating which was mostly inspired by you!
4. What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
I’m always interested to get insights into someone else’s individual perspective and experience–not much bores me!
5. Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
I don’t know you, and I can’t even remember now how I found you! Glad I did, though; you are one of the few frugal living blogs I’ve found that makes me feel like being frugal is attainable and doesn’t require me to have supernatural powers of craftiness or organization.
6. And anything else you wish to share.
I started canning in earnest last year, partly for frugal reasons, and now I make all my own jam. It’s the best way I have found yet to be creative and frugal at the same time.
Love homemade jam! I just ran out of all the jam I made last summer and am super bummed. I’ll have to redouble my efforts this year.
Glad to hear you’re having fun with frugal redecorating. It’s my current obsession.
Katy
1) I live in Kentucky.
2) I’m constantly contradicting myself. I think I’m frugal, most of the time. I’m constantly torn between “ugh, we have too much stuff” and “look, I paid $0.03 for all of this!”.
3) I have a relatively new blog that has been sadly ignored since the birth of my second child this past fall. I blog at http://www.makingitbright.com when I find the time. I have a 2 year old and 4 month old. It’s a little crazy all of the time!
4) I like all of your posts, especially the ones where you take something that is somewhat yucky at first glance and make it into something beautiful and useful for your home.
5) I think I found your blog through GRS but I’m not sure now.
Thank you for sharing!
A two year old and a four month old? Cut yourself some slack! Glad to know you like transforming yucky into beautiful posts. They don’t get this many comments, so I wasn’t sure if anyone cared.
I went to college in Ohio, and have many friends from Kentucky. Kind of wish I had taken a road trip down there at some point.
Katy
Hi there! This is probably the first “introduce yourself” post I’ve felt compelled to actually comment on, so consider yourself…I don’t know…persuasive? 🙂
I live in Chicago, recently graduated college and got married, and am now working in an office downtown.
I grew up in New England, and was very spoiled. (hello, only child!) It wasn’t really until I got to college that I realized just how freakin’ good I had it. I mean, I’m still privileged and live without any needs going unmet, but I grew to recognize that and appreciate how many resources I have. I grew to use the gifts I have been given well, and not to take them for granted.
I pack my lunch every day, even when it amounts to yogurt, homemade granola, and copious amounts of coffee. I budget, try to enjoy my time without feeling deprived while still being “money smart”. I make my own cleaning products (well, I’m PHASING OUT the cleaning products that my husband and I both brought to our marriage. As newlyweds we still have two of everything!), face scrub, pillowcases, bread, scarves, gloves, mittens, hats, socks, slippers…and hope to start making my own shampoo, conditioner, and face cleanser once I’ve used up the commercial brand stuff I have accumulated.
Inspired by The Frugal Girl, who brought me to you in the first place, I haven’t bought bread or paper towels since August. (we cut up scrappy towels into rags and haven’t looked back since)
I love how you both appreciate and value your childhood, while also making changes in your adult life. Without negativity about either.
Chicago is a great city! I lived in Rogers Park for a summer while in college, and loved all the great free museums and thrift shops!
Happy you chose to introduce yourself.
Katy
I live in Rogers Park now! I moved there in July when my husband and I got married. It’s such a wonderful neighborhood. Long commute in the morning, but worth it. And I totally agree on the museums and thrift shops. 🙂
But so close to the lake!
Katy
see… this is why I love this blog. We do the same thing with old towels, and sometimes get strange looks or loud sighs when one of them asks us for a paper towel and we have to say, “we don’t have any” and hand them a cloth rag.
Hi Katy! I live in Carrboro, North Carolina and I’ve been following your blog for a few years, love it! I don’t think I’m naturally frugal by nature, but I’m working on changing a lot of my habits. One of the things I struggle with is the shoppers high I get after finding a “good deal” on things– I’m trying to be better about making conscious purchases rather than impulse buys just because something is on sale. The posts of yours I really like are ones where you talk about how you’ve made money from selling stuff you’ve found/is laying around your house/etc. I can count at least 5 things sitting here in just my office alone that I really could sell to make some extra money and declutter. 🙂 One of the coolest things I’ve done recently is hosted a clothing swap at my house. I had a bunch of girlfriends over and we talked, ate snacks and traded clothes, shoes and bags. It was great to get rid of some things and also to add to my wardrobe for free!
I’ve always wanted to host a clothing swap, but none of my friends are similarly sized.
I get that same high when I I score something great at a thrift store, and I try not to over think it. I just stay away from clearance tables in regular shops, as they are my downfall. I’m also strict with myself about bringing new stuff into the house. If I can’t figure out where it goes, (or think I can sell it for a profit) then I leave it at the store.
Katy
Katy
Oops
Oops
Ha!
Ha!
Hi, Katy! I enjoy your blog and have often felt such a kindred spirit in you because of our similarities. We are about the same age, both have teenage boys, both are nurses (I’m a pediatric/maternal-child health nurse) and are both very VERY frugal! However, I’m an East Coast kind of girl and you are West Coast, so it’s refreshing to hear about frugality in your corner of the States. I don’t have a favorite post, just enjoy reading all about your frugal life. Keep up the good work getting out the word about frugality.
Hello there, kindred spirit! Isn’t a nursing degree the best college degree out there?
Westerly yours,
Katy
I currently live in Creedmoor, North Carolina though I have lived in just about every other state as well.
Considering I was the little kid who would mull over a dollar store purchase “treat” from my grandparents as if I were buying house I can safely say I’ve always been very cost to value consious and weary of oweing anyone anything.
I particularly like your posts about finding the hidden uses of things and frugal alternatives. I also like your posts about simple joys. It helps remind me to appreciate things when I’m hyperfocusing on something that is bothering me.
My crazy bike commuting vegan librarian Aunt and Uncle sent me a link to your blog and I’ve lurked and commented ever since.
Right now I’m busy running a frugal art classroom, renovating my new to me house as things come to me, and transforming my frugal finds so that my house becomes my home.
I think I love your aunt and uncle.
And BTW, thank you so much for all your wonderful comments through the years. They’re always so well thought out and refreshing. I love having you as a reader.
Katy
Okay, okay. No more lurking. I’m living in Missouri…St. Louis metro, specifically, in a tiny mid-century two bedroom. It doesn’t have as many challenges as your home, but it keeps me busy.
Born into a frugal family, I’m passing on the frugal way of life to my not-so-little-ones. (My 9-year old thinks you’re super-awesome.) Honestly, I’m not sure I know any other way to live, but I fall short of being a die-hard frugalista. We just live the food-stamp challenge way of life while never paying full-price for anything. We buy used whenever it is an option, but would try fixing something before replacing it. Just trying to reduce that footprint, you know?
No blog at the moment.
I came across your site a few years ago while browsing another, less-interesting site & my favorite posts involve seeing what you pull out of Goodwill bins because the best finds around here come from yard sales. (I also negotiate better prices that way.) And I never find your posts boring.
Obviously, don’t know you personally as that is a geographical improbability, but isn’t the internet wonderful that we can connect this way?
To sum things up: I’m a thirty-something frugal minimalist who hangs out in libraries and loves to cook while trying to survive this crazy little thing called life.
Keep up the good work, Katy.
Carrie, sooo happy you chose to de-lurk!
Isn’t it funny how any house can keep us busy? And yes, the internet is wonderful connector. Please tell you 9 year old that I think they’re awesome as well!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I read and enjoy your blog, so I thought I should comply with your simple request to get to know your readers. Looks as if you will be busy with comments today! My husband and I spent 4 years getting out of debt, so I am frugal by habit now. That was not always the case and thus we learned some hard lessons. Thankfully, I am a totally reformed spender. I like all your posts, but especially ones about what things you find to repurpose. Keep up the great work.
Hooray for you getting out of debt. That is a difficult task! Glad to hear you like my repurposing posts. I have a number coming up, which should please. Just yesterday I took some of the extra map from my kids’ binds and covered their light switch plates with them. They look super cute, and it was the perfect activity while watching TV.
Katy
I live close to the gulf coast here, south Mississippi….currently studying for my Master Herbalist Certification…simply because I prefer herbal medicine and I love it. I also make my own soaps and body creams.
Always been frugal, my mom raised 4 kids on her own so we HAD to be…now it is a matter of habit. Passed on to money savvy nieces and nephews who absolutely refuse to pay full retail for anything.
No children of my own (chance, not choice)- so I spoil everyone else’s. 😉 I LOVE thrift and cheapie “antique” stores. My main downfall is antique glass. But I find a way to use it all in my apothacary cabinet.
And you can fill your antique glass with medicinal herbs! I love the spoiling auntie. I was slightly bummer when my older sister starting having kids, and no longer could fill that role. (Not really, but she was the spoiliest aunt ever!) Aunties are the best!
Katy
82 comments already? Whew!
I am in Texas. I am a 5 year veteran of The Compact and have learned and grown and changed my ways soo much over those years. It would make my head spin if I thought about it too hard!
My other passions are birth and animals. I am a massage therapist specializing in prenatal massage and infant massage, also a birth and postpartum doula, plus I help care for a colony of feral kitties. And yes, they have all been neutered, vaccinated and returned to their home. I am part of a group that feeds them and looks after them.
I have a little blog I write in every couple of days:
http://lisapiesmusingsramblingsandrants.blogspot.com/
I love your writing style and your life style, you are such an inspiration to me!
Lisa Pie,
It sounds like you and I started doing The Compact at the same time. (2007) It is amazing how a little decision like buying used can change so much of one’s life. Ripple effects at their best!
Thank you so much for the kind words!
Katy
Crap. I accidentally deleted someone’s comment and now I can’t find it. If it was you, I’m so sorry. 🙁
Katy
It was mine. And it was really good, too.
Never mind, I comment all the time, so you “know” me well enough.
The only new thing is that I did my first ever hot-glue gun craft last week. I glued pennies and nickels onto a picture frame for my sister, whose birthday is Feb. 22 (Washington’s birthday). Pennies glued onto things seems to be trendy right now, and I threw in a couple of nickels because of G. Washington. But not quarters – I’m not made of money.
Florida here!
I don’t comment because I read your blog in my reader and don’t often (ahem, ever) click over to your actual site. But I did today because it would weird me out to have so many site hits and hardly any feedback.
I try to live frugally and wisely. I don’t know you, but I appreciate your simple posts and love for overcoming the materialistic/consumer urge.
No worries. Just happy that you’re reading and enjoying the blog. I sometimes wonder how many people read the blog in their readers. I have no idea how to figure that out.
Katy
Hi! I live in the Northeast with my husband and 2 year old daughter. Another baby girl is due in May. I used to work in advertising until I got really burned out. The tipping point was when I got chewed out for not offering more “solutions” to help a customer who was a predatory lender. I had not offered any “solutions” because I was speechless that this discussion was actually happening. Basically, “how do we find more poor and uninformed people to show these ads to?” This was in 2008. I quit about a week later and my life has been so much better for it.
Now I can speak freely about my non-consumer habits and how much I love to cook at home, and why that really is important to me and my family. Even though I no longer work in advertising (which I would say is a more than average consumer-y group of folks,) I still have to be careful about what I say in certain company. I try very had not to come across as judgmental, but consumerism is so ingrained in everyday life. I love reading this blog because it helps me remember that there are others out there like me. And it’s not just, you, Katy… I love to read all the comments. Maybe the folks that come to this blog don’t live in my neighborhood, but we do share a lot in common. That is always encouraging.
I would say that some of my upbringing followed a frugal philosophy (grew up in the Southeast) but in my 20’s and early 30’s I strayed away. I think it was a combination of living in a spendier part of the country, working in advertising, and just being young and dumb. Now I get it. Spending frivolously takes away the important things in life like having time with family, cooking healthy meals at home and living in an uncluttered space.
My favorite posts are the ones where you offer an opinion. I am disappointed when you let commenters get under your skin, because I often feel that those are your best posts. You are taking a kind of outrageous stand here, just by being a non-consumer. I want to hear more of that. We need more voices like yours, and we need those voices to speak loudly. The only posts that bum me out are the ones that were previously published, and I already read them. 😉
and no, I do not know your personally… but sometimes I feel like I do. 🙂
Sorry to hear that my “previously published” post are your lest favorite. I try to choose ones from awhile back, so they’re new to most people. I wish I knew how to not let the negative comments under my skin, but I guess it’s good to not be overly thick skinned.
You and my father could have quite the conversation about the ethics of advertising. His neighbors work for the big ad agency in town, and more than once he’s said “How can they sleep at night?” to me. Ironically, my English Professor father got his bachelor’s degree in advertising. Probably why he hates it so much.
Katy
no worries about the previously published… oldies are sometimes goodies. I am also a firm believer in “the perfect is the enemy of the good” mentality, so please keep posting all of your stuff. I know you have a life and can’t post every day. It’s just that I like reading your blog so much, I am always wanting more.
I understand about the lurking. I rarely get any comments at my blog either.
My husband and I were both born with the frugal gene. We recently made a drastic change in our life trajectory and moved back home to Kentucky. Now we’re making a conscious effort to conserve.
As for posts – I might be over-ruled here, but I like the day-in-the-life kind of posts. It’s nice to talk frugality-theory, but it’s also nice to see how this can play out in a thrift store score, as well.
Glad to hear there’s a day-in-the-life fan out there. It can be hard to come up with daily fresh content. And frugality really is about the small things.
Katy
Hi Katy! I’m a mid-life PhD student and would never have made it here had I not taken up frugality and minimalism about 6 years ago. I was always cheap, but not necessarily smart with money – and frugality naturally includes some combination of both.
I blog intermittently, as my study schedule allows, and you can reach my blog by clicking on my name above. I try to post weekly, but sometimes a second week goes by… good thing I don’t do it professionally. Have loved your blog for years and read it whenever I have time!
It’s amazing how a frugal lifestyle can allow a person to follow their dreams. Many people think it’s just being cheap, but in truth it can lead to such wonderful richness.
Katy
Hi Katy, I’m officially de-lurking because of your call! I’ve always loved a good swap meet, garage sale, and rummage sale, and now combined with a serious concern for our planet, I am really trying to reuse, recombine, repurpose, or do without. Plus I spent a lot of my early adult years in pretty dire straits financially, so I’m used to frugality. I love your posts about the library (I’m a librarian, and love them too) and about the things you find at Goodwill, the odd stuff you drag home and fix up or give new life to, and the decorating you do. You are an inspiration and I try not to feel bad that I can’t begin to match your ingenuity and devotion! I just do my best to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. Keep fighting the good fight, and thanks for your example! Hey, it feels good to come into the light and comment!
“Come into the light?” Too funny! I can totally picture you squinting and rubbing your eyes as you emerge as a commenter. 😉
I love libraries, and hence librarians. And when I travel, I always stop into the libraries, even if I can’t check anything out.
Katy
Hi Katy!
I’ve been following your blog for at least a year or so, and I really enjoy your posts. I live in Wichita, KS, though I was born and raised on a farm in the northeast part of the state. Except for a brief spendy period in my early twenties, I’ve always been frugal.
I grew up in a big farm family, no money ever, but we ate like kings and queens and were extremely self-reliant. My dad raised Angus cattle (yummy), we had chickens, pigs, a milk cow, and so on. We had a huge garden and a small orchard and raised nearly all our own food. I remember spending all summer canning and pickling and freezing and working in the garden. Butchering 150 chickens for the freezer each summer, making sauerkraut, butchering hogs and grinding sausage and rendering our own lard (phew)–what fun! (Not) Luckily my dad always had a local locker plant do the butchering of the beef, so we didn’t have to do that.
All of us girls sewed our own clothes and we wore hand-me-downs. My mom ground our own wheat we raised, baked 90% of the bread we ate, made noodles from scratch–everything was always from scratch. I learned very early that it’s always cheaper to make something yourself rather than have someone else do it.
Nowadays I live in town, but we have a garden. We don’t eat processed foods, rarely eat out, shop at thrift shops for most of our clothes, haven’t had a TV since the 80’s. But you know what? We really enjoy our lives! We save for the experiences that are important to us, such as travel. We go to Europe every other year. And I am going to be able to retire early!!
Keep up the good work! I love your blog.
Wow, your childhood sounds like Amanzo Wilder’s “Farmer Boy,” which is such a wonderful book. (The food descriptions were drool worthy!)
It sounds like you learned some incredible skills during your childhood. I bet you wish you could time travel for a day or two.
Thanks for the kind words!
Katy
Thank YOU for your awesome blog! Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that I’m a former librarian. I love love love libraries and everything they do for people from all walks of life. We use our local public and university libraries constantly, and it adds so much to the quality of our lives. Libraries rock!
Agreed!
Katy
Hi Katy, I forgot to say I live in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities are a wonderful place for frugality–so many beautiful parks, bike trails, free museums, great libraries, farmer’s markets. Thanks for helping me see all the opportunities we have here! Julie
Hi Katy! I live in San Diego and am fairly frugal. I really like your posts about your old house, as mine was build in 1912. I also think your craft up-cycling posts are very inspirational!
My house is 1914, so yeah, we’re close in age. 😉 Are you having a birthday party for your house? You totally should!
Glad to hear you like the craft upclying posts, they’re fun to do as I’m always amazed that I actually followed through on the project!
Katy
Hi & greetings from Ottawa, Canada.
I am a semi-frugalista. I did the compact in 2010 and from there adopted some conscious frugal habits, such as coupons, minimizing food waste, library user, bringing in lunch (PB and honey almost everyday). The hardest part of the compact for me was gift giving. I did handmade gifts which was awesome. But it took a LOT of time. Even though my mum doesn’t read this blog, I would like to publicly thank her for being patient and letting me re-do her scarf. My first ever and so she received a knitted square! Version 2 is more scarf-like.
I don’t have a blog but have bought a domain name and host server stuff. Just too chicken/scared/intimidated by it all. But I do have an etsy store- etsy putterpaperie.etsy.com. There I sell handmade cards. I really enjoy making them. I joined the 52 letters in 52 weeks last year. Didn’t make it to 52 but I did get to 46 or 47.
I love ALL your entries. From photo essays to super coin girl to compact stories. Love them all.
You were my first blog EVER. I found you through a NY Times article in 2009. From there I entered the veiled curtain and found the alternate universe of blogs. It has been amazing. I now subscribe to around 50 and they vary in subject matter. The inspiration and connection has been wonderful. So thank you.
Alison
PS. One other thing, I did live in Japan for just under a year in 2001-2002. Knowing how difficult the language is, I think it is terrific that your boys are learning Japanese. The possibilities are incredible.
If you sent 46-47 letters last year, you did way better than me!
Aww . . . I was your first. 😉 I loved that NY Times article. So even handed, and did not present frugality as weird or outsider-y. Wish I could get the kind of blog numbers every day that I did when that article first published.
Japanese is crazy difficult to learn. I’m trying to learn a bit more for my trip in April, but it just doesn’t stick. I’m impressed with my sons as well.
Katy
I’m currently living in Southern Alberta.
I found your blog through a guest post you wrote last year on minimalism over at GRS. I really enjoyed your sense of humor and your down to earth approach to frugality. You drew me in and I’ve been “lurking” every day since then. Well…I HAVE actually commented before (have you moved the fire extinguisher in your kitchen?) so I’m not exactly lurking…I’m just not a “put your hand up and offer a comment” (cause then you’ll all be looking at me) kind of a girl.
I try to be frugal. Try being the operative word. I look for the bargains on things we need, use coupons, repurpose where I can (I made the most awesome jewelry display from an old printers drawer and saved a TON of money over the online versions) but my resolve can be undermined rather easily. However I never give up. You inspire me to keep trying and to have fun with frugality. I appreciate that.
NONE of your posts bore me. Like Indigo I enjoy your posts about simple joys. It brings me back to my own simple joys and how incredibly fortunate I am to have the life I have today.
Thanks Katy!!!!!!
Umm . . . no. I haven’t moved my fire extinguisher yet. Thanks for the reminder.
You should send in a picture of your jewelry display, and I can share it as a “Fabulous Frugal Find.” Just make sure to include yourself in the picture.
Happy to hear I’m not boring you, it’s always my goal. 😉
Katy
Hey Katy! I live in Central Florida, but my husband wants to move us to Alaska. I too am a huge fan of Goodwill and finding awesome used things! I wish my neighbors would send more of their stuff to the curb. I love hearing about all of the awesome stuff you find! Keep up the good work!
That’s the biggest American move you can make! I’m thinking that I need to feature more Goodwill finds posts, it seems that everyone likes them.
Thanks for the feedback, and I’ll try to talk to your neighbors about putting more stuff out for you. 😉
Katy
Hi Katy, I have been lurking for the past week. I live on Vancouver Island Canada. I am also a nurse and a mother to 4 children. I only work casual. I love everything you write about…and feel so validated by your opinion and take on things!!! You crack me up with how practical you are…it reminds me of myself and my sister 🙂 I have deliberately chosen to only work very casually and not jump on the double income bandwagon. My husband is a teacher and we make conscious choices to not spend or consume in specific ways so that I can be a major influence in our children’s lives. Love, love love your slogan!!!! Use it up wear it out make it do or do without!!! I see you writing a book one day…and I would totally buy it! 🙂
Glad to hear you would buy the book. The whole prospect is so intimidating. I can’t even get myself to write a short e-book!
Nursing is a great career, because you can work part-time, yet still make enough money to make it worth it. Plus, the work is fulfilling and interesting.
Katy
Hi Katy!
I have to hurry, but if I don’t comment now I’ll forget to come back and do it later. 🙂
Fiwa is not my real name, big shocker, I know. I used to blog anonymously under that name, but ran out of motivation about 2 years ago. For some reason I love hanging on to the name though. I still love to read blogs, and yours is one of my favorites. I think about you every time I see a penny on the ground. One of these days I’m gonna get it together and join you in saving coins.
I live in Seattle but am a transplant from Houston. Love it here. My mom grew up during the depression, and she was a sahm, my dad worked in a refinery, so we never had a lot of money. My mom was very thrifty though, so we always got by just fine. My thrifty comes from her, but we do things in different ways. I don’t economize in all the same ways she does, but I’ve added my own ways to what she taught me. I was always thrifty, but really buckled down into about 4 years ago when the economy tanked and I was without a job for over a year. I had to learn fast how to make our money stretch further – and now I only wish I had learned that sooner. I think of all the money we wasted when we had two big salaries. Oh well, better late than never, right?!
I used to love going to garage sales in Texas, but the thrift stores in the PNW beat that out by a long shot. Lots of times Friday date night with my husband centers around going to Value Village. I picked a good one. 😉
I love your blog – I love when you show the great scores you’ve picked up while thrifting. Keep up the good work!
It sounds like you’ve turned your adversity into an opportunity for positive change.
And I totally agree that PNW thrift store are the best! I miss the Seattle ones now that my sister no longer lives there.
Katy
Hi Katy! I live in Texas and I found your blog through The Frugal Girl. I have always been a frugalista, and I love having a simple life style. My mother calls me “practical” but I think I’m just a minimalist. I have a cooking blog (http://www.you-can-make-that.com/) that is all about simple recipes, frugal ingredients, made from scratch. I really love to read about your day to day frugal tips, and your no-spend solutions to problems . Nothing earth shattering, but it’s real life. To me there is nothing more rewarding than finding a solution to a household issue without having to spend a dime. I do not know you, except through your blog, but I’m certain that we would have lots of fun thrifting together!
I love to read and I always enjoy recommendations. A while back you mentioned the book Nickle and Dimed and I have to say that book has really changed my outlook on minimum wage workers and I have much more respect for those in service jobs as a result.
Thank you for sharing your life with all of us. It is refreshing to read your posts every day. I know that many people that I meet view me as odd or different because of my frugal/simple life style and it is nice to know that there are others out there just like me.
Sooo many others!
And yes, Barbara Eherenriech’s “Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting by in America” is a fantastic book. She’s such a great writer, and frankly, quite the sport!
Thanks for the kind words.
Katy
Hi Katy! I’m in Montreal, but used to live in Vancouver so love hearing about all things Pacific Northwest. Semi new to frugalism,so enjoy all your posts,especially your ability to repurpose items for ingenious new uses. Makes me look at everything in a new light!
Welcome, “semi-new to frugality.” Just think of it as a creative challenge and an important life tool rather than a limitation.
Katy
P.S. Semi-new to frugality is always better than “semi-nude” to frugality. 😉
I live in Seattle! I discovered living frugally when I was in grad school, discovered blogs, and had no money (about 3 years ago now). I didn’t have much choice in coming into living frugally, so I guess I’ve embraced it!
I have a blog (which you have commented on a few times!) and it’s mostly about my life. I talk about my depression, my own frugal attempts, and whatever else I feel like writing about at the time.
I don’t know you, but I’d love to meet you some day! Except that that would be a little stalker-y so I probably won’t.
I like your mish mash posts the best, and the project ones. None of your posts really bore me, unless they’re about free stuff you can do in your area, because that doesn’t really relate to me.
Did I answer all the questions??
Fun fact: I started reading your blog shortly before someone accused you of feeding your kids lard, and you decided to quit. Thankfully you didn’t, because now I have new posts to read!
Ahh . . . “Lardgate 2009.” And the funny thing was that the offending can of beans was vegetarian. Some people . . .
And it wouldn’t be stalker-y if you wanted to grab a cup of coffee together if you ever make it down to Portland. Heck, I’m the one who just got all steamy with the Petersiks from Young House Love!
Katy
Reporting in from in rural NW Massachusetts, but I grew up north of Seattle (yay PNW!). I actually came to frugality because I have strong environmentalist leanings, and when I really started to look at how to decrease my environmental impact, I realized that if I just stopped buying stuff my impact would decrease a ton.
You have a very engaging writing style; I like that many of your posts are short and sweet, although I also like the longer “essay” type posts (like your rant against the kindle); and I am very inspired by your ability to see the treasures in other peoples’ trash since I totally lack that skill. I also like reading your blog because I see a lot of similarities between us (please don’t be creeped out by that!) – like that we’ve both chosen to work part time to have more time for our own pursuits, and that we both love the library. But I also see some differences – I’m trying to cultivate my goofy side, and also my ability to take joy in the little things of life (both of which you do so very well), and I think you’re a little crazy for picking up and saving coins, but I do put all the coins from my pockets into a jar.
Oh, and I’ve only commented a couple of times, mostly because if I comment, I want to add something to the conversation, rather than just say “that’s pretty” or “nice work”. I hope the fact that I read all your posts can be interpreted as “nice work!” 🙂
Hey, I’ll take your “Nice work” and “That’s pretty” comments any day of the week!
I am crazy for picking up coins, but it’s oddly addictive. I’m totally comfortable with my crazy.
Katy
I like your crazy! I should have qualified my crazy statement more…especially since friendly smiles/gentle teasing are lost over the internet. I like reading about your coin picking up…and I totally admire that you can be comfortable enough with your brand of crazy to do it in public, but I don’t think I’ll start picking up coins. 🙂
I like the idea of a “brand of crazy.” Perhaps I should trademark them. 😉
Katy
I live in Arkansas. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. I was raised frugal but didn’t really appreciate it and practice it much until the last several years.
I now work PDN as a Respiratory Therapist. I cover all areas but, neonatal and ER are my favorite.
I homeschool 2 of my 3 girls.
I love your blog for many reasons. I think the most important is that you are not afraid to be yourself on your blog. I like honest and open people. I don’t “know” you but I bet we would get along quite well. I found your blog a couple years ago through The Frugal Girl.
I like all your posts.
I have a new blog. Its Practicing Frugal. The name was because I am always practicing at being more frugal.
I delurked yesterday because I was envious that you got to meet John and Sherry! I will try to remain a delurker!
I recently got my daughter Kassie to look out for coins. She has been doing quite well!
Great, now I have a sidekick!
Katy
I love RT’s. We have a level 3 NICU on our floor, and I just adore having the breathing experts just a code light away!
BTW, great blog name. I’m surprised Practicing Frugal wasn’t already taken.
Sometimes I think I should “put myself out there” less, but how boring would that be?
Katy
Nurses do love having Rt’s close don’t they. I like having nurses close for all the “other” stuff! lol
When I picked my blog name I was quite surprised it was available. I’m glad it was. Picking a blog name is not easy.
Please don’t “put yourself out there less”, it would be rather boring and would take so much away.
Today’s post has been awesome. I have enjoyed reading about your great readers.
I think I found your blog through The Frugal Girl and I don’t think I comment on your blog very often (have I ever?), but I read it every time you have a new post…if fact I have your blog on my blog’s Blog List. Anyway – I live in Georgia and became Frugal 5 years ago when we made the commitment to get out of debt! Loved your idea of 52 weeks/52 letters last year and have made it a goal of mine to write 52 letters this year.
Terrific! I wrote a stack of letter in the beginning of January, and kind of lost my way. Maybe I’ll stamp up some envelopes today and write a few this weekend. Thanks for the reminder!
Katy
Hi Katie,
I’m a mom of two teens (boy and girl) and live south of SF. I’m a freelance writer and editor and work from home.
I grew up in a house with five girls and two working parents. My parents lost all their money when I was 12, so for many of my growing up years, money was really, really tight. My grandfather was an environmentalist before it was cool and always had a big garden, ate locally, composted, and reused everything.
I’ve always been frugal–turning off lights, making my own rags, cooking from scratch, and buying used household items …but I became more intentional about it after we went through that crazy housing/consumer bubble where everyone seemed to be moving up and driving a huge SUV.
I enjoy your blog because you give me ideas of how to be frugal and content in my own life. I enjoy your recipes, craft projects, and redecorating suggestions.
Thanks for a great site.
It sounds like your childhood was hard at a time when girls are very sensitive. Must have been quite the shock. Glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog.
Katy
Sorry I didn’t write your name correctly, Katy. I hate it when people add an extra L in my name.
Alison
I gave up caring about that years ago. Too much real stuff in the world.
Katie 😉
I came across your blog a few months ago when I was searching for homemade cleaning recipes. And then I kept coming back because I enjoy it. (Nothing has been boring. My favorites are the projects, though. I am not crafty, but I can appreciate the effort.)
My husband is frugal financially, and I’m frugal environmentally. Good news: Everyone is happy. Probably because they tend to overlap a lot. I strive for the least amount of waste, and he likes that it translates into cost savings. I suppose it helps that neither of us are materialistic and that “things” tend to overwhelm us.
It’s a crazy, disposable, want-it-now kind of world out there. It’s nice to read what other people are doing to avoid that whole mess. New ideas! That’s why I’m here. (And it’s been fun to read all the comments today. I’ll admit I am a terrible lurker. My superpower is being quiet.)
Oh, and we live in Hood River. Blue skies today! Hooray!
I am so happy to hear that people are enjoying my project posts. They’re my current favorite, as everything I’ve done recently has been a success. (Probably because none of them are too ambitious, which is my speed.)
Your superpower is being quiet? Too funny! And BTW, the blue skies have gone away here. Boo!
Katy
Yeah, it’s raining here now. Again. At least it isn’t snow or ice.
Maybe that’s why your projects are so appealing–they’re actually doable. Like the post about turning an old jar into a soap pump. I can imagine doing that, even if I’m not crafty. Or the felted sweater quilt? That’s just cool. I have both old jars and old sweaters, but I would never have come up with those ideas in a million years. Seeing new uses for things isn’t my superpower. Well, we all have our limits.
I started–and I really need to finish–quilts for my girls made out of scraps of their baby clothes. (Got the idea from Gilmore Girls, I’m proud to say.) I started when my oldest was 6. They’re 12 and 7 now. At the rate I’m going, they *might* have their quilts for college. Maybe it’s time I get serious…
Keep in mind I have done
nothingtowards doing that felted sweater blanket.And the soap pump? It took maybe 4 minutes to do, start to finish. 😀
Katy
Since I have such a great memory (it’s great, just short), I copied your questions over so I can tell you what you asked.
1. Where do you live?
I live in northwest Arkansas now. Moved from southeast Wisconsin in July of 2004.
2. Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
I have been both a spender and a non-spender. Actually, even when I was a spender I was careful with my money. I guess I just don’t have it in me to go whole hog in the spending dept. My family is surprised when I say “I got that at the thrift store”. I’m also downsizing and getting rid of excess stuff, so I don’t really buy that much at the thrift stores, either.
3. Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
No, I don’t. I’ve thought about, but I lead one of the most boring lives ever. I like it, though.
4. What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
I like just about everything you write. I love your spirit and your sense of humor. Also the way you just go and do whatever. (I just had my first ever hot-glue gun project last week. I thought “if Katy can do it, I can do it”! I’m hooked on it now. Everyone is getting crafted gifts from now on. )
5. Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
I didn’t give birth to anyone, ever, although I have two furry kids. I’m pretty sure I found you through The Frugal Girl.
6. And anything else you wish to share.
I’m older than your mother, but I feel like a kid inside most of the time. My life has gone through a lot of changes in the past few years, and I’m much happier now.
I think it’s great to actually say “I got this at a thrift store,” otherwise people won’t find out how terrific they are. And there’s certainly enough for everyone.
I feel like a kid too. I hope that never goes away.
Katy
Hi Katy….Kathy from Savannah, GA here.
I haven’t always been frugal but never really a spendthrift, either. I am slowly becoming more and more frugal. I buy little, sometimes new, sometimes not but always thought out before purchasing. Impulse shopping days are behind me. So much of changing habits are inspired by you and Frugal Girl and blogs I stumble upon.
I rarely read a post that I don’t enjoy. Your perspective is always appreciated. Thanks for all you do to make this space available to us.
ps I sent an email on FB wanting info on your mom’s rental for a friend, is that possible? Thanks!!
Sorry, it’s been an busy e-mail day!
My mother’s “Sellwood Guest Cottages:”
http://www.vrbo.com/351547/reviews
Katy
That’s great to hear that Kristen and I are inspiring positive change in your life!
Katy
Hi Katy
I live in a small town in southwestern Ontario. I have always been a practical/thrifty person but now I am *almost* obsessed with frugal living.
I read your blog everyday (as well as The Frugal Girl and Zero Waste Home).
I love your fun sense of style. I can tell that you are living a great life without spending yourself silly! Exactly the way I try to live.
My husband and I walk every night and lately have been picking up beer cans and bottles to return them for the deposit money. We feel kind of strange doing it and would be embarrassed if people saw us doing it. We cannot walk past that 10 cents lying there though!
We buy almost 100 percent of our clothing and household items in our neighbourhood thrift store run by the Mennonite Central Committee. Why buy anywhere else!
I have a “Fun sense of style?” Awesome! Love it! I leave the returnable bottles and cans in place, as the homeless people will come to get them always. It sounds like your neighborhood thrift store is great. I’ll have to stop in next time I’m in small town Ontario. (Doing my Justin Bieber stalking. 😉 )
Katy
Bonjour Katy!
I live in Halifax, Canada (but have lived in Fredericton, Saint John, Montr̩al and Vernon BC!) Рso fun to see other Canadian readers!
I LOVE Star Trek (but I’m a Voyageur fan… SIGH i know, so many people hate Voyageur but ya know…) AND Star Wars… 🙂
I blog about yoga and the environment.
I don’t have children (yet!) but have two cats, I’m a Speech Therapist and I’m Acadian (francophone).
I think I found your blog via the Green Phone Booth- and have been enjoying your posts since! 🙂
I liked “Voyageur” as well. (Trivia: I am a “Katherine Jane,” which matched up well with the series) The only one I never got into was Enterprise, and I got super bored with Deep Space 9, although I liked it initially.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the posts!
Katy
I am an Army wife, mostly SAHM to two elementary-age boys, currently living in Louisiana. I must have found you through Frugal Girl, too. We are more environmentally conscious than frugal, meaning we recycle and compost as well as try to repurpose/buy second hand as much as possible in this rural area. We lived in Seattle for a few years so I’m familiar with the PNW and really miss the great Goodwill-ing there! I think of you every trash day as I see all the stuff my neighbors simply discard; when I’m tempted to pick something up, though, thanks to you I also ask myself if we truly need it. No blog- I spend all my computer time reading them!
That must be hard to see all the perfectly good stuff go into the garbage. On the other hand, it’s not good to fill your house with junk. And I have to agree that the Seattle Goodwills are uber-awesome! Actually, better selection and lower prices than the Portland ones.
Katy
Hi Katy:
Alex here. I de-lurked once recently to ask about your tech setup. But mostly I read and love. I have your blog in my “morning links,” though sometimes I wait until later in the day to read, as a reward for getting work done. ?Too creepy?
So, your questions:
Where do you live?
Outside Washington, DC., near a big state university.
Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
I grew up in frequent economic insecurity, so I have some skills. But I’m always looking to improve – I think I found you after a search for homemade cleaning products. I’ve learned a lot from you!
Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
No personal blog. I’m too boring and too busy. I do some blogging and other writing for work, but I won’t tire you with that.
What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
Never bored. I enjoy the “today I am…” posts in particular.
Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
No, but if you’re ever in the DC-Baltimore area, I’d be happy to buy you a cuppa your favorite beverage.
And anything else you wish to share.
Thanks for being here, for being honest, for being funny, and for being a part of my day.
Glad to hear that you like the “Today I am” posts. They’re quick to write, and I consider them to be a snapshot of true frugality.
And I don’t get to D.C. to often, (last time in 1986 for The Great Peace March) but I’ll take you up on your coffee offer.
Katy
I feel guilty now, I thought your last post was really funny, but I’m not a big commenter. I will try more :), like now! I do not blog, but I do enjoy reading them, and have favored quite a few. I think you are very interesting and visit your site each day. That’s what I like about you- you usually post each day! Hm, I’d have to think about what I don’t like. I live in Kansas, with my husband and two kids. We own a couple of franchises- if you ever need batteries I can hook you up :). Interestingly enough, I don’t think I am a true frugalist, but I have been leaning that way, and this site is definitely opening my eyes. Keep it up and thanks for your hard work!
No guilt necessary. Although I was kind of bummed that no Star Wars fans delurked to comment on my “Encased in carbonite” comparison. (Which I felt was truly genius!))
I’ll keep you in mind for our battery needs, although we’re making the rechargeables we have last as long as possible.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I live in New Brunswick, Canada and have finally started commenting on blogs after starting my own where I write about gardening, cooking/baking, and my outdoor adventures – http://marcelledanielle. wordpress.com/
I was raised by a single-mom and although we usually couldn’t have the “extras” that we asked for, my mom always made time to be with us (being a teacher with summers off helped) and I look back on my childhood fondly. She would often say: “We might not be rich in money, but we’re rich in love.” And we were. I continue living a frugal life so I can treat myself to the things that make my life happier (rock climbing equipment, travel, good food).
I found your blog through “The Frugal Girl” and love reading all your posts. My favorites are re-purposing posts, “in-the-day-of posts, ” and photo essays. I also love that you’re more extreme than I am because it gives me ideas to try. I’m starting to look down for coins 🙂 You definitely inspire me!
“We might not be rich in money, but we’re rich in love†is a great line! Happy to hear that you found me through The Frugal Girl, she is my separated-at-birth twin sister. (Except for the sizable age difference.)
I love seeing how many Canadian readers I have, it’s great to see that our borders are nothing more than a line on a map.
Katy
Hi, Katy! I’m Kathleen from Texas, in my mid fifties, 2 grown children and 5 grands. I work part time for an investment firm, so I deal not just with concerns over our own life savings, but other people’s too.
I blog at http://www.fourmilesnorthofnowhere.blogspot.com about reading and crafting and whatnot.
I think I found you by clicking on a link in someone’s 52 letters in 52 weeks challenge post. (That was SUCH a fabulous idea. I successfully completed it last year, and am working on it again this year.)
I like the diversity of your posts. I don’t have teenagers at home, but the grandsons are almost there, and we are a soccer loving bunch too, so I like reading about your family. Your curbside and Goodwill finds are always fun, and I love your projects around the house.
Now I’m off to the library. Today is their book sale day, with two-for-one paperbacks!
Sounds like you are at a great stage of life right now. It may sound crazy, but I’m really looking forward to being a grandmother.
Congrats on completing and continuing your 52 Letters Project. I need to get back up in that particular saddle.
Katy
I’ve commented before, but here I am in a few words:
Raised frugal but became even more so when I became a stay at home mom who is the wife of a farmer. We live in North Alabama. I’m inspired by most all of your posts. I don’t blog. After years of working in banking I saw first hand in many of our customers that money doesn’t bring happiness, so I am having fun raising my 2 small boys relatively simply on our farm. Thanks for the little mini vacation that reading your blog gives me each day. Then it’s back to sippy cups and diaper changes. 🙂
Ahh . . . I remember those years well. Gretchen Rubin has a quote about:
“The days are long but that years are short” that I feel perfectly captures when kids are little. I am in shock that my kids are so old, it seems just yesterday they were in diapers with sippy cups.
Katy
Gretchen’s quote resonates with me also (she has a video that you can watch to go with it – and apparently it’s her most watched clip? I believe?). I try to keep it in mind at all times, however it can be hard to be conscious and grateful all the time – we’re only human. But as Baz Luhrmann reminds us it’s ‘The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday’. I know this to be true, it’s happened. So if ever I feel ungratefulness creep on me, I try to remember this also. Gosh very deep for me for a Monday morning… gonna lighten it up and pop ole Baz on my FB page!
I lurk daily…I always read your blog on my lunch break! I don’t remember how I first found you, but probably by clicking on a link from the Frugal Girl. I’m not hard core frugal, but I try to be mindful about my purchases and spending. I love all of your posts, but especially the ones about your frugal finds and how you repurpose things. I’m always getting new ideas! I also think you have a good perspective on needs vs. wants. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of that!
I blog at http://regularpeopleweartheirclothes.tumblr.com. Most of the clothes in the outfits I post were bought new, but my frugal contribution is that I wear stuff for a long time and try to remix my old wardrobe in interesting ways. I’ve gotten more into thrifting recently though, in part thanks to you!
So I take it you’re not a nudist? 😉
Mindfulness is what it’s all about. Seriously.
Katy
I live in Shreveport, LA and love it here.(Originally from the area.) Your blog motto has been on my fridge for years, so I guess that makes me a “dyed in the wool frugalista.”
I love all your posts,but espeically the ones where you focus on the fact that you don’t buy things that aren’t important to you in order to be able to afford the things that are important to you.
We are currently saving money to pay cash for an inground pool. Needed-no. Wanted-since we married 16 years go. With a two-year-old son, we figure this pool will never add resale value to the home, but will help insure our one-day teenage son and his friends hang out at our house. Beans and rice a few times a week is a small sacrafice for a future big return(paid for with cash).
Keep up the great work. We all enjoy it.
And living in Shreveport, you’ll get lots of use from your pool! Here in Oregon, we swim outside around 2-1/2 months per year.
Your fridge sounds awesome!
😉
Katy
I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. But I have an American passport… and I’ve lived on the Continent for almost my entire life. It’s complicated ;).
I grew up in a fairly frugal household, but it never ‘clicked’ with me until recently, and I’m only just now trying to purposefully develop frugal habits.
Yes, I have a personal finance blog! I started it less than a month ago, so it’s still a wee bairn. My name should link to it up there ^. I’m really interested in how individuals can save money in different ways… for instance, my last post is about why I hand wash my clothes instead of using a washing machine. It might sound crazy at first, but it definitely works for me!
I really enjoy your posts about all the random stuff you find by the side of the road, and your found money collection. I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the fixing-up-the-house posts, mostly because I’m living in student accommodation so I can’t even think about changing anything permanently. I think those posts will get to be more interesting later on when I can relate to them, though!
I don’t know you IRL… I’m just another one of those random strangers on the internet.
Hey, it’s not random if you chose to read the blog. That’s purposeful. And I can totally see how dorm life would not lend itself to an interest in seeing me spray paint my rusty light fixtures. 🙂
I love Scotland, and I visited for 3(4?) days when I was living in England in 1987. I wish it could have been a longer trip.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I am in northern Alberta, Canada. Yours is the first blog I subscribed to and I am glad I did. After reading some of your posts I was inspired to be more conscious of adopting a frugal attitude. I have always been careful about spending and satisfied with simple things, I love garage sales and second hand stores etc., but reading your posts gave me new ideas and a new outlook on the whole thing. I now stop to think before I spend, asking myself if it is truly a frugal choice or just an impulsive “want”. Wants are fine sometimes of course, but the impulsive ones are usually a bad idea and end up being a waste of money. So now I think more, look more carefully, and look for ideas and ways to get things and have fun that don’t involve spending money all the time.
I am a paper crafter, I sell handmade greeting cards and mini scrapbooks albums and books, and I share my projects and ideas on my blog: http://craftwithann.blogspot.com. I also play and teach piano, I love classical music, I like to stay busy with my hands!
As for which posts of yours that I like or don’t, I find them all enjoyable because whether you are talking about something you have bought, cooked, or fixed up, or you are just sharing a perspective, they all enlighten me somehow. Keep up the good work, and thanks!
You sound like so much fun! I love paper crafts. Again, so many Canadians!
Thanks for the nice words.
Katy
Dear Ann,
I just looked at your paper crafting site and saw your picture. You are the Gemini twin of my sister Beverly! Wow.
I live in michigan, have always been “cheap” which surprisingly also is much the same as being green. My husband and I had the first CF lightbulb that I had ever heard of but because it was supposed to last forever and be cheap to run- we would still have it but our cat knocked it over so many times the bulb would just fall apart every time you touched it. I have a blog that I post at occaisionaly( I’m also a really bad speller, why can’t comments have spellcheck?).
It’s amazing how often green and cheap overlap. I’ve been super unimpressed with CFL lightbulbs, as they never last as long as they’re supposed to for me. I actually just replaced a CFL in our bedroom with an incandescent this week, and I am loving the immediate brightness. Also, there is information about there about CFL’s being linked to cancer.
Argh!!!!!!!
Katy
I have this problem too. I thought it was just me… but my CFL lightbulbs sure don’t last the years they talk about 😐
Hey Michele,
You couldn’t possibly be a worse speller than I am! I finally switched from Internet Explorer to Google Chrome because it has a built in spell checker, so now I look like less of an idiot online (at least in my mind I do!)
🙂
Cat
Hi, Katy –
I live in St Johns here in Portland. I’ve always been frugal, initially out of necessity, and in more recent years out of a desire to live more sustainably and be less of a consumer. I have a blog, http://broadbrains.blogspot.com/ where I write about this and that around the house and in my life. I’ve been reading your blog for a couple of years now, I think, and I enjoy reading about your frugal adventures and finds, and the ways you have fun for free and cheap. I find your blog and lifestyle to be inspiring. And I like reading suggestions and ideas from your readers, too, in the comments and on the Facebook page. I don’t know you i.r.l., but I’m sure someday our paths will cross. Seems like there’s just three degrees of separation between everyone in this little city.
A little about me, I have a 14-year old daughter, we live with my husband, dog, turtle, and chickens. I like to garden, cook, keep house, write, read, dink around on the ukulele, ride a scooter, make stuff, be involved in my food buying club, and whatever else seems fun at the moment. Thanks for having such a rad blog, it’s been fun reading it!
And thank you for calling my blog “Rad!”
I’m sure we could figure out a connection if we worked hard enough. 🙂
Katy
Hi, Katy!
I’ve posted once or twice….the one I remember was to voice support when you were considering quitting blogging.
I live in Texas. I’m a SAHM to an almost 18 month old little boy who is currently obsessed with elephants.
I’m a musician and I sometimes teach French horn, but I’m mostly taking a break right now to be a mom.
Since I cut back so drastically on my teaching hours I’ve been working toward a much more frugal lifestyle. We were actually extremely frugal for our first two years of marriage – to the point that we were feeling very deprived, and went a little overboard for the following two years! No debt, luckily, and we were able to pay off DH’s student loans, but we weren’t saving much. Now we have a good budget and can see where all our money goes. We live within our means easily, but would like to learn to save more.
I love buying furniture used, and our town has wonderful and inexpensive antique shops, but I can’t get excited about the thrift stores, here. And craigslist is a joke in this city – mostly scammers, unfortunately.
I think I found you through the Frugal Girl. I love your writing style and sense of humor. I don’t always agree with your posts (Amazon lover, here) but I usually respect your point of view. My favorite posts are your “Today I am…” and Five Things. BTW, I totally laughed at your encased in carbonite joke yesterday – even showed it to my husband and he laughed! Just too busy to comment.
This is a good reminder that you bloggers like to get feedback, just like anyone would. It’s always more fun to pursue a passion when you’re getting positive feedback from it. Please know that your readers are out here, enjoying your work!
Hi Katy,
I live in a town just south of Boston. I found your blog through the frugal girl and I check in every day. I was frugal and then for a while I wasn’t, but I’m back on track now. I appreciate all your tips and practical advice. My favorite posts are your dear John or love letters – the one about your hairbrush makes me laugh just thinking about it.
I have two little boys – age 2 and 4 and another boy due in the next month or so. I love gardening, cooking and spending time with my family.
Oh and I’m not a star trek enthusiast, but one of my best friends is and many years ago we travelled from FL to MD to see Leonard Nimoy speak at a Star Trek convention.
Michelle
I think I found your blog thru some frugal websites I follow… Your motto drew me in for a closer look because I heard it from my grandma all the time. I have always been frugal, growing up, my parents would say that i was “tighter than the bark on a tree” with my money. I love everything you write, and don’t have a blog, I sometimes wish I did but I have absolutely no idea how to get started and then there is the matter of keeping it up… I am a dumpster diver, an alley shopper and lean towards survivialist, I am one that enjoys the “process” in doing things for myself, or learning how to make/do things…just because i have learned to do something, doesn’t mean I will always do it, just means I can if I want to.
I will pick up change, and I will save and give it to someone if they express a need. I work full time,” I work to live not live to work”
I live in Indiana, where the weather changes by the minute..
Keep up the good work, I enjoy it.
jc
Hey, Katy! I am a definite lurker. Hopefully that doesn’t creep you out. I am coming out of the Internet shadows to say hello.
I post over at http://www.frugallivingnw.com and also have a couple personal blogs. I live the frugal lifestyle because it makes sense to me. It can be tough at times to stick with it. I love how you make it seem like a grand adventure. That is my goal.
I read your posts because they inspire me to think outside the box. My favorites are the re-caps of your day… what you bought/found/did, etc… These posts are conversational and fun to read. Keep them coming!
Thanks for your blog & keep up the great work!
I live in Ann Arbor, Michigan and work at the UofM as a medical research technician. Separated from my husband of 19 years last July, sharing a small apartment with my 15-year-old daughter. This change has greatly impacted my finances, and the necessary adjustments for both me and my girl have been challenging at times.
I have a modest income, and a lot debt (credit card and car payment – ugh), so I enjoy reading your blog for tips on getting the most for my money. I also appreciate the attitude of your blog – you are unfailingly cheerful, and help to make the frugal journey more fun. I do sometimes tend to wallow in an unhappy funk about how tight money is now, but I don’t feel so deprived after reading your posts. Your blog really does brighten my days!
Hi Katy, 10 years ago, I was a typical NYC yuppie spendthrift – – – I’m not kidding – at the grocery store I went to, it used to bug me when they always asked at checkout whether or not I had my bonus card – as if they were wasting my time. I never even THOUGHT to get one of those cards – and yet, we were getting into debt (you see, we deserved all those nice things! we were working hard!). I can’t even imagine I was once that person, so far removed am I from that mentality now.
One day, and this is true – I picked up a copy of the “Tightwad Gazette” that someone had left out for free on their stoop. Talk about beshert – that moment honestly changed the course of my life. I started to read about frugality, personality finance, voluntary simplicity. I found “Your Money or Your Life,” and eventually, blogs like yours and Rhonda Hetzel’s of “down–to–earth.” You really have had an impact on my life, and your perennially positive attitude about frugality and non-consumption is so inspiring.
I am still a work in progress. Before I was a total convert, we (over)bought a romantic, beautiful, 1830’s colonial farmhouse in an affluent suburb of NYC. It was a bit of a foolhardy purchase. We are trying to hold on to the house without incurring more debt – and so while we “look good” on paper (whatever that means) we drive old cars, rarely eat out or go on vacations. I cook almost everything from scratch – and we are raising chickens and goats in our backyard! Our 4 kids (ages 9-16) find us slightly embarrassing in our tony part of the world. But my husband and I are finding joy and creativity in consuming less and producing more – – – we are a team, and never fight about money, even when we get stressed out (new boiler? new roof? new septic? same year? oy vey!). Life is good.
What a great story!
I live in Beaverton, OR, 34 years old, freelance writer and mother of 2 boys ages 6 and 3. I’m pretty new to living frugally, until I had kids money was never an issue, in my old career (IT) I made more than enough money to live and have a little fun. I never was a big spender, but I never paid much attention to the cost of things either. If I needed it, I bought it. Then I had kids, quit my job and, well, frugality became a need rather than a choice. Now I’m an enthusiastic thrift store shopper, reuser, DIY’er, etc… Love your blog!
I was raised frugal/thrifty. I have memories of picking up used board games and other fun stuff at yard sales growing up, or picking fresh flowers out of the florist’s dumpster on our way home from church each week. Sometime during college I read the Tightwad Gazette, and it really resonated with me. I think I found your blog when i was doing searches on Amy Dacyczyn a few years back.
I have recently started a blog, but it focuses more on my interests in sewing and gardening than in being thrifty, although I like to sew things from free/recycled materials and I like to find ways to keep my gardening costs down to a minimum. (www.digsewgrow.com)
I would love to see more posts on meshing going green/organic/toxic free with being thrifty. Sometimes being thrifty coincides with being green, but sometimes its hard to pay 3 times as much for organic food or whatever when you are you used to being a penny pincher. It’s definitely something that’s on my mind daily, and I’m always looking for help in making better choices with my money and resources. What changes have you implemented for your family since reading The Toxic Avenger, if any, for example?
Hi Katy!
I’m Amy. I’ve been a reader for a couple years and I love your blog. We’ve chatted before on Twitter, and through comments but I thought I’d say hi anyhow.
I live in Pittsburgh, PA with my husband and our 3 little ones. Like you, I enjoy all things frugal. I blog about life, frugality, and parenthood at featheredfriendsy.com.
I don’t know you in real life, nor did I give birth to you, but I really like your attitude and your blog. I don’t find anything you write about to be boring…quite the opposite actually. My only request is that you write more about frugal (yet “cool”) things to do with kids. Mine are a good bit younger than yours (4, almost 2, and 7 months), but any ideas for the future are welcome! Anyhow, I hope you keep up the blogging12`q for many years to come, as I always enjoy a fresh frugal perspective and new ideas 🙂
the 12`q was from my almost 2 year old, by the way.
I grew up pretty frugally, then married well and became a consumer. got divorced and came back down to earth. Now I try to only consume when absolutely necessary and be a frugal girl always. I am lucky to live in Central Indiana where thrift stores are abundant.
My favorite posts are your finds along with before and after pics.
I am also a Trekkie.
Hi Katie,
I regularly post here, though I’ve never officially introduced myself. My blog’s address is http://fruitcakefiles.blogspot.com, where I review books for middle-school and high-school students, movies, and television shows often with accompanying thematic music videos. I also occasionally post recipes and write about the sixties and writing.
I greatly admire your frugal ways, and try to live a frugal existence myself, though I’m not always successful. For instance, I gave up fast food for Lent, but today treated my fifteen-year-old son, who was home sick from school, and myself to KFC for lunch. Of course, haven fallen off the bandwagon, I can only say that I’m not actually Catholic and don’t sacrifice anything for Lent. Even so, I’m back on the Lent bandwagon and not eating fast food until Easter
Well, lest I be lumped in with the legion of lurkers…
My name is Cat. I live in Denver, and I fear I’m sort of off the deep end when it comes to frugal living. I live quite happily on less than $15K/year, and every time I get a peek at how the average American lives, I sort of recoil in horror.
I’ve pretty much been telling our materialistic consumer culture to go jump in a lake my entire adult life, and with a bit of help from books like “Your Money or Your Life” I was able to quit working 5 years ago and support myself entirely through non-employment means… which, I have to say, is WONDERFUL!
I blog at http://ecocatlady.blogspot.com/ and I fear I’m not terribly focused. I sort of ramble about my life, how I got to where I am, the crazy things I see around me, stuff I do, and, of course, some ranting and raving about politics and what’s wrong with all of those “normal” people out there. All of my posts are infused with a hefty dose of cute kitty pictures, because, as you may have guessed, I’m a cat lover. I have 4 cats at the moment… and I’m really hoping the CatFairy doesn’t leave any more starving babies on my doorstep because 4 is really more than enough. I decided eons ago that I didn’t want kids, so I guess I live a fairly unconventional life.
I have no earthly idea how I found your blog… just cruising the blogosphere one day and clicked on a link on somebody’s blogroll. I really like food posts, and creative ideas for how to accomplish things without spending. I’m not big on craft projects because, well, I suck at crafts and generally just don’t have the patience for pretty… guess I sort of value function over form, plus I tend to think that we all spend WAY too much time, money and energy trying to make things “look good” when we’d all be much better off if we actually dealt with the “internal ugliness” that really keeps us stuck in negative habits and patterns.
I, too am a Trekkie… I’ve seen every episode of the original series, The Next Generation and Voyager. I couldn’t get in to Deep Space 9 or Enterprise though… not sure why, guess they always seemed a bit like soap operas in space to me… too much touchy feely stuff and not enough temporal distortions! Perhaps this goes along with the no patience for pretty stuff! But I totally subscribe to the cheesy science fiction school of philosophic thought, and Jean Luc Picard is my hero.
I have to say it’s gonna take me forever to read all of these comments, but I can’t wait to find some great new blogs out there! Live long and prosper, y’all!
Hiya! My name is Stephanie and I live in Arizona. I’m not sure how I found your blog but you crack me up on a regular basis so I keep coming back. I wouldn’t consider myself a die hard frugalista, but the cheaper way is usually the easier and the better way to do things. No drama, mama! I blog at http://www.simplicitymom.blogspot.com about simple and green living, parenting, and real food. Come say hey…if you can tear yourself away from the Star Trek re-runs 🙂
Hi Katy,
I live in rural Maine, and am not a natural frugalista. I grew up in urban Texas. My mom is rather a keeper up with the Joneses, and I attended a private elementary/high school where practicing frugality was considered absolutely shameful. My parents were well-off by any normal standard, but we were low-income compared to the majority of my classmates’ families. Any frugal things people did were deep dark secrets. On the positive side, observing my classmates’ families taught me that BMWs, designer clothes, ski vacations, and a big house in the posh part of town do *not* bring happiness. Good to learn that lesson early.
My mom did a great job teaching me skills–cooking, canning, gardening, making our own music, clothing repair, creativity, and responsible money management. We never discussed the frugal aspects of these arts; we did them because they were fun and fulfilling.
Then I fell in love and married a Mainer! We moved to be close to extended family and the natural environment my husband loves. Here among the lantern-jawed Yankees, frugality is a respected art form and a point of pride. Also, there are no jobs, and haven’t been since the 1860’s; the recession hasn’t affected us much. I read “Your Money or Your Life” many years ago and it struck a chord. I have not (yet) found a career that I really love or want to spend all my time doing; and every dollar I don’t spend is a dollar I don’t have to earn.
I found you via Get Rich Slowly. I don’t blog. The things I currently like best about your blog are the projects around your house. My house has been under construction and an abject, misery-inducing disaster for the last 3 years. I love seeing you making your house so comfortable and beautiful using “found objects” and creativity. It buoys my spirit in dealing with my own house.
I enjoy reading blogs about frugality because the bloggers and commenters have become a “peer group” helping me examine and undo the habits and prejudices of my childhood. I still don’t immediately imagine frugal solutions to problems, but now I habitually ask myself, “what would Katy (J.D., Trent, et. al.) do?”
I feel highly honoured I was 1 of the 4 out of 3,000+ readers yesterday to comment!
Almost 37 years-old, 2 young Kids( and a Hubby) trying to lead a “Family Life Simply Done”.
A self-confessed foodie, but a no-waste gal at the same time – that’s pretty much the majority of what I blog about, with a few tit-bits thrown in here and there. Definitely all on a simple/frugal vibe.
NCA was the 2nd blog I ever read and was one of the reasons I took the plunge and started blogging myself some 18 months later. I’ve read NCA for approx. 3 years – this was when the epiphany happened and I decided to downsize my life.
I like it here over at Katy’s. It’s funny, and I like funny. Life shouldn’t be taken too seriously IMO. It’s also extremely well-written (and funny, did I mention that?). There are too many great posts to highlight – so I won’t. However the one I have linked back to the most is ‘Coingirl to the rescue’ (which may be dated 2009?). Soon after reading that post I purchased a piggy bank from a charity shop and it resides on my kitchen windowsill to this day, to collect my meagre finds.
Freudian slip – almost 38-years-old… duh!
Oh also – just to check, I once asked a well-known blogger to e-mail you some supportive advice (Nov 2010). I’ve always wondered whether it was of any help (presuming he did contact you as he said he did)?
Hi Katy
I live in Brisbane, Australia. I cannot remember how I found your blog, I think I was googling ‘simplicity’ or ‘frugal’, or something like that. I have been reading for a few years now and it is one I check regularly. I don’t have a blog.
My parents were farmers and were very frugal (as we were usually broke). Once we sold our farm, they had a lot more money, but have remained frugal. I went a little wild when I started working (I am an engineer) as, wow, I was earning so much money! (I lived at home when I went to uni, and my uni (HECS) debt was only $10k – its deducted from your pay in Australia as extra tax – so repaying is automatic).
Anyways, when I bought my house, I had to suddenly rediscover my frugal roots, as my mortgage was huge. I no longer need to be frugal, as my income has risen significantly since in the last few years. But, I don’t want to waste that money, so I try to keep my expenses down. I love minimalism, so I don’t buy much ‘stuff’. I don’t shop at Op shops (thrift shops) as it takes a lot of time, I have donated a LOT of stuff there. I always buy clothes and shoes on sales, never pay full price.
I have rambled on for way too long. I really enjoy your blog, all the different posts. I can’t relate to a lot of them, due to the seasonal/climate differences, but its interesting to read how others live. Oh, and I don’t have any kids, just my cat.
Cheers
Kylee
I read you every single day, unless you don’t post, but I check! I was laid off last June, and husband and I decided to let me work at home. (yeah!). I am beginning an Etsy store, sewing American Girl doll clothes, teaching books for children, and Ren-Faire costumes. I have been sewing for 42 years, so I am, if you don’t mind me saying, quite good. The frugal part of me was begun by my mother, who was a stay at home Mom of 4, with a husband who was self employed. (not a lot of income). She knew how to squeeze a penny, believe me. I have been doing it for my whole life, but I am always looking for new ideas. My husband says one must keep up with the world or grow old. Thank you for writing, I really enjoy your words.
Let’s see…
I’m a 24-year-old newlywed living in Georgia.
I don’t blog, because I write for a small-town newspaper for a living, and I just can’t make myself come home and write more every day. I’d like to have a blog, but it’s not something I’ve been able to stick with.
I’ve always been pretty frugal, but I’ve upped it some recently. I guess I’ve just always been a person who doesn’t *want* much.
I can’t think of any posts that bore me to tears, but I especially like to hear about house-y stuff. Loved the Union Jack plate, btw. And I also really love the chicken adobo you posted one time. I increase the liquids and cook potatoes in the same pot.
I don’t know you, but you repinned that sweater quilt from me (don’t ask why my name is Erin and I comment on things as Jennifer and then confess that my name is Erin. I’m weird.) and it MADE MY DAY when you blogged about it, even though I didn’t make the quilt, just pinned it.
And I REALLY love this blog.
Hello!
I’m writing today to encourage you to keep up the good work. I love all your posts… your frugal finds, decorating tips, book recommendations, etc.
I live in Northern Ohio, have been a vegan for almost 4 years and have been hard core frugal for years. I decorate by rearranging what I already have, garden, compost, bake from scratch, hang laundry, repair with hand-sewing, reuse curbside finds (I call it lawn shopping) and celebrate as many frugal victories as possible. Your biggest influence on my has been the food stamp challenge. It’s tough to feed the four of us on $404/month, but I see all these activities as my work…running the house and caring for teens, breadwinner hubby and elderly parents still living in their home. I’m nearly finished with rereading the Tightwad Gazette 3 volume tome…you remind me so much of Amy Dacyzyn! Keep up the good work and thanks for the “invite to write!”
I am onver 50, living in an urban area of a little over 200,000 people, in West Texas. Never read a post that I did not agree with, at least in part.
The only princlple I have trouble understanding is picking up items off the street. Not allowed here in any way, shape, or form. We do have garage sales by permit and flea markets.
Sorry, “over” ,Hands not working correctly today.
I’m a 21yr.old hippie who spends her days cycling and bussing around Los Angeles, going to school and working as a nanny. I love being frugal, finding coins (found a quarter and a nickle walking home from work the other day!) and cooking/eating high vegan- I try to blog about it when I have time… I love your ‘Today I …” posts; I think it’s always helpful for people to hear specific ways they can save a few bucks here and there!
Cycling and bussing around L.A.? That’s commitment!
Katy
Hi…I am from Upstate New York. Usually we are the “land of snow” right about now, but it has been a very strangely almost snow-free winter. I am married to my best friend, have only furry children and I work in a library. I have always been frugal. I inherited the frugal, thrifty gene from my father. My mother, sadly, does not possess it. I always say that even if I was rich, I would still be frugal. It’s a part of me and finding good deals and getting what I need and want at thrift stores is satisfying to me. I seldom buy new.
I like nearly all of your posts, especially the ones about repurposing items and thrift store finds. The only segments that I wasn’t as fond of were the food stamp challenge ones. Perhaps because it was a single focus for a long period of time, if I am recalling correctly. (Not that I don’t feel that it is an important topic to address. )
I do not know you, but feel we’d get along well and have some good laughs.
You are not the only one to point out that the Food Stamp Challenge posts get monotonous. But I had a reader point out that food insecurity also gets old, so I just went with it. (It also gets super tiring to write about the same thing for 31 days for me!)
And regarding your snow-free winter? Careful what you ask for! 😉
Katy
I found the Food Stamp Challenge posts very moving… especially the comments. I got a little teary-eyed reading some of them. It made me appreciate how good my life really is.
Howdy howdy howdy! I am Ashley, a 28-yr-old SAHM to 3 small kiddos and frugal Oregon Coast girl. I was raised very frugally but now know very few frugal people IRL, so this blog is one of my ties to what is ‘normal’ for me (and totally weird to most consumers). My DH and I are very conscious in how we spent our time and money and though we do consume a bit, it is very selectively done and thought-out. There is so much crap marketed to kids and parents, and so much that is culturally seen as a need and not want, that a lot of the time I pop by here just to remind myself that we truly are the ‘sane’ ones, especially since our frugality is mostly by choice.
No blog, though I am guilty of being a compulsive lurker on a few.
I have always been a thrift-store enthusiast, I am just glad that now it is something I can happily share with others now, whereas in high-school it definitely wasn’t something the ‘cool’ kids were doing.
I love all your posts, I fancy myself somewhat handy and have delusions of craftiness. I LOVE the Goodwill, probably to an unhealthy extent (it’s the only decent thrift store in my area). I am a Trekkie, grew up on TNG and love Enterprise (one of my kids may or may not be named after a character, just sayin’). I just love the reminders of what really is important in life, and that I’m not the only who knows what they are, even when it seems like everyone else I meet is clueless. Thank you 🙂
“Delusions of craftiness?” I think I am guilty of that myself!
Thanks for all your nice words, fellow Oregonian!
Katy
I forgot to say that I am forever indebted to you for the black bean burger recipe. I make them ALL THE TIME and anyone who has tried them, has asked for the recipe. They are awesome!
I need to make a fresh batch of those. Thanks for the reminder!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I’m living in Auckland, New Zealand.
I found the Non Consumer Advocate through Facebook (though I’m not on there any more so get your blog updates straight to my email instead).
I’m the only ‘frugal’ one in my group of friends, so it’s great to know that there are others out there that think the way I do.
I love seeing how you repurpose things, in ways that I would not think of. Seeing the photos of your projects is almost enought to get me started on my own list (almost!). Most of all I love that you come across as so ‘normal’ and fun (unlike some bloggers who can become quite extremist). I always look forward to what you have to say.
Keep up the awesome work, you rock!
Not being Extreme is what kept me off that TV show.
Thank God!
And maybe one of my crafty/upcycle-y will move you to action. You never know!
Katy
This is fun to do, and to read! I live in southern Illinois, and this quote from Donna Freedman from MSN money sums up my attitude: I save where I can so I can spend where I want. My biggest hobby is my horses. It was a lifelong dream to have horses, and admittedly they are expensive, but because of frugality I can afford it.
I am 47 and have gotten past the ‘acquire’ stage of life, moving to the downsizing portion. I also follow your fellow Portlandia blogger Tammy Strobel. I enjoy everything about your blog, and I too started reading not long before the lard incident.
I would love to visit your area sometime, for a long weekend or something – Portland sounds fabulous. Enlightened environmentalists and great food sounds like heaven to me. Thought aobut contacting you about your mom’s guest cottage. Maybe someday I will get around to it!.
I am also an Amy Dacyczyn fan. My fantasy involves one of her kids writing a book about how being raised by the frugal zealot has affected their adult life. I would love to see her life now!
I’m also a Tightwad Gazette lover. I found this youtube video where Amy Dacyczyn shows what her life it like today and thought I would share.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUFyD-FTf-E
I know that interview, and have shared it here before:
https://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/2011/02/amy-dacyczyn-interview/
Katy
I live in Alberta, Canada and am in my early 30s.
I’ve been reading your blog for a couple years, and occasionally comment….but mostly I like to lurk. Generally because I read through RSS feed 🙂
I’m a speech therapist, gardener and dog owner.
I think I’ve been frugal for most of my life – certainly most of my adult life. When I was 20 I took a semester off university to participate in a program sponsored by the Canadian goverment called “Katimavik”. I lived with a bunch of other young people and among other things, we did volunteer work in three different communities in Canada. Our spending allowance was $21/week each. The program was 8 months long. From that I learned a lot about the differences between needs and wants, as well as how to get by without a whole lot of cash.
I’ve always been interested in making things myself, and since I can remember have given home-made gifts to friends.
I like most everything about your blog… thanks for writing!
I would *totally* buy a book from Amy Daycyzyn’s kids!
And I love your quote:
“I save where I can so I can spend where I want.”
Thank you so much for sharing it.
Oops, this went in the wrong spot. 🙁
Katy
That program some so great! And that early lesson will serve you well for a lot longer than a semester.
Katy
I am looking forward to reading all the responses from your readers. I live in southwest Michigan, married , and an “older mother” of two great kids. My daughter is in college (Swarthmore) and my son is a junior in high school (so I particularly like hearing about your two sons). I work full-time as an accountant and am looking forward to semi- retirement in 4-5 years. I love your blog -it is my”go to” reading at the end of the day. I too love Goodwill, thrift shops, picking up coins (my kids think that is hilarious), cooking from scratch, books and finding bargains. One of my hobbies these days is decluttering – I get almost as big a kick out of shedding possessions these days as I do purchasing (I like to think of it as “refreshing” my surroundings). You make me think and smile. I love that you often validate my perceptions about life, frugality and common sense. Thanks for being so intelligent in your approach – you inspire me.
It sounds like you and I are on the same track.
Thank you for the kind words!
Katy
I live in Arizona. I am a sahm mother to 3 kiddos whom I homeschool. I have been frugal for a long time. It is a bit trickier with kiddos, so I am always looking for new ideas. Occasionally if I have a moment and a solid thought, I will comment. I blog at esmerlda27.blogspot.com
I’m surprised you have any free moments homeschooling 3 “kiddos.”
🙂
Katy
I live in a 1920’s bungalow that was constructed from materials salvaged from other buildings, included one that had partially burned. That’s some real Yankee frugality. As for me, I’m only sort of frugal by nature, but I’m actively working at it. This is why I read your blog, Katy, as it provides a nice mix of inspiration and reality check. I’ve been following your blog for a year or two at this point, and I always read your posts in my email, but don’t comment very often.
I write a little blog about my garden in New Hampshire, with a little bit of natural history mixed in. It’s a creative outlet as well as an online garden journal and a way to keep in touch with friends far away.
That’s interesting about your house. Does it being constructed from salvaged materials make it better? Did the builder do a good job?
Very intriguing!
Katy
We haven’t had any problems with our almost-100-year-old house being built with 150- or 200-year-old timbers and boards. The structural integrity is perfectly fine, as the wood has no rot or insect damage. For a recent renovation, we were able to locate some reclaimed timbers from an old barn to match the original house timbers. Even though our house was built as a summer cottage, it was built well.
That is so cool!
Katy
i’m Hannah. I live in Dallas TX, but was raised and grew up in Michigan. I have two kids one now at Northwestern working on her PhD in English and a 19 year old son who lives at home and is going to community college and working part time in a skate shop. Very different trajectories but both happy and healthy. I started this frugal journey with the “Tightwad Gazette” book back in 1993, I believe. At that time we could barely afford diapers for the youngest, but now through Amy’s guidance we are loving our simple lives and enjoying our kids follow this path. Our daughter won a full fellowship to Northwestern and so no student loan debts to weigh her (and/or us) down. I’ve been following your frugal journey since you wrote on the “Simple Living Network” gosh I miss that newsletter. Take care– Hannah
I was sad to see that the Simple Living Network newsletter folded. That was my first little blogging “break.” They published my Tea Towel salad dressing recipe in 2008, and then a number of other posts.
I am envious of your daughter’s scholarship. I’m crossing my fingers for when my sons hit college age.
Katy
I live in north Alabama. For the exact city, visit my blog.
http://practical-parsimony.blogspot.com/2012/02/peppernew-girl-in-town.html
I know you from another place on the internet. My blog is not just about chickens. It just happens I got a new chicken. My blog is all about my thrifty and parsimonious ways.
Frugal Forever or practicing Practical Parsimony or dyed-in-the-wool frugalista.
May I use this method to solicit more comments? LOL
No, I did not give birth to you, but I am old enough to have done it.
Yesterday may have been the post I had least interest in because I had no idea who anyone but Hans Solo was. I would not call it boring. Anytime I see scupture I have not seen, I am happy.
I like your thrift store finds absolutely the best.
Sounds yo me like I need to be making more thrift store trips!
And glad to hear that you recognized Han Solo. I do believe that the Millennium Falcon was pieced together from bits and pieces, so actually quite Non-Consumer-y.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I’m not a lurker since on many occasions I have left you a comment. You even featured my hostess cart in “Fabulous Frugal Findsâ€.
I found your blog by way of the Frugal Girl.
I grew up in a one-income household; both my parents were children of the great depression, so frugality has always been a way of life for me. For two decades I shared living accommodations with one or more other single women from my church. During that period I eased up somewhat on my purse strings, I didn’t hesitate to purchase stuff new, but I always lived within my means. As time passed I came to the point where I wanted to purchase my own home. I’ve worked in retail sales or food service all my life, not exactly big money fields so with the responsibility of a mortgage there were many years that I had no discretionary income and I reverted to my frugal upbringing.
As I’ve been reading frugal blogs I noticed that most of them focus on raising a family frugally. I glean useful information from all of them but somewhere along the way decided I wanted to write a blog that targeted the world’s single population. Those ideas are for the most part still simmering in my brain somewhere. In January I resolved for the 3rd or 4th year in a row to “eat myself out of house and homeâ€. Being frugal I often purchase food in large quantities when I see a good price. That has resulted in my having a HUGE stockpile of food in my freezer and pantry. My blogging hero Frugal Girl, started blogging to become accountable for her food waste, likewise I finally decided to start my own blog to document my adventures and progress in eating myself out of house and home. On January 1st I entered the blogosphere at afrugalspinster.wordpress.com.
At this point I am a frustrated blogger because I really don’t understand anything about posting my blogs. I’d love to personalize Afrugalspinster, but as I poke around on the blog site I’m not getting the results I want or not seeing how to get it to my liking.
I’m purposely keeping a certain amount of anonymity, so I’ll just tell you that I live in the pacific Northwest, about 300 miles north of you.
My favorite post (if I had to choose just one) was your love letter to a cast iron skillet. I’m in love with mine too.
I’ll tell you a secret about my “Love Letter to my Cast Iron Pans” post. It was written after a couple glasses of wine.
Might explain the silliness. 😉
Katy
I live in upstate NY with my husband and two daughters. I’m a school librarian and obviously a fan of the library (why buy when you can borrow!)
I was raised by frugal parents so I guess I come by it naturally. I try to be careful financially and environmentally. In the past few years I’ve started to focus more on quality than on price when making purchases. I’m also trying to declutter which helps motivate me to not buy things we don’t need. My main reason for being frugal on a daily basis is to save money for things that are important to me like home imporovements and family vacations.
I like all your posts and I like the idea that you are frugal with a purpose. Everyone has their own priorities when it comes to spending money. I don’t mind being frugal in certain areas in order to have money for the things that are important to me.
I think I found your blog via the Frugal Girl and I’ve been reading for a year or two now.
It’s amazing how decluttering just makes you more aware and deliberate about your purchases. It’s painful to see all the money wasted on stuff that now considered clutter.
Katy
I am a fellow Portlander, lived here all my life. Have 2 small kids and will be entering a nursing school program in the fall. I hope to some day work my way into labor and delivery as well. I love to read about your frugal adventures. Even though I hate to shop and I don’t spend extravagantly, I have yet to feel successful at being frugal myself but it’s a goal I strive for. Whenever I am over in your neighborhood, I look around for a blonde lady watching the ground for coins as she walks. If I ever see you, I will say hi!
Please do say Hi if you ever see me out and about. Just make sure to leave all the coins for me! 😉
And good luck on your nursing program!
Katy
Hi there Katy, and everyone else perusing the comments. I live about 40 minutes south of boston, 10 minutes from the Rhode Island border. My mom has always taught me to be frugal and at times cheap, so I have developed my own penny pinching ways. We try to cook from scratch, buy used and make do with what we have, live minimally, garden, compost and do lots of canning! I consider myself an old soul who is living in the wrong century. lol.
I do not have a blog, but I do have a website. http://www.pawsbedandbiscuit.com. Check out our facebook page for fun videos of all our doggie guests! My hubby and I own a doggie hotel and daycare on our 7 acres. We have 6 chickens, 2 chinchillas, 2 dogs, and 1 cat.
My favorite posts always have a picture of something you have found or created. Thanks for introducing me to the Compact. It has reshaped the way I shop and live. At the end of April, I’m hosting a tea party baby shower. Because of the compact, I am going to be able to have a lot at the party for minimal $$$. =)
I love The Compact as well. Although I do buy new stuff every now and then, it’s kind of a rarity.
Katy
Hello from sunny Australia. I have been reading your blog for some time now and really enjoy it. I work part time and spend the rest of my time caring for my 83 year old mum. Yes money is tight for me so a frugal life is how i live. I enjoy sci fi shows and my dream when my caring days are over is to go visit Wales and see where Torchwood and Dr Who are filmed. All those dollars i save are carefully squirrelled away for when that dream comes true.
I guess my life motto is be thankful for what i have, love the ones i love and if anyone has a problem with me, well i dont really give a damn! Take care, lookin forward to all your future blogs.
You must not be 21 years old, as that “be damned with what others think” attitude comes with age. (And if you are 21, then good for you!)
It’s so freeing!
Thanks for the kind words!
Katy
Hi Katy, I am a mom of 4 in her 40’s who went from living a princess lifestyle to marrying a Missionary…I have had to re-learn a lot of things and honestly, have loved the way my kids are growing up because of our frugal ways! I live in Minneapolis and sometimes wish I lived in Portland…and in your cute neighborhood. I am pretty sure I came through Frugal Girl. I loved your months of living on Food Stamps challenge. My husband works in an inner city school and the Food Stamp idea really challenged us to rethink how we spend what we do and really, how well off we really are! Your blog is one I read daily~Thank you!!
Glad to hear that *someone* likes my Food Stamp Challenge posts. The sure are a lot of work!
And BTW, you would not have wanted in Portland today. Cold and rainy. Blah . . .
Katy
My name is Amber. I am a stay at home mom to two little girls. I have been married for almost nine years. I live in a big city in Kentucky but, grew up in a little town in North Carolina.
I do have a blog it is
http://thebusylittlebee425.blogspot.com/ I like to post my goodwill, yard sale finds, recipes, crafts and DIY projects.
The post I like to see on the non consumer advocate is the good will finds, your before and afters and I LOVE when you find money. My husband is also good at finding money. Usually once or twice a month he will come home with found money. I think the most he has found at once was $18 folded up together. None of the post bore me to tears. I enjoying reading them all, knowing there are other people in the world like me.
I only know you from bloggerland. I stumbled on your site a few months ago from The Frugal Girl.
Your husband found $18? That is fantastic!
I think I’ll have to go on a Goodwill trip tomorrow, as lots of people are saying that they like those posts.
Like I need an excuse. 😀
Katy
Oh fun!
I live just outside of Seattle. I have 2 kids and am a wohm. I love your “frugal doings” post where you list the frugal things you have done recently. Oh, love to see what you find at the GW too.
I think I am a born frugalista. My hubby, not so much but we are working on it 🙂
Really love your blog!
Your Seattle Goodwills are the best! I am sad that my sister no longer lives there, so my frequent trips are now over.
Thanks for the nice words.
Katy
Hi Katy!
I’m 29 and I live in a giant house with my husband in Folsom, CA (yes, that is the town where the prison that Johnny Cash made famous is located). Although we have a huge house, we try to be frugal and do all of our house projects ourselves. We prefer to spend our money on vacations! 🙂
I was born with the frugal mindset as we were really poor when I was a kid (my mom would buy milk by the gallon and then dilute it with water so it would go farther and we ate way too many split pea soups!). I used to be bitter about it and tried to make up for it by being an over-consumer, but I ended up with a bit of debt and was unhappy. Now I am very conscious about what I can do to keep shrinking our budget and make a smaller impact on the environment – I think it suits me much better!
I don’t currently have a blog, but really enjoy reading them. I keep thinking I should start one, but haven’t had the guts to do so. I think I’m afraid of the commitment.
I can’t think of any Non-Consumer Advocate posts that “bore me to tears”… I REALLY enjoy your blog! I especially like your DIY posts and hearing about your fabulous frugal finds.
We have not met, but I feel like I know you – at least a little. 🙂
Thanks for posting and for getting us to comment! Keep up the great work!!!
Sounds like you’re living a great life in Folsom. I just hope your drinking water is better than in the “Walk The Line” movie. 🙁
Katy
I live in Ontario Canada. I am currently spending some time in Orange Beach, Alabama. I love your writing style and I’m a recycler and use it up type of person. Married to Coin Boy!!!!!!!!
Coin Boy? I love it!
Katy
You made his day!!!!!
I’m a 31-old-lawyer and I live in San Francisco. I used to think that I was frugal, but that was before I started dating my boyfriend who is superfrugal! (Love him!) When I was in college I felt nervous about having more than $15 in my wallet (just too much money!), which is ironic since I went on to spend $200,000 on law school, all of that in loans.
I started work at a big law firm, and was shocked by the number of people making several hundred thousand dollars per year and living paycheck to paycheck. But by choosing to live in an inexpensive apartment, not “buying into the hype” and basically eating peanut butter sandwiches, I paid off over half of my student loans in two years’ time while still maxing out retirement and the rest. I’m now in a different job, and while I make less than I used to, my quality of life is exponentially higher, my job is awesome, and being liberated from so much debt made it possible.
One of my favorite frugal books is “The Complete Tightwad Gazette” (bought used, of course) and I really enjoy your blog.
“The Millionaire Next Door” is filled with examples of people with high income and low spending habits. If you haven’t read it yet, you should!
Katy
Hello everybody,
I am from SE Portland and met Katy once at a thrifty discussion at Glencoe school. I grew up in a mostly non-materialistic household, sometimes going to thrift stores, sometimes Sears/JcPenney, but not shopping a lot. Since I moved out west to Portland in my 20’s, I discovered potlucks, hot springs, organic gardening and a simpler way of life here and settled in! For a long time our family lived car free. I have been more thrifty in my adult life, and this increased when I had two children. It increased further when I left employment to stay home with my youngest, eventually doing the Compact for most of last year after hearing about it here. Now that I’m trying to re-enter the workforce, I am thrifty, or as I like to say, resourceful as ever. I like the crafty articles on the blog, as I’m not crafty.
I had kind of forgotten about that talk. I was told when I arrived that there was a competing parent event at the same time, and that I might need to come back on another day. My response was I had spent all day preparing, and I would give my talk to one person if need be. Thank goodness a dozen or people showed up!
Katy
Hi Katy-
I live in NJ. I started following your blog several months ago. I’m a dyed in the wool frugalista, daughter of a frugalisto (Dad), granddaughter of a depression era frugalista and so on. I enjoy thrift stores and curb side serendipity-my neighbors seem to throw out barely used suitcases-my most common find. I like ALL of your posts-you’re never boring 🙂 Your blogs are always filled with enthusiasm for all things great and small-thanks for brightening my day with them.
Karen
Aww, thanks! And BTW, I am often boring. 😉
Katy
Hello Katy. I live here in Portland too. I have had an on-again, off-again love affair with frugality. Mostly on. I write about it in my book (old school!), The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Portland–in which I also write about the fabulous Non Consumer Advocate blog. I like all your posts besides the re-posts, because I already read those. I didn’t give birth to you, but once when I was running past your house, I stopped to say hi.
Last fall I started a blog–it’s still too new to give the URL, but I will send it soon.
I remember you! I was outside the house getting my beer bottles ready to return. It was six month’s worth, so it looked like a lot. So it was kind of funny to be surrounded by booze bottles and get recognized!
I need to get a copy of your book. Does the library have it?
Katy
Yes it does! But I’ve been meaning to drop a copy off for you as a thank you, and so I will.
The beer bottles added to your aura as a clearly fun person.
Hi Katy!
I’m a stay at home mom of two boys but I like to call myself a domestic engineer, hailing from Columbus, Ohio, home of the Buckeyes. Came to my marriage a reformed spendthrift, having spent two years digging myself out of post-college debt. My blog started as a sharing space for pictures of my kids mostly, but has evolved to more of a chronicle of my projects, crafts, thrift store finds and frugal living stuff. oh and garden updates; I love to grow some of our own food. Katy we’ve never met in person but I’ve been reading for a while. I can’t actually think of a post I didn’t like. I’m more of a Star Wars girl myself, but I feel there’s room for everyone in geekdom. 🙂
Hey, I included Han Solo yesterday!
Room for all us geeks!
Katy
I’m a SAHM to a 2 year old and am expecting my second little girl in a couple of months, and I live in the Kansas City suburbs. I’ve always been frugalish but becoming a SAHM made me take it to another level. I enjoy all of your posts, but I do get disappointment when it’s a short one. I find your posts inspire me to be a better frugalista.
Sorry about the short ones, but sometime I’m just tired and uninspired. 😉
Katy
I’ve been commenting here and there since 2008 or so, but here goes. I’m 45, I’m a native Seattleite, Jewish, I’ve been married for 17 years and we have a 10 year old son. He’s got some special needs (2 neurological disorders and gifted, around here we call that “the trifecta” ) so we homeschool. It’s just easier for him to deal with friends in small doses instead of dealing with 30 kids 6 hours a day. He’s super sweet and kind, such a crack-up, very environmentally aware and luckily, he got the frugal gene from me. My family comes from what is reputed to be the most frugal part of Germany (in other words, uber frugal, hah–where is an umlaut when I need one?) although we have made our share of blunders, especially with Seattle’s high cost of living and housing market. I love to cook and bake and thank heavens, seriously, that it comes easily to me and I don’t mind being creative in order to pinch pennies. I am a vegetarian Prius-driving hippie. I love your posts with pictures, your wit, and when you go off on a rant that makes some people upset. THAT’S what puts the tushies in the seats. Thanks for listening!
I never try to get people upset, it’s just a gift. 😉
Seattle is hard to be frugal in, so I feel your challenge.
You son sounds wonderful. He’s lucky to have you!
Katy
I have actually read every comment on this post. I found it very interesting!
I have commented a few times but read every day. I love your blog, athough we are very different but so much alike at the same time if that makes sense.
I live in the ozarks of Missiouri. I grew up in a very frugal home. I grew up with using reclyed items, thirft stores, garage sales, second hand gifts, gardens, raising our own meat etc.
I learned at a very early age that saving money in some areas saved you the extra money to spend on things you want. So a frugal life has always been my way of life.
My friends consider me a tightwad (said in an admiring way, ha) but I know I could do better! That’s why I read your blog to inspire me to keep me on track.
I enjoy your de-cluttering post. . I am the most non-clutter person you could ever meet so I am cheering you on. 🙂
I enjoy all your post but I really like your everyday life money saving type post the best, and the goodwill finds and re-proposing items. Okay, so maybe its to hard to pick just one. Keep on writing your great ideas! Love them all!
Lindy
Glad to hear that your friends’ ribbing is done in an admiring way. Not many would find the term “Tightwad” so welcome.
I need your non-clutter mojo, so please send it my way!
Katy
Hi. I’m a certified lurker. I’m also a recovering shopaholic ☺. I’ve never shopped beyond my means so my cutting back is more about not wanting to use resources than about frugality. I’ve tried second hand shopping thanks to your inspiration, but found that I don’t have the vision to see the diamonds in the rough. What works better for me is to stay out of the stores (no more recreational shopping) and only make very well considered purchases of things that will serve me well for the long haul.
I have to thank you for giving me one of my best gift ideas ever – a revised version of the 52-week letter challenge. For Mother’s Day last year instead of sending my mom something that would really just end up as clutter, I promised her snail mail once a week for 26 weeks (I couldn’t commit to 52 weeks ☺). It took me 30 some odd weeks to complete because it got harder to keep up as time went on, but she loved it and it pushed me to be creative.
I have a blog that I started when I left my corporate career (and changed my spending habits accordingly) and traveled the world with my husband to figure out what we wanted next out of life. I documented our adventure at squircling.squarespace.com. I’m a little embarrassed for you to witness the lack of frugality that may appear on my blog, – we likely don’t fit any definition of “frugal†but being mindful consumers works for us – by not spending thoughtlessly we can save to splurge on the things that are truly important to us, and have more freedom with our choice of careers. I’ve continued the blog now that we are settled and it is a mish-mash of stories: trying to be green and not always succeeding, stories about our goofy dogs, our renovation hell, random ideas that intrigue me and travel. Some day it will even have an updated Background page…
Love love love your blog and learn so much from it even if we aren’t on the same frugality wavelength! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us.
What a great gift for your mom. And good for you for actually keeping up with it!
Being a mindful consumer is what it’s all about!
Katy
Since you asked, I am a loyal reader from Nebraska–an elementary teacher and avid thrifter. I grew up on a ranch with very frugal parents. One of my favorite (and frequent) memories was coming home from school to find a brand new dress that my mom had created for me out of a hand-me-down from one of my sisters. She taught us the joy of bringing beauty into our home with nature and all her creative endeavors.
I enjoy your thrift makeovers, love your “What makes me happy and angry” posts, and your “Today I am..” I am inspired by your ability to focus on one important goal (like the upcoming Japan trip) that enables you to find ways to save in so many other areas.
My daughter is a letterpress printer in Portland (emprintpress.net)
and my husband & I built a straw-bale building to house our wine vinegar production (georgepaulvinegar.com). Yes, we do grow grapes in Nebraska.
Sorry so many of us “lurk” and don’t often comment, but we do enjoy reading your blog or we wouldn’t return everyday!
I love Nebraska. I lived there in the summer of 1980, and would go on long country drives and look at sod houses on the side of the road. My mom is from there, so it holds a special place in my heart.
And BTW, I love that your mom would gift you with refashioned hand me down dresses. So great!
Katy
I’ve only started reading the comments to this particular post, but thought I’d submit my own. I will be sure to go back and read through all the 254 comments (at the time I am writing) though. I regularly follow about 5 blogs (The Frugal Girl and Young House Love among those that have been mentioned on this blog), but yours is the only blog I have ever ever commented on (but only very very rarely) and the only one I read the comments because for the most part, I think your followers are fairly thoughtful and articulate and add to the body of knowledge. OK… now on to the details…
I am from Maryland, but grew up in the PNW (WA state), so feel an affinity to your Portland environment. I have been on the “simple living” path for more than a decade, though I grew up knowing the word frugal in my family. Mom to one tween girl and step-mom to two other girls. Work p/t and have made it a priority to be home with my children, but still contribute to family finances…similar to you.
I enjoy most of your posts….they make me think, even though I may not agree with them all. Particularly love the Today I am…, the 5 things making me happy, 1 thing pissing me off…, and the Goodwill/Thrift finds (not because I shop at Goodwill, but because I’m always amazed at what you find). I don’t particularly buy into The Compact for myself, but admire your commitment to it and rationale behind pursuing it. Again, it makes me think and that most of all… is why I follow your blog…you’re a woman with many thoughtful and well-thought-out comments and observations about life. Love that about you. Second also the comments about you being “real” and not extreme. Resonates with me.
I love this post, because you should “feel the comment love.” I’m guilty as charged for lurking, but know that many of us out here appreciate your voice in the blogosphere. Thanks.
I am feeling the love today, and not ashamed to admit it. 🙂
Happy to hear that the consensus seems to be that I am not extreme. I feel pretty balanced, then again I may be deluded.
Katy
Hi Katy,
I’m a 28 year old grad student in my first year of library school in Illinois. I started reading your blog about three years ago and, while I never commented, I sent you the link to the Chicago Tribune article about a woman who had lived extremely modestly but traveled extensively, gave to charity, and had a large sum of money upon her death (of old age).
After several post-college years of way too much spending, your blog and recommended resources helped me get my finances and my house in order. Thanks to you, my financial awareness has shifted greatly, and I’m working toward a better future wherein I’m in control of this oft-unwieldy aspect of life!
I particularly enjoy your posts on frugal finds and food waste, and greatly appreciate your consistent promotion of libraries. You’re very human and accessible in your tone, and that brings me here daily!
Happy to hear your spendy ways are behind you. And who could not love libraries? They’re the best!
Katy
Just had tomthrowmin a couple of comments. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the library. It actually “grounds” me in some way….and it feels like unlimited, free shopping to me. I go at least once a week and love the on-line reserve system that saves me time. My second comment was that your reference to the woman that lived frugally, traveled and gave to charity reminded me of the opposite situation. I know of person who lived BIG – travel, stuff, etc.. Everyone assumed they had the funds to do so — but after they died discovered they were mortgaged to the hilt and in debt big time. Surprise! And a reminder that appearances can be deceiving. I personally think about what “stuff” means in my life. I think frugality and simplicity means that a person is actually MORE evolved and self-confident. Perhaps a topic for a future post?
That would be a hard post to write without it coming across as elitist. However, certainly something to think about!
And 100% I agree with you about libraries.
Katy
I agree. It would be a hard one for sure and likely to get a few folk’s shorts in a knot. I love nice things and quality…..but I think everyone benefits from asking themselves “how much is enough”? I am listening to an audio of the book, “Plentitude” which I think you might enjoy.
I’m Susan in small-town TN. I think I’m frugal out of habit for the most part. I believe in paying more for the things that I feel are important to me, and going cheap on the rest. I do have a blog, (Green Veggies), http://www.greenveggies.blogspot.com. I post about a lot of different things–family, food, green and vegan living being the majority.
I really do enjoy all the posts here, as I enjoy reading about frugal/green ideas as well as seeing the “reality” of a person’s life. And I’d like to say, Katy, you are the reason I now can’t help but look down when I am in a parking lot. I’m always looking for coins! lol Haven’t found too many, but I did recently find a $2 coupon off next order at Kroger. Good as cash to me!
As I am “Coin Girl,” you can be “Coupon Girl.”
Katy
I live in Northern California and have been frugal all of my life. I used to work at a well paying but stressful job in the city. While the jobs were stressful, we did manage to get lucky with some of our investments. When my second child was two, I had had enough and convinced my husband that I needed to stay home for a year since our life just wasn’t working the way it was. A year later he decided to join me at home. My daughter is now 15. My husband and I both work part time. We gave up the ability to buy a lot of things, but we still have everything we need and a lot of what we want.
I really enjoy the posts where you have found something cool at Goodwill. I try to buy as little as possible new. I love thrift store shopping and always stop to see if I need anything when people put out free stuff at the curb. I once trash picked a bunch of items and then sold them at a school fund raiser. Some of the parents were horrified, but everything I brought to the sale sold quickly 😎
I love that you fundraised for your school with curbside finds!
It’s wonderful that both you and your husband get to stay home. That is really special.
Katy
Im a sahm of 6, ages 18,17,14,10,8 & 2. I homeschool my highschoolers and my 2 nieces. I got my frugal groove on years ago so we could live on my awesome hubby’s income so I could be a sahm. I love Laura Uncalled Wilder and have been lucky enough to live in Missouri and visit Rocky Ridge several times. You inspired me to redecorate my 8 year olds room using paint we already have and the coolest bedding set, lamp and decor I found at Goodwill. Thanks for asking me to write bout myself, made me feel special 🙂
That is great that you found inspiration to redecorate your child’s room using stuff you already have. I am about to rearrange and redecorate my older son’s room, yet I doubt I’ll buy anything.
And dang, you have a a lot of kids! You guys must have so much fun!
Katy
Should say Laura Ingalls Wilder. Stupid smart text!
I was kind of wondering. 🙂
Katy
I’m a 38 year old full-time mother of a 3 year old, and part-time marriage celebrant. I live in Canberra, Australia and cannot remember how long I’ve been following your great blog, or how I found it.
I do have a blog myself – celebrantsays.blogspot.com – which gets updated sporadically, depending on how much celebrant work I’m doing.
I love the reality of your blog – the everydayness of what you do and how you do it. I am always trying to save money, so I enjoy the way you lead by example and provide tips along the way.
I am also a librarian by profession and feel very passionately about my public library. I think it’s FANTASTIC the way you demonstrate how great libraries are!
Ann
What is a “Celebrant?”
So many librarian readers! Why does this not surprise me? You guys rock!
Katy
Officiant! It’s the term used in many other countries to describe the officiant who performs civil/humanist marriages, namings, funerals etc.
I live in Folsom, CA – noticed there’s another blog reader from here, as well. Your blog is my one of the my top three daily “checks.” I think the main reason I like it so much is that you show how you make a day joyous and worthwhile without spending $$. That’s contrary to what we get hit with all the time in the media, where the message is that if you aren’t acquiring, you can’t be happy. Your blog (and others I read as Links from it), prove that decidedly wrong.
Our February challenge has been to go all veg – easier for me than the rest of my fam, but since my husband does most of the grocery shopping, he’s been convinced by the drop in grocery bills. I think for March, we’re going to fill our gas tank on March 1 and make a real effort to make it last through the month (we don’t really have a driving commute). By doing monthly challenges, we have the “out” if something isn’t working, plus we can do something specific and focused for a month to see how it impacts our life/budget.
Sounds yummy! I often cook vegetarian, and no one notices. Sometimes I wonder if I could go a month without spilling the beans. (Pun intended.)
And BTW, I welcome all Folsom readers!
Katy
Hi Lori – the fellow Folsom resident here – your monthly challenges sound like a great idea! We did a one-month challenge last September to try not to buy/use any plastics, but should probably get on another one. Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂
Sara
I live in Vancouver, Canada (the most expensive city in North America according to the Toronto Sun) and am single, in my mid-30s. I’ve had frugal tendencies my entire life, as I grew up as the youngest in a household where there was little extra money, but lots of love. My parents grew up poor, so they knew how to make ends meet, and necessity was the mother of invention. I like DIY projects, don’t mind getting my hands dirty or paint in my hair, and love hand-me downs from my mother’s kitchen.
I’m a geek at heart (grew up watching Star Trek re-runs & M*A*S*H* with my dad), and wear the badge proudly. I believe I found your blog by way of the Frugal Girl. I have friends in Portland & Seattle and love to visit Oregon when I can. Squeaky cheese at the Tillamook Cheese Factory! I like your blog because I’m familiar with the city you live in, and your posts remind me that I’m not the only one who isn’t on the consumer roller coaster.
I got serious about catching up & moving to a stronger financial position in 2008, when I wanted Lasik – and to stop paying for contact lenses. I’ve always lived within my means, but wanted more. I started reading frugal blogs (99% lurker, 1% commenter), tracking every penny I made and spent, and eventually gave up my 13 year old car. Has there been sacrifice? Yes. Totally worth it, imho. I live on about 60% of what I bring home, and bank the rest for retirement, emergencies and for travel – so I don’t forget to have fun. I’m now in the strongest financial position I’ve been in my entire life.
I know that having *stuff* won’t bring me happiness. I don’t feel that I’m missing out by not keeping up with ‘what’s in’. I’m fortunate to live in a city with a huge public transit system, and I can get by with that and a ZipCar membership for when I need wheels. I bring my coffee from home because I like it better than Starbucks. I brown bag my lunch 98% of the time, because then it’s a real treat when I go out to a restaurant with a coworker/friend. I don’t feel inferior because I don’t have an iPhone or a new car.
I struggle with decluttering and my waistline, but I keep trying, because life is a work in progress. I like knowing that because I’ve chosen to live this way, I can spend my money on a weekend sushi making workshop, or an afternoon at movies.
I have a stressful job, but I take comfort in knowing that if it was gone tomorrow, I’d be okay. For a long time. I’d be just fine.
Wow, I didn’t know that Vancouver was so expensive. Then again, I’ve never been.
It sounds like you’ve got quite the sound financial head on your shoulders. Saving money on the the little stuff so that’s it’s available for the big stuff should be everyone’s goal.
Katy
Vancouver’s real estate market is enough to make you cry. I’ve had to make peace with the fact that despite being financially responsible, I’ll never be a home owner while I live here. I’d have to make 3x more than I do now – at least. I could be depressed about it or just accept it, and move on. I’ve chosen the latter.
I love living at the coast, with the milder weather and lush green landscape. And I like to dip my toes in the ocean. 🙂
I live on the Big Island of Hawaii and I don’t think I gave birth to you 😉 but I did give birth to two boys so we have that in common.
I am frugal-ish. I’m trying. The part that isn’t instinct (I’ve never been into decorating) is a huge struggle (always been into hoarding yarn).
My college roommate sent me a link to you blog. I love when you post about things you love/things that make you happy. I like hearing about your coin-ing. I love reading about your thrift store finds – although it makes me a little sad/jealous because thrifting options are pretty pitiful here.
I keep at blog: keikionboard.blogspot.com – I mostly write it for my family to keep up with the kids but occasionally I prattle on about knitting/cooking/decluttering stuff.
Hi Katy
I’m a South African lurker living in a little town outside Cape Town. I read your posts every day and love them. I’m a work at home mom to 3 kids and being frugal here is a bit different to in the US. People don’t really leave stuff on the pavements and ‘goodwill’ stores are not so organised and I must admit don’t like going to them. However I love to make stuff, use what I have and eat from my garden. Making cheap but filling and nut
Sorry…making cheap but filling and nutritious meals is something I enjoy, especially when I have grown some of the ingredients.
Your post is the first one I read in the morning and I love your humour!
Hi Katie, I think I found your blog by Googling anti-consumer and frugal blogs. I was immediately attracted by your “jars” banner. As a humanist, I kept reading because of your kick-ass attitude 🙂 I also appreciate that you are raising teenagers, which is close to my life situation (only kid just left home for college). I believe your site stays true to its name, and really does exemplify the benefits of non- and anti-consumerism. I have a new-ish blog which is about domestic life during the week, and Art on the weekends. Cheers!
I’m Sass. I can’t remember how I found your blog, but I stop by often because I really enjoy it. I’m not a dyed in the wool frugalista, but I’m trying! I’m a full time working single mom to a 17 year old daughter and 2 pups. The 17 year old will be going off to college in the fall, and I’m trying to figure out how to make that “work”. Financially and with me dealing with an empty nest. I love all of your posts, but especially the ones about repurposing or looking at different ways to do something more frugally. I live in Birmingham, Alabama so I’m pretty sure we don’t know each other! Please continue to do what you are doing! I really enjoy your blog!!!!
Hi there –
I am a 46 mother of 5 – my husband and I have married for 17 years with yours, mine and ours kids ages – 30, 25, 22, 15, 12. I am a manager for a Head Start organization. I have been working on being frugal for 20+ years, sometimes by necessity, sometimes by choice. I live in Maine and was able to meet Amy Dacyczyn years ago and have followed her for years. I love getting a good deal, just this last Wednesday I was able to get to Salvation Army’s half price Wednesday and buy some needed clothing.
I try to save money on some things so I can spend on others – I save money on clothing so I can spend more on needed supportive shoes 🙂 I’m sitting here writing on a couch that a neighbor had put on their yard for free across from a chair that Sal. Army once wanted 100 dollars for I said no and kept checking until it was 9.99 then it was mine 🙂 I’ currently looking for a deal on a Kayak.
I can say that I am a looky loo but I really enjoy seeing how you are re-purposing items- love the map shades 🙂 Thanks for sharing your talents. I just have to remember when you are talking about Portland – it’s not the one that an hour down the road 🙂
Katy,
Been lurking your blog for years now.
I lead a Voluntary Simplicity life. Live below my means, have extensive permaculture gardens on my 1/4 acre Maryland plot, and cook vegan food for the family.
Always looking for ways to take another small step to sustainability. But not wanting to be completely self-sufficient.
I’m not motivated by “peak-oil,” “peak-temps,” or “peak-anything”. It is all about the nutrients in the foods.
It started out as a journey to better health. Less stress, better food = better health.
I seriously like what you do, and I found that writing my own blog was fine for a year or so, but after that, I said what I needed to say, and didn’t keep it going. You are a trooper. Keep on recording your life as you go, and realize that you are doing a great job. Continue choosing what works for you, your family and don’t worry about what the rest of the world does. It will do what it does.
Your example has helped thousands see that they are not as weird as their family or friends think they are. We all have those times when we are feeling a bit too far “out there.” So what. We are able to make our own choices and our own way in the world. It is what makes us happy. And if we can save some $$$ on the way, that makes us just that much more free to do what we want. Bravo.
Hello from Central Virginia! I’ve been a long-time reader, but have obviously been lurking. I also follow you on twitter and facebook and might have actually written to you once on FB about an interesting book. I’m pretty frugal and thrifty, although I’ve become more so since I graduated college in ’05 and accepted a “big girl” job and bought a new car 3 years (which I just paid off this month). I am overcoming what some might call hoarding (although I just call it collecting) and have been purging from my apartment for the past 2 years and it feels so good. I wish I had done it sooner, but I couldn’t get past all the attachment/memories I had. I’d love to be a minimalist, but it will take time (Rome wasn’t built in a day and all). Plus, I love to read and I could never give up buying mysteries from the local used bookstore, although I read a lot from the library as well.
I love reading about the little things you do daily to save money and CoinGirl is always a favorite. Anything to do with the motto in your header is inspiring and fun to read. I also enjoyed the 52 letter challenge posts and it actually inspired me to start a group on FB called Mail it Forward with another one of my sorority sisters. If you’d like the link, I’d be happy to share it, but I don’t feel comfortable self-promoting (can you tell why I’ve been a lurker?) Anyhow, I wish I knew you as I think you are a very cool and inspiring person. You’ve certainly made me want to visit the West Coast and see Oregon. 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to write this blog as it’s one of the few I always make the time to read in my Google Reader!
I too admit that I am a lurker. I live in Georgia, work full time, have a great spouse and two kids, 11 and 12.
I was raised a thrifter. I especially enjoy seeing what you find a Goodwill and what you intend to do with it. We have a Goodwill not too far away, but I try not to go unless I need something. More stuff, even an affordable thrift item, is still just more stuff if I really didn’t need it.
Your street-side finds are really enjoyable too. Most people here don’t leave things on the road, but the recycling centers can be full of things. As a kid, I can remember my dad bringing ALL kinds of things home from the dump after he made a trash run.
Thanks for sharing your ideas with all of us.
I am become much more picky about what I’ll bring home from thrift shops. It has to be something I need, something I really love or something I can (and will) resell.
It’s a good thing I don’t make dump runs, or I have a feeling a lot more stuff would be entering my house.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog!
Katy
Didn’t see this post till Saturday morning and feel as if I’m “a day after the fair,” as the Brits say–but since you asked: I’m 56.5, living in upstate NY, blissfully married, no kids, one cat. Lifelong tightwad/thrifter, enthusiastic vegetable/herb gardener, and Jane Austen fanatic. (Visited Portland in 2010 for the Jane Austen Society of North America’s Annual General Meeting, and enjoyed the city very much indeed.) Found your blog so long ago I’ve forgotten how; am a very occasional commenter but a constant reader and admirer. Enjoy almost all the posts (Coin Girl and cool thrift store finds for fun, decluttering/minimalist living for inspiration). In particular, your blog has helped keep me sane this past month as I’ve been recovering from knee surgery. Cheers!
Worry not, as it’s a 2-day fair. 😉
My friend Julia Park-Tracey also came to that Jane Austen meeting, so I know it well.
Glad to hear I’m keeping you sane. Sanity is highly underrated.
Katy
I had eight visitors to my blog yesterday and not one single comment. Ah well.
I’m frugal by choice and circumstance, and honestly would rather have money in the bank or stashed away elsewhere than have more stuff. I’m working through my stuff this year, slowly, but I’m doing it, and a lot of it will be leaving. I also knit and am working on using up as much of my stash as possible this year as well. I consider myself pretty skilled in living the frugal life but there’s more to be learned, which is one reason why I read your blog.
I chose a word for the year–lighter–and that’s how I want to be, physically, and in heart and spirit, and in terms of possessions–at the end of the year.
I’m liking your blog as is, and if it ain’t broke . . .
Even I am constantly learning new frugal tricks and methods, which is what makes it so fun!
I like hearing that the blog “ain’t broke.” 😉
Katy
Where do you live? – Sacramento, CA since 1998 however I lived in SE Portland from 1996-1998. We’ve recently become a one income family because we brought home our daughter from Taiwan and I’m on parental leave from my elementary school teaching job. As of yesterday I am on leave until 2014.
Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming? – I was a typical consumerist teenager and ran into credit card debt really early in life. In my early 20’s I read Your Money or Your Life and have always kept those basic principles in mind. We live pretty frugally, however we love to travel and if I’m honest, eat out.
Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link! I do have a blog. I’m Teacher Goes Back To School – I write about teaching, life, learning how to take care of myself, so I can care for others. – http://teachergoesbacktoschool.wordpress.com/
What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears? I read them all and like it. I’m curious how your teenagers feel about frugality. I know when I was a teenager pretty much any/everything my mom did was embarrassing, so I’m wondering how that goes at your house.
Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!) – I do not know you, but I think we’d probably like each other if I did.
And anything else you wish to share. – I love your new header and the philosophy behind your blog. It just is common sense and yet, with some people, I feel like a depression-era grandmother.
I also love this post so much I may have to do one on my blog too. So many lurkers. Thanks for making us all show our faces! This was fun.
I’m not entirely sure how the kids feel about the frugality. But I think they recognize how much extra stuff they get to do because of it. We live in a nicer house than almost all of their friends, yet we make less money. They want for nothing.
And of course, I am embarrassing. But aren’t we all?
Glad to hear you like the header. I feel lucky that I was able to work with Patrick Mahoney, thank goodness that his wife is a reader!
Katy
We live in Milford Kansas. That isn’t a good idea of where we are from. I grew up in Phoenix. I have spent years living in: Flagstaff, Germany, Washington DC, Indianapolis, Manhattan KS, Monterey CA, Honolulu, Hong Kong and K of Saudi Arabia.
I am a teacher without a classroom. Paperwork finally got to me and I left, in disgust, my last teaching position…. I guess you could call us a “retired” couple.
My two are grown, married and live on either end of the country. No jobs in the Midwest:(
With our strange adventures I find myself to be more of a survivalist than a frugalist. We have had to survive with little and learned that saving is the only way out sometimes. Those hard earned lessons bring me to being labeled frugal in this society.
I have a blog- but it is private right now. Just working myself out…again.
Don’t know you- but you hit loads of topics that I am interested in. I really enjoy your ideas on how to remake some of the stuff that I got from my mother or my kids (as they move back and forth between jobs).
I hear you on the paperwork. We have the same thing as nurses. And labor and delivery may be the highest paperwork area in medical care. (Hospitals are very worried about lawsuits.) Luckily, the work itself keeps me going.
Glad to hear you like my topics. Sometimes I feel like the blog is unfocused, but it’s nice to have a variety of subject matter to choose from.
Katy
Hello, For the last two years I have read your blog at least once a week often times more frequently. It is fun for me to know you are friends with TheFrugal Girl, another blog I follow. I have been married for the last 13 years, own my home and have a dog, two cats, six fish and a snail pet. The snail lives with the fish. Last year I graduated from nursing school, just passed my NCLEX and am looking for work. We buy most things second hand and most people are very surprised. Last year we found a perfectly matched camper shell for my husband’s truck for 1/3 of what it would have been new. We patiently looked for six months but we trusted we would find something just right. Most people give up before they even start, we don’t we know anything is available used or second hand. We have a number of things in common, host of many, thrift, nurse, leftover wizard, gardener and found objects magician, thus your blog keeps me inspired. It is kind of odd to think of you as a long distant friend (more accurately I am an admirer) when you don’t know me, but I do. I keep a somewhat neglected blog for my family at http://trueblackcricket.blogspot.com
It sounds like we’re a match! 😉
Good luck on your job search. Luckily, you’re armed with an awesome degree!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I’m a fellow Portland(ia)er. I’m a native, raised on Goodwill, hand-me-downs and thrift. I love your blog because you have great ideas that I can relate to because we’re in the same town! (Don’t worry, I’m farther out on the Eastside so I won’t compete with your Goodwill 🙂
Keep it coming!
Luckily, there are enough Goodwill goodies to go around! 🙂
Katy
Hi Katy,
I’ve been reading your blog for a few years now, so this is a good time to introduce myself! I”m a 39 year old in Denver, CO. I love Goodwill, coupons, coffee, chocolate, and my library. I am also fond of telling people who mention they like what I”m wearing exactly what second-hand store each item came from. Annoying, maybe, but super fun for me.
I grew up in a family with money, a huge house, and a 40 hour per week maid who cleaned the house until it shined. My parents were generous souls who not only put me through college, but also helped me with a substantial downpayment for my first house.
I married a great guy who wanted to be a pastor, and when our daughter was born, I quit my job as a diabetes educator to be a stay at home mom. It was a challenge to live on a tiny pastor’s salary, and honestly, I had never really had to think about money and frugality before then. It was a fun and adventurous little challenge to see how I could help save money and be home with my babies.
Fast forward about 12 years, and life has thrown lots of stuff our way. Leaving the pastorate, moving to another state, unemployment, underemployment, back-pay owed and not paid….we have been through so many financial circumstances that I never could have imagined. I was grateful that I had my job skills to fall back on, and lucky (like you) that health care is booming and that my skills were in demand. But I still didn’t want to work full-time, so the frugality that we started to learn many years ago has come in handy many, many times over!
Through finding your blog, I decided to join the Compact in 2009. My family jumped on board pretty willingly. It was a very exciting, rewarding, and creative venture. Since then, we have been mostly Compactly, and my kids will tell you that our favorite place to hang as a family is either Goodwill or the nearest yard sale. They love to brag about their latest finds, and at Christmas last year, they both did all their shopping at a local secondhand store and enjoyed it tremendously. This has definitely enriched our lives , and we are grateful for the challenge of living well on less. My sweet hubby has since found a job that he loves, and I am still working part-time and devoting my days off to hanging with sisters and friends, prowling the Goodwill, and cooking at home!
Great to meet you, Katy!
It is amazing how much great stuff can be found in thrift stores. No one in my social circle is surprised when Portlanders brag about their Goodwill finds. It’s just a no-brainer.
Glad to hear that your family came willingly to The Compact. That is not always the case.
Katy
Late to the party! I am a very late 40s woman living in a small town in Alaska. Being the only child of upper middle class parents, I wasn’t raised in a frugal manner. It’s a bit of a struggle for me to evaluate everything so consciously but I am trying to steer myself down the frugal path. We have some debt from reduction in salaries and business during the slump–for a while there we sadly kept living as if we still had a higher income. Now we are digging out!
I don’t have a circle of frugal friends here, so enjoy the online community of frugal folks. Not all the big city frugal habits work here, but I appreciate the sense of creativity.
One of the hardest things for me to cut back has been gift giving. Luckily I am a fairly talented knitter so I’ve been turning to hamemade gifts from my yarn stash.
Food is EXPENSIVE here so I loved the food stamp series and other frugal cooking ideas. And the ideas about redoing your house with what you have. Very jealous of big city thrift stores!
I admire that you are willing to put yourself out there with sometimes unpopular ideas, and wish that folks would learn to just skip things that don’t interest them or express their opinions without flame wars. And I love that you post nearly every day–get a bit frustrated with once a week bloggers!
That is great that you’re able to give handmade knitted items. I’m sure they are welcome indeed in Alaska!
And don’t worry about being “late to the party,” as we need everyone we can get! 😉
Katy
I like to read your blog, obviously. I read other people’s money saving tips to stay motivated. I used to be deeply in debt. I changed my lifestyle and learned to budget. In the last 7 years I have paid off $82,000 in credit card debt, a $32,500 second mortgage, $22,00 in back taxes, a $18,500 car loan, and a $9,000 personal loan. It is hard to stay motivated when you have such a mountain of debt and reading books and blogs has kept me moving forward. Now, I have a great sense of accomplishment and no interest in going into debt ever again.
You should give yourself a full 24 hours of pats on the back. Paying off $82,000 in debt is a huge accomplishment! I am overwhelmed.
Glad you like the blog, and hope it helps to keep you motivated.
Katy
WOW – that is amazing! How the heck did you do it, if you don’t mind me asking? Did you do a “debt snowball” kind of thing? Take an extra job on top of an extra job? I just love success stories like yours – thanks for sharing and giving me a bit of needed inspiration today.
I live on the east coast of Canada and I’ve been reasonably frugal since I can remember (I’m in my mid-fifties). I do not have a blog but I enjoy other peoples’ blogs so much, especially if they mix in a little humour 🙂
I leave a comment when I feel I have something to add or if I want you to know I really enjoyed a certain post. My favourites are the ones you do on repairs and refurbishing; you make it seem so much less intimidating than anything I’ve ever read before. Thank you for what you do here; I’ve learned quite a bit and I love being part of a community where frugal is not just about necessity but is a choice in life.
You do know that the reason my projects are all simple, is because that is all I can do. I don’t want to starting projects that stall out because they’re beyond my abilities. Luckily, there’s lots to choose from that falls within this category.
Katy
I am a 37 y.o. lawyer living in Syracuse, NY. I was raised in a fairly frugal upper middle class home, but have ended up way more frugal than any of the rest.
I think I found you through GRS several years ago. I like all of your posts, except for the one where you said you were quitting because comments were mean.
My best thrift shop find was a Brooks Brothers polo shirt for my nephew that I paid $2.60 for. I think it’s hilarious that he will be the only 5th grader wearing Brooks Brothers!
nephew. I paid $2.60 for it and think it’s hilarious that he will Beth’s only 5th grader wearing Brooks Brothers!
Such a little preppy! And for $2.60, why not?!
Katy
Hi Katy, I am Anne, from Germany. I am quite interested in this frugal-living-thing, and I enjoy my daily dosis of ideas and experiences with frugality (on your blog, especiall). It reminds me of the way my parents taught my sister and me to value food, and not to waste anything (they grew up in the rather poor post-war society of the early 1950s), to make most of the things we have, and not to spend money that we do not have.
I do have my own blog, it is about European literature, and it follows our real-life literature circle! Unfortunately though, we only half-heartedly managed to put up one post in English; the rest is in German: leserleben.blogspot.com
Thank you very much for sharing your life with us – your blog is fun to read! Best wishes across the pond! 🙂
I am loving hearing from all the international readers! Glad to hear that you enjoy reading the blog.
Katy
Married almost three years, frugal so that we can maybe afford a house in our very expensive area someday. Hubs and I just consolidated two desks into one, and sold both of the old desks for more than we bought them–hoorah! (bought and sold on Craigslist). I like your posts about frugal finds, kitchen tips, and frugal fun. I dislike the posts that have a smug or in-your-face tone.
Great job on the desks. And by the way, calling me smug is considered rude.
Katy
Ha ha – too funny. I’m definitely a “lurker”. :o)
I’m a fellow Portlander, SAHM of three (the third is just 3 weeks old), I’m a meal-planner, coupon-clipper, we eat dinner together as a family every night, we don’t have cable, I don’t own a cell phone, I’m obsessed with gardening and cheese and yes, I write about all those things on my blog Rindy Mae. http://rindymae.blogspot.com/
I also may be a bit of a Pinterest addict. http://pinterest.com/rindymae/
And I promise to do better at being a non-lurker. :o)
I comment infrequently but read daily – you are, in fact, a daily must. I like all your posts, but particularly ones where you show how you apply frugality in your daily life – fixing something up, grocery spending, meal throwing together, etc. I like your irreverence.
I’m 42 and live in Olympia, WA. I have two daughters, 24 and 10 – I was a single mom for years and have lived closed to the bone always. My husband and I work in the arts and that means, as a Kate said earlier, we are over educated and underpaid. But this is the lifestyle we choose. I should have been frugal way earlier in life, but have been a convert for the last several years. We’re working hard to pay down some (not huge) consumer debt so we can put money toward travel. I also love Kate’s “genteel poverty” – that’s us! I’m committed to the idea that being poor and frugal need not be ugly, difficult or depressing. We’re also not stupid, lazy or uninformed.
We bought a house last year, something we never thought we’d be able to do, and are using all our frugal savvy to slowly make some cosmetic changes (thankfully the house is sound and doesn’t require any major maintenance). We haunt the Re-Store and ask for Home Depot gift cards for holidays. Though it would be nice to do a total kitchen remodel for instance, we’re happy making small, inexpensive changes for now, like paint, changing out fixtures and fixing up what we have.
And thanks for asking!
It’s amazing how much you can with a teeny-tiny budget. (Which is why I’m drawn to Young House Love.)
I love Olympia, and always feel bad when I drive through it without stopping.
Glad to hear you like so many different posts!
Katy
I’ve never commented on a blog before… been following Non Consumer Advocate for only a few months. Heard of you through The Compact. I greatly enjoy your posts with before and after photos and explaining how frugal the adventure was. I am frugal as a means to get out of debt. I love hearing others who don’t find being frugal as deprived of fun.
“Deprived of fun?!” But. . . but . . . frugality is so much fun! I do so like a challenge. 😉
Katy
Hi there! Longtime lurker & reader here (and occasional commenter). I’m a mom to two boys (one teen and one tween), wife to a bighearted Frenchman, frugalista first by necessity and now by avocation, and family planning nurse. I live on your side of the country but a bit south, on an “urban farmette” with a rather small house, big wild garden and a bunch of cats and chickens. I especially like your food and daily frugality posts; I’m not as interested in home decorating since I’m more drawn to the minimalist side of simple living (less to clean and pick up). Please keep writing! I love reading your blog.
I didn’t know you were in my area. And thanks for the encouraging words, I do really like writing this blog.
Katy
I’m a married, 65-year-0ld retiree on a fixed and (just barely) adequate for this area income, with three little dogs and five cats. I grew up in an upper-middle-class household–my parents traveled a lot, had a full time housekeeper, and could pretty much afford what they wanted. They took me along on some great trips, paid for my education, helped us buy our first house, and paid most of my daughters’ college tuition.
We’re nothing like as well off as my parents were, but that’s OK. We have no credit card debt, and bought our last car for cash (not that we will be able to do that again, since our investments went south with the economy). Neither of us has hang-ups about buying used, bargain hunting, cooking at home (we’re both pretty good cooks), and skipping things we want to do when we can’t afford them. We’re frugal, but we don’t generally feel pinched.
Over the years we’ve built up a collection of household things we like; so there’s not much at we need, except to replace an item now and then. We moved into our retirement house just before the economy tanked. I’m very glad that we gave a ton of stuff to Goodwill in order to fit into our current space, which is considerably smaller than our former house. Here–from furniture to groceries–if we don’t have space for it, it doesn’t get through the front door.
I don’t have a blog, but I enjoy yours very much, and I’m particularly inspired by your frugal finds, and the ways you find to re-use things. My favorite frugal find has been the gorgeous three-foot-high solid brass lamp that probably cost $300 in a high-end lamp store which now graces my bedroom. I got it for $4.00 at the local Goodwill.
Thanks for giving us a window into your life.
Your lamp sounds great, and you can’t beat the price. Did it include the lampshade?
I hope to be living in a smaller home when I’m 65. Although I enjoy have a big house now, keeping it clean and organized is not a pleasant task.
Glad you’re enjoying your window into my life. Sorry the window is so smeary, but the cats are always licking it. 😉
Katy
Hi! I’ve been guilty of lurking for a while now. Love all of your blog.
I’d never heard of the compact before, but I live very similarly to you. I’m Canadian, married, 2 kids, husband, cat, dog and 3 horses. I’m pretty frugal and getting better at it with practice. I enjoy reading, cooking and the occasional gory zombie movie.
I’m looking forward to reading more of your posts – I spent several hours a few weekends ago reading my way backwards through your blog when I found it.
Too funny about the zombies. My husband and I (and okay, the kids) are really liking “The Walking Dead” right now, and my husband’s new TV watching motto is, “If it’s not soccer or zombies, I’m not interested.”)
And if you think about it, zombies are awesome non-consumers. They never buy anything!
Katy
Hi! I’m mostly a lurker, but I do comment once in a blue moon. I’m 25, married, with no children. I live in South Carolina, and have for almost my whole life. I’m a librarian, so I love all of your pro-library posts. I haven’t paid for a book or movie since college – I just ask the library to buy it for me! I’ve lived the frugal life since college. I went to a private liberal arts college in the Deep South. That means OLD money dahlin’. My fellow undergrads (unlike me) were incredibly wealthy. At least their parent’s were! One of my friends got a horse farm as a wedding gift. Yep. A WHOLE FARM! My family was solidly lower-middle class, so living the frugal life in a atmosphere of big spending is nothing new to me. I’m grateful though. Once you can resist peer pressure there, you can resist it anywhere.
These days I live frugally by resisting peer pressure to buy a house we can’t afford, driving used cars, couponing, cooking at home, and thrifting. I went to Goodwill last night and secured an AWESOME LL Bean thermos that successfully kept my lunch warm without reheating, two new pictures for my apt, a shirt from Talbot’s, and a Banana Republic sweater. None of those things would be in my budget new, so I’m an avid thrifter. 🙂
I love, love, love your blog. I don’t have too many friends that “get” buying secondhand. They say stuff like “ew…Doesn’t that gross you out?” As if things that you buy off the rack came from a sterile factory and no one ever touched them except you! Ain’t nothing a little soap and water can’t cure.
I think that “Ain’t nothing a little soap and water can’t cure” is going to become my new motto!
You sound great, and I totally get your library lovin’. I too went to a private liberal arts collie, (Antioch) although it seemed to attract a less than wealthy crowd, (although really, you can’t tell by looking!)
And you should remind your friend that countless people try clothes on before they’re bought even in the swankiest boutique. Ay least you’re paying 90% less than retail!
Katy
I like the soap and water line too. We buy new so rarely that our kids take all newly aquired clothing to the laundry room out of habit.
And people who only buy retail might want to think about how many people buy clothing, wear it once and then return it for a refund – to the nicest of stores.
Hmm . . . I’d never thought about that!
Katy
Daily reader since 2008…comment very infrequently. Raised by my depression era grandmother, I have never stopped living like a college student. I read Your Money or Your Life in 2000…just confirmed what I already had discovered, but inspired me to really articulate what I wanted out of life. Can’t stand stuff and also hate to shop 🙂 I am a minimilist to a fault perhaps. Also, I’m a teacher and an artist. I used to have a blog and will start it again when I have the time. Love your blog because it is short, consistent, funny and down to earth. I love coin girl…I am a convert who gets down on hands and knees to get quarters from under the vending machines at work. Thanks for writing! This is my favorite blog.
You’re getting on your hands and knees to look for change. That is hard core!
Thank you so much for saying that The Non-Consumer Advocate is your favorite blog, that is totally sweet of you!
Mwah!
Katy
LOVE your blog – it’s the first one I look at in my almost daily cycle of you, Frugal Girl, and Julia Park-Tracy (when she has the time/energy to post).
I’m 46, single, currently unemployed but looking, (and gee, wouldn’t it be cool to get a job I enjoyed even just a bit?), with one cat and a decreasing pile of STUFF to take care of. Been frugal of necessity of late, and enjoying the process of streamlining after many years of accumulating.
Love all your posts, by and large, both the ones describing cool and inspiring projects, and the ones where you’re working through your thoughts. Or even just listing the miscellany of your day. Very inspiring, indeed!
I don’t blog myself, despite occasionally feeling pulled that direction.
Thanks, Katy, for sharing your life and thoughts with all of us!
Happy to be in such good company with Kristen and Julia. Although Julia and I have met, Kristen and I are only virtual friends, (although we have spoken on the phone a dozen times or so.)
Love your decreasing pile of stuff. I’m there with ya’.
Thanks for the kind words!
Katy
I am Athena from Connecticut. My blog is The Stuff of Success. About me? Well, I work as a professional in education but let that all go when I leave. The rest of my life is about my family. I have a great husband and five kids – three of which are adopted with special needs. I dedicate just about everything I do to meeting their needs and much of that comes out in my blog. I look for frugal ways to educate them (because I am a firm believer in educating as much as Ic can at home), entertain them, inspire them and just generally create a happy home.
It sounds like you have your hands full, but in a good way. How wonderful that your happy home is full of entertainment, inspiration and frugality!
Katy
Hi Katy! I’m Jessica, and I live just north of Anchorage, Alaska. My Non-Consumer Advocate connection might be that when I lived in Portland (August 2007-May 2009) I worked for the Multnomah County Library system, as a bilingual clerk (I’m fluent in Spanish)! I worked out of Fairview, but got to sub out at Belmont (closest to where I lived), Sellwood (closest to my second job as a yarn store coffee-slinger at the now-defunct Abundant Yarn), and the great carnival of the human condition, Central Library. Now I’m teaching elementary school, married to guy I love and with whom I just bought a house!
I did not grow up in a particularly frugal household–if my mom was cutting back on stuff or we didn’t have a lot of money, it was never communicated to us as kids. It was a bumpy transition to adulthood (I’m still paying off about $5000 of credit card debt), but I am trying very hard to guide our small family (us + our dog) in a frugal direction. Buying a house was scary, but rents up here are so ridiculously expensive that it costs us just a bit more than we were paying to live in a tiny one-bedroom apartment.
I enjoy all of your posts, especially the ones that are home improvement-related, or Portland-related! There aren’t any I don’t like, really, just ones that relate more to my personal situation than others.
Rock on!
The Belmont library is my branch since 1995, so we’ve probably crossed paths a number of times. And I’m happy to hear that you’re guiding your dog in the frugal direction. 😉
Thanks for the nice words.
Katy
I am a married mother of 2 girls living in Iowa. I am a non-practicing lawyer who works part-time to be with my girls as much as possible. I grew up in a frugal by necessity and tradition family. My parents were both farm-raised (mostly my mom) was very used to doing everything the long way. We weren’t allowed to use the dryer until the temps were freezing, we always ate at home, we were avid garage salers and my mom would love to hear about someone who loved a good curb find as much as she did;) In fact she found my college apt. bed on a curb- and it was nice! I follow a lot of the same things, most kids clothes from garage sales- here they are much better than the goodwills here which i have never found something at. I hang up clothes, garden, and am trying to reduce the stuff in my life. I also am so glad to find someone to relate to online as my friends think I’m crazy. I love your posts about your family, your goodwill finds, etc.
My mother (who grew up in Nebraska) tells of hanging her little brother’s and sister’s diapers on the line, where they would freeze “like shingles.” I guess my grandmother didn’t know about using the dryer when it froze. (She probably didn’t have one anyway.)
Glad to hear that you can relate to The Non-Consumer Advocate. And let your friends think you’re crazy, you’ll be having the last laugh.
Katy
I live in Michigan a mother of 4 and grandma of 2 married to my best friend! I am a homeschool mom of my youngest 2! My grandmother was frugal, my mother was frugal and I LOVE taking frugality to new heights and challenging myself in that area! My youngest son plans on moving to Japan in 4 years and at that time me, hubby and our youngest daughter wants to travel by horseback across the U.S and then perhaps settle in Belize, Costa Rico or Thailand ( have not really decided yet!)
I have 3 blogs right now Poor to Rich a Day at a Time and then Simply Homeschooled at http://www.simplyhomeschooled.com/ and my newest baby Homeschooling Housewives that is brand brand new and needs tons of work yet at http://www.homeschoolinghousewives.com/
Riding horseback across America?! That sounds so incredible! Your life sounds so rich and interesting. Isn’t it great what frugality allows for?
Thanks for delurking!
Katy
I think I’ve commented just once on your blog, telling you that hanging out with your mother was a good use of your time even though you had loads of other things that you needed to do – or something to that effect.
Anyway, I live in Columbus, Ohio. I’m 55 and I’m not a frugalista, although I’m not a frivolous spender, either. I have no blog, no Facebook page, no web presence whatsoever – this saves me LOADS of time to lurk about on other people’s blogs! If I didn’t find your posts interesting, I would not come back again and again.
I love my local library like you do yours, which keeps my small home from being overun by books. Last, but not least, I still have one of those old cellphones that flips open and I’ve been known to take it out at times and say, “Beam me up, Scotty.”
Live long and prosper, Katy.
I love that!
Glad to hear that you come back “again and again.” 😀
Katy
Hi Katy!
I am a long time reader, but I rarely post. I love your blog 🙂 Your frugal tips are easy and doable, and I really appreciate that!
I’m in my early 30s and am mom to one very active toddler with another baby on the way. I live in the Kansas City area and work part time.
Keep up the good work!
Easy? Doable? That’s for a reason you know. 😉 I hardly want to be undertaking difficult and undoable projects. I’ve got enough of that around the house already. 🙂
My sons are 2-1/2 years apart, so I vividly remember the the “very active toddler with another baby on the way.” Have fun with it, it’s a blast!
Katy
Hi, Katy, I read your blog most days. I usually check in on Kristin at Frugal Girl most days as well. I can’t remember how I came across your blog. The only other one I check daily is my daughter-in-law’s; it’s mostly a family/personal reflections and sharing blog. I was raised by very frugal depression era parents. Your slogan is one I heard often growing up. I was a stay at home mom when my kids were little so we always found ways to stretch our dollar. When our circumstances improved, we continued our frugal ways and were able to finance our sons’ college educations. They are long since out of school, but our life style hasn’t really changed. Living fugally enables us to support causes we think honor God.
I enjoy all your topics and your sense of humor. Thanks for posting often. I feel like I know you.
I love hearing about when people are able to refrain from lifestyle inflation! It’s not easy.
Glad to hear you’re enjoying the blog!
Katy
I am someone who is about to quit my job (hubby quit last month), sell our house and move to paradise, thanks to our frugal duo ways. We have the financial stability for him to start self employment (he already got paid today on his first contract) for a life filled with a little more freedom and a little less working for others. I am hoping to become a part-time reseller of vintage/picker of antiques. We are selling our too big too expensive house(paid for – mortgage paid off last year) and downsizing to half the price and half the space but loads of freedom house. And finally we get to live where we want to – on Vancouver Island (my little slice of paradise). So, frugality has given us both something dear hubby never thought he could have before he met me nine years ago – a chance to never work for someone else again and live the life we both truly want to live, by our rules and no one elses.
That is awesome! Congratulations, and may you have a wonderful time in your dream home!
Katy
Hello there! If I’m trying to become a lurker, I’m starting out on the wrong foot I guess! This was my first post to read. I’m a nonprofit professional living in Richmond, VA and have a blog project recently started with a friend called Get Clean, Girls. We cover all sorts of topics related to women’s health and alternative/natural self care and medicine. We’re all for consumer advocacy as well, which was my reason for following you! Thanks!
Welcome. What a day to start reading The Non-Consumer Advocate!
Katy
Hey Katy, it’s me, your youngest sister. I love your blog and have read it almost every day since I got my computer. Just like you, I think I inherited the frugalista gene from Dad, but I never really thought of it as something fun and creative before I started reading your blog.
Saving money started out as a necessity with the added political bonus of not supporting big corporations, sweatshops and consumer culture, but the truth of it is that living life creatively and having more connection with meeting my basic needs is super empowering and makes me happy. As a self employed farmer (growing veggies in Portland at Cully Neighborhood Farm this year) saving money has single-handedly given me the freedom to do the work I love and focus more on having a positive impact than on making a lot of money. I love that all three of us sisters have this thrifty creative streak in common!
I love all your posts but my favorite ones have been the controversial posts that ask hard questions where there are no right answers, (probably your least favorite posts) like your posts that pit ethics against economics when you can’t have both. Any time a post really gets people defensive and debating the issue you know your onto something, and I think that the dialogue you’ve generated is really important.
In you day to day writing I love hearing your humor and tone come through, and I love how open you are about all the little things in life that really are so interesting. It always makes me happy to check in and see what you’ve been up to. Keep it up.
And I love you too!
Mwah!
Katy
Hi, Katy — I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while — and Young House Love as well — and enjoy them both for the down-to-earth, creative, funny, interesting posts. I’m 65, live in Bellingham, Washington, and love my local library almost more than anything! My husband and I are retired, love to read, use our local Y, cook (me), make things in his workshop (him), buy at our local co-op, and LOVE Portland! We’ve been there several times for vacations and are returning in April. We almost always rent little cottages so I can cook, and we love the public transportation — and beer!
I enjoy your blog because it’s clearly written by a real person, is opinionated and often humorous, and is inspiring!
Thank you! And how boring would life be without strong opinions?!
Katy
Hi Katy–I comment occasionally, but read often. I have frugal instincts, but I lack organization and inspiration, so I find your blog illuminating and helpful. I live near San Francisco, CA, where the cost of living is high, and it feels good to come up with ways to be more cost-effective. Also, frugality is almost always green and good for the planet. I found your blog when a friend linked to it. I enjoy your writing, and you make a lot of topics fun that I might not otherwise relate to. I also love how frequently you post. It seems like there is always something fresh and interesting to read. Thanks!
I think we all lack organization and inspiration. The trick is to not let it stand in our way. Fresh? Yes. Interesting? I’m trying. 😉
Happy to hear that you enjoy the blog, and appreciate my almost daily writing. (Although I have decided to start taking Saturdays off.)
Katy
Hiya! I have been reading your blog for two years now, starting January 2010 when I joined The Compact myself (have strayed a bit). I love ALL of your posts from the informative to the goofy (and especially the Trekkie). I live in Dallas, TX with my husband, cat and brand new baby! I must be a dyed-in-the-wool frugalista, because I opted for a hippie-dippie, drug-free, birth-center birth NOT for the atmosphere but because it was so much cheaper than hospital. And the ONLY thing keeping me breast-feeding is the fact that formula costs money ($15/can for the cheap stuff!!!). But it’s a good thing I’m so frugal, because I just quit my job this week to stay at home with my little girl. We’re very fortunate I can afford to stay home, and I hope to KEEP us that fortunate. Funny how the harder we work and the more we save, the more “fortunate” we become. LOVE YOUR BLOG!! Keep it up.
It sounds more like you’re more smart and deliberate that “lucky” to be able stay home with your daughter.
Give credit where it’s due!
Happy to hear that enjoy my goofiness. It’s beyond my control. 😉
Katy
Hi Katy!
Love your blog! Krystal from Seattle (@guns_of_brixton). My husband and I live in 800 sq ft. in West Seattle, one dog and one cat, I work in Real Estate, husband is a graphic designer, and we have a severe soccer obsession (on my way to bed to I can make to the bar in the AM for the Tottenham game; and yes, Go Sounders!), and we are somewhere between the occasional splurge, Zero Waste and Non-Consumer. We basically have split personalities.
I love the posts about reusing things, those are my absolute favorites! Anything that reminds me to use what I have and save–I have wanted a much better foam soap dispenser, and I will be making the mason jar soap dispenser you had up a few weeks ago–loved it.
I am mostly a browser of all my blogs, but end up reading yours more than others. However, with our recent focus on no-debt, zero waste, thrift and all of that–we take an awesome joy out of thrifting for “new” clothes–it is honestly a thrill, and from someone who used to buy designer labels new, which I couldn’t afford, it’s an awesome shift in my style.
I remember seeing you review or post a while back about when facing death, nobody ever said they wished they would have bought something. That’s a very important reminder for us in our household, as we try to spend wisely on experiences rather than stuff.
Thanks for writing!
I am very flattered that you choose to actually read what I write. (I am being serious here. It’s flattering that anyone would want to read my ramblings.)
It is very true than no one on their deathbed is wishing they’d spent more time shopping and buying stuff. At least I sure hope not!
Katy
Hi Katy!
You asked … so here it goes:
I follow your blog from Adelaide, South Australia. In July, my family and I – greatly influenced by you – embarked on what we called The Footprints Project. The aim is to leave as small as footprint as possible on the environment and as large a positive footprint as possible on humanity. We try to leave as eco-friendly and ethically as we can. I decided to create a blog called “Footprints – large and small”. http://www.blogger.com/home?pli=1
I am a blogger, poet, short story writer, would-be novelist, wife, mother to two teenagers and student of French.
Many of our goals lead naturally to frugality, particularly when it comes to the environment. However, some are less so. For example, it sometimes costs more to buy goods which are ethically produced. That’s an expense we’re happy to wear. The ‘net effect’ has been zero. We save more in some areas now and spend more in others.
I really like your blog and what you and you family are doing. 🙂
Cheers,
Rachel
Sounds like a great project! We too spend more on ethically produced eggs and milk, but the savings on our frugal life make it pretty much pain-free.
Glad to hear that you like when I write about about my family is doing. It’s not always so exciting, but it works for us!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I live in NZ and I’ve subscribed to your blog for a while now. I think I fell in love with the name of your blog and that was what drew me in.
I have a blog but it’s been rather neglected. I think I’m a bit unsure about how much of myself I want to disclose online. Especially given that people might say nasty things if they don’t like what I’ve written. Why do people do that?!?!?!
We’ve had to learn to be frugal – my husband was made redundant shortly after I’d had our first child, which was also just after we’d bought our first home. Thankfully it already held appeal, and so my inner frugalista got wings!
I think you have a wonderful writing style – very chatty and it draws me in as a reader. I appreciate you taking the time to share your ideas and your passion with the world at large, and I think you should DEFINITELY keep at it. If you’re enjoying it, that is.
Peace and love from the Land of the Long White Cloud
I love the idea of an inner frugalista taking wing!
Yes, there are always going to be people who feel they can be rude without consequence, but for the most part it’s few and far between.
Peace and love from the Land of the Never Ending Clouds. 😉
Katy
Hello, Katy.
Here in South Korea, consumerism is regarded as a kind of virtue, not vice. People spend whole lot of fortune to buy a bag costs more than a couple $1,000, and cameras expensive like crazy such as Leica which costs $10,000 for just fulfilling “emotional needs”. It drives me crazy.
I remember my grannies-both sides- enjoyed their lives much more than a lot of people who go shopping everyday, while they lived VERY frugally they knew how to live a life full of love and spiritual peace(they both were Buddhists and I believe it really helped their life style).
That applied to my mom, who was a famous professor and a clinical psychologist. She NEVER bought fancy stuff like a fir coat or expensive bags and so on. But when she passed away, there are more than a thousand people gathered and genuinely lamented over our loss as my mom had helped them to get through the difficulties of their lives.
I can’t deny that I’ve been a slave of consumerism to a degree. I’m divorced with an autistic son, whose father NEVER even offered a penny. That made me so much stressful for many years. Even during the tragic marriage life, my ex’s alcohol abuse and depression disorder had been too much burden for me. After divorce, I was lucky enough to get a job with fairly good salary and I found myself surrounded with numerous stuff mostly I don’t even remember why I got them.
Maybe that was a way of release, I guess. But spending money never made me feel realy happy at all. I felt desperate but I didn’t know what should I do.
Then I came across your blog. You know, as a Korean who seldom speaks English, I hardly search blogs in English. But I couldn’t find a blog with full of inspiration like yours to help me get through those burdens. So one day I thought, just ask Google and voila!
After I found your blog, I’ve been lurking pretty much everyday. And my way of life changed so dramatically and I feel FAR HAPPIER and satisfied without spending a fortune.
I’m proud of myself for cutting my spending so much. My credit card payment dropped 80% in only 3 months. Now I can save a couple times more money in my bank account. I’m planning to pay off my mortgage loan in 2 years(which remains $60,000) hopefully.
I can’t find a word to show you how thankful I am for all the inspiration and motivation your blog has given to me.
I just wish you be proud of yourself for helping a soul out there in the Far East to find her happy and peaceful way of life.
Wow, I am so moved by your story! Sometimes I feel like I’m writing this blog out of habit, and I am overwhelmed with the changes that you’ve been able to make, both financially and emotionally in your life. I am humbled.
Your mother sounds like a wonderful person, how she was able to affect so many people’s lives. My father is also a professor, and is currently the senior professor at his very large University. (He’s been teaching there since 1965.) He cares deeply about his students, and is not afraid to be honest with them, when he knows it will help them to become better people.
Your letter totally made my day, and brought me to tears. Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Katy
Hello! I am giving up looking at blogs everyday (for Lent) so I am only seeing this now. Otherwise, I usually pop in at least once a day. As a side note, I have gotten a lot more done around the house!
I am an early 30s music teacher, wife to a music teacher and new mom to a beautiful daughter in Tennessee.
I’ve been a bargain hunter and frugalista for as long as I can remember. I like the game of it and also hate to waste things. As I get older and read blogs like yours, I’m starting to think about things more in light of long term responsibility, not just being motivated by the cheapest price for the short term. That has been very interesting.
I really like the posts that go into detail about different frugal ideas and activities. There are many frugal activities that aren’t normal topics of conversation in real life, but are great fodder among like minded people so I appreciate this forum.
I don’t like the ones as much where you sound bitter.
We don’t know each other, but I did once win a giveaway of Your Money or Your Life (great book! it is currently being borrowed by my best friend).
Also, it seems like some of these reader comments are really interesting! I don’t know that I have it in me to read through all 400 of them, but it would be cool if you highlighted some in a future post.
Great idea to do a post where I highlight a few of the reader introductions. Maybe even turn it into a series, as there’s certainly enough of them!
Sorry that you don’t like it when I sound “bitter,” but I like to think that a full and honest range of emotion is important. Imagine how boring this blog would be if it it was falsely chipper. (Hence the “Five things that are making me happy and one thing that’s pissing me off.”)
Glad you’re getting use from your book prize, and hopefully your friend will enjoy it.
Katy
Hi there! I’m super late on the introducing myself but wanted to chip in anyway! I love reading your blog! I’m 28, living in Boston, and am a soon-to-be married special education teacher. I’ve become more and more interested in a non-consumerist life style, buying from local artists and farmers, and buying used goods and clothing. I’m also making an effort to use up what I’ve got (food) before heading out to the grocery store. I’m lucky to have a group of girlfriends who support this lifestyle so we’ve maintained our social lives by using coupons at restaurants, gathering at each other’s homes, and eating out during happy hour when meals are discounted. I’m learning how to be more frugal when it comes to buying groceries, freezing things, and re-using things (like plastic baggies and tupperware). My fiance and I are hoping that I’ll be able to stay home when we have small children (in a couple of years) so we’re definitely interested in a frugal lifestyle, and I think he is thankful for all the frugal little tricks I’m learning since he’ll be the major bread winner for a few years; I’m hoping my frugality will be a significant contribution.
Anyway, thanks for writing! I love your ideas and passion!
You had me at happy hour! Not that I’m a drinker, but I do love all the cheap delicious meals that are to be had for a couple of dollars. When I was in nursing school, I used to drag my husband to a country bar with a free Mexican food buffett, and a high end restaurant that served enormous 10¢ shrimp during happy hours.
It’s great that you’re having fun with frugality nice and early, (and before kids) which will help you have lots of choices to live the life you want.
Thanks for checking in!
Katy
I live in North East Ohio, close to Cleveland though I’m originally from Maryland. I grew up with a very frugal mother and learned to love shopping at the thrift shops from her. I have a blog where I write mostly about jewelry and art. http://valerieaheck.blogspot.com/
I am a goldsmith and work for a master goldsmith helping to make his jewelry.
I love most of your posts, I love seeing old things get fixed up to look new again!
I’m also very big on american made and handmade items. I try not to shop at all. When I need a gift I think of all the artist I know and try to buy something handmade.
I know I’m late…and may not get a response, but, I’m 45 a labor and delivery nurse currently “at home” with my 2 children. Married, living in New England. I am regularly inspired by your blog and others like it. I believe in simplicity and living with respect for the planet…..blogs like yours reinforce to me the lifestyle choices that we want to make. I do not happen to encounter alot of likeminded individuals where I live, so I really appreciate the interaction to be had on blogs like yours. honestly, I get alot from all of your posts!
I work with hardly any like-minded people, but I don’t let that stop me from talking up the non-consumerism. It’s amazing how the spendiest folks will come up to tell me how they saved money on this, or reused that. They’re always proud of their accomplishment, so there’s hope for everyone!
Happy to hear that you’re enjoying the blog.
Katy
Hi, I’ll delurk. I have you on my Google Reader, so I read almost every post you write. I’m not really a frugalista – up to a point but mostly I’m concerned with sustainability more than frugality. But I found you originally when I was searching for “use it up, wear it out, make it work, or do without”, because I wanted to find a design for that I could use to embroider on my mending bag. I enjoy seeing your thrifted finds, and hearing about your efforts to be frugal and ways to have family fun without spending money.
I blog at The Curriculum of Love: curriculumoflove.blogspot.com
Thanks for delurking, and happy that you enjoy my motto, (which came a looong time before my birth!)
Thanks for the nice words.
Katy
I’m Jennifer. I started blogging when I moved to OH 5.5 years ago. I have 4 kids and we are just entering the teen years. I work from home part time and am currently trying not fall asleep on the couch. I like your frugal posts the most. They motivate me.
Wow, you’ve been blogging for a long time!
Glad you like the frugal posts. I love finding new ways to save money. Such a creative challenge!
Katy
Durango, CO. Kicking and screaming! Not really. They all are interesting to me in some form or fashion. No I don’t know you and actually don’t know how I came across your blog either!
Well, glad you found me! 🙂
Katy
Hello! As noted above by another of your readers I am de-lurking after reading this on my google reader … hope I’m not too late to the party.
Where do you live?
Aberdeen, Hong Kong – an West Australian expat, I have been living in HK for almost 10 years now.
Are you a dyed in the wool frugalista, or did you come to it kicking and screaming?
A bit of both maybe. I come from frugal stock but also have what my mother describes as ‘champagne tastes on a beer budget’.
Do you have a blog? If so, please tell me a little bit about it and include a link!
Nope but I do have a sideline business called http://www.readbookshk.com
What posts on The Non-Consumer Advocate do you like, and which ones bore you to tears?
I read them all … and when I can apply something to my lifestyle here I do.
Do you know me, if so how? Did you give birth to me? (Hi, mom!)
Nope and nope!
And anything else you wish to share …
I discovered your blog during the GFC back in 2008 I think – or thereafter – when even Asia had it tough.
No, Hong Kong wasn’t affected by the earthquake or tsunami, and no, I don’t speak Japanese though it might amaze you how many times I get asked those questions when people learn where I live!
Hi Katie – I am a total lurker. lol. But I read your blog essentially every day, so here goes:
I live in Maryland, in the DC suburbs, and I am frugal in some areas (no cable and only just got a TV that actually gets antenna reception, cheap no-contract cell phone, used books, do my own home repairs and upgrades as much as I can, 5yo paid for car) so that I can afford to spend more in other areas (charming 85yo bungalow, donations, and fairly frequent travel – this year to London and Italy). When I need a break, I love frugal and minimalist blogs, but I have no blog of my own. Your blog is my favorite, and I only don’t like it when there isn’t an update (rare, I know, but it sometimes seems like more to me, since I’m on the East coast, and so sometimes I’m looking before you’ve updated for the day).
I don’t know you, but sometimes I feel like I do from your blog. Other stuff about me – I’m 47, but feel 19 inside; I read constantly, I love all sorts of music, and I’m very invested in my friendships.
Thanks for making a regular bright spot in my day. 🙂 – Jennifer
I am working today, but will respond to introductions when I come home this evening. So please, keep ’em coming!
Katy
Forgot to say, I’m a total Buffy-fan, also. 🙂 And, another reason for my general frugality is that I’m planning to retire at 56!!!!
Go, Buffy! I’m even watching “Ringer,” even though there’s no Buffy connection other than Sarah Michelle Gellar.
Katy
I live in Tottenham, a small town north of Toronto (in Ontario, Canada). I flirted with frugality when I finished university but once I had paid off my student debt (I worked 3-4 jobs during my university years so there wasn’t much debt to pay off), I dove back into consumerism. After a few years of that, I switched to a job I loved but which paid me very little (woohoo to being a flight attendant!) so I went back to frugality as a way to be able to keep the job and still pay rent AND afford groceries. Even though I make more now (having gone up the salary scale a bit), my frugal ways stuck around.
I have a blog. Its rarely updated (its one of my goals to get it going again). I’m too shy to link to it now though. I want to work on it first!
I’m apparently a voyeur so I LOVE posts that show what your home is like. Your goodwill finds just me jealous…I rarely find stuff that nice at my thrift stores!
I don’t know you but wish I at least knew more people like you IRL. My friends/family are all generally spendthrifts (I *think* they all assume I’m going through a phase).
Being a flight attendant is my secret dream job. I love to travel, and as a nurse, it would be a perfect fit.
Keep the the frugality, and it will allow you years of travel and adventure. Good for you!
Katy
Hello here from central Indiana. I post occasionally, but usually can’t think of anything interesting or useful that hasn’t already been said. I like just about all the posts, but I really like the day in the life ones, and the ones where you say it is ok to nap or just read a book instead of plowing ahead at 100 miles per hour ! (I need the affirmation :-))
I am a newby frugalista, realizing I had a little too much debt and was just worn out by all the keeping up with the Jones. I teach at a university and am struck (and saddened by) the strong consumer instinct in most students I work with. I am trying to influence that a little — one student at a time…
I have also been very influenced by the Adventures of Coin Girl. I have suddenly started seeing coins on the ground a lot (one advantage — college students wouldn’t stoop (ha ha) to picking up change. ) However, I have noticed that when I do pick up coins it is often at risk of life and limb, like in the Walgreen’s parking lot or in a crowd all leaving a football game. I guess I need to learn to pick my timing a little better…?
Picking up change is just like giving CPR. First, you have confirm that the scene is safe. 😉
Teaching at the university level is a very unique opportunity to influence people. My father, (who is a professor) was just talking about the extended conversations that he’s been having with a particular student who is extremely negative. My dad thinks he’ll be able to get through to this young man, but it’s step by tiny step.
Glad you like my posts about giving yourself permission to do very little. It’s pretty much my life’s endeavor.
Katy
I’m late to the party, but I love your blog! I live in New York City and my frugality has been slowly evolving over the past 7 or 8 years as part of a general self-improvement/happiness-maximizing project. I love the posts about decorating projects, because, while I’m a very good cook, extremely versatile with leftovers, moderately skillful with a needle and thread, and can plan a great, cheap children’s party, I know little to nothing about decorating on a dime. I’m currently looking for the perfect vintage quilt and thrift-store wall art for a bedroom facelift.
NYC is the best and most awesome city for frugal decorating! Everyone leaves their extra stuff on the street. (I know, bedbug issues have probably cramped this style of decorating since I lived there last.)
Thanks for the nice words.
Katy
I’m *loving* all these comments and reading about the other readers here. What a great idea! It’s going to take me some time to get through all these…and time well spent. You have such interesting readers!
I found the blog through you, directly of course. Katy and I are IRL friends from when we were in high school, though we haven’t been able to see each other IRL for far too many years.
I’ve been reading The Non-Consumer Advocate for so long, I have no idea when I started (years ago, for sure). I check it daily, and often come back to read through the comments. (I was travelling last week, though, so missed this post until today — I know I’m late to the party.)
My favorite part is the slice-of-life seeing what you’re up to, and of course the humor. I also love the controversial topics, where there isn’t necessarily a “right” answer, where you take a stand. (Probably the posts you enjoy the least, since you are the one who has to deal with the comments.)
Personally I am trying to find a balance. I have been a seriously frugal person for a long time, always worried about money and trying to spend less. After a major life event a few years ago, I have come to realization that since I am lucky enough to be financially able, sometimes it is worth it to spend money for things. (Your necklace restringing is a good example.) I have a once-in-a-while house cleaner, and recently moved into a condo where the snow removal is done by someone else. Most especially, I’ve started spending on vacations — taking the kids on a cruise a few years ago, and just recently to southern California.
We still love our frugal activities (camping is a major source of enjoyment, and board games are a staple at our house), but we also now have Netflix and everyone in the house has a cell phone. For me, at least right now, it’s all about finding a reasonable balance.
It’s fun to read so many lovely words from the commenters about my favorite blog. Love the blog, Katy. Love *you* even more.
Aww, Barbara. I love you too!
I’m looking forward to figuring out a way to see you in Seattle next summer.
Hugs and kisses,
Katy
I am currently living in Ecuador. When I started following you I lived in GA, USA. I want to be frugal all the time but it can be difficult in a new country. My friends get on me about being to frugal because it affects my appearance (my hair needs to be dyed) but I can’t justify the cost.
I blog at http://lookingforthesimplelife-ss.blogspot.com I am a beginner and I am try to get better at blogging but sometimes it is just too hard to blog. I started my blog when my husband and I were changing jobs and I was trying to reduce our monthly payments. We have 5 children all together and now that we live in EC we have to save money to visit them or bring them here.
Gosh which post do I like? um that is hard because I think I like all of them.
I don’t know you but wish I did :). I hope to find a way to be more frugal here in Ecuador. If there are any followers of your from Ecuador please feel free to share with me ways to live more frugally here. Thank you for blogging. It gives me something to look forward too. 🙂
I love finding out that my words are being read throughout the world! Being frugal in a different country sounds like a very unique challenge. Please check back in and share if you learn any tricks.
Katy
This is an awesome idea:
33 year old married mom of 1. Live in Salt Lake City, UT
Born with the Thrifty gene. I’m a total squirrel and love to read about other Thrifties.
Not a blogger; I’m a reader, not a writer.
I enjoy ALL your posts, except maybe the re-posts because I’ve already read them all.
Don’t know you in real life, but I think I read a book co-written by your sister once…something about terrible ex-boyfriends maybe?
Your posts make me laugh out loud so I keep coming back for more.
I’ll have to tell my sister you read that book. I think it’s called “What Was I Thinking?”
Glad to know there are other born with the thrifty gene!
Katy
I have just recently become a subscriber of your blog. I don’t remember exactly how I found it, but I’m pretty sure it was for something having to do with Goodwill. I love to see your thrifty finds and your tips for saving money. I’ve never been a big spender, but since I graduated college (dental hygiene) and I’ve only found part-time work, we’ve really needed to cut our spending even more. I started a little blog in January to connect with other thrifty people (and those who have other similar interests, too). And now your blog is even cooler since now I know about your Star Trek enthusiasm!
Thanks for sharing all of this with all of us!
Sorry to hear that you’ve been having a hard time finding enough work, but I’m happy you’re enjoying the community of frugality!
Katy
My husband is military, so I’ve followed his career from Indiana to Texas to Louisiana. I’d say my family planted the frugal-living seed, but I’ve definitely taken it to another level. There’s lots of DYI in my house (laundry detergent, stain treater, handsoap), a garden, chickens, trash picking, reselling, moderate couponing, etc. My mother is mortified at the trash picking! There is still plenty I buy new and I do sometimes feel wasteful, but I am resolved to always do better. I came across your blog about six months ago. I’ve blogged privately for more than seven years and am currently working on something to go public with. I’ll let you know when that happens 🙂
We found a rug in seriously PERFECT condition on Sunday night! Selling it today for $50 😉
Atta girl!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I look forward to reading your blog at least once a week, I even go look at the archives if I need a ‘fix’. I appreciate that you can spell & phrase a sentence nicely AND I love your sense of humor, and the topics you write about just always seem to engage. I think I found out about your blog about a year ago from an article in a London newspaper — ? Frugality is an interest of mine, sadly probably an obsession, but another attraction is that you are from beautiful Portland, my home town. You and I are also the same age and I see in you & your blog ‘the road not taken.’ My family is still in Portland, & I visit usually once a year, but have lived happily in Europe since my mid-twenties (after grad school at PSU — where I never had your father as a prof — but I’m always seeing things I know in your blog so I am sure we have acquaintances in common). Before grad school I taught a few years in Japan, & I like hearing about you & your family’s interest in Japan, too. We’ve just moved recently from London (didn’t you spend time in England, too? Loved your ‘ello luv Union Jack tray!) where we lived in a wealthy community back to a farming community in rural Bavaria, Germany. I felt frugal in London but like a spendthrift here. Your blog has been a bright constant & I’m ‘delurking’ to thank you for it. Will see you at the Goodwill in Portland this summer 🙂
Wow, it sounds like you are living such an interesting life. I lived in London for three years while growing up, although it was spread out throughout the seventies and eighties.
Thank you so much for delurking and sharing your story with The Non-Consumer Advocate community, and maybe I will see you at Goodwill this summer!
Katy
I am a mother of 3 (2 boys 7, almost 6 and a girl, 3). I was a full-time SAHM until last April when I started a part-time evening job so my husband can watch the kids. My job is actually watching other people’s kids when they work out at a local gym…which is nice b/c my kids can come to work with me if need be and my hubby and I get free memberships (worth $50/month) 😉
I haven’t always been frugal and I won’t say I’m SUPER frugal now but I’m getting better. We are WEEKS away from being DEBT FREE except the house (Thank you Dave Ramsey) and we are looking forward to trying to meet him in person this spring.
I do have a blog but I don’t have a “theme” – it’s just what I’m thinking about at the time. I have borrowed ideas from you such as the I am…. or Five things that make me Happy… I blog more to just get my thoughts out then for any other reason but it is definitely interesting to see where people read my blog on my statistics page.
I love reading your blog because it gives me ideas, strength in my conviction on not spending a lot of some things, and it makes me feel that maybe I can do things I wouldn’t have done before like really shop at goodwill or consignment shops…I don’t have the patience some days to “dig” for treasures. But I LOVE watching what you find and what you can do with them.
I guess that’s me. I read the blog when this was originally posted but I didn’t have the time to “delurk” and introduce myself.
Thanks for letting us lurk more. I’ve commented in the past and I’m sure I’ll comment again.
Congrats on your almost debt-free status, that is a major accomplishment!
Happy to hear that you find ideas and inspiration on the blog. It’s a labor of love for me, so it means a lot to hear that people enjoy it! Thanks for the nice words!
Katy
Hi Katy,
I think I found your blog through TheFrugalGirl…not sure. I have been lurking for quite sometime 🙂 I am 31 and I live in San Diego, I am also a nurse (6 years of LDR, 5 years of mom and baby home health), and am in school to become a nurse practitioner. I am getting married to my partner of 4 years this June and we are finding all kinds of frugal ways to add to our wedding day!
You have given me tons of frugal ideas to be creative with what I already have and have helped me increase my love for goodwill exponentially! I feel like your blog is relatable, funny, and easy to read and that is why I enjoy it. I do not have a blog….maybe someday when I am out of school though. I like pretty much all the posts on here, especially projects/goodwill finds and the posts about what you are doing that day that is frugal.
Thanks for encouraging comments….sometimes it feels silly to post a little comment on something, I have been lurking for so long, it’s nice to say hi 🙂
~meaghan
Meaghan,
I am so happy that you found the inspiration to delurk! And mother-baby home health? That’s sounds like such a satisfying job, as I imagine that you are very appreciated. (I’m guessing you always get a hug when you leave the client’s home!)
Thank you so much for the kind words about the blog, and I hope you find yourself joining the conversation in the future!
Katy
Hey-
I live in Maryland/Pennsylvania (depending on when you read this), I’m in the middle of a move.
I guess you could say I’m a mixture of dyed-in-the-wool & kicking-and-screaming. I am, by nature, a use it up kind of girl. However, every once & awhile I get the “ooohh, look at that” syndrome & my nature/budget gets blown out of the water 🙂
As far as my fav posts, I enjoy all of them. I check my e-mail on my phone when I am on breaks at work & you’re posts are always a bright point of my day (not to mention, you’re sense of humor is almost exactly like mine!!)
Keep it up Katy!!!!! You are awesome!
Thank you so much for all the nice words, and I guess I have to say I’m sorry to hear we have the same sense of humor. It has a tendency to get me in trouble every now and then. 😉
Good luck with your move!
Katy
Hi Katy! I’m Vicki. I’ve mostly been lurking (I read blogs on my smart phone while I nurse my son to sleep and it is nearly impossible to comment). I’m a big fan of your blog (and Young House Love too!) for inspiration and motivation! I also just really enjoy your writing.
I live in Reading, Pennsylvania. I’ve come to be thrifty gradually – when I was a little girl, my grandmother would take me to department stores and we’d pick out the sparkliest, newest clothes. Now I buy exclusively used clothing for me, my husband, and kids. I buy used everything I can, from Goodwill, Craigslist, Ebay, or accepting Hand-me-downs. I have a 14 month son, and I’ve encouraged many of the mommies in our La Leche League playgroup (nursing is super frugal!) to shop thrift and consignment stores.
I believe in “used” for all the reasons – it saves us money, it saves the environment little by little, it teaches important values to the children. Fortunately I married someone thrifty (although he spends money on good food).
Thanks for asking! I always get excited when your posts come up in my blog reader! Hooray!
It’s sounds like you’re spreading the gospel of thrift. 😉
Happy to hear that you find inspiration and motivation in the blog, that’s a wonderful compliment! Thank you!
Katy