Monday, I wrapped up our Black Friday membership drive. If you joined the Savers Club during that campaign, welcome aboard.
Today, I’m taking off the "marketer" hat and putting my journalist hat back on to have a real conversation with you about the future of this newsletter.
TL;DR: Stumptown Savings is 100% independent and 99% reader-supported. Make a tax-deductible contribution today to ensure we can continue serving you through 2026 and beyond.
The Reality
I launched Stumptown Savings with a simple mission: to help Portlanders shop smarter. I believe in this work. I believe that when I manually review ads for Fred Meyer, Safeway, and WinCo, or when I dig into how prices shift from month to month, I am providing a service that serves our community in a tangible way.
For the last eight months, I’ve been able to do this full-time thanks to unemployment benefits and personal savings following a layoff. That support ended in early November.
While membership revenue is growing (thank you!), it isn't enough yet to sustain the operation. I am committed to keeping Stumptown Savings independent — no store will ever pay for coverage — that means this publication relies on the community it serves. Advertising doesn’t pay the bills. Reader support is what allows me to keep working to save you time and money.
The Goal: Power Stumptown Savings into 2026
Reaching this goal provides the runway to keep this newsletter arriving in your inbox uninterrupted while we build a sustainable model for 2026.
This is different from a membership drive. Because Stumptown Savings is fiscally sponsored by the Tiny News Collective, a 501(c)(3) organization, contributions to this campaign are tax-deductible.
Where the Money Goes
Why $8,000? It is based on the current annual costs of running the nuts and bolts of Stumptown Savings.
$100.82 per month: Email and web hosting platform
$20.00 per month: Credit card processing fees (on average)
$23.80 per month: Google Workspace
$13.09 per month: Social media management tools
$16 per month: Accounting and bookkeeping software
$500 per month: Marketing and promotion to grow the audience
The Labor Gap
The costs above don't include the 40+ hours a week of reporting, researching, and writing. Until now, I have not paid myself a single dollar from Stumptown Savings; every cent earned has been reinvested into the business.
To keep doing this work full-time in 2026, I need to reach a point where the business can support a minimum salary of $1,600 a month (less than $20k/year).
This campaign bridges the gap between where we are and where we need to be.
If this newsletter has helped you save money on your grocery bill, discovered a local farm for you, or just helped you feel more in control of inflation, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution today.
Thank you for reading, and for keeping independent journalism alive in Portland.
Bryan,
Founder/Publisher,
Stumptown Savings
