Extreme cheapskates
By jillhill
@jillhill (37354)
United States
August 13, 2012 8:13pm CST
I just watched a show on extreme cheapskates....well the one lady doesn't want to waste money on toilet paper. I have always used toilet paper and don't think that buying something like that is a waste of money. She cuts up peices of fabric and keeps them in a basket next to the toilet. Would you try to save money by not buying toilet paper? I can't imagine the smell that must linger in the bathroom. Do you think toilet paper is a waste of money?
6 people like this
17 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Oh, that is gross, are you serious? What does she do with the fabric afterwards?
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
14 Aug 12
You are probably right katsmeow, I mean I sometimes used cloth diapers on my babies and I had to wash them. But, isn't that a waste, to do extra loads of laundry???
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Wash and reuse I assume? I like the idea of flushing the TP down the toilet and not having to clean up that nasty mess! I wonder if she ever has guests over and how they feel about using a piece of fabric?
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
14 Aug 12
I've heard of that, much in the same way some people use cloth diapers, washing them, and re-using them at a later date. Personally, no way! Disposables all the way. We're dealing with human waste here, and I think disposable is the most sanitary way to go. What next, re-useable tampons?
@Raine38 (12257)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Actually I have heard of re-usable and washable tampons. If I'm not mistaken it is being used in a country somewhere in Africa. I have forgotten specifically where but I saw it months back on Yahoo news.
I agree, there's a lot of other ways to scrimp and save, but when it comes to hygiene maybe we should not be that wary of spending a little bit more. Besides, it is cheaper than to get sick and be hospitalized because of contamination, right?
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Raine, you may be thinking of reusable pads. Tampons are the actual inserts. I do know there are reusable pads and lots of people use them. I did look into it once to try to cut down on money as well as environmental waste, but I figured it really wasn't really worth it. The cost to get myself enough to get through each month was pretty steep (although over all it could end up being cheaper than buying a box of pads every other month.. never did the math, just didn't want to spend $20 to buy a few pads that might get me through a day). Plus the washing them isn't helping the environment too much more than throwing out disposable pads. I don't have time to do my washing by hand since I do work and have 5 kids.. so to wash the pads I'd be wasting water and electricity. Sure there'd be a few less pads in a landfill somewhere.. but the water and electric add up also. Besides that, our closest dump actually burns most of the trash instead of just letting it pile up, so I'm not doing much damage by throwing out my pads as far as I can see. For financial and sanitary reasons I've chosen to stick with disposable and pray menopause hits me early, LOL.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
14 Aug 12
Yeah I saw this episode when it first ran several months ago. I was not aware the show was still on the air. A lot of bloggers made a big stink about her not using toilet paper. I can see the logic behind what she is doing and really its not a big deal. However, toilet paper on sale can be as cheap as $.10 a roll. I recall the lady saying that they spent several thousand dollars a year on toilet paper, and I wondered if they were eating it. We are a family of four an I might buy toilet paper every other month (6 pack, triple roll) and 3 of us are home all the time.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
15 Aug 12
Just today at Target I bought a pack of Cottonelle mega rolls (12 rolls = 36 regular rolls) after coupons $7.49 and there was a deal where you got a starter kit of the wipes free ($2.49 value). The toilet paper alone is like $.20 a roll at that price if you use the regular roll estimate. If you added in the cost of the wipes and the rolls...much cheaper. $.20 a roll seems like a pretty darn good deal for good toilet paper.
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
22 Aug 12
I believe its important to save money and have posted good deals I have found over the years. There is no way my house would ever run out of toilet paper. I'll admit think its bad when people buy costly bathroom tissue with all the sales I see on bathroom tissue.
Napkins are a different story, as I don't buy them. Cloth napkins can go in the laundry and reduce the amount of paper products that a person buys or if you don't want to spend the cash for nice napkins, then just get some from a fast food place to use at home.
@sacmom (14192)
• United States
14 Aug 12
I wonder where she got the fabric? Or how she'd go about wiping herself with something like that. 
That's just gross! 
I couldn't imagine trying to skimp on something like that. I'd rather pay a little more myself.
This reminds me of something I watched on TV once, years ago. This guy was a real cheapskate. So cheap, in fact, that I think he was voted the biggest cheapest in America, or something like that.
One of the things he did to save money was when a shirt of his got torn, instead of sewing it up, he took it to the salvation army. Doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, after they fixed it all up he ended up buying it back from them. He figured out the cost and decided to go this route as it was cheaper than it would have been if he would have sewn it up himself.
This same guy also refilled ketchup and mustard containers with those little packets that people can get from fast food restaurants. That way he doesn't have to buy them himself.
Weird what some people will do to save money. 
Happy mylotting!
That's just gross! I couldn't imagine trying to skimp on something like that. I'd rather pay a little more myself.
This reminds me of something I watched on TV once, years ago. This guy was a real cheapskate. So cheap, in fact, that I think he was voted the biggest cheapest in America, or something like that.
One of the things he did to save money was when a shirt of his got torn, instead of sewing it up, he took it to the salvation army. Doesn't sound too bad, right? Well, after they fixed it all up he ended up buying it back from them. He figured out the cost and decided to go this route as it was cheaper than it would have been if he would have sewn it up himself.
This same guy also refilled ketchup and mustard containers with those little packets that people can get from fast food restaurants. That way he doesn't have to buy them himself.
Weird what some people will do to save money.
Happy mylotting!
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
14 Aug 12
I think it was gross too...they had a bunch of cheapstakes on there....it was sickening. ONe guy gathered up change wherever he could find it and made a deal to buy two goat heads from a butcher and that is what they ate for supper....with the eyes and brains still in the skull....phew!
1 person likes this
@lonlyheart11 (49)
•
14 Aug 12
Dear Jillhill ,
That a really good question and quite embarrassing for the lady was she that much poor and if she would be poor she still have to take money for the necessary stuff
she should be open hearted and i think this is a very cheap thing what will the guest do when they visit the bathroom .. so God give these people some brain and ability to use them .. and no its not a waste . .
Happy mylotting ..
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
15 Aug 12
If I recall correctly, thhey had toilet paper on hand for guests. Do you remember jillhill?
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
15 Aug 12
In reading all the comments.. everyone seems to agree with you! I saw that show and was disgusted by it. Not just the TP thing ... and you didn't mention that she was teaching her kids to use them, wash them and put them away etc! And they'd go out to thepark and pick "greens" to eat.. not considering if they really were good enough to be edible or that a dog just pooped on them or near by etc. But.. back on track.. I say several of those shows and was so disgusted that I finally turned it off and didn't finish the series. Being cheap is one thing.. being stupid and unhealthy and dirty is another. These people.. mostly men...were just to lazy to go get a job! Some things we just need... TP is one of them!
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Nope, certain things are must haves, and TP is one of them.
My mom refuses to buy paper towels. Her reasoning is if they're in the house they get used, but if they aren't in the house they make do. She has never bought paper towels or napkins or anything else like that. When I lived at home we used towels as napkins and sponges for wiping up. I thought it was kind of gross because she used 1 sponge to wipe down the table and counters and then turned around and used the same sponge on the dishes. I did eventually get her to use 2 seperate sponges.
I always keep tons of paper towels in the house. We use them as napkins as well as for wiping up spills and wiping down the table (sponges build up a nasty smell and carry germs). Although one thing I learned from my mom.. for big spills, especially on the floor, we will grab a dirty towel to sop it up instead of using half a roll of paper towels.
@Shellyann36 (11385)
• United States
16 Aug 12
I did not watch this show but I must say that getting rid of tp is not something that I would do unless there were some world shortage on tp and it costed more than I could afford per roll. Now I have heard of people using cloth to wipe instead of tp but I do not know anyone personally that does this. It is up there on the ick factor for me.
Now after saying this, I have known cheap people that did not want to get their septic tank cleaned or they had some sort of problem with it and did not flush tp of any sort. They were very clear on this subject. Don't flush your tp. I thought that was way gross and I never visited their house again (and I made an excuse to go down the road to the convenient store so that I could use the bathroom).
@MandaLee (3758)
• United States
18 Aug 12
Hi Jill,
I did not see the show. To be honest, I think buying toilet paper is money that is very well spent. Using toilet paper is an important part of maintaining good personal hygiene. As a matter of fact, I can't imagine not using toilet paper.
Have a good weekend!
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
14 Aug 12
Now that is an extreme cheapskate! Toilet paper is not a waste of money! Using pieces of clothes for your butt is stupid! I think that would be very uncomfortable,mostly if you have bowel movement! I would never do this! I will always buy toilet paper! I buy toilet paper made of recycled material!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
16 Aug 12
Now, I could see getting rid of toilet paper to a certain extent, but it wouldn't be something that I would be able to completely get rid of in my life.
What I mean is that I would always have to have toilet paper to wipe with and then flush in the instance of a bowel movement or even when I was having guests in my house. However, I could see getting rid of toilet paper for the urination and nose blowing purposes. I really don't see that as being any different than using a handkerchief.
@2004cqui (2812)
• United States
14 Aug 12
In the interest of personal health (and I'm not an extremely healthy person! lol) this activity is not cheep. Toilet paper is as necessary as food and water. It's purpose if nothing else is to ward of disease.
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
24 Aug 12
Wow!! I could never imagine going to this extreme as well, and could not imagine the smell. I personally feel even though when $$ is tight toilet paper, etc. might be a little costly, it is still better to have around that anything else. I know I have heard of people using Newspaper or other paper as well. Too me this just sounds grouse.
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
28 Aug 12
This is about one of the most bizarre stories I've ever heard. Ever since I can remember I have used toilet paper. Buying a generic brand would save this lady, and I hesitate at using the word lady, some money. Does this person reuse the pieces of fabric? Don't think the toilet would like having pieces of fabric flushed through it's system! If the fabric is reused, yes the stench in that bathroom would kill a horsefly. Geeze, what are some people thinking...lol
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
25 Aug 12
Oh my....no...that is a definite need in my book. Some people really are extreme when it comes to saving money but it is not always rational to me. There is the time one takes to wash and replace the cloth to consider..not to mention the smell that you said. In my opinion it would cost a lot more to do without it than to have it. I am keeping my toilet paper..lol.
