I am shocked
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52762)
Staten Island, New York
June 4, 2026 1:11pm CST
I saw videos of this female on Instagram where she talks about things she does to save money and I was quite shocked. I wonder if these things are actually true.
One thing the family does is everybody uses the same toothbrush. No way would I put a toothbrush in my mouth that someone else has used, regardless of who it is. And in another video she said they ran out of toothpaste, so she used dove soap to brush her teeth. She said it does a good job. I wouldn’t want to do that either.
Another thing the family does is not use toilet paper. Instead, they use a sponge on a wooden stick to wipe themselves. And they rinse it in a bucket filled with either vinegar or vinegar and water, I forget which. And when it comes to flushing the toilet they do it only once a week. They even have what she called a poop knife, which they use to cut the poop so the toilet doesn’t clog. I am all for saving money but I wouldn’t do something like this.
20 people like this
19 responses
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Jun
I wouldn’t do that either. Even if someone paid me.
4 people like this
@Ineeddentures (39560)
•
6 Jun
@lovebuglena
I don't know about that Lena.
Say someone said 100 bucks to use the poop knife.
I bet you would do it.
I would
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Jun
@Ineeddentures not sure if I’d use a poop knife or not but I definitely wouldn’t wipe my butt with a sponge on a stick.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (123680)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Jun
I would not use the method mentioned in this post to clean up my anatomy at all.
3 people like this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
I find it strange and I don’t even know if it’s very effective.
2 people like this
@Deepizzaguy (123680)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
5 Jun
@lovebuglena I know what you mean.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (170229)
• United States
4 Jun
It sounds like a scam. I have heard of some of these things but toothbrushes are cheap. Baking soda is a good toothpaste substitute. This is just crazy if it is true.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (85591)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5 Jun
Are you sure you weren't watching extreme cheep skates?
2 people like this
@kaylachan (85591)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5 Jun
@lovebuglena Sounds like the show extreme cheepskates to me. Aside from the poop thing, the other things were featured on that show.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
Nope. I was on Instagram and a few videos came on my feed.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (505517)
• Italy
5 Jun
@lovebuglena - Soap is really bad for teeth, it disrupt the balance of bacteria in the mouth.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
In one of the videos, she said she was using soap to brush teeth because she ran out of toothpaste. Not sure if they ever use baking soda.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
@LadyDuck I definitely wouldn’t try brushing with soap.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (99386)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
4 Jun
Now you made me rather queasy, I am always shor to funds but I would never do any of these things,
3 people like this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Jun
Sometimes people go to extremes to save money. This fits into that category I think.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (87979)
• United States
4 Jun
No way would I use the same toothbrush. That's now "saving money," given that you can buy a ten-pack of them for $2 at the Dollar Tree. Now, I do use old wash rags for "pee rags," and clean them thoroughly instead of using toilet paper. But for "#2," it's always toilet paper.
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Jun
I’d say even a cheap toothbrush is better than using someone else’s.
2 people like this
@Traceyjayne (12568)
• United Kingdom
5 Jun
I would not do any of those things ……disgusting !
1 person likes this
@Traceyjayne (12568)
• United Kingdom
5 Jun
@lovebuglena I don’t actually believe some of them …..
1 person likes this
@mininifty (177)
• Belmont, Michigan
5 Jun
It sounds like something from a humorous series like The Onion, but as far as the knife specifically, that was a big deal on Reddit several years ago; someone admitted that their family had one, and he grew up thinking it was something most people used, and then he started talking about it to other people when he was like twenty or so and realized that few other families have one.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
Never heard of The Onion. Wow in reference to the Reddit thing. I hope there aren’t many that do this.
1 person likes this
@mininifty (177)
• Belmont, Michigan
5 Jun
@lovebuglena Actually, the Reddit guy and his family flush every day, but you know, when things are too big to flush, they needed a plan.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
@mininifty Oh. I wonder how many times does this Instagram person actually flush the toilet if she does it only on Fridays? There’s no way one flush would do the job after not flushing for a week.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (223811)
• United States
9 Jun
They had a reality TV show about cheapskate people a few years ago. It's amazing what they will do.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
9 Jun
Again, it’s hard for me to say if this is staged or real, but this lady posted another video where she took out chicken from a plastic storage bag that the neighbor had thrown out and she was actually ripping off pieces and eating them.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (223811)
• United States
10 Jun
@lovebuglena That makes me want to throw up.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Jun
I bet you don’t use a poop puncher either. 
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
7 Jun
@porwest This IG person I wrote about here was gifted a poop puncher. It’s a metal fist attached to a long stick. I guess she uses that to break up the poop into smaller bits.
@MarieCoyle (60754)
•
5 Jun
This is not only completely disgusting, but having a toilet full and not flushing it..the germs from the contents are floating through the air, ready to make people sick. The idea of doing this is a big huge NO from me..ugh.
It would be more sanitary to use a bucket and a plastic bag rather than resort to this. I can't even imagine
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
This is going to extremes to save money and I would not do such a thing.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (60754)
•
6 Jun
@lovebuglena
I agree, this is so unsanitary and really is disgusting.
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (39560)
•
6 Jun
I did here about the poop sponge many years ago on here from a guy from Nigeria so I do somewhat believe that bit.
Although I think even more thrifty would be using ones hand and a jug of water to cleanse after pooping
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Jun
You mean wipe the butt solely with the hand?
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
6 Jun
@Ineeddentures yuck! There wasn’t even a cloth or napkin or newspaper?
1 person likes this
@Ineeddentures (39560)
•
6 Jun
@lovebuglena
Yes indeed
And then one rinsed the hand with the jug.
I had to do that when I had to go do a dump in a Muslim household I was staying in.
There was no toilet paper.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Jun
I am sorry about that. I am one for saving money but I’d never do something like that no matter what.
2 people like this
@allen0187 (59989)
• Philippines
5 Jun
That is some extreme way to save money.
No, I certainly won't do any of those things.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (59989)
• Philippines
6 Jun
@lovebuglena I'll save money in other more conventional ways.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
Apparently not only does she save lots of money, but the toilet never gets clogged and there’s no need for a plumber.
@LeaPea2417 (40181)
• Toccoa, Georgia
4 Jun
That is awful. Using one toothbrush is highly unsanitary. It is a known fact that baking soda can be used to brush your teeth and it is not expensive. And, the toilet paper issue? Toilet paper is not that expensive. It is a gift to mankind. Whoever invented it is a wonderful person. I honestly think toilet paper has prevented excess disease on the human race. That Instagram person you watched is weird.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
4 Jun
Baking soda may be okay for teeth but bar soap? Toilet paper is not cheap especially if you get three-ply paper. But you can get one-ply paper for much less.
2 people like this
@pitsipeahie (5759)
•
5 Jun
I wonder how true that is too, but that’s honestly one of the most disgusting ways I’ve heard of to save money! 
I think I remember watching something similar on YouTube before, those “extreme cheapskates” videos.
I think I remember watching something similar on YouTube before, those “extreme cheapskates” videos.1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52762)
• Staten Island, New York
5 Jun
If she talks about it in more than one video, it’s probably true.
1 person likes this
