Extreme Cheapskates

T

Tracyfish

New member
Cloth toilet paper?
Dumpster diving for an anniversary present?
Taking ketchup packets from restaurants and then emptying them in your ketchup bottle?

This show on TLC is crazy!

Do you do anything a little different to "save a buck"?

I will say I'm quite the waster...which is awful!!
 
I've actually considered using cloth wipes for toilet paper... I think it cleans so much better than paper toilet paper and since I already clean cloth diapers I already do it with Asher, so why not the rest of the family LOL... and yes, I know I'm a hippie :p
 
Yea h - you'll consider us cheap.

We don't put the packets of ketchup or other condiments in our container in the fridge, but we do have a little bucket that we throw them into to use...or if it fills, we donate it to the food pantry (people really like them), but we don't go out of our way to get extras.

I do use homemade cloth pads. Just like using disposable diapers, better for my girlie bits, and I made them custom for my body..instead of how commercial ones fit, and no grody chemicals.

We don't use paper towels, but have a rag drawer. We use cloth napkins or napkins gleaned from our fast food bags. (but don't go grab more than we'll ever use to stock our home).

We do collect dryer lint..but we do use it to make little fire starter packets that the boys give our families for Christmas every year.

And like Heather, have thought about using cloth wipes for me (not for the boys, though - ew). But I haven't gone there, yet.

I do not, however, scrape out toothpaste, dumpster dive or collect old cat litter to throw on the driveway for ice days lol
 
I've heard of cloth TP before... although I could never do it!

I think I have a weak stomach... watching that guy devour a goat's head... EW!
 
OMG I have to see this show! LOL - Sounds fascinating!

We don't really go cheap here. Let's see.. We have a bag of Taco Bell hot sauce that we add to whenever we get more. And I used to grab sugar packets from restaurants just so I never ran out for my coffee, lol. Umm... Oh we use cloth handkerchiefs, not tissue. That's about all I can think of.
 
I saw that show a long time ago. I was kind of intrigued by it. We are cheapskates but not 'extreme' cheapskates. I'd rather get my toilet paper super cheap with coupons and sales and stock up than use cloth. I used cloth diapers and that was fine (and I used cloth wipes with my diapers) but I think adult and older kid poo is a LOT different and I don't want to mess with it! Ick. When we first moved to Kansas we stayed with an aunt. She lived in the country and they threw their used toilet paper in a paper bag beside the toilet and then burned it every few days. The bathroom always stunk and the day they burned it was the worst. I get nauseous just thinking about a bucket of cloth poo cloths sitting there. Ugh.
 
Is this the one that had the guy who bartered for the engagement party for his friends? Cuz I have a story about that one...
 
Are my in-law's family on that show? haha

My FIL's family only uses one square of toilet paper... if you need more, that is what a wash cloth is for... that is what Grandpa Kuch taught... they also take extras of everything... jam, creamers, sugar packets, etc... even in hotels, my hubby's uncle will take everything that is not bolted down, including all the toilet paper still on the roll. They re-use coffee grounds until the coffee made is clear water... and the list goes on and on... :o

My hubby does not subscribe to any of this... but he was KING of the family when he worked for a company that made machines that make toilet paper... and he got free product....
 
LOL, I haven't seen that show...however, given that we do a fair amount of fast food eating, I will admit to saving ketchup packets to use. I will never, however, empty them into a bottle :D
 
Well...I think there is common sense and then there is just going overboard! I put myself in the common sense category which is to be responsible with supplies, but not uber frugal!
 
Well, I'm a combo I guess. I try to not waste a lot and use things that are better for our bodies and our wallet, but I also buy paper plates for lunches because we have so little time to fit it in with school, and I just need the sanity it saves me from yet another load of dishes to wash each day (no dishwasher). I did cloth diaper (kids are all out of diapers now), I use cloth pads for myself, I use not-paper towels (basically flannel fabric cut and serged into rags), compost, use homemade cleaning products. I used to make my own laundry soap but kind of got away from that when our washer died (we were in a rental and they didn't replace it) and we started using the laundromat. Oh and I make our own bar soap to use - not necessarily more green, but cheaper and better for us.
 
I'm not cheap, but I like the idea of a little container to put your extra sauces/packets from a restaurant/fast food place in :) We almost always get ours to go so there is usually a ton of somethign left in the bag wheter it be ketchup/ranch sauce/taco bell sauce and I never even considered saving it, but I think I will cause actually I think that is pretty frugal! But I would never take the time to dump it in my ketchup bottle, that is too much damn work :thumbdown: now I must see this show!
 
I'm cheap but not that cheap haha.

My nana is pretty bad, a few of us went out for dinner once and she went to the ketchup bit and grabbed loads then said 'oh my supply from last time is low so I need more' she got wrong off my mam lol.
 
Oh my, I don't do any of that! I'm a big waster I'm afraid! Most of the time I even forget to eat leftovers in the fridge and I eventually have to throw them away... But we do compost! :)
 
Julie Billingsley said:
I wanna hear the story!
Click to expand...

Oh, the guy who does the bartering is the best friend of one of my good friends. The whole thing was totally set up for the cameras -- the businesses essentially donated the products for the publicity of being on TV. I'm sure he did the things he said he'd do in barter, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't barter on a daily basis.... cuz I'm pretty sure I had appetizers and drinks with him at Applebees and he paid for it.

The thing that still burns me is the whole engagement party thing. My friend (who is male) had been dating a girl he met at church. He was ready to propose -- had picked out a ring and everything -- and the girl said he was too controlling and broke up with him via text message out of the blue. It really devastated him. Then three months later she gets engaged to one of their mutual friends. So my friend's "best friend" decides that to get on TV, he'll throw them an engagement party. Just on behalf of my friend, it leaves such a bad taste in my mouth.

Total gossip and by far not the most controversial part of that show, but it just makes me wonder if the whole thing isn't more made up for cameras than actual day to day reality...
 
Kim, having talked to a couple of people that have been on the Extreme Couponing or Doomsday Prepper shows - a lot is made up fro the camera - A LOT. It's edited to extreme and they put the folks in situations and ask them to be more out there because then it gets people talking and watching just like we're doing now ;)

That's not to say that there aren't extreme folks out there...but even folks who might fall under a more normal category but with a quirk are portrayed to be a lot more extreme than they really are.
 
Wow Kim! Good inside scoop on that one! Yes, that was one of the shows that was on that I was watching. I know a lot of reality TV is scripted so that doesn't surprise me.
 
I'm quite fond of toilet paper as well.

And the Bounty paper towels that come off in small sheets.

I do have rags & towels that we use as well and we save condiment packages & napkins from restuarants plus freecycle & craigslist stuff rather than buy new materials. Our two story shed & the mud room were both built using 85% recovered materials. Better for the environment & better for our wallet.
 
Having worked at Starbucks... I have some stories.

There's "frugal" and "cheap" and then there's stealing... and cheating. LOL! We once had a lady who would purchase a shot of espresso and then ask for it in a venti cup, she'd then go over to the bar to fill her cup with the entire pitcher of milk. Basically made herself a venti latte (of course it was stone cold) for the price of a $1-something shot of espresso. We gave it to her for a long time like that, but eventually the manager cracked down on it.

Another woman would come in, purchase a newspaper, then use the restroom for what seemed like a VERY long time. Not long after, someone would tell us the bathroom was out of TP. And, lo and behold, not a stitch of TP in there... not even in our LOCKED cabinets. Don't ask me how she always slipped out of there with 10 rolls of it. We had to start keeping the TP in the backroom.

And, there's always the people stuffing their pockets full with the sugar packets, especially splenda. In my opinion, you take what you think you'll need... and maybe 1 or 2 extras just in case, but any more than that is stealing. :p
 
I'm not a big waster, but then I'm not a cheapskate either. I sign up new accounts with the same supermarket every 2 weeks just so I get the £15 off on my big fortnight shop (I know it's technically wrong but they've had my loyalty for years) and I will work out how much I'm paying per sheet of toilet paper, and I am careful to check so-called offers - we get a lot of trick ones over here like 400g coffee for £5.89 or the special offer - 200g coffee for £3, I know it's only pence but it's the principal of the matter. :p

My grandmother used to have this friend who would hang teabags on a little piece of string in her kitchen after each cup of tea she made, she'd use them at least 3 times but sometimes more. Totally weird.
 
I'm definitely a "middle of the road" cheapskate, LOL. We use reusable containers whenever possible (water bottles, plastic lunch containers, etc), get the select-a-size paper towels so we don't waste big sheets on small jobs, and sometimes wash plastic baggies (the bigger, more expensive ones; I'm too lazy to do it for every single one). We donate or consign things we're done with. I save restaurant extras but never take extras just to use at home. I usually use less laundry detergent or cleaner than the directions say so it stretches farther. But yeah...I don't do anything that would land me on a show like that.
 
We had to take all of the condiments out of the lobby for just that reason! People would come in and steal it by the handful!

Personally, I'm a waster.
 
I can honestly say I have never in my life heard of homemade cloth toilet paper or cloth pads.

I couldn't do it.
 
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