[Seirith]

I have been reading the "going extreme" thread and see some things I could just never ever ever do even if it would save me money so it got me thinking..what would other people here never do, even if it is frugal?


I am just not going to skip showering, save urine, not flush the toilet or use reusable toilet paper no matter how much money it save me!

So just is just too far for you and your family?

[Goddessoflubbock]

I read those and thought geez I must be a slacker!! I draw the line at hygiene

I've also had children despite knowing how expensive they are. I have already gotten back more than I put in!

I've been couponing for 30+ years. I can't imagine ever shopping without them

[Susuz]

Won't save the urine either, but will follow the "when it's yellow let it mellow,when it's brown flush it down" school of thought! It was the way I was raised (tree hugger to the core parents) and besides with 4 kids and one bathroom it never waited long!

I know I would go further and be "too frugal" if it was really a necessity and made the difference between starving but thankfully I am not currently in that situation.

[babymk]

No offense to the folks on that forum, but where would you keep urine? I saw someone waters it down for fertilzer. I think I would much rather use horse manure (horse person to the end!). Just sounds so....icky. And I grew up in icky conditions when I was a child. (Mom is a terrible hoarder and not much of a housekeeper)

SOME of the ideas in that thread make sense. Others....not for me.

[clp8904]

All of the above I would never get to that extreme. The one thing that I can't forget about reading is a reusable womanly cup. I forget what it's called, but I can get feminine products free or cheap and im not going to even think about trying it.

[deneisetorres]

Same here. I agree with all of the OP's post!. Daily showers & regular flushing are continuing at my house.

[Livml]

I love that extreme thread. I could not do all those things though. But its just like extreme couponing or the hoarding shows. Extreme is just that. You just take what you like.... (or in the hoarding scenario - see what not to do) and leave out the crazy. What's crazy to you of course. Lol.

But to answer the original question ..... I can't do without paper towels. So simple to leave out I guess. But its a simple thing I love. Especially for toilets! In my mind all the dirt is being spread around! That's why I hate mopping.... matter of fact anything that is used to clean other things im particular about. Like towels,sponges, toothbrushes, mops, etc.

[endlesoul]

I'm in agreement with the rest of you and no offense to the extreme frugal people. I can't imagine using cloths to wipe after toileting and then soaking them to wash latter. Yes I've read that but not sure if on here or another frugal site.

How is that saving anything. You soak them after use, then rinse before you put into washer. Next you run it through a pre-wash cycle, wash & sanitize, dry. Ditto with menstrual washable pads. I guess if you have cloth diapers to wash and you do them together. BUT I know from having my broken washer taken apart to see it. The plastic drum under the one you put your clothes in (the one that holds the water the other has holes ). You wouldn't believe what happens there. Imagine your bathtub the ring around it from soap, body skin/oil etc if left for awhile it is really yucky and built up. YES this is what happens in your washer. Unless you run a hot only and soak with oxy type product . Anyway if you wash those type of products you could have a build up of fecal matter and bacteria. So you would have to run the washer on hot quite a bit to keep sanitary.
So you have to expell more energy to heat the water, run the washer and dryer and more water. Not to mention the time. I can understand the new cloth diapers since some children have a good reason to use them. But using reusable cloth for toileting and periods geeze.

[andrea044027]

I read a frugal tip in a magazine almost 20 years ago and it really grossed me out. The tip was to use ear wax to moisturize your lips instead of chapstick. Ewww. I don't think so.

[bebelaw04]

Theres an extreme thread? I did not know that and will be looking at it after this post!

One thing I heard when my children were babies was reusable wipes, that really grossed me out.

Never heard the ear wax thing. YUCK! I'll fork over the dollar for a tube of chapstick thank you, !

[Rachael4978]

Originally Posted by Seirith

I have been reading the "going extreme" thread and see some things I could just never ever ever do even if it would save me money so it got me thinking..what would other people here never do, even if it is frugal?

I am just not going to skip showering, save urine, not flush the toilet or use reusable toilet paper no matter how much money it save me!

So just is just too far for you and your family?

Each family to it's own! I can not flush yellow! On a rain water system and with the EXTREME TX drought, just can't waste the water, I used AC collected water to water the trees I have left, yes it is a lot of work, but what needs to be done. My extreme is someone else's normal. It is all about what you are comfortable doing. It is all relative :-) to some I am rich to others I am poor, to me I do what I have too :-)!

[cyndibru]

Everything on that thread is too extreme for me! More power to them, but I'm really lazy <g>. Heck, I don't even remember reusable bags the vast majority of the time. And I don't use the plastic ones in my small wastebaskets either because I don't like the way they look. And I refuse to be uncomfortable in my own home so I won't turn down the thermostat in the winter or up in the summer. I know I probably SHOULD care more, but I just can't seem to make myself.

[2vette2camaro]

Ok, here's what I WON'T do- I know some people who drink their own urine, yeah I know!

[EMunion777]

Hahaha! I started that "going extreme" post. I like this thread. I wouldn't save urine, nor drink it 2vette2camaro. . I couldn't use reusable feminine priducts. Yuck! And I use disposable diaper wipes and diapers. I can't do poo. I do however have a "recipe" for baby wipes. They're disposable too though.

[Goddessoflubbock]

Why would someone drink urine?? The kidneys are a scrubber, and urine is like your dirty washwater. Chou are drinking the toxins your body worked hard to get rid of!!

I've been couponing for 30+ years. I can't imagine ever shopping without them

[EMunion777]

I feel I must add though that I don't look down on anyone who chooses to do those things. Those things just aren't for me. People do what they have to do and what works best for them and their family. And I actually thank a lot of those woman for letting us know what they do. I can learn to be a little more frugal too. What one person thinks is extreme, another may not. And vice versa. Okay... i'm done. (:

[nwfrugalista]

I read that thread and admire some of the 'extreme' measures, some of them the are VERY inventive and I will be using a few of the tips for sure, but I admit that some of the tips were beyond my frugal capabilities--with two kiddos, I cannot imagine no paper towels, and I use disposable cleaning wipes (b/c I am a germ.a.phobe. and don't want them commingling in the wash with other stuff and won't run the wash unless full to save the water) I guess sometimes being frugal in one way conflicts with another frugal practice. Everybody has to do what works for them

[Winterbunny]

Where is that thread at?

[Winterbunny]

Duh I found it... nevermind.. duh

[mcgallicher]

Originally Posted by cyndibru

Everything on that thread is too extreme for me! More power to them, but I'm really lazy <g>. Heck, I don't even remember reusable bags the vast majority of the time. And I don't use the plastic ones in my small wastebaskets either because I don't like the way they look. And I refuse to be uncomfortable in my own home so I won't turn down the thermostat in the winter or up in the summer. I know I probably SHOULD care more, but I just can't seem to make myself.

I'm with you on the thermostat. I do a lot of the things on that other thread, because that is how I was raised and it comes naturally to me. But I won't wear long underwear inside the house. I tried keeping the thermostat lowered the first year we lived in our new house, and I honestly didn't see any savings as compared to keeping it at a more comfortable setting for my body temperature.

[MichiganMama9607]

Originally Posted by mcgallicher

I'm with you on the thermostat. I do a lot of the things on that other thread, because that is how I was raised and it comes naturally to me. But I won't wear long underwear inside the house. I tried keeping the thermostat lowered the first year we lived in our new house, and I honestly didn't see any savings as compared to keeping it at a more comfortable setting for my body temperature.

my bill is the same all year.i like it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. im not going to freeze in my own house and bundle up and be uncomfortable to save a few dollars.no swetting it out in the summer either.

alot of the frugal things are to frugal for me. i do do a few things that i think save money. but im pretty sure ill never be extreme about it.

[faeryedark]

Originally Posted by babymk

No offense to the folks on that forum, but where would you keep urine? I saw someone waters it down for fertilzer. I think I would much rather use horse manure (horse person to the end!). Just sounds so....icky. And I grew up in icky conditions when I was a child. (Mom is a terrible hoarder and not much of a housekeeper)

SOME of the ideas in that thread make sense. Others....not for me.

We lived in Amish country when I was young. I remember many a summer Wednesday (market day) alongside the road, holding open a bag while my mom shoveled manure for her garden

[midwestmama]

To each their own, but most of the things on that thread are not going to happen here, LOL!! Although I try to get good deals, there are some things I will gladly spend on!!

[andrea044027]

Originally Posted by midwestmama

To each their own, but most of the things on that thread are not going to happen here, LOL!! Although I try to get good deals, there are some things I will gladly spend on!!

I totally agree. Some things are worth the money!