How Cheap Can You Get?

The new roomie does something like this, but she will also use these "used" towels to kill bugs or clean up cat messes.

I do like the ones that do rip off at the half sheet because there are times that is all you need. I just normally can't afford those and buy the el cheapo paper towels when I can buy them. I don't reuse them though. I use and throw away. If I'm going to reuse like that I might as well use a regular towel and wash it as needed. That would make more sense.

I guess if that's cheap, then I'm really cheap! :) I don't use paper towels at all. I've never seen a real need for them, when I have rags and hand towels that I can wash and reuse. Why pay for something you don't need?

My MIL washes out her paper towels so she can keep reusing them. She is a eco. crazy person. Everything in her house gets reused and recycled. Personally I just toss them out I too wouldn't like having a towel just laying around on the counter all day.

Around here we use toilet paper instead of these "paper towels" you rich folks use.

I never use paper towels. I use towels. Made of cloth. They last virtually forever and hand drying towels at home rarely need to be washed. Paper towels are a waste of trees, not to mention the pocketbook. So no, I don't think your co-worker is going too far - I don't think she is going far enough.

Why doesnt she just use a cloth towel that she can wash over an dover again? Thats much cheaper than drying your hands on apaper towel. I'm all for being nice to the environement and not throwing out more than needed, but surely a cloth towel would be better.I wouldnt go as far as cloth toilet wipes though, I know some people do but I find that a bit distasteful, I do always try to encourage my family to use as little toilet paper as will sensibly do the job though, I get cross when I see evidence that peopel have used miles of loo roll when usually one sheet is more than adequate.

I actually find this a bit disgusting. even if her hands are clean there might still be germs and that means that they get stuck on the towel and then again applied to her hands or whatever she uses it for the next time. Sure you can be aware of finances but this is something i would not cut back on.

I don't rip them in half, but I do use them over if I only used it to clean up a small spill on in the kitchen. It's not because I'm cheap, it's because I don't like being unnecessarily wasteful. I also reuse my freezer bags. If they don't have any holes in them, I don't see any reason to just throw them in the trash. Now that I'm reading what I just wrote, I might just be cheap. lol Your friend. Lloyd

That made me laugh hah, I can't say that I've ever done that! But it does remind me something I seen on tv around the worlds cheapest man. Some things he did were buy the two layer toilet paper and spend all day just wripping the two layers apart and then rolling them back up. He would also use a half of a paper towel, and he had a clothes line in his house that he hung them up to dry. He also would buy maybe a small fry at mcdonalds and then take a lot of the ketchup and put it in the bottle he has at home (over 10 years old!). It was just absolutely crazy, and the funny thing is...he does this all because he doesn't want to get a job!

Hi tsgirl, I use kitchen towels for my hands and the paper towels for other things. I too get mine at the 99 cent / dollar store and when I get the ones that you can rip in half, I will use them for little spils, etc. I very rarely would reuse a paper towel. Good topic you started.

I think that is really funny!! And no I don't do that!! I would go crazy having a crumpled papertowel layed out on the counter drying =) Everyone saves money in different ways and I guess that is her way =) Too funny though if you ask me!!!

That seems weird to me as well. why not just use a dishtowel to dry your hands? I use the same dishtowel to dry my hands all day. That is usually all that touches the towel, is my clean hands. At the end of the day, I use the towel to clean the counters. I only use paper towels for spills and the like. Or for lining my produce bags (it helps the produce stay crisp longer). Your co-worker sounds cheap, lol! I mean, they are paper and meant to be thrown away. That is why we have sponges, dishtowels, etc.

I often only rip off half a sheet of paper towel at a time. Why waste it if you dont need the whole sheet. I'll save it too if I've only dried my hands on it,then i'll use it to spot clean the floor or pick up something yucky. Waste not Want not.

I like to use half a towel too sometimes. I also sometimes just leave a lightly used towel on the counter and reuse it once or twice. I generally use dishtowels to dry my hands to avoid being wasteful to save money and help the environment.

i dont do that thing..i usually throw paper towels after every used not reused it again..however if it is the way she thinks she can save more money then lets give her a benefit of our doubt and let it be..its a wise thinking you know reusing it after drying her hands..

I never buy paper towels or napkins.When we go to fast food restaraunts we just take a few extra.Now that is cheap!As for resusing a paper towel I don't think I would go that far.It seems kinda unsanitary.

That's quite extreme, I must second the motion. I really never thought of that. Maybe if she has the habit of doing that thinking that it will save her money, then maybe you could suggest that she use a towelette/cloth instead for the purpose of wiping her hands after washing. It will save her money because she won't have to buy paper towels for that anymore. The cloth can be washed by after using it a couple of times, or till it gets dirty. Maybe as for reusing paper towels, I can use it again for wiping dirt or just anything after using it on my hands, for example. But to use it for that purpose, then dry it again so I can wipe my hands again with it, is quite odd, don't you think?

hahaha its ok to count your pennies and its good to save money but sometimes people can be really cheap. Its good not to waste money but sometimes the cheap option is not always the best option and may cost you more than you expect.

There have no question,you are right.