How Cheap Can You Get?
By tsgirl01
@tsgirl01 (900)
United States
April 17, 2007 4:58pm CST
I had a conversation with a co-worker the other day. We were talking about buying paper towels. She said that she likes to buy the paper towels that you can rip and use only half of one instead of the whole paper towel. She also said that she uses a paper towel quite a few times before she throws them out. She said that she will dry her hands on a paper towel, let it dry and use it a few more times. My question is...is there anyone else out here who does that? I think this is a bit extreme...What do you think???
12 people like this
23 responses
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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.
2 people like this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Hi there, I like the towels that you can rip half off of too. I just buy them when they are on sale. My 99 cent store sells them sometimes and I buy a few when I can. I agree that if you are going to reuse it might as well be a regular towel. Thanks for responding and take care...
4 people like this
@peavey (16936)
• United States
18 Apr 07
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?
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Hi there peavey, how are you doing? I don't think that you are cheap because you don't use paper towels. You are saving the planet by not using them. Some of us just use them and it's ok either way as far as I am concerned. Thanks for your response, take care...
2 people like this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
18 Apr 07
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.
1 person likes this
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@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Sorry for the text speak I guess I have just gotten so used to all the short hand ways to type from all my groups. MIL = Mother In Law
1 person likes this
@goshimhappy (334)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Around here we use toilet paper instead of these "paper towels" you rich folks use.
1 person likes this
@CatNPK (461)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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.
1 person likes this
@nancygibson (3736)
• France
18 Apr 07
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.
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
21 Apr 07
Hi nancygibson, how are you? I will talk to my co-worker/friend and tell her what you and others have suggested. Cloth towels would definately be a better choice, she also loves to do laundry. Cloth toilet wipes are very expensive here, so I don't think lots of people would find that to be a solution. Just curiosity here...do you mean just one square of a toilet paper to wipe? I am not trying to be fresh, I just wonder if that is what you meant? You have a wonderful weekend...hope to hear from you again and thank you so much for responding...
1 person likes this
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
18 Apr 07
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.
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
20 Apr 07
Thank you for responding. I think that you are right. The reason that we have paper towels is because they are disposable. They are meant to be thrown away. I think that if you buy them they are to be tossed. Thanks for your discussion. I do respect the way a person decides to do something but I think this is not a good practice...Take care...
1 person likes this
@lloydanthony111 (4698)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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
1 person likes this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Hi there lloydanthony111, how are you doing? You just made my day, I had to laugh about you saying that you "just might be cheap"! I don't think you are cheap, just frugal. I reuse my freezer bags too. I wash them out and let them drip dry. If I froze fish in a bag, I will only freeze more fish in it. Basically, I reuse the bags for the same types of items. It was nice to hear from you, thank you for your good response...Take care...Your friend...tsgirl01
2 people like this
@x3temptationx (677)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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!
1 person likes this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Hi there x3temptationx, I'm happy I made someone laugh today. I think that we all hear stories like the world's cheapest man. It is funny to hear about seperating two layer toilet paper, that is priceless...no pun intended! I guess we all have our little quirks but I just cannot see using the same paper towel several times for your hands. I'd rather just use a cloth towel. Thanks for responding and take care...
2 people like this
@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
18 Apr 07
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.
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@howard96h (11640)
• New York, New York
19 Apr 07
I don't know if I'm the only person that feels like this but I HATE the smell of Bounty. For me it has a smell that really annoys me. If I can find Brawny I will but that one or any other off brand. Do you notice the smell in Bounty?
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
21 Apr 07
Hi howard96h, I have to say hmmmm....to your comment. I have never noticed a funny smell from the Bounty paper towels. I will have to check this out. When I catch them on sale again, I will let you know if I notice something funny. Thanks for the comment, it gave me something to think about...and here's something for you to think about...remember the old commercials about Bounty? The quicker picker upper??? Remember Nancy Walker who did the commercials? She was in "McMillan and Wife", the TV show. Perhaps you are too young to remember the show. She had been on the "Mary Tyler Moore Show", and "Carol Burnett's Show too. Check out the pic...Take care and have a good weekend...
1 person likes this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
19 Apr 07
Hi there howard96h, how are you doing? Thanks for responding, I too use kitchen towels while I am in the kitchen. At the 99 cent store I get Bounty Towels for cheap. I put them in the bathroom for drying hands after coming indoors. We get so many germs from outdoors. I just want to dry my hands and drop it in the trash can. I would rarely use a paper towel more then once. Thanks for the compliment about my topic being a good one. Take care, hope to hear from you soon...
1 person likes this
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@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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!!!
1 person likes this
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I agree with you Michele21, it is pretty funny. And I know that we all have our own way of doing things. I just have my little ways just as we all do. I could not see myself letting a paper towel dry on my counter either...Thanks for your response...Take care now...
2 people like this
@prestocaro (1252)
• United States
18 Apr 07
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.
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
17 Apr 07
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.
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
17 Apr 07
Hi there, thank you for responding. I too use half a towel when I don't need the whole thing. It even sounds ok to use it again to spot clean and such...But to use it over and over to dry your hands? I think that is a bit much. It seems as though the towel will be dirty and drying your hands on it again and again would just spread germs. Thanks for responding...Waste not, want not is very good, I understand that and think it is a good idea. Take care...
3 people like this
@vanities (11395)
• Davao, Philippines
18 Apr 07
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..
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
21 Apr 07
Hi there vanities, How are you doing? You sound just like me...I always throw them away. That's what I always thought paper towels were for. I live and let live, I just wanted to know how others felt about the subject. Thanks so much for responding...you have a nice weekend and take care...
@cipher2004 (1183)
• United States
19 Apr 07
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.
@steney (1418)
• Philippines
18 Apr 07
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?
@tsgirl01 (900)
• United States
21 Apr 07
Hi there steney, yes I find it to be too extreme. I think of germs just passing on and on. I will suggest what you said about the cloths,they would be a better option as far as I see. I am not phobic but I know that we come home with so many germs and paper towels are meant to be disposed of so that we eliminate germs. Thanks for responding and you have a great weekend...Take care...
1 person likes this
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