10 Jan 2007 10:25 AM

5 Ways to Save on Toilet Paper

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

     

toilet paper Perhaps changing diapers all day long has had an effect on me. The last few blogs have been concerned with sawdust toilets and people using newspaper as bathroom tissue. So why not keep with the potty theme? Here are five ways to save on toilet paper.

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1.Use less. I've never been frugal when it comes to toilet paper. I probably use too much. The standard frugal guide is three or four sheets. If you fold it instead of grabbing a bunch and crinkling it up, you will need less. A wad of toilet paper will have more sheets in it that a fold.

2. Buy a lower priced brand. I think this works only to a point. If the paper is too thin, you'll wind up using more of it. Some people swear their family uses the same amount no matter which brand they buy.

3. Separate two-ply paper into two rolls. A friend of mine swears this works. When she gets home from the store, she and the kids go to work separating out the two ply roll so that there is a layer or "ply" per roll. She uses empty toilet paper tubes to roll the separated toilet paper and keep things neat.

4. Use something else. Beside newspaper, frugal people use all sorts of things as a substitute for toilet paper.

You can make your own flannel wipes to dry yourself. Flannel can be bought for less than $1 a yard sometimes, especially if it is a seasonal flannel. Cut the flannel into squares and you are all set. You will need a bucket or wipe box to store the used flannel until you have enough to wash.

You can also just rinse with a squirt bottle and use a washcloth to dry. You might even get cleaner with a rinse instead of wiping with toilet paper.

5. Buy it on sale with coupons, of course. You can go to the Deals Forum here at Families.com to find coupons and sales. Or check out the Deals Blog.

Related Articles:

Would You Use A Sawdust Toilet?

Frugal Conservation: Save that Soap

3 Practical Tips to Save Money on Bathroom Products

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

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Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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4 comments so far

Julie Gentry (5881) 11 Jan 2007 03:02 AM

I pride myself on being cheap, but this is just too much! lol. One of my friends takes a knife and CUTS hers. All the way through. That way her kids are only getting two(?) pieces at a time. She swears it cut the use in half. Me, I think I'd rather find another way to save the dollar and not have stinky kids ;-).

Mary Ann Romans (20819) 11 Jan 2007 04:29 AM

I never heard of cutting the toilet paper. That is interesting. I think you are right about the stinky kids. It is tough enough to teach them good bathroom habits.

Oonie (60) 28 Jan 2007 09:05 PM

I must add one BIG caveat to this: we were "welcomed" to our new-to-us house with a massive backup of the sewer line 6 weeks after moving in. The plumber told us that only single-ply Scott toilet paper (yes, he told us the brand, without kickbacks) could EVER go down our pipes if we wanted to keep them flushing. Even a single baby wipe or a couple of tissues have been known to clog our line. I shudder to think what newspaper would do. And snaking a line makes it very un-frugal indeed!

Mary Ann Romans (20819) 29 Jan 2007 05:53 AM

Plumbing problems are definitely unfrugal! I've nver used newspaper myself, but I don't imagine people actually flush it. What they do with it, I don't know. But maybe they use it with a swadust toilet?

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