This tip has got to be the height of frugality. Perhaps it's gone beyond frugality and into the realm of pure stinginess. Simply divide the match by working a fingernail or other sharp object into the side center at bottom, and gently spread the two halves apart. Both pieces usually work well even though they seldom are of the same thickness.
Guffaw if you will, I can imagine a family on a camping trip, down to their last few matches and finding this little tip to be most useful.
My real reason for posting this tip was to see if I could go one better than the tip I just finished reading. It told of reusing paper coffee filters. I don't think my tip can be topped for frugality. I invite you to try.
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This is soo funny! I would just love to see someone top this tip!
I think it's good to inject a bit of humor into ThriftyFun occasionally. Though I tend to overdo it and this entry is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
There was a TV show a few years ago called "Extreme Cheapskates." There was a couple who showered together and used the same shampoo, literally. She'd lather up and then he'd use the lather on his head. Then, gross, gross, gross--they used the same toothbrush and, double gross and still an image I'd like to get out of my head, the same dental floss. AAAGH! I wonder if the dentist will treat them as one when they go in with gum disease.
Another woman would knock out her teeth when she got a cavity, rather than going to the dentist. She and her family were just nasty, sharing cold bath water, not using toilet paper, but newspaper. More images I've tried to forget.
Back to the splitting matches--who uses matches anymore? I use a long lighter to light candles, and if I were camping (hahahaha! Not gonna happen) I'd take a lighter with me. I can afford the $3 or 4 every few years for a lighter.
I saw one once where a woman cut a wide rubber band in half to make two. If people can soak felt tip markers and use petroleum jelly to get that last "nth" out of a mascara tube than nothing is off limits!!
At least you are not spending a half hour separating your 2-ply toilet paper into 2 separate rolls:). I knew someone who did this.
Goodness, Why doesn't he just buy the one ply in the first place? Did he figure out it was a penny cheaper this way?
This must have been the man I saw doing a dance in front of a 5¢ toilet!
This man should check to see if there is a milling company near him. I've known them to give away all the corn cobs you could carry home.
I happened across this again and just had to reread all of the comments! Corncobs may be free but hard to find - I remember hearing a "homeless" gentleman (who said he lived in the woods) asking for free newspaper at a local gas station (and this was just a few weeks ago).
In my opinion, this is not frugal. This is obsessive. I get very upset when I see people reach this stage of thriftiness. I refuse to use the word "frugal", as it conjures up this type of nonsensical and over the top behavior. Why doesn't he just steal the TP from work? If he hasn't already!
Bwahahaha! Reminds me a naughty little rhyme my ex-husband used to say: "Here I sit all broken-hearted. Paid a dime to s*** and only f*****.
Glad he's my ex.
When I can get 100 wooden matches for 1.00 at the dollar store, I can't see this for any reason. The point about being down to their last match just means that the half you have might not even work.
The article was mean as a spoof, more or less. As indicated, the campers were to notice a low supply of matches and then to split matches to increase their supply, not wait til they were down to their last one.
Even though the article was on the lighter side, it did generate some very interesting comments, for which I am grateful.
Thanks, Sandi
I do want to thank everyone who commented on this post. I have ruffled some feathers and I have gotten some witty and comical responses. If I have helped put just one person in a lighter mood with this joke of a post, I'm glad.
I turn shampoo, conditioner, and lotion bottles upside down to get the last bit of use out of them. (Mostly because I recycle and I'd rather not have to waste water by rinsing and rinsing.)
I was telling a friend about this, and I told her--I probably save at least $3 a year by doing this. :)
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