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One thing I recommend to any Americans trying the Bus method to have your own roll of TP as when at the bus stop there is a person outside the bathroom door selling a couple of sheets.
Another thing...DON'T stay in there too long as the bus will only be there a very few mins and can/will leave w/o you.
Many third world countries have a similar practice of selling TP. But what is really happening is that the TP is sold by an attendant, who is responsible also for cleaning the bathroom, and the charge for the paper is, in effect, a tip. One should offer the tip, even if you have your own paper. Often it is self-service---an array of TP sheets on a table, with a cup for tips.
If the bus starts to pull away without you, a passenger who sees your seat still empty will call out "Falta", and the driver will stop and wait for you. They are very good about that, both the passengers and the drivers.
In Brazil, the driver told us it was a 30-minute stop, and even pointed to his watch so we were sure we got it right. We came back from lunch after 20 minutes and the bus was gone, with our luggage. A few minutes later, it pulled back in---some passengers had told the driver what we were Falta, and he turned around and came back for us.
Falta has no equivalent in English. It means lack or shortage, from the verb that means to be absent.
Both of the above are indicative of the fact that that in many respects, Latin American is a great deal more civilized than the USA.
I raised five sons with cloth diapers. When I had a grandchild I was completely thrown as to how to do the Pampers thing. Took me three tries to figure out that you couldn't reposition the sticky tabs. Actually, I ended up scotch taping the third one so my son wouldn't go bankrupt from my wasting the other two.
I do sometimes cut the bottom of the toothpaste tube if I'm too lazy to walk to the hall closet to get a new tube.
I also cut up the junk mail to use for notes next to the phone. Or shopping lists. Or to-do lists. I rinse out ziploc bags and save the rubber bands from the newspaper. I can find many ways to be frugal.
BUT when it comes to TP, I am very protective of my tush and I not only do not ration TP, (the "good stuff") in addition I use those wonderful wet thingies in the pop-up container. Some of you may consider this to be wasteful in the extreme, but I have one happy heinie.
P.S. I don't go to self-service gas stations either. <gasp!> My full-service station is usually the same as the DIY stations or a penny or two more. Since my gas tank only holds about 10 gallons, my savings would range from nil or 20 cents at most. Not worth getting gas on my shoes.
I think we were cut from the same cloth. I do much the same things as you listed ... right down to scotch taping the Pampers on the baby.
BUT when it comes to TP, I am very protective of my tush and I not only do not ration TP, (the "good stuff") in addition I use those wonderful wet thingies in the pop-up container. Some of you may consider this to be wasteful in the extreme, but I have one happy heinie.
And only Cottenelle wipes..... not the generic....
As for rationing TP -- I don't, BUT -- I also don't use tons of it. Know a woman who uses large wads so she won't accidently touch herself. Uses up a roll every two days or so in her bathroom. That's just wasteful.
I raised five sons with cloth diapers. When I had a grandchild I was completely thrown as to how to do the Pampers thing. Took me three tries to figure out that you couldn't reposition the sticky tabs. Actually, I ended up scotch taping the third one so my son wouldn't go bankrupt from my wasting the other two.
I do sometimes cut the bottom of the toothpaste tube if I'm too lazy to walk to the hall closet to get a new tube.
I also cut up the junk mail to use for notes next to the phone. Or shopping lists. Or to-do lists. I rinse out ziploc bags and save the rubber bands from the newspaper. I can find many ways to be frugal.
BUT when it comes to TP, I am very protective of my tush and I not only do not ration TP, (the "good stuff") in addition I use those wonderful wet thingies in the pop-up container. Some of you may consider this to be wasteful in the extreme, but I have one happy heinie.
P.S. I don't go to self-service gas stations either. <gasp!> My full-service station is usually the same as the DIY stations or a penny or two more. Since my gas tank only holds about 10 gallons, my savings would range from nil or 20 cents at most. Not worth getting gas on my shoes.
....and, you can use those used cloth diapers for starting a bonfire ; they get the firewood going real well . Think frugal and efficiency !
Many third world countries have a similar practice of selling TP. But what is really happening is that the TP is sold by an attendant, who is responsible also for cleaning the bathroom, and the charge for the paper is, in effect, a tip. One should offer the tip, even if you have your own paper. Often it is self-service---an array of TP sheets on a table, with a cup for tips.
If the bus starts to pull away without you, a passenger who sees your seat still empty will call out "Falta", and the driver will stop and wait for you. They are very good about that, both the passengers and the drivers.
In Brazil, the driver told us it was a 30-minute stop, and even pointed to his watch so we were sure we got it right. We came back from lunch after 20 minutes and the bus was gone, with our luggage. A few minutes later, it pulled back in---some passengers had told the driver what we were Falta, and he turned around and came back for us.
Falta has no equivalent in English. It means lack or shortage, from the verb that means to be absent.
Both of the above are indicative of the fact that that in many respects, Latin American is a great deal more civilized than the USA.
We dont even need to buy toliet paper ; theres enough leaves on tree branches . Lets get back to nature and save money.
We dont even need to buy toliet paper ; theres enough leaves on tree branches . Lets get back to nature and save money.
Don't laugh. When camping or working on my car, and I get my hands dirty or greasy, I just grab a handful of grass or weeds, they are very effective at absorbing grease from your hands. I use the lawn for wiping my dipstick (on my car).
By the way, for monthly sanitary supplies, my girl friend in Romania used an old sock stuffed with grass or crushed leaves. Times were hard in Ceausescu's days.
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