7 unique and thrifty penny pinching ideas you may have never considered

Lint from drying machines can be recycled as kindling

By Matthew Hennesy

While there are some sensible ways to save money, from budgeting to setting up savings accounts and cutting down the amount of credit cards you use, there are also some penny pinching methods that aren’t, well, quite so sensible. Although these methods might have some merits, they’re probably not for everyone. Some unique penny pinching ideas that might be worth at least considering, if never actually going through with, range from unspooling your toilet paper to recycling lint, and reusing envelopes for your postage.

1 - Unspooling toilet paper

For when you really want to stretch out your resources, it’s actually possible to unspool two ply toilet paper and use both sides - the problem you then have is whether one thin sheet of toilet paper is actually practical; not to mention whether the hours spent carefully unspooling a toilet roll and then taping the results back together is something you want to be spending your tie on.

2 - Recycling lint

You know all that fluff that builds up in your dryers? This can range from hair to fuzz from clothes, and bits and pieces of dirt; while most people would just throw this stuff away (if they ever get around to doing it all), it is possible to collect it together and use it for cost saving measures, from sealing up your roof to filling mattresses. Whether you choose to try this method depends on how much you can stomach making use of the leftover bits from your wash.

3 - Training cats to use the toilet

Again, this money saving method probably isn’t for everyone, but might save a bit on buying cat litter; training a cat to use the toilet isn’t impossible, although it does take a lot of patience, not to mention a very agreeable cat. Whether the difference between your pet bills and the amount of dignity you keep is worth it is another question - also unsure is whether the extra water cost for flushing will balance out these costs.

4 - Watching television at the gym

Okay, so you might not have much of a choice over what you watch, but viewing television at the gym does at least give you some extra motivation to go along; this can be a good idea if you want to fill up on your daytime shows, while still keeping an online subscription to a few streaming services.

5 - Picking up coins on the street

People with a keen eye can look out for coins that have been dropped onto the sidewalk, and can also try to pick them up from restaurants and shops. Over time, this change can build up into a significant amount of money, although you may have to spend a lot of time staring at the floor when out and about. Be careful, though, about grabbing change before checking that someone hasn’t just dropped it.

6 - Unplugging everything

Well, not everything perhaps, but you can save money by making sure that most of your home appliances are switched off before you go to bed; this can include unplugging or switching off your TV set, DVD players, toasters, kettles, and irons. Be careful, though, with alarm clocks, as this might cause some problems in the morning.

7 - Recycling envelopes

Every junk mail letter that you get, you can make use of by recycling the envelopes that come with them. Cover up labels and use your own stamps to re-send letters. When combined with making your own cards, you can cut down on the amount of money you spend on cards for birthdays, Christmases, and other occasions during the year.

About the author: This article was donated by eMoneyBuddy contirbutor Matthew Hennesy. Matthew frequently posts humorous if not slightly offensive articles around the web.