FRUGAL (ˈfrü-gəl)
characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources.

CHEAPSKATE (ˈchēp-ˌskāt)
a miserly or stingy person; especially one who tries to avoid paying a fair share of costs or expenses.

I was filmed for Extreme Cheapskates, although my segment was cut and not shown. The producers were not interested in useful frugal activities that a viewer could actually learn a thing or two from. They only wanted “ick factor” stuff. I refused a umber of their suggestions, which is probably why they didn’t air the footage from my two 14-hour days of filming.

They spent a fortune producing my segment, so it will probably air if TLC picks the show up as a series. (Five people flown in from NYC for 3 days, plus local sound tech, assistant camera man, plus two production assistants, all of whom got big time overtime dollars when our days ran long.)

My goal in doing the show was to illustrate that frugal living can be elegant, generous and enjoyable.

And for the record, I buy my family’s toilet paper from Trader Joe’s, where a 12-pack of 100% recycled content rolls cost $3.99.

Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”

This post is carelessly thought out and poorly written.

“It does not mean that the larger group these people claim to represent shares their values.”

I am pretty sure there is no larger group that these people are claiming to represent, nor do I think this show is an attack on frugality. The title of the show is pretty clear: “Extreme Cheapskates,” not “Frugal People.” If someone else decides to lump frugal people in with extreme cheapskates, that is not the intent of the show. The intent of the show is to take a group of freaky people and use them for entertainment. These freaky people happen to camp out in frugal town. Nothing more, really.

I think that any life choice you make will be judged by people, and then you get lumped in with crazies. I’m a therapist- I can’t tell you how many people say, “Oh, therapists are people who are messed up and trying to work out their issues on their clients.” Sure, yep, some really bad therapists don’t do their own emotional work first, and then mess their clients up. It’s not me, but if someone lumps me in there, that means more about them than me. You say you are into frugality, and you have a blog about it. Anyone with a bad association with frugality has probably met a crazy cheapskate, and will lump you in there with them. All you can really do is not let those opinions get to you.

So yes, this show was about the people who are very extreme!

And lets all not forget that TLC is in the business of selling commercial time, nothing else.

I read a couple of reviews of the program mentioned. One simply derided the idea behind it, but what they were mentioning – making your own laundry detergent and using vinegar for fabric softening and cleaning – does not seem abnormal to me.

Many of the things people do to “save money” i do simply because i consider them healthier alternatives. I make my own deodorant and mix my own tooth paste and make my own moisturizer. We don’t use industrial chemicals in our home, but the natural equivalent instead. I may save a few pennies doing this, but in each case, i’m doing it because i believe it to be healthier for us. That, to me, is worth the lack of convenience.