# Extreme Cheapstakes



## Daenerys Targaryen (May 11, 2012)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/victoria-hunt-extreme-cheapskates_n_1933287.html?

Apparently TLC has a new show 'Extreme Cheapstakes' starting Oct. 16th, is anyone thinking of watching it? Based on this example the show seems to feature people suffering from obsessions more than useful tips...but hey, it might make some of us frugal types feel better about ourselves


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## Argonaut (Dec 7, 2010)

Hey, we have Daenerys to go along with Jon Snow. Perhaps I shall rename myself Barristan the Bold, or Greatjon Umber.

That lady seems a bit crazy with the pee in a jar, but I don't disbelieve it being good for the garden. I would pee on the same tree for years, and it eventually became quite strong and immune to the pine beetle epidemic.


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## crazyjackcsa (Aug 8, 2010)

Crazy is the operative word. Instead of peeing in a jar, why not build an outhouse/ recycled water system. Showering at the gym, how much is that membership? Why not set up a septic tank/ cistern system or well. Rural folks do it all the time. 
Eating flowers and weeds out of the lawn? I'll stick to the garden thanks. Picking through trash for food just isn't kosher.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

This does sound like mental illness.

Also, this:

"Her other cheap tricks include putting her freezer on a timer so it only runs 12 hours a day"

She clearly doesn't understand how a freezer works. Freezers are not chilling constantly. They cycle. You let the freezer warm up while the timer is off, then when the timer is on it will cycle longer to bring the interior temperature down. I doubt this saves any energy at all. If it did, the freezer would warm up and degrade the food she is storing.


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

^^ The only way I could see that saving money is to do it with off peek electricity. But then again, the costs and run times would have to be measured.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Jungle said:


> The only way I could see that saving money is to do it with off peek electricity. But then again, the costs and run times would have to be measured.


This news story is from the US - they don't have outrageous tax grab schemes like TOU pricing for electricity.
At least most states don't - I don't know specifically about Ohio.


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## donald (Apr 18, 2011)

Let's face it,this women is bat **** crazy!She is clearly a hoarder(living under the poverty line @ 15k a yr-and being a millionaire)She comes from a poverty mind-set so money controls her-this is sad!Im all for frugality but she has zero balance-money runs her show,she doesn''t run money........just another new paper article in 25 yrs of a women who had millions and pissed in bottles ect,lets call a spade a spade,nobody sets out to be like this!I admire her and feel sorry for her @ the sametime-money sickness.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

California has TOU rates in some areas.


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

Cripes, if we are not careful this could end up being our path in life... Though progress was made yesterday when I managed to spend $1000 at Best Buy.


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## hboy43 (May 10, 2009)

Hi:

I've spent my years peeing in the garden etc. That is why I can buy one of the most ingenious money losing objects ever invented, a sailboat. 

If this is how she wants to run her life, more power to her. Remember, she likely looks at us and has the same thought: they are crazy.

hboy43


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## jcgd (Oct 30, 2011)

The freezer on a timer is idiotic unless she gets charged for peak hours. If that's the case, and the freezer can maintain the temperature during the day, it's ingenious. The bottled pee is weird, I agree, but urea is a great fertilizer. I can't see much issue with it. It's hers pee after all. But I wouldn't want to have any of her salad!

I pick up every coin or bill I see, $0.01 even. I'm curious how much I've found in 24 years. Probably close to $100 when you consider all the loonies, toonies and bills I've found. My GF has found multiple $20 bills in the four years we've been together. I should start a jar just found found cash.


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## uptoolate (Oct 9, 2011)

I didn't think peeing in the garden was crazy or frugal - I thought I was just being lazy - and maybe a bit on the environmentally friendly side! 

And as far as finding money... get ready to be finding a whole bunch more - these new bills are as slippery as a greased piglet! I may just have to break down and get a billfold to try to keep them in my pockets.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

One actual reasonable idea for saving money is to convert a chest freezer to a high-efficiency refrigerator. All you need is a thermostat switch, so when the interior temp drops below 3C, the power is switched off. Apparently a chest freezer used this way can be up to 90% more energy efficient than your typical side-by-side fridge/freezer (which are appallingly inefficient--all the cold air falls out whenever you open the door).

I was trying to find out whether you could not power a freezer for 12 hours/day (7 am to 7 pm) without allowing the temp to rise too much that would degrade the food. Even if the food was still safe to eat, you might get increased freezer burn or ice formation. Hard to say. It might be feasible. I doubt it is worth the savings, though. Chest freezers use something like 2 kwh per day. Assuming 1 kwh is used at the peak rate, going from 11.7-6.5 would be a savings of 5.2 cents/day=$18/year. Assuming no negative impact on the food stored or wear and tear on the freezer.


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## groceryalerts (May 5, 2009)

I can't wait to see that show! 

It is more "entertainment" but I don't know how they find everyone!


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