Does cheap toilet paper really save you any money?

[disneysteve]

A light topic for a Friday morning

I've never seen the point of buying cheap toilet paper. If it takes 2 sheets of the good stuff to do the job, it takes 4 or 6 sheets of the cheap stuff to do the same job. Are you really saving any money? Is the cheap stuff less than 1/2 or 1/3 the price of the good stuff? I doubt it.

I think this is one of those areas where people think they are saving money and really aren't.

[bjl584]

I gladly will pay a little extra for the thicker and softer brand.

As you said, it takes two or more sheets of the cheap stuff to do the same job. Plus, the cheap stuff tears me up back there.

[disneysteve]

I gladly will pay a little extra for the thicker and softer brand.

My point is that you aren't really paying extra.

Let's say a roll of El Cheapo is $1.00 and a roll of Soft/Thick is $1.75. But the more costly roll lasts you 6 days and the cheaper one only lasts 3 days because you use twice as much of it. What have you saved? Nothing. Plus you subjected yourself to the thinner, rougher product.

[JoeP]

The trick is to look at cost over a period of time, roll size and ply aside.

So if you buy a name brand that cost you $12 and lasts you 4 months, your "usage cost" is $3 a month. The store brand may cost you $10 and last you 3 months, the cost is $3.33 a month.

And for toilet paper, there is also the aesthetic value. Is it soft? Does it shed a ton of fibers? Is it friendly with you sewage system? Is it durable? Does one brand require more product than the other to do the same task?

[wjcalderon]

For the best of both worlds, go to Sam's (if there's one convenient to you) and buy the 45-roll package of their Member's Mark toilet paper.
It's as soft and thick as the name brands and costs less than 50 cents per roll.
I haven't compared the size of the rolls (number of sheets), so it might have a little less on each roll, but not much less.

Also, Consumer Reports rates Costco's brand of toilet paper as one of the best.
Unfortunately, there isn't a Costco anywhere near me.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

A light topic for a Friday morning

I've never seen the point of buying cheap toilet paper. If it takes 2 sheets of the good stuff to do the job, it takes 4 or 6 sheets of the cheap stuff to do the same job. Are you really saving any money? Is the cheap stuff less than 1/2 or 1/3 the price of the good stuff? I doubt it.

I think this is one of those areas where people think they are saving money and really aren't.

We made the mistake of buying cheap Walmart TP one week. Never again. The stuff ripped trying to unspool it.

Sometimes you do indeed get what you pay for.

[BuckyBadger]

TP is something we really value in our household. We splurge on the extra thick soft stuff with aloe in it.

VERY nice and worth every penny!

[snafu]

DS, thanks for a Friday AM laugh. I like the convenience of Costco packaging and quality is acceptable.

[greenskeeper]

try to use both sides for most value

[marvholly]

I do not shop at Sam's or Costco. I cannot justify the membership cost for my single person household.

That said: Just this week I have decided to go w/the better TP because I use 50% more sheets of the 0.50/1000 sheet nasty Walgreens house brand. Currently have a 'good' roll in 1 bath & a WAG roll in the other so difference really brought home to me.

[disneysteve]

I do not shop at Sam's or Costco. I cannot justify the membership cost for my single person household.

That said: Just this week I have decided to go w/the better TP because I use 50% more sheets of the 0.50/1000 sheet nasty Walgreens house brand. Currently have a 'good' roll in 1 bath & a WAG roll in the other so difference really brought home to me.

We've never been able to justify the cost of a membership club even for the 3 of us. The prices just aren't any better than the store brands or the sale prices at regular stores.

You're point about using 50% more of the cheap TP is exactly the point I was making. Yes it's cheaper but if you use 50-100% more of it, there is no actual savings.

[Gailete]

As an Amazon Vine reviewer, I had the opportunity to test and review a 'new' toilet paper. I got a box with 10 packs of 4 rolls. by the quick end of the first roll I was looking forward to getting back to my regular toilet paper! The frugal part gritted my teeth and thought about the fact that I had a couple of months of free toilet paper, so I tried to look that gift horse as a real gift and was glad I hadn't bought it myself.

I do get the most amazing things to try and to review. I had signed up for all the free books I would get and I also get all sorts of other things which is really fun.

[Mdarius]

Either way you're just throwing money down the drain. One word: bidet.
Gives a new meaning to "hands free".

[~bs]

My point is that you aren't really paying extra.

Let's say a roll of El Cheapo is $1.00 and a roll of Soft/Thick is $1.75. But the more costly roll lasts you 6 days and the cheaper one only lasts 3 days because you use twice as much of it. What have you saved? Nothing. Plus you subjected yourself to the thinner, rougher product.

This is my rationale for many types of products, not just toilet paper. Especially for products with a longer life like furniture. Waste more money going cheap multiple times or buy once that'll last for a very long time. Of course this is assuming that the quality of the product increases with the price, and you're not just buying the name.

[~bs]

Either way you're just throwing money down the drain. One word: bidet.
Gives a new meaning to "hands free".

I have a few friends that swear by that product. IDK if I'll actually get around to giving it a try. haha