There’s a million ways to save 50 bucks. And in case you’re looking for more ideas, here’s one more.
Remember all that old tile we {the HH} pulled up next door?
Well that silly man wanted to load not only the old broken tile, but the toilet and sink into the back of the car and PAY to get rid of it at the landfill.
We had tried to donate it to the Habitat Re-Store but sadly they didn’t want it. Which was a bummer, but I get it. A 20 + year old used toilet and junky sink?
But I sure the heck wasn’t going to PAY to get rid of it.
Yada yada yada… Long story short.
The HH left to go run errands one day and I ran outside and took a hammer to the toilet and sink and bit by bit this winter I’ve been loading it into our trash cans one bag at a time.
I may have to pay to dispose of a WHOLE toilet… But not one that’s in pieces. 🙂
I thought it was a clever way to save 50 bucks.
The HH just rolled his eyes at me.
What would YOU have done? Pay 50 bucks to get rid of it, or break it up into bits and get a little satisfaction each week when you’d roll your trash can to the curb.
Seriously. 50 bucks for pastries, or 50 bucks for the landfill?
It seems like a no-brainer to me.
That’s it. That’s all I’ve got for today. 🙂
Carry on.
~Mavis
Jess says
In that situation I would absolutely have gone your route!
Usually, when faced with needing something removed/disposed of I post on the local BST or freebie sites! One mans trash is another mans treasure! Once I know they are committed to show up I message our address and we put it on the edge of the road/driveway! Problem solved!
Lindsey says
I was going to say the same thing—no matter how broken down something is, I offer it free for the picking up. I have a high school kid who always seems to respond to broken appliances or computer parts. I have never had to pay for removal or throw out my back loading stuff into a pickup.
Lana says
Haha! We do those things too. Our landfill is free but there is a mile long line of cars to get in there. No way we are killing half a day in that line!
Lynn says
We’ve done the same thing! We had a huge, old upholstered chair that my cats destroyed; instead of paying to have it taken to the dump, my husband chopped it up, bagged the pieces and and we put them out for trash pick-up. Done!
Mavis Butterfield says
So glad to hear someone’s husband thinks this way too!!
Tanya says
We bought an original 1987 home in Florida that I joke was the last “wall to wall carpeted home” in the Keys. We have pulled up all the carpet slowly as we remodeled each room. Knocked out walls, new tiling, flooring, etc. At one point we had 20+ black contractor trash bags in the garage. It literally looked like the pods from that movie Cocoon in there. Trash is picked up twice a week here so over the course of weeks we put 4 bags out weekly. I figure over the years we have saved thousands in dump fees. My husband rolls his eyes with some of my methods of savings too 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
Glad to know I’m not the only one who does crazy stuff like this.
Lesley Parent says
I absolutely would have done the same thing, but not sure I could give up those perfect brown (doubled!) handle bags that you used! I am a minimalist in all things except brown handle bags. 🙂
Mavis Butterfield says
This past fall someone put out about 50 grocery bags with handles on the side of the road and I snatched them up. The HH thought it was nuts. HA HA HA
Christie says
Our trash company here in PA picks up literally everything (except Christmas trees) but if not, I totally would be in your camp. A little smashing therapy and saving money at the same time. Love it!
Lisa says
We did the exact same thing a few years ago when we replaced a very old toilet. It took a few weeks but at least we didn’t have to pay to get rid of it!
Susan says
My husband is like you! He’s done this with toilets, an entire kitchen’s worth of cabinets, a box spring and a hot tub.
Mavis Butterfield says
A box spring would be tricky. WOW!
Sue says
I am of two minds: If paying meant that the tile/toilet/sink were going to be recycled and used to generate a recycled product (such as road bed), I would definitely pay. Keeping them out of a landfill would be optimal, and I would pay the price.
HOWEVER, If the tile/toilet/sink were simply going to be transported to the landfill anyway, yes, I’d dump it myself.
For example: We have a concrete recycling center in our state where you must pay to recycle it. I took a cracked concrete birdbath there instead of putting it in the trash. They accepted it for free (normally, concrete is brought in by the dump truck load).
I felt good knowing that it was going to be reused.
Carla says
I love this!! Patience just paid you $50!!
Ashley B says
Mixed feelings on breaking something that works but was cosmetically unlikable for some reason.
Cindy Brick says
Makes sense to me! Besides, hitting stuff with a hammer takes off a lot of aggression. One of my favorite memories is demolishing an old deck with a sledgehammer, while the Brick was off on some errand. It felt wonderful…and had to go, anyways. (We used the wood in the woodstove.)
Go to it, girl.
Lori says
Mavis you’re awesome!
My dad did the same thing with a full size couch. He took it apart piece by piece. First the fabric and cushions, then the springs, every week more went into the trash. When he got down to the wood we burned it in the fire pit.
Vivian says
I used to put things I no longer wanted out by the road with a sign that said “For Sale $25”…..and they immediately got “stolen”!
Michelle says
To the dump it goes. Our dump is $13 minimum, and we always fill a full truck bed before heading to the dump. That toilet would sit on the side of the house until a full truck bed was heading to the dump. We are always remodeling and with a family of 8, creating that much garbage happens.
kathy brown says
You crack me up! But I would have done the same thing. $50 to spend on wool is a lot better than $50 to spend disposing of a toilet and sink.
Mavis Butterfield says
All day long!
Patti says
I am surprised you let it go! We had a Koeler plant here and they would give away chopped up porcelain – people used it around the house for drainage such as it in bottom of planters, under a downspout gutter, to line a French drain. If you got some left, save it!
Randini says
I was thinking the same, wondered if some artisan would want the tiles to smash up for an art project. But I love the ‘little bit at a time’ disposal method!
Elizabeth. says
HaHaHa….love it…my thinking would have been exactly the same!!!
Christy Rose says
Makes perfect sense to me. Where I live in California our garbage company gives us 2 or 3 bulky items pickup every year. You have to call a week ahead of time and there is no charge but they will take stuff that won’t fit in your can. We have gotten rid of mattresses, box springs, furniture, a dead dishwasher and probably other stuff.
Marcia says
We have a huge pile of hedge trimmings that my DH pays my 13 yo son to chop up into pieces and put in the green waste each week. We are going on 6-7 weeks, lol. It’s probably almost time to trim the hedge again.
Tiffany F says
We have done this too! Never a toilet, but carpet and other things, we have.
Teckla says
I can hear Warren Buffett cheering you on! Yay, Mavis!
Judi Y. says
I love it! Great job!!!
Paula B says
I did the same thing with my son’s carpet when I ripped it out. Rolled it up small enough that it would fit in the garbage can and week by week it went bye-bye.
Cher says
We moved into a new house that had a crawl space full of junk. After selling the few things that did have value, giving away the few that were useful but not worth anything, my husband either burned or chopped up for the trash can the rest. Only took 3 weeks to work it all in with our regular waste. I thought it would take much longer and I was the one who voted for a dump run!
Mrs M says
I would definitely dispose of them pieces at a time. We have a large dumpster instead of a roll away cart, and we’ve put large items in it for disposal.
Brianna says
The last time I replaced a toilet, I asked the dump what time they change out the rollout bins and mentioned I had a toilet and sink to dispose of. He gave me a day and time. I showed up before the gates opened that morning and was first in line and watched from afar as they changed out the bins. The gates opened and I backed up to a fresh empty bin and the trash guy came over to see if I needed a hand (he enjoys the sound of smashing porcelain in the morning). He helped me toss the toilet and sink into the bin and they shattered. It was so satisfying to watch and hear and just awesome. I paid a small fee, but the satisfaction was worth it. I have done the same with appliances (to the metal bin) and just as exciting. I do not mind paying and doing my diligence to ensure things are disposed of properly. For me, time is money and I cannot spend hours or days breaking a toilet or sink down to put it in the regular trash bin.
Zadu says
I get you. I think you’re on the right track.
I once bought a pair of bolt cutters to cut up a box spring so I could put it in the trash bin rather than pay somebody to haul it away. I get you!
Kara says
My husband and son broke apart an entire concrete RV parking strip and we put that into the trash bit by bit.
We took out tile from the 70’s in the hall bathroom (tile covered the floor, the vanity top, and the walls up to shoulder height and it was fire engine red tile) and we put all that in the trash bit by bit. We took 2 toilets out of the house (so gross) and listed them for free on FB marketplace for free and BOTH got scooped up. We also listed 2 old and gross sinks on FB marketplace and people came and got those.
There is NO paying to take stuff to the dump in our house!
JulieP says
So funny, yes I would do the same here. We have to pay for any DIY waste so smashed and in the bin it goes! Also if we want to go to the ‘recycling centre’ (aka dump) we have to make an appointment!