Consumer Reports published an article on thrift in this month's issue. Containing several handy tips on how to save a buck, one entry had us swearing we'd eat rotten eggs before going to that extreme. The tip was to squeeze the toilet paper roll so that the person in need would use less because the cylinder was no longer round and wouldn't pull as easily.

Now, I would not be surprised if we are more "anal" (excuse the pun) on the subject of bathroom hygiene than most, but it's right up there with brushing your teeth (and you know how I am with my teeth). We buy toilet paper in bulk, and I cannot remember the last time we had less than 30 rolls waiting to be used in the storage closet. Isn't a clean butt one of those basic human rights up there with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Well, it is in this house.

I can think of much less drastic ways to save money...like not pointing my browser to www.amazon.com, for instance. I say wipe to your heart's content and clip coupons instead.