Frugal or Cheap ( not sure )

**Holly** · 01-06-2010, 10:17 AM

Have a draft comming through the bottom of front door.
Putting a towel or cloth wasn't cutting it.
This morning I got an idea.
Took a empty Christmas wrap roll cut it length wise rolled up and old towel Taped it back together and put in front of door. just enough weight to keep it in place.
Its working like a charm. When it gets bad I'll cut off tape and make another.

**Lady_V** · 01-06-2010, 10:30 AM

That sounds like a good idea. A lot of people use towels, but complain that the towels unroll - looks as if you came up with a simple solution!

**kimmy4433** · 01-06-2010, 10:44 AM

OH what a great idea!! I just tossed out my empty rolls... Humm now I need to think!

**Libby** · 01-06-2010, 10:55 AM

Great idea holly! Thats totally frugal and sooo not cheap.

Kimmy - tape together toilet paper and paper towel rolls

Would a water/swimming noodle work if you cut it?

BF bought weather stripping for the bottom of screen doors for his apt door. He put it around all 4 sides of the door. Granted it is harder to pull open (hello vacuum seal!) and harder to close but it keeps the excess apt bldg smells out - ie those that smoke in the hallway en route to their destination, the stairwell. His door is next to the stairwell and the smoke always wafts in giving us headaches. I think that's the best $5 he's spent!

**2ndGenGranola** · 01-06-2010, 10:55 AM

I bought something at the store not too unlike that. It was cloth and was sewn to form 2 long tubes. You pushed 2 styrofoam pieces (not unlike pipe insulating tubes) in each of the sewn parts (you ended up with something looking like a scroll). The flat part slid under the door with a tube on either side. Works great.

**Holly** · 01-06-2010, 11:14 AM

I saw those on tv the other day but needed something for today.
If you cut on of those noodle things and put in roll would be great to.
My puppy would try to eat them otherwise. LOL

**Grainlady** · 01-06-2010, 11:30 AM

Necessity is the mother of invention... great idea!

I once read on another message board that you are frugal when you do something "cheap" to yourself, but it's "cheap" if you do it to others.

**mombottoo** · 01-06-2010, 11:58 AM

I vote for Frugal...you can't beat coming up with ideas to reuse stuff and have it work for you!

**Nada.Leona** · 01-07-2010, 05:10 AM

great idea! If the towel is unrolling, tie it with some twine or rubber bands. Or it the towel roll is too heavy, would a plastic bag filled with sand Or sawdust in the towel roll work?

**NewLeaf** · 01-07-2010, 12:29 PM

I used a rolled up towel w/rubber bands on ea. end for years. When the towel got dirty, just unroll and wash! I love the christmas wrap idea, it sounds sturdier.

**NikoSan999** · 01-07-2010, 12:40 PM

It really dosen't matter whether someone else considers it cheap. If it's working for you then fantastic. If it's saving your hard earned money then even better. I've had people look at me weird when I say I don't buy trash bags. I use the Walmart type bags. Let them spend their $10...I'll keep mine.

**RaineyDaye** · 01-07-2010, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by 2ndGenGranola

I bought something at the store not too unlike that. It was cloth and was sewn to form 2 long tubes. You pushed 2 styrofoam pieces (not unlike pipe insulating tubes) in each of the sewn parts (you ended up with something looking like a scroll). The flat part slid under the door with a tube on either side. Works great.

What a great idea! I have a bedroom I close off for the winter and there is a draft under the door. I have been using a rolled up towel. Since I have 2 swimming noodles in my garage that for some reason I was reluctant to throw out, I think I'll use them to make a better draft stopper!

**Michelle68** · 01-07-2010, 06:59 PM

Cool idea and definitely FRUGAL!

**Incognito** · 01-07-2010, 10:18 PM

Those wrapping-paper rolls do come in handy, and you're getting double-value for the purchase. Draft-rolls are a great idea, whether you're crafting a weiner-dog or snake as a draft-roll, or using on-hand materials to find a quicker solution to drafty doorways.

I did this a while back, in order to keep smoke out of my unit from the hallway in an apt. bldg.
From my garbage cans, I salvaged some huge empty cardboard rolls that the carpenters had tossed from their building materials. I wrapped mine with newspaper, then cut it to fit the door, made one side of it flat to tuck under the door; then duct-taped it all around.
It worked well for me and kept the smoke out of my unit.
I really like the idea with the 2 adjustable rolls which fit into each other on the outside and inside of the door, since it's always in place and very effective.