"Sweep spending under the carpet: Katy spots a tempting rug in a dumpster and makes a grab for the freebie."
Remember when I was teasing out tiny details about filming a national reality TV show? Well apparently I no longer need to keep it a secret, as England’s The Daily Mail has published an article about the show, which is titled . . .
TLC’s Extreme Cheapskates!
I have not seen how they edited down two 14-hour days of filming into the apparent seven minutes that I was told my segment would be. And I doubt I’ll see the episode any sooner than you will.
Click HERE to read the article, which is light on any details about my particular segment, but does show a photo of me dumpter diving an oriental rug. The special will air December 28th at 9 P.M./8 P.M. Central. I have no idea whether TLC will make the full episode available to view online. I’ll continue to post any new information that comes to light.
Wish me luck, as I am sick with nerves about it all.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”
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{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
Congratulations on making national TV! I was a bit confused, thinking you were American but then you’ll be on British TV – but Brits do that, look for everything weird they can find in the US. Your rug out of the dumpster looks positively main-stream next to some of the other nutters! I cannot believe someone would save up $20K to blow it on a wedding. Then again, I’m a cheapskate, too!
I really don’t think some of the people they profiled in the article sound like very good tightwads. Why would you go to a fast food restaurant (and waste your money), just to get ketchup packets? I think Katy will be the model of sanity on the program.
How fun! Congratulations! I hope they show it online…although I think I’ll skip the guy cooking the goat’s head. I love cheapskate’s tips, but I think I’ll bypass that one.
I’m so excited! I don’t have cable (or any other reception) at home, but it happens that I’ll be staying someplace with cable on that date. I’ll be glued to the tube.
Congrats! I can’t wait to see you in action!!!
Ditto!
Good luck! I’m sure you’ll be great. I really appreciate your blog and find it quite inspirational (while still keeping things real!)
No cable here, but do let us know if it is on the internet. I’m sure it will be fine!
Hello there!
I’m Jordan, I’m also on the cheapskate show. I was amazed that they said each segment would be 7 minutes, even though they had 2 DAYS of footage. Funny how they haven’t released any other info, or promo commercials. I heard they have some ads on TLC, but haven’t seen those yet. It’ll be fun to watch!
It’ll certainly be interesting!
Katy
So is it on American TLC or just British? Congrats!
Judging from your competitors, you are going to sound very normal and do wonderful thing for the cause!
Not competitors, comrades!
Katy
I am really looking forward to it.. have my pen and paper ready to take notes!!
Good Luck Katy! We don’t have Sky (or any other pay to view) so need to get someone to Sky+ it… It’s in the diary!
Hahahaha! I thought you were joking, lol. Congrats! I can’t wait to watch!
Thanks for the heads up on the show. I put it in the dvr to be recorded. It shows at 6pm then repeats at 8 pm here in Portland. Love your blog.
Love that you’re going to be on it, but I have to argue with the article in that being frugal is far different than being cheap or a Scrooge. How can a person be stingy if they are running a shelter????
Congratulations!
Woot! How exciting! Can’t wait to see it!
Congratulations Katy! I will be watching. IMHO I think this show will go the way of Extreme Couponing. I was quite the heavy coupon user before the show, but only bought the things I needed with coupons and was able to save a substantial amount of money. A month or two after the show there was a sharp increase in people walking around our grocer with huge binders filled with coupons. Shortly after that the grocer discontinued their double coupon policy. I think that the underlying concept will be lost on most people (I hope I am wrong). What these people (on Extreme Cheapskates) are doing is not necessarily novel or unusual, it is just novel or unusual for our current consumer culture. Using up old food – that is what my grandma always did (depression era). It is a relatively new phenomenon to not produce and to only consume, but I get the feeling TLC is going to try turn the subjects on the show into some freak aberrations that live a ridiculous life trying to save a few pennies instead of being “normal” like everyone else. *Sigh* If only we could all see how ridiculous “normal” has become.
Best of Luck Katy from a avid and loyal reader of your blog.
Hey –
Looks like I’m one of the cheapskates on the show. I had – and still have – a lot of apprehension about doing it.
Like you all, I view thrift and frugality as a real virtue, not a vice. When they approached me about doing the show, I made it clear that I was all in favor of “quirky as hell” (afterall, I am, as are the people I write about), but I really want/hope the bigger message of environmentalism, anti-consumerism, and chatitablity comes through.
Hope it does — if nothing else, I got a couple of goat heads out of the deal (which are, truly, a favorite of mine, as they are in many other parts of the world.)
Guess we’ll all be watching.
Stay Cheap!
-Jeff Yeager, AKA The Ultimate Cheapskate
I do not consider myself “Extreme” in any sense of the word. I am just clever and deliberate with my money. Let’s hope this comes through in the show.
Katy
I’m hoping you trash picked some winning items during your shoot! Someone needs to represent the Frugal & Fabulous contingent out there.
Also, you need your own show.
I did actually do some genuine spur-of-the-moment trash picking while the cameras were on me. A pile of free stuff that I immediately took over to the consignment shop.
Katy
Oh neat! I can’t get enough frugal/PF stuff. I’ll definitely check it out. . . your episode and all the rest.
Congrats.