Does it pay to have a bidet? It’s better and cheaper than toilet paper - Saving You Money (2024)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — What you do in the bathroom is your business. But if you’re game for a little bit of potty talk, it might save you $45 or more each year.

Fair warning, this is a column about using a bidet (and whether it’s financially savvy). To some, the idea of “cleaning yourself” with water instead of toilet paper might be off-putting. Quite frankly, it’s not the kind of decision you make while sorting out your budget.

But I am a convert. And after going on vacation and “doing my business” the old-fashioned way with just toilet paper, it’s clear to me that using a bidet is the best way to clean up afterwards.

It will also, depending on how fancy your bidet equipment is, save you money in the long run.

There’s a lot of apprehension to write this, because I don’t want to be known as the “bidet guy.” But these devices are becoming more and more common, so someone had to broach the topic.

And before we get any further, I will not read your snarky emails about this. And I want to remind my coworkers that talking about what I do in the bathroom is an HR issue.

A beginner’s guide to bidets

Bidets have been popular around the world for some time. But what has become trendy in the U.S. over the last few years are bidet attachments for your toilet seat, sometimes called washlets.

These are different than the separate toilet-bowl-like sinks that you might have seen in other counties, or more likely, movies like Crocodile Dundee.

What I’m calling a bidet are devices that connect to your existing toilet and plumbing and — at a minimum — have a water sprayer that cleans you. More expensive bidets have heated seats, warm water and remote controls. But at their core, they’re just devices designed to conveniently clean a certain area.

Think of it this way. Let’s say your car or SUV was dirty. Would you just wipe it down with a dry towel? Nope. You’d probably rinse off the whole vehicle with a hose.

Whether you use a bidet really isn’t my concern. I’ve used one for eight months now and, to avoid being graphic, I’ll just say that it’s been a more pleasant experience. And anything that used to be irritated now feels better. It’s not for everyone. I went without it while traveling and noticed the difference.

I’ve also noticed a staggering decline in the amount of toilet paper I buy. So much so that I couldn’t ignore it.

Does a bidet cut down on toilet paper?

Your experience may vary. But most people who use a bidet still use some toilet paper, mostly to pat dry. How much is an open question.

We ran into this issue when I wrote about wholesale clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco. But it’s hard to find a reliable source for how much toilet paper people use on average. Online sources estimate that a person uses anywhere from 13,000 to 20,000 sheets of toilet paper a year.

It’s also hard to find a clear-cut answer to my other question: How much toilet paper do you save when you use a bidet? Many articles claim a 75% reduction. I don’t where this estimate comes from, but in my experience, it’s at least in the ballpark.

Given the current price of toilet paper, I think a bidet should pay for itself in two- or three-years’ time — even if just one person uses it.

The savings

My math says the average person spends anywhere from $60 to $90 on toilet paper each year. If you can cut out 75% of your TP usage, that’s a savings of $45 to $67.50 by using a bidet.

To be clear, that’s per person. If two or more people in your household use the bidet, your financial gain can double or even triple.

And to immediately refute your counterclaim, the extra water use from a bidet is negligible. Water and sewer bills deal with units of 1,000 MCF — which is equivalent to 7,440 gallons. A bidet uses about one-sixth of a gallon, while the U.S. EPA standard for a toilet is 1.6 gallons per flush.

My bidet — the TUSHY Classic 3.0 — is $109 on Amazon. It tends to go on sale. But at that price my bidet will pay for itself in 19 to 29 months.

TUSHY’s Basic 2.0 is normally $69 (cheaper, but less customizable). I’m not sure if I’d trust the Walmart brand for this, but the Mainstays bidet attachment is under $27.

If you want something with warm water and a heated seat, you’ll likely be in the $300 to $700 range. The New York Times has already dedicated resources to finding the best bidets, if that’s something you’re interested in finding. They say the best is the Toto Washlet C5.

Regardless, it’s an investment in comfort. And overtime it pays for itself.

The Math

Teachers make you show your work. And with toilet paper, the math gets complicated.

A standard roll is 150 sheets. But the rolls you buy are likely labeled as “super” or “mega” so we need to do some conversions.

You can buy a 24-pack of Charmin Ultra Strong mega rolls (because your butt deserves name-brand) for $26.48 at Walmart. That’s $1.10 a roll, and each roll has 242 sheets.

We can say the average person uses anywhere from 54 to 83 rolls a year. That’s actually $59.40 to $91.30 a year. I rounded earlier.

This all assumes my 13,000 to 20,000 sheet guess fits you. A heavy user of toilet paper or someone who unrolls it sparingly will have different results.

Other questions about bidets

Here are answers to some common questions.

Installation

A bidet attachment is pretty easy to install. The TUSHY models take about 10 minutes. You have to remove the toilet seat and reattach it, and connect the bidet to your existing water supply, but it’s pretty simple. This isn’t something you would have to call a plumber for.

If you want warm water or a heated seat, then you would need an outlet nearby or some more creative plumbing that goes under your bathroom vanity. I avoided this.

Cold water

The whole experience of using a bidet is pretty weird. But it is something you get used to. Even cold water — and I first installed my device during the winter months — is not a big deal.

Will people judge you?

If you write a column about it, yes. But the actual device is pretty inconspicuous. So if someone else is doing their business at your house I don’t think you’ll get any questions about it.

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