Every month, you’re spending between $10 and $20 on toilet paper. It doesn’t sound like much—until you realize the average household burns through around $175 to $250 a year, according to Statista. That’s a couple thousand dollars over the next decade… gone down the drain.
What if you could stop buying toilet paper forever? What would you do with that extra cash?
The answer is something most people in North America have heard about, and maybe sometimes, but never make the jump to buy for themselves.
The Bathroom Upgrade the Rest of the World Already Figured Out
If you’ve ever traveled through Japan, Italy, or South Korea, you already know: people elsewhere have moved on from toilet paper. Bidets are standard there—clean water rinse, no irritation, and a sense of freshness that paper just can’t match.
In North America, though? We’re still doing bathroom routines like it’s 1955. Maybe it’s cultural modesty or simple unfamiliarity, but for decades we’ve dismissed the very thing that would save us money and feel better. Sales of bidets in North America are growing at a steady rate every year, but only about 6% of U.S. adults actually have one installed—which means most of us are still missing out.
The good news is that the new generation of bidet attachments installs in ten minutes, costs less than your next Costco run, and works with nearly any toilet you already own.
The Math – Toilet Paper vs. Bidet
To put real numbers to it: the average American household spends around $182 a year on toilet paper, according to a TUSHY consumer study. That figure has climbed with inflation and “mega roll” marketing, but the outcome is the same—hundreds of dollars a year, forever.
A mechanical bidet attachment though can cost as little as $40 and can last more than ten years without needing to fix or replace some parts. Even accounting for the tiny water cost—less than a gallon per use—the total expense barely registers. Over ten years, a bidet household might spend $60–$100 total, compared to $1,800+ for those sticking with toilet paper.
Electric bidet seats cost more upfront, typically $300–$700, but they also last longer and eliminate paper entirely. A family of three who installs one electric bidet and one non-electric attachment would likely spend under $1,000 total for a decade of use. The same family sticking with paper would spend roughly double that—and keep spending forever.
The math isn’t even close. The bidet wins on cost, comfort, and sustainability—all with a payback period shorter than your next Costco pack.
Two Paths You Can Take
Once you decide to stop flushing money away, the only question left is how far you want to go. Do you want to start saving right now—or go all-in and never buy toilet paper again?
The first path is the bidet attachment. It’s a small device that slips under your existing toilet seat, connects to your water line, and delivers a clean, gentle rinse. There’s no power required, no fancy wiring—just pure practicality. For about $40 to $100, you can install it yourself in ten minutes, and you’ll cut your toilet paper use by up to 90%. That means a quick return on investment—usually in just a few months—and a cleaner feeling every single day. Many households start here, then realize they want one on every toilet.
The second path is the electric bidet seat, the kind that turns your bathroom into a mini spa. These plug into a wall outlet and replace your existing seat entirely. For $300 to $700, you get warm water, adjustable spray pressure, heated seats, and even an air dryer. No more paper at all—just press a button, rinse, and dry. It’s comfort and savings rolled into one.
Either option saves money. The attachment gives you the fastest payback; the electric seat gives you total freedom.
Option 1: The Fast Payback
If you’re curious about bidets but don’t want to commit hundreds of dollars right away, start here. A non-electric bidet attachment is the simplest, most affordable way to test the waters—literally. It fits under your existing toilet seat, connects to your water line, and takes less than ten minutes to install. No electrician, no plumber, no risk.
At $40 to $100, they’re a fraction of the cost of a luxury bidet seat but deliver 90% of the benefit. A good one will last a decade or more, needing little more than a quick wipe-down every so often. It’s the kind of upgrade you install once and forget—until you realize you haven’t bought toilet paper in months.
A good attachment can easily last a decade or more with almost no maintenance. For renters, families, or anyone testing the idea, it’s the perfect first step. Once you install one, you’ll wonder how something so simple stayed off your radar for so long.
Option 2: The Full Service
For those who like permanence and polish, the electric bidet seat is the definitive solution. It integrates cleansing, drying, and comfort into one sleek unit that replaces your standard seat. Warm water, warm air, adjustable nozzles, and soft illumination turn an ordinary bathroom into a quiet moment of calm.
High-end models like Toto Washlet C5, Brondell Swash 1400, and Coway Bidetmega 400 typically range from $400 to $800, lasting ten years or more. They’re whisper-quiet, self-cleaning, and remarkably efficient—using less water to clean than it takes to manufacture a single roll of toilet paper.
Within two years, the investment pays itself back, and every use after that feels like a reward for making the smart choice.
This is comfort that makes financial sense—a little luxury that actually earns its keep.
How Many Toilets Do I Really Need to Upgrade?
Most homes in North America have between two and three bathrooms, but here’s the truth: you probably only use two of them regularly. The main family bathroom and the ensuite see daily traffic. The basement or guest bath? Not so much.
That means you don’t need to go all-in right away. Start with one bidet—whichever bathroom gets the most use. Within a week or two, you’ll know if you want to expand (spoiler: you will). Once the household’s fully converted, adding a second bidet locks in the long-term savings and convenience.
Two bidets for two active bathrooms is the sweet spot. It’s enough to eliminate most if not all toilet paper purchases entirely, but not so many that you’re upgrading guest bathrooms no one uses.
This isn’t about buying more—it’s about buying smarter. Start small, see the difference, and then make it a permanent part of your home routine.
Never Going Back
There’s a point after a few days of using a bidet when you notice the difference — you feel cleaner, and everything about your old routine suddenly seems inefficient. You start to wonder why you ever relied on paper in the first place.
Water simply works better. It’s gentle on skin, especially for anyone prone to irritation, and it actually removes what paper can’t. The result is a longer-lasting sense of cleanliness, without the friction or residue that people often just accept as normal.
Once you’ve adapted, there’s no going back. Even the softest paper feels like a downgrade. It’s not about luxury — it’s about effectiveness.
After that realization, using only paper again feels outdated, like washing your hands without water.
Environmental Bonus
Beyond comfort and savings, there’s another reason bidets make sense: they’re dramatically better for the environment. Every roll of toilet paper takes about 37 gallons of water to produce — from pulping trees to packaging and transport. By comparison, a single bidet use requires only about one pint of water.
That means even though a bidet uses water, it actually saves far more than it consumes. A household that cuts out toilet paper saves thousands of gallons each year, along with the energy and chemicals used in paper production.
You’re also reducing packaging waste, delivery emissions, and the need for landfill disposal. It’s a small change that compounds over time — a cleaner routine for you and a lighter footprint for the planet.
It’s rare that something saves you money, improves comfort, and helps the environment all at once. The bidet just happens to check every box.
Checks Every Box
Most money-saving swaps come with trade-offs. You give something up, you compromise a little, and you tell yourself it’s worth it in the long run. The bidet is the rare exception — it saves money, improves comfort, and simplifies your life all at once.
Once installed, it just works. There’s no subscription, no restocking, no waste. You buy it once, and the habit of buying toilet paper quietly disappears. After that, the savings add up month by month.
It’s an upgrade that pays for itself — not just in dollars, but in daily life. And once you’ve made the switch, you’ll never want to go back.