Ida Fischer a Jewish immigrant who fled Germany before WWII . Fischer lived in New York ; her frugality was known among friends , neighbors . She re - used credit cards , got supplies from restaurants , paid rent of $ 10 / month . Her rent -- about $ 145 per month -- was even lower than it would have been because she reported housing code violations in her apartment to authorities , who then declined to approve rent hikes , Last said . She left half her estate to Hebrew University in Jerusalem .
Ida Fischer a Jewish immigrant who fled Germany before WWII . Fischer lived in New York ; her frugality was known among friends , neighbors . She re - used credit cards , got supplies from restaurants , paid rent of $ 10 / month . She left half her estate to Hebrew University in Jerusalem .