|
|
One lucky TDS "tipster" will win a $100 check each month just for sending us their favorite time or money saving idea. It could be you! Click here to submit your suggestion.
Last month's winning tipster: Amy from Highland Park NJ!
|
Money problems? Struggling with credit card debt? What you need to know about bankruptcy? Trouble repaying student loans?
|
I live in an apartment building and don't have a washer or dryer. And my apartment is a fifth-floor walkup. The fact of the matter is that I haven't spent a dime on laundry in months. Washing clothes the old fashioned way is actually not only cheaper but also easier.
I save the plastic buckets that my scoopable cat litter comes in. I usually have four or five around, and fortunately, they are stackable, so they don't take up much room in my one-room apartment. When I go to one of the outer boroughs, I stock up on Fels-Naptha bar soap, which isn't sold in too many places in New York City. I also looked for and found a clothes wringer for under $20 on eBay.
Every day, I put the clothes (sorted with regard to colors, whites, etc.), water of the appropriate temperature, and a piece of the Fels Naptha into buckets. I let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes, then take a large dowel (like a broom handle) and stir it around about 50 times. I let it sit for another 15 minutes, and then I put the clothes into a perforated plastic laundry basket, which I got at the dollar store. I pour the water out and let the clothes drain into the bucket. I then put the clothes back into the bucket with more water. This "rinse cycle" is repeated once more, and then I put the clothes through the wringer. If there are buttons or zippers, this part can't go through, but the rest can be wrung out quite well. I hang the clothes up to dry, which takes only a very short time. So what do I accomplish by doing clothes this way?
If anyone thinks doing laundry this way is strenuous or excessively time-consuming, it isn't. I work full-time and I am an evening student. Typically, I "put in a wash" before I leave for work in the morning (you can let it soak) or in the evening when I am taking a break from studying. I do almost all of my laundry this way; most things that are supposedly dry clean only are not. I guess I probably spend about $20 a year on dry-cleaning bills, and I am pretty proud of myself for figuring out two years ago that the "old way" of doing laundry is really much easier and cheaper.
"My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it by MyStory@ stretcher.com
Take the Next Step:
Share your thoughts about this article with the editor: Click Here
Looking for an answer to a frugal living question? Click here to ask a Dollar Stretcher Stretchpert!
If you liked this article, sign up for our free eNewsletter Surviving Tough Times. Just enter your email address in the box below and click Subscribe.
Follow The Dollar Stretcher on Twitter.
Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please click here to submit your idea. We get the best ideas from our readers!
Dollar Stretcher Community
Forums
Blogs
Also In This Week's Issue
Fix your credit score, step by step
Don't let fiance's debt ruin your credit
Are online checking accounts for you?
4 shortest routes to cheap car insurance
5 investment strategies for retirees
7 steps to becoming a one-income family
Copyright 1996 - 2010 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." All rights reserved unless specifically noted.
Contact the Dollar Stretcher at:
Dollar Stretcher
PO Box 14160
Bradenton FL 34280
Voice 941-761-7805
Fax 941-761-8301
"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.
| About Us | Privacy Policy | Writer's Guidelines | Sponsorship | Media | Contact Us |