It was nice to have those clotheslines there, right next door. I like to hang sheets outside; that's about the only thing I used the lines for, at first. Then in the last year I decided to get serious: Unless we are having a series of rainy days, everything now goes on the clothesline. I have an electric dryer, so I figured I'd be saving a few pennies by not using it.
About three months ago, I began washing my clothes in tap-cold water, with the exception of the overalls Cliff wears when he's working on tractors and getting all greasy; my water heater is electric, too.
Since I pay the same amount year-round on my electric bill ($128 monthly), I wasn't sure how much I was saving, but I knew I had to be making some sort of dent in my overall bill.
Poking around on the Kansas City Power and Light website where I pay my bill, I found out exactly how much I've saved in the past year, because there's a comparison chart.
On the left is the current year; on the right, the previous year. Even though last month we had our biggest bill ever, over the year we have reduced our usage by 19% (this information is below the chart). And I didn't really start waging war on our electrical usage until perhaps mid-summer.
I wonder if I can do even better next year.
I've washed with cold water for years and it does work. My electric bill is mush lower than yours but I use a lot less too. I love sheets hung outside . The smell is so good when you go to bed on those sun dried sheets. But there is no clothes line around for me to use. Saving money in little ways does add up.
ReplyDeleteSounds like you made a dent in your usage. Good job. Think I'll try washing in cold water too. I haven't had a clothesline in years. I remember how nice the clothes smelled being air dried.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI have a clothes line and like to use it but sometime the grassburrs are so bad under it that I don't want those sticking to my shoes. Someone might say get rid of them. I wish someone would tell me how.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the smell of sheets dried outside on the line! That's a great savings, you inspire me to be more frugal!
ReplyDeleteWe ate at Golden Corral while on vacation in Florida. I had been looking forward to it too but it just didn't seem as great as I had remembered. I did have bread pudding for dessert with some soft serve on it and it was good but the pie there sure is lacking. I have a few apples left from our little tree which I may have to use today as we are getting a Nor'easter tonight!!!!!! YIKES! So much for trick or treating on Monday, darn it, I will have to give away all that candy or I will eat it myself.
Love how the guy played around with your header. Wish I knew how to use my Photo Shop!!
Our clothes line was attached to the barn and it fell down in the Spring, so our clothesline went with it. We had to balance the time it took to hang the clothes on the line vs time it took to do so away from work -- about 20 minutes, which doesn't seem like a lot. Hubby has not gotten around to putting the clothes line back up and I miss my line-dried sheets. We do have racks that we drape clothes on in the winter so we don't have to use the drier
ReplyDeleteDonna, I use cold water in the washer and hang everything on the clothes line to dry. I have a little line in the L. room I use when it is rainy or cold to hang things that will take a long time to dry. I hope I am saving money! I know Larry's colored shirts stay looking good longer.
ReplyDeleteI love the smell and feel of sheets dried outside on the line. HOWEVER, my mom used to dry mostly everything out there and towels were so, so scratchy. :) I'm impressed with your savings. I wash in warm or in cool, but cold just doesn't get rid of smells from my husband the construction guy. (lacquer thinner and stuff like that)
ReplyDeleteI use my clothesline every day unless it's raining, and I rarely wash anything in hot water. It really can make a difference.
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