Dryer costs!

**baxjul** · 01-21-2006, 02:57 PM

On our electric provider's website they have a part that shows how much everything costs to run. An electric dryer costs $.40 per load, so, I've taken a jar, put it on top of the dryer and everytime I hang a load to dry I put the $.40 I'm saving in the jar. This is giving me incentive to hang everything to dry!

guest7 · 01-21-2006, 06:51 PM

That adds up!! minimum 1 load a day is $142 year!
But I wonder if the rate has been updated with the recent increase in utility services.

**Kimberlina** · 01-21-2006, 07:02 PM

This is how our electric company
(National Grid) figures it:

"Electric Clothes Dryer

* Annual operating cost: $340.86

These default values were based on:

* Based on 40 loads of laundry per month or 480 loads annually
* One hour of operation per load cycle
* 5.7 kW electric dryer with a 100% efficiency rating"

**YankeeMom** · 01-21-2006, 07:13 PM

Originally posted by Kimberlina
This is how our electric company
(National Grid) figures it:

"Electric Clothes Dryer

* Annual operating cost: $340.86

These default values were based on:

* Based on 40 loads of laundry per month or 480 loads annually
* One hour of operation per load cycle
* 5.7 kW electric dryer with a 100% efficiency rating"

That's who we have too.
That adds up to over 70cents per load

It's cheaper to go to the dang laundrymat

**graci42** · 01-22-2006, 12:13 AM

Sounds like I'll be hanging more clothes!
Graci

**Pheline** · 01-23-2006, 12:14 PM

Originally posted by YankeeMom
That's who we have too.
That adds up to over 70cents per load
It's cheaper to go to the dang laundrymat

is it? you'd have to factor in gas to get there and time just hanging out. also losing the option of hanging the clothes to dry. I LOVE clothesline dried clothes- all summer until the sun moves too far south to hit the yard it's in. I think I'll move it to the main part of the yard and hang in the winter too.

I can presort with the clothesline too since everyone has their own line to put stuff on- and it's easier to deal with the clothes that go on hangers .

**homesteadmamma** · 01-23-2006, 12:19 PM

I don't own a dryer and haven't in years and years. I know we've saved thousands of dollars by not having one.

Inconvenient at times, however the savings is well worth it.

**celina** · 01-23-2006, 12:59 PM

homesteadmama what do you do in the winter, do you hang anyways..or indoors...thanks in advance

**SewCrafty** · 01-23-2006, 02:00 PM

Originally posted by Pheline
is it? you'd have to factor in gas to get there and time just hanging out. also losing the option of hanging the clothes to dry. I LOVE clothesline dried clothes- all summer until the sun moves too far south to hit the yard it's in. I think I'll move it to the main part of the yard and hang in the winter too.

I can presort with the clothesline too since everyone has their own line to put stuff on- and it's easier to deal with the clothes that go on hangers .

While all your observations are correct, some people aren't allowed to have clotheslines, due to neighborhood or city rules etc... Also unless you live in the country as I do, not many people have the room or amount of lines that I do and can actually do a weeks worth of laundry in one day. There is only hubby and myself and I also can do the towels, sheets and even bed covers besides regular laundry in one day.

For a family of 4 or more this would be hard, so I think one trip to the laundromat once a week sounds pretty darn good!

I too love lined dried clothing and even use racks inside in the winter for my clothing, Jack's get the dryer. That is just my choice, now if I had a houseful, you would find me at the laundromat once a week getting it all over and done with. The time spent doing one load of wash per day (or 2 depending one how many family members you have) can be spent saving money in other places. But that is just my 2

**homesteadmamma** · 01-23-2006, 02:14 PM

Originally posted by celina
homesteadmama what do you do in the winter, do you hang anyways..or indoors...thanks in advance

Celina, yes I hang indoors. I have 3 clothesracks that I put in dd's bedroom (she has a large bedroom) and I wash on MOnday (mostly). Within 24 hours the clothes are dried, I fold them and put the clothesracks away until next laundry day.

Dh keeps after me to purchase a dryer, however I've held off so far. Maybe in a few years when I'm older and it 's not so easy for me to do all the extra work, I will buy a dryer. Right now though, this works for me.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-23-2006, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by Pheline
I think I'll move it to the main part of the yard and hang in the winter too.

It's good that you can dry your clothes outside in the winter. Here where I live, we can't. At -20C and lower, I'm not about to hang clothes outside and freeze my fingers. I would recommend that to anyone who has cold weather during the winter months.

**homesteadmamma** · 01-23-2006, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by SewCrafty
If I had a houseful, you would find me at the laundromat once a week getting it all over and done with. The time spent doing one load of wash per day (or 2 depending one how many family members you have) can be spent saving money in other places. But that is just my 2

Dee when we lived in the city, we were without a washer for approx. 6 months and due to finances weren't able to purchase the washer we wanted to (it was over $700.00). I did all my laundry at the laundromat first thing Sat. morning. It saved a HUGE amount of time and wasn't that costly considering I brought them home to line dry in the basement. We didn't purchase a new washer until we moved to where we live now.

If we had a laundromat in our town or even close by in the next town, I would do the exact same thing. Not only does it save time, it saves on the water bill, electricty and having to spend the money on the purchase of a washer if you have other goals. (At the time, we were putting every dollar away we could to pay cash for our present home.)

You can't beat a laundromat in my opinion.

**SewCrafty** · 01-23-2006, 02:38 PM

I agree CJ, we have a laundromat in the next town over and I have had to use it on occasion. If it was in the summer I was able to bring home everything and hang out on the clotheslines, winter time I dried what I had to and brought just my things home to dry on the racks.

Everyone's idea of frugality is different, yours was saving for your home, mine at the time was saving for a new washer. You do what you gotta do and in the long run it all comes out in the wash. (pun intended)

**SewCrafty** · 01-23-2006, 02:40 PM

OH and I forgot something, here in NY when the temps hit about 45ºF - 50º I stop hanging out too. It is very rough on the hands and we don't have enough sunlight by then to even dry the clothes, so into the dryer or on the racks they go.

**bamamomto4** · 01-25-2006, 07:16 PM

I'm sure mine is costing a small fortune right now. Something is wrong with my dryer and it's taking 2 times set at 70 to dry a load of jeans or towels

Steve has looked at it,and everything is testing fine. At this point,I'd be better off buying a new dryer!