I'm considering trying this

[Jaded]

My friend, who is on disability and manages on $900 a month and $45 in food stamps, says she hardly ever had a water bill over the minimum. She uses the "hurricane rule"....three gallons of water per day. She does flush her toilet, though. LOL

Anyway, she sponge bathes and washes her hair with one gallon, and rinses both with one. She uses the other for drinking and cooking. She steams a lot of her veggies in the microwave with very little water, or she eats them raw. She broils most of her meat, so as not to use water.

She gathers rainwater in barrels for flushing toilets and says she is going to buy a distiller so she can use it for drinking too.

I never would have guessed she did this, because this is the CLEANEST woman, with the CLEANEST house you have ever seen!

She and I are going to talk some more, and I'm going to try her method. I want to see just how low I can get my bills this month. We don't get charged for water until we use 1,000 gallons, and she says she doesn't get billed but once every 4 months. She does have a washing machine. So that means she only uses 250 gallons of water a month! I probably use that in three days! Of course, she doesn't water plants outside like I do, but still.

Of course, our rainy season is over, so gathering rainwater is probably not going to be feasible, and I think I would have to shower at least once a week, but hey, every little bit counts, right?

[Holly]

It never hurts to try Jaded.
Just don't get yourself sick trying to hard.
I don't pay for water but I can get my electric bill down more using cold water to wash and heating my dis water on the stove.
When snow hits I can thaw for flushing toilets.

[FrugalMomof3]

I think it's worth a try atleast. Do let us know how you are managing.

[Nightshade]

With clean water fast becoming an issue worldwide we all could
learn from this smart lady!

Who knows, we all may have to use 3 gallons or less in the not to distant
future.

[HandyMom]

I didn't see any water in your friend's plan for washing dishes which is something I do many times a day.

[peanut]

This sounds interesting Jaded. Let us know the results of your conversation. She seems like a lady we could learn from.

Jean

[Jaded]

I didn't see any water in your friend's plan for washing dishes which is something I do many times a day.

I didn't talk to her about this, but she lives alone, so I suppose she doesn't have many.

[cottageliving]

wow. I have cut back my water usage, but nothing like that.

This made me realize that I can easily do more, even though I will not get to your friend's level any time soon.

I do have rain barrels, but have not set them up at this house yet ( I bought this house 1.5 yrs ago). The barrels are still in my garage -- had them set up at my previous home, but used the water only for my gardens...

[Luv2BeFrugal]

Oh my! That is amazing!!! We are awful about water usage. Probably because in Alaska the water is flat rate (pay fixed amount and use as much or as little as you want)...there are no water problems here...with half the worlds glaciers and plenty of snow I'm hoping it'll stay that way, but I suppose you never truly know for sure.

I've been trying to cut way down on water usage anyway (been working on "going green" in a variety of ways)...been using as little water as I can to wash dishes (by hand, no dw here), working on breaking the habit of letting the tap run until it's hot/cold (depending on what I'm needing), etc. I'm sure there's much more I could do...one step at a time I'll get there! I don't think I'll ever make it to 3 gallons a day, though!! Wow! That lady is a wonder!

[SummerM]

Wow, that sounds like quite an undertaking! With little kids, one in cloth diapers, I don't know if I could do that. But it wouldn't hurt to try! I'd love to hear more about it.

[Jaded]

Wow, that sounds like quite an undertaking! With little kids, one in cloth diapers, I don't know if I could do that. But it wouldn't hurt to try! I'd love to hear more about it.

In your case, it would be unfeasible. I wouldn't consider making my kids take sponge baths. Kids need tub time!