Layout:
Home > Frugal Living: Clothes Dryer

Frugal Living: Clothes Dryer

June 4th, 2007 at 12:48 pm

Although we have a clothes dryer, DW still prefers to dry clothes on the line when the weather is fine. When we bought our house it came with an extending clothes line attached to the remaining upright post of an old broken "Hills Hoist". The extending line has not been very easy to use as the bar attached to the old clothes hoist wobbles and makes the clothes lines sag. So DW finally took a trip to the local hardware superstore to check on new clothes hoists. The traditional Hills Hoist costs around $250 and is made in China, so she's decided to go with a cheaper brand that costs $150 (and probably also comes from China). It comes with a ten year warranty, so it should last ten years and pay for itself via the electricity saved by not using the clothes dryer very often. It also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as our electricity mostly comes from coal-fired power stations.

[url=http://enoughwealth.com]Enough Wealth[url]

8 Responses to “Frugal Living: Clothes Dryer”

  1. Joan.of.the.Arch Says:
    1180967779

    This past weekend I strung new line on my neighbor's clothesline which has room for four parallel lines. I only put up two lines, but used network cable that seems to have a flaw in it so is not good for computer use. The clothesline that came with my house was an odd thing. It traced a giant "Y" shape running down 2/3 the length of the yard, and spanning from one side of the yard to the other. I've modified it to be more compact. We, too, have a dryer (It was a gift.), but do not use it often.

  2. nance Says:
    1180975253

    I also have a dryer that doesn't see much use. I prefer to hang them outside all year round, and I live in a state that has long winters! As long as the sun shines, it is possible to dry clothes outside.
    I bought two metal t-shaped posts, complete with wire lines (four) for ten dollars. The ad was in the paper.
    Many older homes have clothes lines in yards, but the people don't use them and want them gone.

  3. momandmurray Says:
    1180979167

    My husband read your blog and wondered why we don't hang our clothes on a line. After I shot him a "You are joking" look, he still didn't get it. Or maybe, I am just being a critic of more work for me. Please tell me that you are just doing laundry for a few. We are a household of nine and I have a washer, and two dryers working daily. Summer months, I can easily do 5 loads a day. SO,...

  4. Frayed Buckeye Card Says:
    1180983361

    In some neighborhoods clothes lines are not permitted, this wouldn't work for me,I like hanging outside. The laundry smells wonderful and bleach is never required. While I had a dryer, I hung five dozen diapers a day plus the rest of the wash. Yes, I strung lines everywhere possible. It wasn't a hardship, I like being outdoors.Here's to the hang your wash out group!

  5. nance Says:
    1180984488

    If you have a washer that can do a load in about 20 minutes, it is actually faster to hang laundry on a nice day. Sometimes, it dries very rapidly, and if there is a breeze, it is relatively wrinkle free.
    For a family of nine, however, you would have to have LOTS of lines available! You would have to like being outside, and have a fenced yard for the kids to play while you are outside hanging laundry. It is just a matter of preference. You do have a ton of work with a large family!

  6. fern Says:
    1180984730

    i like to use my retractable line too. It's mounted on the side of the house, back patio, and extends to the crabapple tree.

  7. LuckyRobin Says:
    1180999159

    MomandMurray--Sheets and towels are the fastest ane easist things to hang, and towels take the longest time to dry in the dryer, perhaps you could line dry those and continue the clothes in the dryer and save a bit on the electric by cutting drying time.

  8. Amber Says:
    1181011864

    I line dry all the time as long as you use softner your clothes will be fine. I also add $1 for every load I line dry

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]