Laundromats

[Carrie12345]

I spent $70 washing laundry. 
 

$70

So, yeah, I had bedding and whatnot, but still. $70. And that includes freaking out and mixing loads in dryers to try to save a few quarters, skipping one load to dry at home, and having a couple that still needed a few minutes in the home dryer because I was at the end of my rope. 
 

This can’t possibly be manageable for the average person on a long term basis!

It’s been 15+ years since I lacked a washer hook up and only the second time I’ve used a laundromat since, and I don’t remember it being so astronomical. 

[Amethyst]

Egads! How many loads were you doing? I only go to the laundromat when I need to wash our king sized down comforter, so one load. $70?? Wow

[fairfarmhand]

You brought back fun memories.

When I was in the fourth and fifth grade we lived in an apartment that lacked hookups so my mom went to the laundromat to wash our stuff. She had 3 kids and a dh who was a mechanic so it couldn't have been an ideal way to spend a day. But I loved it. The place was clean and brightly lit and I guess my mom went when it wasn't busy because I only remember a handful of times that there were other people there. She would do all the laundry at once using an entire bank of machines. She would sit and read a magazine, and she was never too busy to talk at the laundromat. The place smelled like Gain laundry detergent and I loved it. 

When we were older, she would give us money to go to the little store around the corner where we'd walk with my cousins to buy gum and candy.

[historically accurate]

I have a friend who didn't have a washer in her house for years, and she had 4 kids. I asked her one time how much her laundry bill came to - she said it was $40-50 per week. Like you, she brought home a lot to hang around the house instead of using the dryers. After that, I offered her my washer/dryer every time she came over. I felt like it was the least I could do to help her out. She did say the good part was it was her DH's time with a kid, so weekly, he took 1 kid to the laundromat for special Daddy/Kid time. 

My brother's apartment building has pay washer and dryer in it. He's single, so it's not as pricey. But it still adds up quickly. Before Covid, he came over 1x per week and did his laundry here - sometimes babysitting if I had to run somewhere. Now, since he's not coming over, he handwashes a lot and hangs it to dry.

[Garga]

2 minutes ago, historically accurate said:

I have a friend who didn't have a washer in her house for years, and she had 4 kids. I asked her one time how much her laundry bill came to - she said it was $40-50 per week. Like you, she brought home a lot to hang around the house instead of using the dryers. After that, I offered her my washer/dryer every time she came over. I felt like it was the least I could do to help her out. She did say the good part was it was her DH's time with a kid, so weekly, he took 1 kid to the laundromat for special Daddy/Kid time. 

My brother's apartment building has pay washer and dryer in it. He's single, so it's not as pricey. But it still adds up quickly. Before Covid, he came over 1x per week and did his laundry here - sometimes babysitting if I had to run somewhere. Now, since he's not coming over, he handwashes a lot and hangs it to dry.

You could buy a machine in a few months at those prices! Wow!

 

[Scarlett]

27 minutes ago, Garga said:

You could buy a machine in a few months at those prices! Wow!

 

Right? 
I remember when my mom bought a washing machine on credit when we first moved to Arkansas from Washington when I was a kid.  No dryer.  We hung clothes all  apartment and there was a line outside I believe.  It was actually a duplex and we had a yard. After she paid that off she got a dryer.  That was a joyous day.  

[RootAnn]

Dd's nonprofit did towels from a TNR mass trapping at a laundromat once. I think it was two loads of towels & cost upwards of $15 not including detergent costs. And I'm not sure the towels were dry when they were returned. So, yeah, $$$$. After that, DH agreed to let them be done on our machines (assuming some prerinsing was done first) & he asked for $5 for each trapping (which is 2-4 loads). So, much cheaper for the non-profit.

[historically accurate]

41 minutes ago, Garga said:

You could buy a machine in a few months at those prices! Wow!

 

In this case, the house was super old and there was no plumbing for a washer. I'm not sure the electric would sustain it either.

[Carrie12345]

1 hour ago, Amethyst said:

Egads! How many loads were you doing? I only go to the laundromat when I need to wash our king sized down comforter, so one load. $70?? Wow

I lost count. It was more than a weeks worth of clothes for 6, bedding for 4, towels...

There were a few washers that were $3, but they couldn’t use pods and that’s all I had, so the machines I used ranged from $3.50 to $7.50 for the mega bedding ones!

When I was a teen, our septic couldn’t handle the washing, so my mom used the laundromat and we used the dryer at home. I don’t know how she lugged wet laundry all the time. Of course my sisters and I helped sometimes, but I was usually at work. I don’t know how she afforded it. 

[Gobblygook]

We have gone for a few weeks at a time with a non-working washing machine and so I’ve had to use a laundromat. It IS expensive, and time-consuming! 

[Drama Llama]

2 hours ago, Garga said:

You could buy a machine in a few months at those prices! Wow!

 

Where I live though an apartment that allows washers will run you hundreds more each month.

[Tanaqui]

5 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Where I live though an apartment that allows washers will run you hundreds more each month.

Which is why my parents smuggled our washing machine into our apartment when we were kids and hid it in the hall closet.

[wathe]

1 hour ago, Tanaqui said:

Which is why my parents smuggled our washing machine into our apartment when we were kids and hid it in the hall closet.

I had a contraband one in my apartment as a young adult.  It was on wheels and it hooked up to the kitchen sink.  I also hid it in a closet.

[prairiewindmomma]

It’s expensive to be poor.

Fwiw, amazon sells for under $150 mini washing machines that you can use, hooked up to a kitchen or bathroom sink. It won’t do bedding, and it doesn’t dry, but it beats laundromat prices within a month! It helps if you can’t quite replace your regular washing machine or if you are in a dorm or apartment that doesn’t have hookups.