My husband and I have always rented our homes, so we’ve often wanted our own washer and dryer but never had the space. So Laundromats were a weekly ritual for us.
Do you know the feeling?
Warm and humidity in a room with over flowing trash cans, dryer sheets blowing across the floor and lint stuck to the bottom of your shoes. Having to sit and wait in those rounded plastic chairs that attach to the next one, leaving you a breath away from your neighbor. Young children kicking and screaming in laundry carts dangerously close to your ankles.
I HATED IT.
I’d do whatever I could to avoid it. Try to figure out what time of day to go to avoid kids and the lady who would always come in asking for spare change. It’s a Laundromat, of course every single one of us has a pocket full of quarters.
One time I tried hand washing all of our clothes in the sink. That wasn’t big enough, so I moved to the bath tub. That crap is hard. I stood in the sudsy water stomping and swishing like one of those women who make wine with their feet. Squeezing the fabric between my toes. Hoping it was clean. Then draining the tub, filling with more water and repeating my foot action. Then draining and rinsing and wringing. My hands, feet and possibly even my elbows looked like plump raisins. But I still had to dry it. By that point I gave up and took it to the usual place to chuck in the dryer.
Can you see why we needed a washer and dryer? I wish that I could say that I was as a strong a woman as my ancestors and that a little physical labor wouldn’t hurt me. But if I did, I’d be lying. I’m a wuss. I couldn’t handle it.
So we waited. And hoped.
When we moved to Pittsburgh last year, I was excited to see washer and dryer hookups in the basement. We could have our own set! I was thrilled. I watched the for sale ads on Craigslist for months. And it happened….
Don’t mind my pile of “gutchies” in the hamper or the not so pretty basement. We are renting, so I’m not too worried about not having a finished basement. In due time, when we are home owners, that will happen. But for now I can do laundry at home!
Total cost was $50. For the whole set! It was completely unexpected to land such a great deal. I expected to pay at least $150 per appliance. But $50 for both? I jumped on it.
It is possible for you to also score a great deal on major appliances. Especially if you’re okay with used items. My washer and dryer set are older, probably from the 80s or early 90s. But they work. And I’m thrilled. Both to have paid cash and to just plain have.
What big purchase did you pay cash for?
Jenn
November 16, 2015 at 3:06 pmI’ve been doing my laundry at a laundromat for the last 6 years, and I actually really don’t mind it. I set myself up in a chair by the back row and spend that time doing homework. I met my boyfriend at the laundromat, as cliche as that sounds. Someday we’ll live in a condo with washer and dryer hookups, but for now, it’s not so bad!