What do all these things have in common?

My future in laundry once we move to Texas next year! :) I know, you are probably thinking "what in the world are those 2 bottom pictures?". Good question. They are mini washing machines. And they will be what we will use when we move to Dallas and I will share with you why in a moment. The other 2 items...a wash board...will always come in handy when I will have to scrub out dirty stains. And thanks to Michelle (a.k.a. Coffee Wife) I now know they make glass wash boards, so that's is just wonderful! And of course I will need a drying rack to dry our laundry on.

Okay, this is why I think those 2 machines will be a good investment for us. Well, with hubby getting out of the military and going to college full time next year, money is going to be tight. I am trying to be frugal in every aspect I can and learn about it so that once we do hit Texas, I won't be freaking out over the lack of money.

"Well, aren't these machines expensive?" Yes and no, it depends on where you buy them. I plan on bidding on the bottom one on eBay soon. And the top one I may ask my brother and mom to go half and half on it for a Christmas gift to us (unless I find a better deal on eBay).

"If you live in an apartment dwelling, they have laundry facilities there...why don't you use that instead?" I may for blankets and such, but here is why I will try to avoid that at all costs...because it adds up really fast!

Look here what I have calculated...
Alright from July 2001 - January 2004 (2.5 years) we lived in an apartment. Washing was $1.75 and drying was $1.75. I washed 2 days per week, meaning I did 4 washings / dryings total (using 2 washers and 2 dryers each time)

So, 4 washings per week = $7.00
4 dryings per week = $7.00

that's a total of $14 per week washed away down the drain. Now, multiply $14 x 4 (meaning in weeks). That's $56 per month!!! Now add $56 to 12 (months in a year). We get $672! Now add another year of that... $1,344 and add half of a year which is about $336, and let's see our grand total that we spent in washing and drying our clothes for those 36 months ...

The total is.. : $1,680! In a 2.5 year time span!!!! (Note: this also included when we washed our sheets / blankets).

Now we move on to our next apartment dwelling...
We were there from January 2004 - July 2005.
Like the other place, it's cost $1.75 to wash and $1.75 to dry. I did laundry 2 times per week, using 2 washers and 2 dryers each time.

So the math is pretty much the same
4 washings per week : $7.00
4 dryings per week: $7.00

Again we have $14 per week being spent, times it by 4 (weeks) and you get $56 per month. Add $56 to 12 (months) is $672. Add a half of a year to that which is $336 and the total for the 18 months we lived in this apartment was....

$1,008.

So, in our 4 years of our apartment living we spent $2,688! All that, washed away, never to be seen again.

Well, what about your washing / drying there in Germany? Ahhh...I am lucky. It's all free! Wooohoooo! It's a communal laundry room with 6 washers and 5 dryers and it's kept quite clean and since there really isn't many people left in our building, I can wash whenever I feel like and not fight over the washers and dryers. I truely am spoiled for not having to pay anything. But I am enjoying it now cuz I know it won't last long once we leave here.


Now I was never any good at math, so feel free to correct me if I am wrong with any of the above numbers. I think I added it all up right...didn't I?

So, anyways, as you can see, that's a lot of money being spent unwisely. That's money we will need in Dallas.

Now if I win that Wonder Clean machine off eBay this week, it's will probably cost me $30, depending if I get outbid. $30! Sure I may have to wash a little at a time, but it sure is worth it and I will use less soap. With the other machine (the one that looks like a blender...LOL). If I get that as a gift, I am not spending anything. So, you see, in the long run, I think it's better to have these things mentioned in the pictures.

So, do you think I am rational or do you think I have fallen off my rocker...LOL.

Also, has anyone ever used either of those 2 machines? If so, how was your expierence with them?

Blessings to you my gracious bloggers!