There are hundreds probably thousands of ways to save money at home. Air drying your clothes is one of them.
Air drying your clothes on a clothes rack saves money on your electric and gas bill.
Since re-entering the 9 – 5 work-world after my business didn’t work out, I’ve had to take jobs that were lower-paying than I was accustomed to. This has meant watching my spending and seeing how I can be more economical at home. I was doing this before the pandemic hit. The lockdown and job uncertainty only further awakened me to how much every day things like electricity cost.
Sun and Wind are Still Free
My home is all electric (no natural gas), so I’m especially sensitive to the cost of electricity. I noticed my utility bill was high and it wasn’t even summer yet. Yikes! I figured the best way I could cut down on my electric costs (and help the environment) was by air drying my clothes.
A traditional outdoor clothesline wasn’t an option because I live in a condominium with only a patio. I was also concerned that I couldn’t dry clothes when the weather was bad (which isn’t too often in California). I needed a solution that could work indoors as well as outdoors. Looking online gave me an idea of the options.
I ended up spending $60 for a clothes drying rack on Amazon. It’s made of aluminum making it light weight and quick set. It’s collapsible and it stores easily in a closet. In addition, it’s not too big so it can be used indoors.
I paid $60.00 for the drying rack. I figured the dryer portion of my electric bill amounted to $5-6 per month so it will pay for itself in 12 months. It’s not a huge savings but little things add up. Plus, I don’t expect electricity to go down in price any time soon.
Added Benefits to Boot
Since buying it I’ve realized a couple added benefits that I hadn’t considered: My clothes dry fast, if not faster than when I used my electric dryer. Also, air drying isn’t as hard on your clothes as dryers and drying them outdoors makes them smell especially fresh.
Air drying clothes, cutting my own hair and ironing my dress shirts are just a few of the strategies I use to be able to work lower-paying jobs and live within my means.
