Comments on: Frugality has its limits

By: Colleen

Colleen — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:57:11 +0000

I have to disagree with your dryer sheet conclusion. I grew up without them and started using them a few years ago and I think they make a significant difference in the softness of my clothes, the fresh scent, but most noticeably, the anti-static effect they have. If I don’t use a dryer sheet, not only do my clothes/towels stick together, but I find I have to deal with static while wearing them as well! :) I am a dryer sheet convert, if you will!

By: Sarah Kate

Sarah Kate — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:19:53 +0000

Dryer sheets have chemicals in them that we don’t need. I haven’t used them for years and feel that my appearance and smelliness of clothing has not suffered :).

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:13:39 +0000

This reminds me of my roomie in college. He’d call his parents collect from the hall phone and then have them refuse the call so they would know to call him back. He didn’t want to spend the $0.10 to make a 1 min call. He’d also save those tiny soap fragments you’re speaking of, and when he had collected enough he would cook them in the microwave and mold them into a larger bar. No joke. He’s a doctor now and sometimes I wonder if he still does it.

By: Cara

Cara — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:02:30 +0000

apparently, if you are outside, you can also put a dryer sheet in your pocket and it will keep the bugs away…a homeopathic/less chemically bug deterrent!

By: Allison

Allison — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:44:37 +0000

my honda is at 201,200 miles. i just got it a couple new tires, but other than that…it’s doing just fine. every time i get the oil changed they tell me i should come in more often because it’s so old, and every time i ignore them.

AND, not that you were asking for alternate uses for dryer sheets…

when i was in college, i straightened my hair. my hair had a static problem. i used to rub dryer sheets on it! that’s so weird. but it totally took care of that problem, for the whole day.

By: Jannell

Jannell — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:21:22 +0000

I’ll leave my helpful hint…in the storage container section of your store, look for these things called “dryer balls”; and while that phrase could mean a myriad of these, they are rubber spiked balls which you can throw in with your clothes and they beat the wrinkles out. Never have to use a dryer sheet again. They are like 5 bucks for two. As far as scent goes, just buy a concentrated laundry soap that smells good. Lasts way longer. Frugality is fun!

By: Laura

Laura — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 21:01:49 +0000

Annie, get a bagless vacuum if possible. Much less hastle. Are you looking on Craigs list? You always find the funniest things on that site. I still can’t get the image of that pink *couch* out of my head.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:01:42 +0000

I, too, like dryer (drier?) sheets. They smell good – I’ll let you know what mine are calle,d when I get home.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:00:55 +0000

I need tips for frugality, I guess. I’m wasteful… though I can say that my drier broke about… 3 months ago… and I have yet to get it fixed. It’s just sitting there and I hang my clothes up to dry. Yay me, conserving energy.

I used to always wash my clothes in cold water, too, but I prefer the way they come out of warm water, for some reason.

The tiny slivers of soap I find kind of disgusting – like a larger bar has more cleaning power, somehow. Maybe you could deposit the tiny slivers in a container as you collect them and eventually you’ll have enough to make a new, large bar of soap.

By: becca

becca — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 19:22:13 +0000

1. you can tear dryer sheets in half to make them last twice as long. uh…but i don’t use them either (despite my crispy jeans and static-filled towels.) in college, i started washing all of my clothes in cold water so i could just do one big load.

2. i have never bought insurance for my cell phone (knock on wood.) i also have no health insurance (even bigger knock on wood.)

but greebs will always eat high-quality dog food.