10 Ways to Save on Your Laundry Bill
As a college student, you might have had to do your laundry. You might have been forced to brave the laundromat machines and get weird looks from other people who don’t live alone.
But lately, laundry is essential if you live in a college town with ever-increasing rent prices or if you work full time, are a full-time student, and don’t have time for more than one load of laundry every week or two. It’s becoming more common to use a prepaid laundry service rather than doing it yourself.
While this is often more expensive depending on the size of your household’s needs, did you know that using these services can end up saving you money? So, search for “wash and fold near me” to find the best wash-and-fold laundry services in your area.
Here are ten ways to save on your laundry bill.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Buy Your Laundry Detergent
Depending on which laundromat you go to, the price of using their “wash and fold” service might also include a box or two of laundry detergent.
Don’t be afraid to ask for this (or browse online beforehand). Otherwise, if you buy it yourself, don’t immediately purchase the biggest bottle available. It’s cheaper over time to buy one big bottle than multiple small ones.
- Make Your Dry Cleaning Bags
A lot of people think that these are included in the wash-and-fold service, but they’re not. If you have a specific type/brand of reusable bag that allows for washing and drying at high, then, by all means, use it.
However, if you plan to buy bags that require dry cleaning, it’s just more economical to buy them yourself.
- Make Your Own Deodorant and Cleaning Wipes
If you want scented ones (don’t come from a bottle), they can get expensive after a while. Consider making your own or asking for unscented ones as birthday presents, especially if they’re homemade by someone who knows what they’re doing.
- Save on Postage and Packing Materials
Are there people out there who still send letters? You can be sure it happens sometimes, but for the most part, since the invention of email, you’ve stopped receiving many/any actual letters (not counting junk mail). You can check complete guide to activate.searscard.com.
Many laundromat services will provide postage and packing materials at a discount. So if you plan to send something via post anyway, it’s more economical to use them by searching for “wash and fold near me” as long as the package doesn’t exceed their weight limit.
- Hang Dry Clothing When Possible
Hanging clothes is generally easier than folding, so depending on how much you have, this might be a good option for you (especially in small spaces like dorm rooms).
If your schedule allows for doing laundry on Saturdays or Sundays, then, by all means, hang all your laundry up and let it air out before putting it away. This will save some wear and tear on your drying machine and whatever else needs to get washed.
- Buy Bedding in Bulk
If you don’t already own the comforter, duvet cover, sheets, and pillowcases you want, then there’s no need to buy them at laundromat prices.
- How Much Money Should You Expect to Save?
The amount could vary depending on how often you use your laundry service – whether it’s once or twice a week, etc.
As an estimation for small households (1–2 people) and medium (3–5), you can estimate that customers would see approximately 20% savings over their current rate by switching from wash-and-fold to doing their laundry.
- Is it Worth Your Time?
If you think the hours spent managing a laundromat and doing laundry yourself are worth more than what you’d save using a service, then go for it.
However, if you’re like most people who don’t want to spend half of their Saturdays or Sundays doing chores but still want to be able to do laundry whenever necessary, then it’s probably best for them to use a wash-and-fold service.
- Save Even More Money on Dry Cleaning
Suppose you want to get costly clothing cleaned – suits, dresses, etc. In that case, another good option is buying some spot remover from the grocery store and taking your clothes there instead (after checking if their machines can handle it).
- If You’re an Apartment Dweller, Consider Using the Laundromat in Your Building
These laundromats might not be an option for everyone (especially single-story apartments), but it’s something to look into if you want to save time and money.
Laundromats are also more convenient than washing machines with little ones running around everywhere. This convenience also eliminates the possibility of losing another load due to overloading a machine or forgetting whether or not you locked it.
