Will it save to get a washer and dryer?

[infocus]

Currently I use the laundromat at the apartment office, which is $1 to wash and $1 to dry. We spend at least $30 a month there for the two of us (I hang dry my work clothes, and we wear some things more than once, sheets get changed once a week at best...). I can't really cut that amount down any more. What I am wondering is, would it save money in the long run for me to get a washer and dryer? How much extra can I expect to pay in water, sewer and electric costs? Currently I pay $30 for water, sewer and trash combined, and $50 for electric (I have electric heat as well).

Of course there is also the cost of the washer and dryer. I have been doing some research, and I know I can pick up a used set for a couple of hundred, though there will be no warranty and it could conk out at any time. I could also get the cheapest model at the dent and ding place for maybe $400 for a set, and that would come with a warranty. But I have also been reading about the front loaders and how they use so much less water and also extract more water from the clothes so they dry much faster. They also apparently clean better and help clothes last longer. I have used one before and I know this is true. However, they cost about $600 just for the washer. Would I be better off in the long run getting one of these?

It will be a while before I am out of credit card debt and can save up enough anyway, but I am working on my long term goals today

Thanks. I am so glad I found this forum!

[sweeps]

Just out of curiosity, how do you get by with just 15 loads a month? We probably do about 15 loads a week. Based on the low volume of laundry you do, buying a washer and dryer isn't worth it, in my opinion.

[infocus]

Originally Posted by Sweepsplayer

Just out of curiosity, how do you get by with just 15 loads a month? We probably do about 15 loads a week. Based on the low volume of laundry you do, buying a washer and dryer isn't worth it, in my opinion.

Hang on, I think I miscalculated - make that $40 a week, because I use a roll of quarters a week usually. There is just me and my son. One load is wash only (my work clothes which I hang to dry rather than dry clean) and a couple of loads for sheets and towels, and a load each for jeans and other casual colored clothes. Some things I save up and wash every second week - like one week I might wash all the whites with bleach, another week I might do an extra load of towels, etc. I know this is accurate because there are only three working machines over there, and I never do more than two rounds.

I would like to get my own eventually even if it doesn't save money because it would be so much more convenient. But I would really like to find out how much of an increase to expect in my electric and water and sewer usage. Mostly the electric, because I think the water and sewer are averaged and since I am the only one without a washer I am subsidizing everyone else's anyway and this probably wouldn't increase much.

[sweeps]

Oh, ok. At $40 a week, you'll probably want to get your own washer and dryer. (The $400 set sounds like a good deal.) How much your electric, water and sewer bills go up depends on a lot of things. But you'll probably find that using your own washer and dryer will save you in the long run. And I agree, the convenience of being able to do your laundry at home and on your own schedule is huge.

[infocus]

I mistyped - I meant $40 a month, which is a roll of quarters a week - sheesh! No wonder I have money problems, I can't even count!

Anyway, thanks for trying to help. It probably won't save me money, but I will add this to my wishlist for the other benefits, such as convenience.

I would like to hear from anyone who has input on whether the front loading machines are worth the money in the long run. Is the savings in water and electricity (due to removing more water from the clothes so they dry faster) really significant? Also, do your clothes get cleaner and last longer with these machines? I have only short term, occasional use to go by, and I was impressed with how clean my clothes got and how much faster they dried... but not sure how much of a difference this would make in dollars and cents over the long term.

[acezz4e_tish]

I would look at apt size stuff first. when my dad and i got our own house, i was 16, so mind u it was long ago. but we had this one movable unit. you hooked it to your sink. it washed clothes, and it had an extraction piece. like a double sink almost, only a lil bigger. then you could roll it to the closet when you were done and it was put away. we hung all our clothes, and then we only had to take bedding to wash.
i have a front loader, i been buying it from rent a center. sure im paying a few extra bucks. im down to where i can pay it off, 345 and ill get 55% off. so concidering i pay off early, im really not paying more then buying it for cash. not to mention, maintenence. thats maintenece free while i pay for it, and although it never broke down, if it had, they would pick it up, get it fixed and give me a loner to use free of charge. i have a ge energy star, but now that rent a center and rent one is combining, they carry the neptune set. and you can get used sets there as well, still with the same maintenence. if it breaks while your paying, they fix and loner for free, even if its used. if your going used, that may be the way to go, you can pay like 40 a month, and know that its yours and if it breaks they fix it, it has a warranty as long as your paying. i would not ever go back to using a top loader. with four kids, the aggitator rips were not worth it! i just got another electric bill, 95. my sons with his top loader and smaller place, less laundry his electric is 200. my water bill was 40 a month and is now 19.90, so yes my cost of the washer per month has been more then covered with the savings. i use tide colwater, baking soda, vinegar, then liquid softener with sponges in the dryer. i live in a co op, they arent even offering off peak here. i think that explains why costs is so high, we pay for thier maintenence too. so im willing to try most things to save money.

[Ima saver]

Sorry, I would not use a rent a center for anything. Washers and dryers last for ages. I gave my last set away and it was still working.
You would save money by getting your own set, new or used. You are spending $480 a year doing laundry.
Your water bill won't go up and your electric bill will not go up much if you wash in cold water only. I have been doing that for 40 years with no problems. If you add a few dry towels to your dryer, it will cut your drying time down about 1/3. I hate the time you have to waste going to a laundromat.
I would find a place that sells on credit, I am sure you could get something for $40 a month. I don't know about frontload, I always have used top load and it was fine.
My washer and dryer are 11 years old and work fine. When I move, I will give them away again to someone that needs them.

[infocus]

I just checked at the apartment office here and it is $65 a month for 12 months, then you own a washer and dryer set that is worth about $400 to $500 new. I did the math, $780, so that particular deal is not a deal. However, I will look around for other options.

$480 a year - that is really a lot of money. If I could save even $300 of that by having my own, it would pay for itself in three years even if I went with the front loader, and would last much longer than that. Not to mention the convenience.

What do you all think of the 'pay no interest for one year' offers they advertise on appliances and such? Once I get past my immediate crisis and get my credit card debt paid down, I could get the set, use it for a year 'free' while saving $300 in laundry expenses for that year, then pay it off just before the year is up. Is that sound thinking?

[acezz4e_tish]

i got my front loader new from them, 25 a month, been paying for a year, my pay off is 55% off of 345 right now, i havent spent more. i dont have a credit card and having four kids, i dont get credit anywhere. rent a center is how i got most of what i have, and its worked for me. i have a new tempra mattress and a four poster mahagony bed, chest and nightstand, 900 bucks on payments, my dryer was used and i paid that off for 265, in six payments. all the stuff i have, i paid off early or bought for a flat fee and they let me make payments. my kids have all new ashley bedrooms, i have a wall surround in my living room. lots of nice stuff i couldnt get elsewhere. i went to wilsons, i got denyed credit, i did at western auto also. four dependants, no bank, no cc, no way.lol they dont make me jump hoops, i can call em on the phone and say i need this, they say let me see what i got, or another stores got, and by end of day or next day i have what i need and its put where i want it. im a diamond member too, for being a customer five years, so i dont ever pay for first payment either, up to 100 dollars. so taking that 100 and the 55% payoff, im not paying more then if i got it from sears. and i dont have to pay that warranty fee and delivery fee either. thats all included, you gotta do the math to see if its worth it. i bought my living room set there, used, they had it cleaned for me, its a surround piece, almost purple iwth the two recliners, and the table on it, used 350 flat, and i paid in six months just that amount. you gotta see what they got, and what you will get from it, before making that decision really, if that drawer lid cracks, while u pay for it, they get it fixed for free. cost, maintenence, delivery, early pay off, you gotta research the item before you make that decision.

[Ima saver]

Yes it is, but only if you pay it off a few weeks before the year is up. That is how they try and catch you. Also, tell them you do not want that stupid insurance that pays it off if you should die or become disabled.
We bought out furniture that way for our new house. I made no payments but noticed my balance went up. I called and they had added insurance.
They try to trick you by having the full amount due a few days sooner than the year. all interest accrues and if you are one minute late, you pay ALL the interest for the whole year. I made sure I paid it off a month early in full.
Make sure you save that $10 a week to pay on the set!
I would not waste my money on a more expensive washer. I would buy the cheapest set that I could find.
Someday you will be able to afford the set you really want. I have had only 3 sets in 40 years and sold or gave them all away when I moved.

[acezz4e_tish]

my insurance on things is about 2 dollars a month. unfortunatly here, its mandatory. were in the flood plains and surrounded by faults. theres after tremors here alot. little rock although almost four hours away, we feel theirs too. im near new madrid which is a fault also. but again i dont pay a maintenence or delivery fee. my mom bought a new fridge from sears they taked on 158 dollars for thier added service fee for 2 years i think it was, and mom paid 50 delivery too. so that was 200 extra right on the top. my 2 dollar fee has cost me 24 in one year, no delivery fee. i dont buy from sears, so im not sure if i explained it right, well i buy clothing there but,lol, not appliances, im sure you know what it is? maybe you can explain what that is better then i can. someone buying needs to know these things for sure before it hits them later not knowing. i do at least 3 loads a day, to keep the laundry done, the aggitator just tore up to many clothes, i love my front loader, i havent lost stuff yet. my top loader was ten years old. this is a year old, but it dont have an aggitator either. it has no setting for water either cause its self sufficient and is an energy star product. thats what i look for most now. especially with our bills, co ops stink! for example, 3 winters ago, ice storm that went ten days. no power, no schools, nothing. my bill was 900, they had people on it 24/7, and in a co op, you pay for that, they dont. they wouldnt let me make payments on that either, my mom and dad had to help me. i dont have 900 laying around, especially when everything i had to eat went bad and needs replaced. it was really bad here. now i have an rv, even tho gas is high, if we have a power outage, we still got a fridge, heat and warm beds to sleep in. i love our rv, its an 86 londonaire, i got off my mom for 2500. i couldnt get a generator here for that, now we have gr8 family fun too. we spent alot of time at koa last year, it was fun!

[Ima saver]

I am sorry, but I have seen too many articles on this and rent to own is not the way to go. I read all the money advice books and that is what they say. You need to get a secured credit card and build up your credit.

[acezz4e_tish]

i did my homework on the stuff i bought, it was the better option for me. i dont want a cc really, i dont. im a shopper and i know id get in trouble. i think im doing better by not having it, knowing i would get in trouble. i see all these 20 dollar things on tv and think wow i want that! well i cant have it cause i dont have a cc and most places dont do cod anymore. i wait and sooner or later it ends up in the dollar tree. guess what i just saw in the dollar tree. that phone zapper. to end telemarketing calls. how much was that when it come out 49.95 i believe, now its a dollar at dollar tree. just like booze to an alcholic, same with a credit card, i know it, and thats a good thing, knowing an addiction w/o suffering it. id be sitting there watching qvc ordering stuff, i know i would, my mother does, but she can afford that, and i dont like asking for help.

[infocus]

Do the math - that is good advice. I wish I had a rent to own place offering the kind of deals you've been able to get. But our Rent a Center told me $86.61 a month for 30 months, which works out to $2,598.30 for the washer. I can buy it at Lowe's for $1,200 to $1,300 or maybe cheaper if I looked around. So they are making 100% profit on this - yikes!

I think I'll wait a while, and do some research, and maybe next year if things are better, I will try the 'one year no interest' with the intent of paying it off before 11 months are up. Thanks for the warning on their sneaky little tricks!

Just checked Sears - they have a Kenmore version right now for $649 with the no interest for a year offer. Maybe next President's Day I will be able to take advantage of something like this.

[Ima saver]

All the rent a centers are like that, really big rip offs. Then after you pay,if you miss a payment, they will come and repo it and sell it again, this time much more cheaply. You should be able to get a washer and a dryer for not much more than $600 for both.

[acezz4e_tish]

wow thats the cost here a month for neptune set, washer and dryer. r u sure that was just for the washer? i got the ge, it dont have a drawer underneath, but its all good. i love it and wouldnt give it up for a new one. ive been a long time customer too, so i get better deals. you dont gotta buy em out, but have one thing, pay it out, and they give ya gold, the second is platinum, third is diamond. gold is half payment for first month, plat is 50 dollars off the top, diamond is 100. it pays to look into it, they get stuff back they cant put in the showroom, cause its new stuff or one payment made only stuff in the showroom, you ask whats in the back, they will take ya and show ya, cause if they charge something off, it comes out of the managers salary. say he lost 100 bucks that month on losses, hes got four things back there, if he sells them off for 25 each he recovers his losses. for fifty bucks i got an entertainment center for in the middle of my wall unit, that houses all my movies and discs, 32 in tv, dvd/vcr. the guy that used to work there rented it. he broke the bottom leg off. so they removed the legs. so its flat on the floor, which is what i want with my wee ones. they delivered it for me, and i paid them 10 dollars a month for 5 months. its all in what you find, i got an ashley chest, two end tables and 2 lamps, all for 250, again in payments over five months on that. you gotta ask whats in the back, thats recovery for the manager that suffers the losses. he wants to get his money back, u know? their could be the washer of your dreams back there. might have scratches on it, almost paid off, but they wanted a new one. so the manager does a "charge off". he suffers the balance owed on it at cost. so its always worth calling in or going in and asking.

[cercis]

I would recommend looking at garage sales for a $75 washer. Buy it first, hang what you can and schlep the other stuff to the community dryer. After you've saved enough, buy a $75 dryer and then save until you can get what you want.

Seriously, we bought a washer and dryer set for $75 (total) 12 years ago and the dryer is still working (last I heard, anyway). Dryers can last forever. I gave away 2 washers which were at least 30 years old and were working very well (I just really wanted a front loader). When I was thinking of selling my washers, I looked at garage sales and most were going for $50-80 (that's what they were priced at, I'll bet they were willing to deal). You'll have to have a way to transport them, though, don't expect a garage sale to provide delivery.

As for the front loader - I love mine, but for now I think you should just get the bare minimum and then get better when you've saved up for it.

[acezz4e_tish]

Originally Posted by infocus

I just checked at the apartment office here and it is $65 a month for 12 months, then you own a washer and dryer set that is worth about $400 to $500 new. I did the math, $780, so that particular deal is not a deal. However, I will look around for other options.

Did you ask if they do a early pay off discount?

[Tree0164]

Also I have seen many a washer and dryer on freecycle, it you don't need right away you may be able to pick up one for near free.

Also check out your local appliance store sometimes they have good deals especially on floor models.

[baselle]

Checking Craig's List for washer/dryer sets is also a great idea. If people move, they might prefer the cash and not want to ship the washer/dryer. Also estate sales. Dead guys don't do laundry.
We bought a top loader/ dryer combination for about $450 for the set in 1998. Its very basic, nothing fancy. Washer broke last weekend, but sweetie fixed it with a 20$ part.
You have to think about time, the convenience of doing laundry at odd times (is your laundry room closed, or is it 24/7?), lugging, security (don't have to worry about the undie/sock thief).

Front loaders sound nice, but somehow I don't think you're going to be saving enough water to make it worth your while. And remember the party option - the cheap top load washer doubles as a party cooler - fill with ice, stick sodas in it and voila!