A typical day

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I went to the laundromat early this morning thinking "Who would be thinking about doing laundry so early on a Sunday morning?" I guess everyone in town, the parking lot was full and every top-loader was in use.

I thought I'd go and get gas while waiting. I have a credit for 50¢ off a gallon which I accumulate shopping at a local supermarket, but the credit it is only good at certain gas stations and I have to use it by tomorrow or I loose it. I get to the gas station and their "system" is down, so they can't honor the credit and they were only taking cash transactions. Then I went to the market and told them what transpired. The clerk just stared at me and said, "I don't understand what you mean." How many ways can I explain that the gas station can't accept the credit? I asked if I could get an extension on the credit beyond tomorrow and she said "No." Then I asked if there was another gas station nearby that honors the market gas credit. She named a place about 10 miles away. I didn't think I had enough gas to get there as I'm riding on "E".

I went back to the laundry and the top loaders were still in use, the shortest time indicated was for 14 minutes, so I used a front-loader (at twice the cost), but the pillows did come out okay. I also did the kitchen curtains, but had the devil of a time getting them back up (I'm not real good on ladders). It will be a long time before I do the kitchen curtains again.

I need a rest!

kitchen2.jpg
 

debodun said:
I went to the laundromat early this morning thinking "Who would be thinking about doing laundry so early on a Sunday morning?" I guess everyone in town, the parking lot was full and every top-loader was in use.

I thought I'd go and get gas while waiting. I have a credit for 50¢ off a gallon which I accumulate shopping at a local supermarket, but the credit it is only good at certain gas stations and I have to use it by tomorrow or I loose it. I get to the gas station and their "system" is down, so they can't honor the credit and they were only taking cash transactions. Then I went to the market and told them what transpired. The clerk just stared at me and said, "I don't understand what you mean." How many ways can I explain that the gas station can't accept the credit? I asked if I could get an extension on the credit beyond tomorrow and she said "No." Then I asked if there was another gas station nearby that honors the market gas credit. She named a place about 10 miles away. I didn't think I had enough gas to get there as I'm riding on "E".

I went back to the laundry and the top loaders were still in use, the shortest time indicated was for 14 minutes, so I used a front-loader (at twice the cost), but the pillows did come out okay. I also did the kitchen curtains, but had the devil of a time getting them back up (I'm not real good on ladders). It will be a long time before I do the kitchen curtains again.

I need a rest!

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Why do you not have washing machine?
 
Deb, laundromats will always be extra busy on weekends, that's when all the working people have a chance to do their laundry because they're at work all week. Now that I'm retired I try to avoid doing anything on weekends, much less crowded roads and stores on weekdays. The cashiers in the supermarket have no control over what goes on at the gas stations they're affiliated with. I just go to the cheaper gas stations in my area and don't even bother hunting down one affiliated with the supermarket. Maybe if they had a gas station right in the parking lot, I would take advantage of those gas points.....but they don't. Nice curtains!
 

Here in Houston I do my errands early in the morning and avoid the weekends also. Right now everybody is shopping for school supplies but not early in the mornings. I have a fuel discount too from Kroger and always have loads of points but there is not a Shell station close enough to use it. Right now gas is $1.99 or cheaper at the places near me so that's good enough for me. If I worked and had a long drive to work each day I would look for one. But now I am close to everywhere I need to go and a tank last me about a month. Everybody working uses the weekends and I always have my stuff done and they can have the craziness that goes on around this city.
 
I don't chase places to get a discount (unless it is a HUGE one) because most of the time it takes more gas, time and aggravation to get there than it's worth.

Even here, as others have said above, the weekends -- even early in the mornings -- are so much busier than a weekday, so I avoid them, too. I don't do laundromats, but forget trying to do grocery shopping on the weekends. I usually do my grocery shopping on Wednesday morning, crack of dawn -- I'm not sure exactly why I got into that habit, but it works pretty well.
 
That's about the time I go too, Butterfly. Kroger, HEB and Walmart open early. I avoid the crowds as I can't stand them anymore. I go early on Wednesdays as that's when the new sales start here at the grocery stores. I have already added my digital coupons to my card and made my list. I don't need that much and if I need help unloading the cokes (bought on sale), the guys at the office will run down and unload for me. They help me with little things I need help with and I get them a nice gift card at Christmas!
 
Good news, everyone! I went back to the gas station this morning and no problem. It took over $15 even with the 50 cents a gallon discount. Good thing I gassed up BEFORE making meal deliveries.
 
Lon said:
Why do you not have washing machine?
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You could ask that of everyone else there.

I have an old Whirlpool washing machine that was in the house when my parents bought it in 1975, but the tub doesn't empty. I had a repairman do almost $200 of service on it after spending a cold winter day bailing it out, but it wasn't any better afterwards. For the cost of purchase and installation of a new washer, I could do my laundry at the laundromat for 10 years, plus not having to worry about maintenance.

washer1.jpg
 
If it were I, I'd replace the washer just for the hassle factor involved in going to a laudromat. I loathe laundromats -- they are hot, sticky, dirty, and God only knows what's been on other people's clothes washed before yours.

Around here you can get a good top loading washing machine for around $400, as long as you don't want it to be digital, have 14 bells and whistles, and all kinds of stuff you'll never use.
 
Butterfly said:
If it were I, I'd replace the washer just for the hassle factor involved in going to a laudromat. I loathe laundromats -- they are hot, sticky, dirty, and God only knows what's been on other people's clothes washed before yours.

Around here you can get a good top loading washing machine for around $400, as long as you don't want it to be digital, have 14 bells and whistles, and all kinds of stuff you'll never use.
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Me too Butterfly!. Mine cost $399.00 and its a plain one which is all I need. I wash small loads and I do like that it senses the load amount and uses the correct water for it. I would have trouble taking clothes to a laundromat and not knowing how clean it was!
 
Mine is very plain, too; it's white, and does have water levels and water temps and choice of speeds. That's all I need, too. I just could not face the laundromat thing. When I got this machine, I lucked out because it was on super duper special because it has a small dent on one side and I think I paid about $250 for it. Who cares about a little bitty dent in a washing machine?? I've had it about 10 years now and it's still going strong.
 
Butterfly said:
Around here you can get a good top loading washing machine for around $400, as long as you don't want it to be digital, have 14 bells and whistles, and all kinds of stuff you'll never use.
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Amen to that! Ours is real simple and never gives us any problems, but when I go to my sons they have one of those fancy digital ones that stops in the middle of the cycle and flashes an error message at you that I have no clue what he means. Then I have to play around with the controls for about 5 minutes until it starts up again and I have no idea what I did to fix it, so next load I have to go through the whole drill again.
 
I always buy washers and dryers at the scratch-and-dent place. Same warranty, lower price. So it's not perfect? Neither am I.

I have to use laundromats when we're out on the road and I HATE IT! You never know if the machine is going to conk out halfway during the cycle and leave you with a big load of very wet clothes and you have to start over with another machine. I hate getting things out of the dryer and they're covered with dog hair....yuk. We actually do have the hookups for a combo washer/dryer in the RV but they cost about $1200 and we'd have to give up the built-in dresser. Besides, the washer/dryers are very small and take forever to dry the clothes.

I complain at home because I have to cross the carport to get to the washer and dryer in the garage. After 4-5 months on the road, I go home and give them a big kiss! They're MINE....ALL MINE!!!
 
We had problems with our very expensive top loader that took almost a year of fighting with the manufacturer over. While the battle was going on I was forced into the only laundrymat in town.

I found that the regulars are a mean bunch. I arrived at about 06:30 and load my machines. Little while later a couple come in, look at my basket on a machine and asks me if it was mine. "Yes" He grins real big and wwhispers to his wife who looks at me frowns and looks away. Another girl comes in set her stuff to going and joins the couple. They converse break out in laughter and all three stare at me.

An older woman comes in with her trundle, wheels up to my machines, "These are MY machines" " Everybody knows not to use these" she sits down at the bench immediately in front of "her" machine and sets her basket right tight to the front of it. Mind you there are twenty empty machines in this building but she is having a fit because I used "hers"
 
I'm fairly new to being retired. I was laid off in Feb. I knew it was coming and had been looking for work for a few months. After a month or two and a part time job, I said 'this is it'.
At first, I didn't pay attention to days of the week (the TV shows I watch are programmed into my DVR), until I found out how busy so many places are on weekends. Now I check my shopping list on Fridays for anything I will need before Monday. I also scan thru the grocery store weekly flyers I get Wednesday (with a fat maker to circle things) and get things I want Thursday or Friday before they sell out.
And I try to not be on the roads during rush hour or lunch time.
 
It certainly was when I was growing up. When I was working, of course, I didn't do it on Mondays unless I did it at night. Nowdays, I think with all the folks working odd hours and working at home, etc., people do it whenever. I just do it when it needs doing.
 

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