Should I buy a dryer?

[mykdsmomy]

We are moving next weekend and we need to buy a washer and dryer. We have five children and I'm planning on cd'ing again (we are doing sposies right now).

We need to buy the pair on credit because we just dont have the cash. I'm wondering if I can get by without a dryer for a while?
Does anyone have a big family and get by without a dryer?

Thanks!

[Rebecca]

If it were me? Yeah, I'd buy one. Unless you LIKE going to laundromats.... The benefit to that is that you're doing all your laundry at once.

I'm just imagining all the space it'd take up to always line dry clothes for 7 people, and cloth diapers. Line drying flats and pockets was really easy. Prefolds felt stiff to me, and fitteds/aios never really dried all the way through and I worried about bacteria and mold growing inside. And they were stiff. I used mostly fleece pockets with some PUL and flats folded into narrow stuffers... they dried in a snap.

[Rebecca]

Oh, you can buy an inexpensive 'refurbished' one or get one from your local Freecycle. People are always upgrading and need a home for their old but still working dryer. It'd get you by until you have the cash for a new one.

[I Fly]

I say, go for it! We only have two kiddos now, but I cd and am pondering not installing a dryer when we move in a few months, even though #3 is due this fall. I've seen our electric bill cut in half every month since January. That is incentive enough for me! I know the Amish often have large families, and they all line-dry.

So far, I have been amazed at how easy the switch was for me. Of course, we've had a really dry summer, so I can easily dry anything anytime. Ah, the benefits of drought! Make sure you do get yourself set up with enough line and clothespins, so that they don't limit you! Hey, if it doesn't work for you, you can go back down and buy the matching dryer.

If money is tight, look around on craigslist or other places for gently used machines. We bought our front-end-loader set for about 1/2 price, and my IL's were able to do the same. Both sets were in excellent condition - barely ever used, if ever!

Good luck!

[fishface]

Or you can invest in a clotheshorse or 4 and line dry your stuff. It's really not as bad as it sounds. Though it sucks because then you have more ironing, but it's not as expensive!

[tamagotchi]

What is the climate like where you live? I found it very easy to get by without a dryer when I lived in a dry climate, but not so easy in a wet climate.

[mykdsmomy]

Thanks for the advice! I never thought about Freecycle for a dryer....good idea!

We live in So Cal and it's been pretty humid lately but still pretty dry overall.

My mom used to line dry all her stuff in the summer/spring and she had five children. I know it's "do able" but we dont have a clothesline in our new house so I would have to buy "something".

What do you line dryers use?

Also, I dont iron at all....I refuse

[kijip]

Originally Posted by mykdsmomy

We are moving next weekend and we need to buy a washer and dryer. We have five children and I'm planning on cd'ing again (we are doing sposies right now).

We need to buy the pair on credit because we just dont have the cash. I'm wondering if I can get by without a dryer for a while?
Does anyone have a big family and get by without a dryer?

Thanks!

We have a dryer but we don't use it all that much. I honestly wish I could have talked my husband into doing without one for awhile. Still it is nice to have. The savings of line drying for the most part are pretty large!

Otherwise, if you have the space, a freecycle dryer is an option. We had to buy a matching set because to fit a large washer and dryer into our townhouse, stacking was the only option. Since we knew we wanted a front loading, HE washer, we ended up getting robbed on the matching dryer to stack.