It has always puzzled me that I was born in Alabama and not Missouri, the "Show Me" state.   Naturally cautious, you have to show me that something works before I'll accept it at face value.

Over the weekend I watched a commercial on TV that was selling a book which contained 10,001 household tips.  As the pitch woman started reeling off items that can be used in other ways, I rolled my eyes and thought, 'Oh, great - another use for white vinegar.'

Then the lady said that you can cut your dryer time in half by putting a dry towel in with the wet load.  My ears pricked up.  Surely not.  If that were true then I would have heard about it, right?

So, to put the theory to the test, I immediately washed a load of laundry.  When the clothes were ready for the dryer I threw in a dry towel.

Less than 20 minutes later I checked on the load and it was dry!  Seriously, every item in the dryer was dry.  Do you realize how much money you can save if you cut the electric bill for your dryer in half?

According to the Golden Valley Electric Association one medium-to-large load of laundry in your dryer uses between 3,500 and 5,000 watts of electricity which translates to between $.75 and $1.07 per load.  If you dry just 4 loads a week that's a savings of  $78 to $111.28 every year.

I don't know what the figures are for gas dryers, but I'll bet that if those drying times were cut in half, it would be a savings, too.

Let's recap.  Just by tossing a clean, dry towel into every load of laundry you put in the dryer you'll save enough money in one year to pay for:

o  a Starbucks treat every month or

o  a nice dinner out for you and your sweetheart on
      Valentine's Day or

o  a family movie night or

o  2 tanks of gas or

o  a massage and a pedicure on your birthday or

o  craft store gift certificates for friends or

o  lots of other little purchases and gifts throughout the year

If you average 8 loads of laundry a week that's a savings of over $220 a year - that's a trip to Starbuck's every week AND you're consuming less energy!  Win, win!

     Vaux Vintage

Of course, you can make the argument that line drying saves you 100% but, honey, that dog just ain't gonna bark at my house.