After a long day at work and walking home in the snow, there is nothing more soothing than a hot shower. However I choose not to shower everyday, sometimes not even every other day. I first started doing this because I heard it was better for your hair. But recently its also hit me that this is a great way to save water, especially hot water and subsequent electricity costs (water will also be billed on usage in our city soon)! And if my locks look a little oily, I sprinkle on dry shampoo and I’m good to go. One bottle of that lasts me years.
Note: Men will likely want to shower daily due to perspiration!
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I’d guess that there are women who need to shower daily for perspiration reasons as well, but most of the time I’m with you, bathing every other day. We go a step farther and I bathe and my kids bathe in the same water. (They’re 5 and 2, and my shampoo ends up making it bubble bath for them. I’m not too dirty getting in!)
I did “Navy showers” for a long time – rinse well, turn off water, lather, turn on water to rinse. It saves a lot of water but isn’t as relaxing as a continuous shower!
thanks for feedback The Saved Quarter, bathing with the kids is a great idea-I’ll have to keep that one in mind!
mwa ha hah! This has always been my dirty little secret…who would think someone else out there was up to the same shenanigan?
In the winter a sponge bath on the non-shower days will suffice just fine. Also, when the air is cold and dry, your skin itches less when you limit the frequency of hot-water splashes.
In the summer I use the hose in the backyard instead of firing up the hot water heater. I’m lucky to have a completely private yard, and in 115-degree heat, tap water feels great.
Long live the hose! Good idea about the sponge bath as well Funnay About Money.
On a cross-country camping trip, I worked out that I was driving a solar hot water heater. Just leave a few gallon jugs of water in cab of truck, park in sunny spot, go for hike (or eat leisurely picnic lunch, or whatever). Come back, park in secluded spot and/or put on bathing suit in tent, “shower.”
We have a solar shower for when we camp. It’s a black bag with a tube/spout/spray mechanism. Fill it, leave it out in the sun for a few hours then get a nice warm shower.
I almost never shower at home anymore, as I’ve bought (gasp!) a membership to a local pool and I use it, so it’s rare I go two days without totally immersing myself in a bunch of water for a long time, and, of course, showering — at the pool’s expense.
We’re on septic, though, and our city sells us water pretty cheap, so our water bill both pre- and post- this strategy varies from $20 to $30/month. Probably more $20s now, but I don’t think I’m going to be able to fund my early retirement exclusively on the water savings.
This is fascinating! I don’t shower every day on the week-end lounging around. I could try it on a week-day… maybe. Food for thought.
I generally let my hair be my guide, as it gets oily before my body gets smelly. Usually, that works out to 2 or 3 showers a week. If I shower and wash my hair daily, my hair dries out.
[...] PF from Sustainable Personal Finance presents Sustainablity Tip #12 – Skip the Shower, and says, “If you don’t REALLY need to shower daily, skip the shower and save on [...]
[...] permission not to shower? Get it at Sustainable Personal Finance in Sustainability [...]
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