I use to live my life unaware of hidden costs such as those that exists when taking a shower or using other bathroom facilities. I would like to say that I was naive and just considered them fixed costs… but that would be a lie. I really just chose never to think about the cost associated with anything in the bathroom.
Since I grew up with these fixtures, I just thought that the cost associated with bathroom activities (like taking a shower) were extremely low and not worth considering. However, being a self-proclaimed “Green Frugal Blogger“, I now have to take in consideration of such costs and patch them up like I would a hole in a bicycle inter-tube.
An Estimate of the Costs
Current Shower Costs
There was no easy way to calculate this number quickly, so I wisely choose to google “average shower cost“, and use a great calculator at the “Pay to Live Green” website.
After entering my numbers into the calculator based on our current consumption, and I came up with a following costs estimate:
| Duration: | Costs: |
| Day | $1.77 |
| Month | $53.21 |
| Year | $647.42 |
These above figures are based on a total shower time of 50 minutes a day for my family of four.
Past Shower Costs
My wife and I didn’t always take the quick 10 to 15 minute showers. Once I timed her showers and they were averaging 30+ minutes, and mine were at least 20 minutes (shower time was a great time for us to get lost in thought).
So using the same calculator that I used above and a shower time of 90 minutes, the following numbers was our old cost:
| Duration: | Costs: |
| Day | $3.19 |
| Month | $95.78 |
| Year | $1,165.36 |
A significant increase in costs, obviously…
Frugal Ways to Save on Shower Cost
The following are some of the ways that I now save on shower cost in addition to taking shorter showers:
- In the summer months, I take a Navy Shower
- Since I telecommute some days, I try to skip a shower on those days.
- Stagger my shower time with my wife. The idea being that it won’t take as long to heat the water tank when the take if half full.
- Have the kids shower ever other day or even a longer interval.
- Keep my hair and the kid’s hair cut short so shampoo time is short too.
- Take the TV/radio out of the shower (just kidding)…
- Take showers at the gym or work (if one is provided) instead of at home.
Sometimes a long shower is worth it!
Have a hard day at work, or just went thought a grueling physical workout session or something bad happen during your day? Feel free to take a “longer than 10 minute” shower that one time! Sometimes, a long shower is a luxury worth taking! Just try not to make it a habit…
-MR
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