I've been procrastinating about getting to the dry cleaners, and not because I was worried about spending the money. For years I've been going to a place that charged $1.99 (originally $1.69) per piece for dry cleaning, and did a good job. It's a little out of my way, but it's been worth it because their prices were the best around. Lately there seem to be new owners, though. Time before last, my clothes really reeked of the chemicals. The last time, they shrunk a blouse so I can't wear it anymore--I almost wonder if they laundered it by mistake. I've been mulling around what to do about it--if I go back and complain, and they offer me free dry cleaning to make up for it, do I really want to give them more clothes to ruin?

Somehow I finally remembered there were things you could get to dry clean things in your dryer at home. I picked up a starter package of Dryel at K-Mart with a discounted gift card. Even if I only do 3 items at a time (they say up to 4 items), it still comes out to less than $1 an item to clean. With the refill pack, it will come out to about 50 cents an item. They also had another brand, Dry Cleaner's Secret, which was even a little cheaper.

I just tried it, the stuff looks fine and actually smells nice. So--cheaper, nicer smelling, clothes ready right away instead of in days, cuts down on errands. Why does it take so long for these things to occur to me? =:O

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On the cookbook I mentioned--I know interlibrary loan would work, but here's the problem. The two public libraries I use are 1) where I work now, and 2) where I used to work. There is something too embarrassing about requesting a "poor folks" cookbook from people I know. Dumb to have so much false pride, but there it is.