Laundromats are full of people doing math — loads versus dollars, at 8am with kids in tow. Finding the machine already paid for is a tiny miracle with your fingerprints nowhere on it.
Tape Quarters to the Washers
Take a roll of quarters and a box of detergent pods to a laundromat and tape a load's worth to a few machines with a note: this one's on a neighbor.
What you'll need
- Two rolls of quarters, in sandwich bags of $3 to $4 each
- A box of detergent pods
- Painter's tape and sticky notes
Pitfalls
- Ask the attendant first — takes ten seconds and they'll usually point you to the machines people use most.
- Detergent matters as much as quarters; it's the expensive half of laundry day.
- Go on a weekend morning when the families are there, but don't stick around to watch. Hidden is the flavor.
Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. — Matthew 6:3