Olive Branch wonderful plan. Drain cleaners bad. Way to solve it yourself. Next time may want a long zip tie with small cuts on the side to make barbs vs the coat hanger. 

Ben Khaki Storm Great idea! They actually make zip-tie-like barbed plastic thingies designed specifically for drain cleaning, but zip ties themselves are probably cheaper if I can find them in smallish quantities. I knew the Drano/Liquid Plumr was a bad idea and would not be kind to the pipes, but it was one of those situations where the desire for immediate relief tends to override good sense - except for once it didn't. 😉

Olive Branch Yep, I've been there. I've also put the draino down the drain and it didn't clear the clog, it just sat in the drain too, then about a week later the same pipe and spot where the draino sat broke or just fell apart, however you want to look at it.

Olive Branch my old plumber recommended pouring boiling water down my drains once a week. When i've gotten clogs since then, adding cheap dish soap (plain Dawn, for instance) and letting it sit before pouring boiling water has helped a lot. 

Alia Gee That's a good one too! You might want to take a look under your bathroom sink first, but for most I think it's a fine suggestion. Our bathroom sink must have been mis-measured and has this little thin flex connector on the drain. I don't think it's stand up to boiling water for long. It looks like a Slinky Brand Pop Toob, if you've ever seen one of those. 

Alia Gee Interesting...my (most recent) plumber suggested filling the sink or tub (1/4 full for the tub) with hottest water that will come out of the tap, adding some vinegar as it's filling, then letting it drain - he said the volume of water draining all at once is pretty effective. I may combine that with the boiling water technique for extra assurance - I'm determined not to ever buy a bottle of drain chemicals or pay anyone just to snake my bathtub again. Does the dish detergent work for bathtub clogs? I can see it for the kitchen sink, since that's mostly grease. 

Alia Gee 

We do a similar maintenance routine.  Tubs and showers every other week, and sinks (esp. kitchen) weekly.  Here is our method and it works really well for us.

1 cup of salt+1 cup baking soda+1/4 cup cream of tartar--mix all in a jar.  All 3 items can be found in bulk for cheaper prices.  To maintain our drains, dump 1/4 cup of above mixture into drain; then follow with 2 cups boiling water (sometimes, I use half water and half white vinegar).  Finally, rinse with tap water. 

We've not had a problem since doing this regularly.  Hope it helps.

Coral Projector For bathtub drains, do you take the drain cover off, or just pour the mixture through the holes?

You're supposed to use the hottest tap water you can get, not boiling water. The boiling water is dangerous (I just got a burn a couple of months ago from my tea kettle splashing accidentally and it took forever to heal) and it is damaging on the pipes.

bevocat That's interesting-- my plumber definitely said boiling water. Is it possible it's different advice based on whether your pipes are plastic or metal?

Olive Branch So sorry for the 4 week delay --  had 2 surgeries and getting through recovery.  To answer your question, no I do not take the drain cover off as the powdered mixture with go through the shower and tub drains and then add liquids slowly.  

Alia Gee  I agree with your plumber ... I use boiling water (vinegar mixture) to ensure that any grease or fats are pushed through the drain.  

Alia Gee Sure. I have plastic pipes, so I'm sure you don't want to pour boiling water down those. I imagine the advice online that says don't use boiling water is meant to be lowest-common-denominator advice (which happens to fit my contractor-grade-cheap-as-they-come house).

bevocat you could also go biological. I use Flush It for my septic system. It has little guys that eat grease, paper products, etc. Just check with your city if it's allowed. 

Ben Khaki Storm  I have proper sewer plumbing though, not a septic system, so I'm not sure if Flush It is the right product for me, but I don't live in the city limits either, so I don't have to ask. 🙂

Coral Projector  UPDATE: it has been a month or so and I can say that the FireStickTV is perfect solution for us (especially since gardening weather is about here) -- we really don't miss the regular channels, especially since I've been on a news fast for 17 months now.  Netflix we do pay an additional fee of $7.99 a month as it has lots of movies WITHOUT commercials, and seasons of TV shows.  My spouse was so sure that he wouldn't like the change, however, he is on board as well.  And, the savings from DISH ($125/mo) to $7.99/month is slated/used for paying down medical costs.

Coral Projector I hear you on the break from the news. Maybe in 2020 I can reinstate it...

Whiskey Mama  update to my own post, lol.  After effectively saving us $20 per month, my hubby's cell phone charging port broke and now he needs a new phone, ugh!  So we're back to monthly payments (0%, or we would just pay cash) of $18 per month for said new phone.  At least they had an older new model available that is nicer than the one he has but not the crazy new expensive model that is currently all the rage.  The good news though is that Verizon waived the one-time activation fee and we're no worse for wear than we were before we changed plans and cut Sirius radio.  Now to look for somewhere else to save!

Whiskey Mama 

Since new phones are going to be needed ongoing (i.e. a true expense), you could add a new phone/technology replacement category to save money every month.  And that way you'd have some or all of the money instead of doing an installment plan next time a device needs replacing.  

Ben Khaki Storm I've seen some key people get results by going in with their two week notice & a job lined up elsewhere and saying the reason why is due to pay. It doesn't always work, and you actually have to be willing to leave. Even when it doesn't, if enough people do leave & say it's because the pay is too low for the current market, I hope most employers would catch on & find ways to true up their payscale with the local job market.

adriana01 I've seen that work in the short term as well. It's after that, for like key assignments or promotions, where I was speaking about.

Ben Khaki Storm  adriana01 I'm actually being *vastly* underpaid for my current position (based on the market), and am being asked to do work at a much higher level. I have a proposal put together to reorganize the department I'm in, and part of it is already in action. My last proposal is what got me to my current state, so I'm hoping this new proposal will work the same, but I'd like to have something to fall back on in case it doesn't. I'm too old and have been through too much to refuse to recognize my worth at this point. (But thank you both for your words of advice and warning!)

Black Orchid Good luck! 

Black Orchid Thank FSM for my tenacity. Updated on my journal, so I thought I'd post it here, as well.

I kept contacting my student loan servicer until I finally reached a specialist, and then a supervisor, who confirmed the existence of the program, and who then placed me in a forbearance for the next 60 days while I wait for a form to be developed by the DoE and to be sent to me. Interest will accumulate during the forbearance, but once the form is submitted and the Deferment for Active Cancer Treatment is approved, all interest will be erased going back to 10/5/18, and interest and payments will be deferred until ~May of 2020. It took an hour and 45 minutes of my time, but will save me THOUSANDS in interest charges over the course of that 18 months, not to mention the $$ I would normally have to send for payments I will be able to put towards other basic expenses. 

Again, tenacity FTW!

Black Orchid Congrats! That must feel so good 😁

It wan't as bad as I thought! I still have money for everything I need, fun money, date night, and money to put towards my goals. I guess the old avoidance habit kicks in strong. Thanks to YNAB, the pieces were already in place to help my spending. :) 

Indigo

glow101 Oof, I did this yesterday! It was worse than I thought, but I feel so much clearer today and moving forward toward my goals, even if this year has been 3 steps forward, 2 steps back.

glow101 my wife and I have gotten into the habit of putting in expenses the same day. It's really helped.

Ben Khaki Storm Awesome, Ben.  Way to go.  

Ben Khaki Storm I, too, have been getting lots of exercise by shoveling.... unfortunately it's still snow ❄️❄️❄️❄️

Ben Khaki Storm "warming up?" That sounds nice...

Kombucha Kid not this week, bitterly cold again

Ben Khaki Storm Did the same thing today. Very sore.