finances, utilities and water

So, B has started walking on eggshells about her use of water and electricity around my house. Taking most showers at her apartment for instance. Maybe laundry there as well. I'm feeling a bit troubled about the shift that direction. I don't really want to have her feeling so uncomfortable here at my place.

I've kicked around utilities figures and found that having B stay over is costing me maybe $20-30 per month. When you consider the way she helps to pick up and clean around the house, that seems like a fair trade. Especially if she takes just a little reasonable care to be a bit more conservative in water and electric use in particular. (Like not running massive amounts of water while working in the kitchen, or not leaving refrigerator door hanging open. ) I wouldn't mind if she pitched in a bit of $ once in a while, but it's not all that necessary when the money is close to diminimus.


As for laundry, my thought is that is still makes no sense for her to trundle laundry up and down her two flights of stairs, apt to basement, when it's all first floor here. I also realized part of my "issue" over laundry is that there's been a tendency for B to freely use the laundry supplies that I buy, but not to really appropriately replace them. I just had to buy fabric softener the other day -- and I buy in containers that are supposed to do over 150 loads!!

So, I'm thinking a "fair trade" would be if she keeps the laundry room supplied for the both of us, that would seem fair. All I really would ask beyond that is that the laundry soap be skin-friendly to me.

I was nearly at the point of bringing this stuff up and trying to talk through a bit further when she got dressed and headed out for errands and to get herself around via her apartment. Oh well. Later I guess.

On other subjects, we did seem to get closer to "being on the same page" (her words) over the last few days and evenings as we began to talk out past $$ issues regarding trips ("do you want me to pay you back?" No. Just keep arrangements in the future), and eating out (trying to do more trading off of who pays, asking in advance).

Progress I suppose.

And it's not lost on me that we've again had a fairly major blow out without a breakup.