Saving money.

Guys,
I just realized that my prostate removal has been saving me money - and will continue to do so until I die (or she divorces me.)

In my previous life, I used to pee about 6 times per day, twice in the master bath @ 3.0 gal (11 liter) per flush, and 4 times in the powder room @ 1.6 gal (6 liter) per flush, for a total of 12.4 gal (46.5 liter) per day. That is 4500 gallons (17,000 liters) per year!
Since the surgery, the associated incontinence, and follow-up sling surgery, I have been peeing into an 18 oz (520 ml) plastic cup so I could measure my volume. After measuring, I pour my deposit down the sink and rinse the cup and sink so I'm ready for the next delivery.
Being a frugal sort of guy and living in a cold climate, I would prefer to let the full container sit on the counter until it cools to room temp thereby extracting about 30 BTU, 0.01 kWh, 31,600 Joules, of latent heat contained in the cupful of warm pee. However, a certain short-sighted member of the family objects to having full cups of pee lined up on the toilet tank cover as it is not consistent with any current home decor theme, including our own (early American dormitory.)
She does, however, acknowledge that a typical post-pee cup and sink rinse requires less than 500 ml, 16 oz, of water thereby resulting in a annual water savings of well over 4300 gallons (16,000 liter)! At current rates that is a savings of slightly over $11.00 per year!
Multiply that by my life expectancy and assume a nominal interest rate of 4% and we are talking serious dollars by the time I'm plopped into the pine box.

_{(Unless someone accidentally bumps into one of the full cups. In that case, ammunition and legal fees will more than offset any water and energy savings.)}

Does anyone here think I should forward this hint to Heloise?

Jeff

I'm not sure about Heloise, but I am a big fan of Miss Manners. Good thing I don't have to send you there

Jeff - you certainly know how to warm the cockles of our heart and give us all a smile on a cold icy wintry day ( no real snow up here in Peterborough - just frozen slush ) - some snowblowers are selling at 30-50% off right now.
-you could submit it to Clark Howard on HLN -TV since he is always looking out for how to save money for the average consumer.
-but then, when was the last time anyone ever called you "average".

-in awe of your engineering prowess hugs,
Bronson

p.s. hugs to Barb and the hibernating chipmunks ( did you hear about the snakes wiping out the small animal population in the Everglades - maybe they could do the same for you and your squirrels ... but I digress .... ZZZzzz...
......

Just checking in on you guys and gals after a period of absence.
What a great first post to read, thanks Worried Guy for making me laugh out load.
x

Those of you who have attended a GFMPH gathering at my house know I'm not kidding. ( He's, /\ , been here. )

Let's see... someone please remind me... Is it the red cups are not for drinking and the blue cups are for drinking or is the red cups are for.... or is it the other way around?
That's why it is much easier and safer to just leave a cup on the back of the toilet.

Anyone care for another Mountain Dew?
J

Post Edited (Worried Guy) : 2/2/2012 11:35:16 AM (GMT-7)

Hey Tenpin,

I just told my wife about that article. She said if she ever comes home and finds me standing on a chair peeing into the African Violets she's turning right around and heading to the lawyer's office!

Just to be on the safe side, I'd better stick to watering the trees outside.

Jeff

Jeff, if you get a rain barrel, (didn't I see one or two in the glowing barn?) and catch the rain water and use it to rinse your cup out, then you are zero use on water. I am sure you have a few low volume pumps that could move the rainwater indoors to be used.

WHY are you wasting your pee???

Put it around the roots of your lemon tree and you will have superb lemons.

OR,

Dont waste money on salves and creams for burns/stings etc. Just pour your pee over your hands.

Finally,

When my daughters did gymnastics, they were told to pee on their hands to toughen them up for the bar work.

You are one seriously wasteful man. Why save a mere $11 when you could be making a killing. You could bottle it and sell it for a big profit.

Shame on you!!!!

You rabid greenie, you. All you people ever think of is conservation
Bill

Jeff, you have fooled me before, so let me ask. Were you being literal in what you said, or being humous? Do you really have cups of pee radiating off heat?

david

Perhaps an episode on HGTV showing off the new decor.  You are funny as always and definitely way too smart for me.  Looking forward to seeing you in April.

David,
You know, until you mentioned it, I didn't consider how efficient and "Green" a catheter bag can be. You have the obvious water savings as well as extracting the heat energy by allowing it to cool to room temperature. And thanks to this discussion thread we can figure out exactly how much a user saves per year.

On the other hand, not many people would choose to wear a catheter bag to save $11 per year. Sometimes we have to look really, really, hard to find the silver lining.
My wife reminded me that it probably cost me close to $11 just to detonate your 2 bags. So much for savings.
J

Post Edited (Worried Guy) : 2/3/2012 7:38:14 AM (GMT-7)

Jeff, if David increases his water intake, he might be able to reach steady state conditions of input matching output and have a constant btu producing device. Sorta an organic personal heater.