NEWBERRY, S.C. — For many Americans, Saturday is wash day, a time when baskets of laundry pile high and families spend hours at the machines. But this weekend in Newberry, the loads were lighter on wallets.

Machines at Southern Suds Laundromat ran nonstop Saturday, but not a single quarter was needed. The laundromat turned wash day into Free Laundry Day, giving neighbors a chance to clean clothes at no cost.

According to U.S. Department of Labor data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis , the average American family spent about $170 a year on laundry supplies as of 2022. That does not include the $6 to $10 it can cost to wash and dry just one load for those who do not have machines at home.

For residents like Lashaya Wilson, the money saved meant much more than clean clot

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