New-Vegetable-1274 OP t1_j0uwzbn wrote on December 19, 2022 at 4:40 PM

Reply to comment by Daughter_of_Deadlift in Electric Bill by New-Vegetable-1274

Frankly I'm shocked at what people seemed to forced to do in terms of comfort in their homes. Your home is your refuge and the one place you should be absolutely comfortable in. Not long ago the default winter comfort zone in American states with cold temps was 68 - 70. Every household customized their settings according to what they could afford. You might have experienced a cold house when you got up in the morning or when you came home from work but not every waking hour. It seems odd to me that this has become the norm. Incrementally our economy is being destroyed and it seems like young people are like the frog in the pot. Today's "middle class" is inching it's way downward toward poverty and the distinctions are beginning to blur. Given current wages and the struggle to live on them doesn't it occur to anyone that the cost of living will eventually outpace income? How many people are already having to make tough choices? I can assure you no one in Washington DC is. This isn't a Democrat or a Republican thing it's something truly sinister. D&R are two sides of the same coin and don't give a rat's ass about America. I'm nearing the finish line and not really affected by any of this but I care deeply about the America I leave behind. America's youth deserve better and can only fix this by rejecting everything coming out of Washington. Tear it down and start over. The average age of both houses is 61 but many are in their 70s and 80s and frankly, dead wood. They are the problem.

bootboard t1_j0v577y wrote on December 19, 2022 at 5:34 PM

Dude I'm 30, just bought my first house, and I keep it at 60 24/7. To save money you need to sacrifice some stuff. This has been the norm, and it will always be the norm. Dad always kept the house at 60, his dad would get pissed if someone kept the front door open for too long in the winter.

Your daughter needs to be okay wearing sweatpants and a hoodie, maybe get a throw blanket for when she's on the couch. If you want to wear shorts and t-shirt at home in the winter, you need to accept you'll be paying more for heating.

Do we pay too much? Yes, obviously but that doesn't change the fact that turning the heat down will save you money.

New-Vegetable-1274 OP t1_j0x0m7t wrote on December 20, 2022 at 1:16 AM

I value comfort over money and I'm pushing 70. 60 at this age is cold no matter how many layers you're wearing. I grew up during a time when the cost of things were more in line with what people could afford. I guess I'm a little shell shocked with what the cost of living is. People aren't even living paycheck to paycheck, for some it mean always trying to catch up. I know it is what it is but people are becoming inured to it and settling. In my work life overtime was bonus money not a necessity. When I was young and chasing it, 60 to 70 hour weeks was gravy. Take home pays were 4 or 5 hundred and all the OT went in the bank. When I was a little older and got married my wife and I put each other through college and our total college debt was $20,000 and they gave us ten years to pay it off. Since then we raised a family, have owned several homes and are comfortably retired. We couldn't do any of that now if we were just starting out. There's something really wrong with that. What's happening to America's economy is artificial and getting worse. I think 20 somethings and 30 somethings deserve better. You are the ones that can change this by changing Washington.

Daughter_of_Deadlift t1_j0zoj0u wrote on December 20, 2022 at 4:42 PM

I mean....sure. but theres what "should be" and what IS. At the end of the day, none of this changes the fact that heat is expensive. No short cut to saving money aside from wearing a few extra layers of clothing (and winterizing). I will survive it a bit cooler.

Lol, wasn't it your generation who told me, "just put on a sweatshirt!!!"

New-Vegetable-1274 OP t1_j0zxpqk wrote on December 20, 2022 at 5:41 PM

Changing DC could make everything better, what's happening now is 100% political BS. America deserves better. It wasn't my generation it was our depression era parent's. Sadly we are very close to another economic collapse like the depression.