DH's frugrality keeps the house cold - has he crossed the line? - Page 2

[elspethshimon]

Originally Posted by FancyD

Turn up the heat, and tell him to stuff it. Nicely. It's for the kids, right? Actually, I wouldn't ask, I would just do it.

I agree.

[mightymoo]

My general rule of thumb is if my nose is cold, its too cold.

[SeekingJoy]

Originally Posted by pinecone

By the way, DH thinks keeping the air conditioner at 78-80 in the summer is the way to go.

This doesn't really make sense to me. I grew up in the swampy deep South without air conditioning. It is bad, but it can't be THAT bad so that 78-80 would be needed when you are keeping the winter temps in the 50s.

[lmonter]

With a house that cold, why not just live in a tent in the backyard? You could start a fire and possibly be warmer sitting by the fire. Those kinds of temps wouldn't fly in our house. I'm literally cold-blooded (I have low basal body temps), and get cold (even with socks, shoes, sweatshirt, fleece pants and a hat) when the house gets to 65*. That's why I adore that we heat with two wood stoves - radiant heat rocks.

Btw, I seem to remember that you should keep your house above 53*-55* or so (*especially* when it's like 0-20*F outside) to keep pipes from freezing. I know that was written into every single rental agreement I've ever signed. So to have a house even colder than that? Yeah, not so much in my world.

[Poddi]

We keep ours at 67 day and night. My old grandma is already wrapped up in many layers and my kids are wearing sweaters. I always walk around with two shirts and two layers of pants on, and socks and slippers. Can't imagine setting it in the 50s. I mean I can do it if I'm doing vigorous exercises, but not for sitting still.

[pinecone]

Funny thing. DH just called me at work to say he's researching programs for replacing our furnace. He must be catching my heating vibe. We've had a bad year financially, so we may qualify for some assistance with this. Though overall we're financially secure. It would be great to qualify for some kind of help as we want to go from forced air heat to boiler heat and upgrade our old house to underfloor heat. That would be so awesome!

To answer a PP, I don't think it is that DH is so controlling. He's just willing to push it to see when I'll push back. There is no doubt that tonight we'll be discussing this and I'm confident we can come to an understanding. I'd like to keep it at 55-57 for night and 62 during the day when we're home. We have a programmable thermostat so it should not be a big deal.

Thanks for all the support. I haven't felt that I was in temperature crisis yet. But definitely getting there. In my part of Wisconsin it has been cold, but not yet below zero. The worst of winter is yet to come.

Much gratitude for all your replies. I'm ready!

[Starr]

Another suggestion is to pick a room or two and install baseboard electric heat. That way the rest of the house can be 55 and you can all pile into one room and have it be warmer.

[annethcz]

Originally Posted by pinecone

To answer a PP, I don't think it is that DH is so controlling. He's just willing to push it to see when I'll push back. There is no doubt that tonight we'll be discussing this and I'm confident we can come to an understanding. I'd like to keep it at 55-57 for night and 62 during the day when we're home. We have a programmable thermostat so it should not be a big deal.

I'm glad you're figuring it out. Your plan sounds really reasonable to me. I'm in MN, and we have our thermostat set at 65 during the day and 55 at night. I would even be okay with dropping the furnace further at night, since we stay warm under blankets. To be more frugal, I'd like to drop the daytime temp below 65, but I'm afraid we'd be so cold as to be uncomfortable.

[MommyErin]

Phew! I grew up in a house where 58 was the norm and I spent my entire childhood FREEZING. Now, we keep ours at 65 in the day and 55 at night. I'm very cold blooded so I freeze regardless! : Today it's actually 50 degrees outside here in the 'Nati and I'm in a long sleeve thermal shirt with a t-shirt over top and a sweatshirt on and I'm cold.

Fortunately, we have a wood burning fireplace in our family room and that's where I spend a lot of my day if I'm home.

Now in the summer, I keep the AC on 74 with the ceiling fans running. I close all the blinds, though, and keep it cave like. It makes a huge difference in the bill. Summers can be brutal here -- 90 degrees and up with 90% and up humidity.

[cjr]

I find that if we keep the temp too cold, we get sick. When your body is cold you immune system is weaker. Keeping a comfortable temp will keep you nice and healthy. I agree with a pp that the place to spend money is on heating your home.

[Ruthiegirl]

Just wanted to add -- I have been in your dh's position before and have kept the house reeeeeeeally cold. We were in Massachusetts at the time and broke beyond broke while trying to keep from buying oil on credit.

Dh finally got me to lighten up a bit after all the houseplants froze. :

But I grew up in California and lived most of my life without a heater of any kind. It was a huge sticker shock to find $600-800 heating bills left taped to our front door and I went a little nuts trying to keep our bills down.

Give him my sympathies and then tell him to raise the temp. Freezing all winter stinks.

[Purple*Lotus]

Originally Posted by fek&fuzz

I think what might make a difference is that you live in West Virginia and the OP lives in Wisconsin.

Yeah, I think I had a duh moment there The worst part is that I actually have a friend who is from Wicsonsin, so I should know from her that it is colder there

[mirlee]

I grew up in in a house where my dad kept the temp like that. I was ALWAYS sick. The winter cold that most would have last a week or two, went all winter for me. I could never shake it because I could never get warm.

To help manage our heating budget, we actually pay the budget balance on our bill. You can also ask to sign up for it. You end up paying more in the summer, but you pay the same all year long. Our house is 65 when we are away and about 68/69 and that is just fine.

[Mama Dragon]

Oh man, I'd freeze to death We keep ours between 70-72 and I'm cold with pants, socks, slippers, a shirt and sweater on!

[newbymom05]

Another vote for too cold/extreme. 60's is cold enough and will save $$ IMO.

[laohaire]

DH and I *MUTUALLY* decided this year to try to budget our heat.

We programmed to 62 daytime and 57 at night.

Lower than 57 at night and I can't sleep because my nose hurts. That's wearing warm jammies and having TWO thick comforters on the bed.

62 for us feels fairly cold. I wear many layers, including long underwear and sometimes a hat. It's fine to do housework in, but I use the computer for work all day, and I get chilled quite a bit just sitting there. So 62 is where I can live with it, but it's definitely a sacrifice.

I can't imagine living in low 50s temperature.

Is your DH home during the times it's that low? i.e. I would be really miffed if he worked out of the home during the day you SAHM'd and had to live with that.

[DesireeH]

50s is way too cold IMO!

We keep ours set to 68 in winter but I go bump it up to 70 and I'm still cold. It's set to 66 at night but I usually bump that to 68. The kids wake up alot all night if they are cold.

Granted we are used to 90-100 degree temps from May-October so I dont think we are programmed for the cold. LOL I do have to say I love winter bills (in summer A/C bill is killer).

[DisplacedYooper]

Our heat is at 60 from 7 am to 11 pm, and 55 overnight. I could probably tolerate a couple of degrees lower, but I sure wouldn't like it!

I have to disagree with the people saying that it is easier to live in a cool house in a warmer climate. I've never lived in a warmer climate (Upper Michigan growing up, now Maine) but I find that the house feels colder during the fall, when outside temps are in the 40s and 50s, than it does during the winter, when it is typically below freezing. 60 feels like a heatwave when you come in from outside during the winter, but it's dishearting to come in when it's 50 and you're already chilly and the house isn't really that much warmer... just my experience...

[Irishmommy]

Originally Posted by Synthea™

Oh man, I'd freeze to death We keep ours between 70-72 and I'm cold with pants, socks, slippers, a shirt and sweater on!

:

Funny though, your dh wants it kept down, but HE'S NOT HOME IN IT!! He's sitting in a nice warm office somewhere (lots of assuming here ).

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by Irishmommy

:

Funny though, your dh wants it kept down, but HE'S NOT HOME IN IT!! He's sitting in a nice warm office somewhere (lots of assuming here ).

Yup, I was thinking the same, wondering how warm he is when he is at work . I hate it when fathers expect their family to suffer (but not themselves) just to save money.