I Broke Down!!! I just couldn't stand it!

**AspiringToBeFrugal** · 05-19-2008, 06:59 PM

Yep...I finally broke down and turned the AC on.

I absolutely HATE being hot and I have been doing a great job up to this point--I'd open the windows at night and then close them during the day, hoping to keep the cool air in. However, our apartment has NO shade whatsoever. Our living room and bedroom face the south so we get the brunt of the hot weather in the rooms we're in most of the time.

I got home today and the temp inside was 82 while the temp outside was 94. Just REALLY uncomfortable. YUCK! So, I've broken down and turned the thermostat to 75. Do I feel guilty? Somewhat. But will I be a happier person? DEFINITELY!!!!

**Mom23boys** · 05-19-2008, 07:21 PM

I am joining you! It was in the 90's here today too and I hate the heat!

**LuvMyHubby** · 05-19-2008, 09:15 PM

I can't fault you for that. I am not a nice person when I am past my heat tolerance level (which by the way is verrrry low)

I probably would have done the same thing at that temp if we had a/c. Luckily here we don't get anything too bad until july/august and today well today was in the mid fifties and it thundered and hailed most of the early afternoon. So, I didn't have to worry about being overly warm.

**mom2matty** · 05-19-2008, 09:18 PM

We turned ours on today too......it was over 100 degrees in the house when we got home this afternoon! Way too hot!!!

**starsapphire** · 05-19-2008, 11:20 PM

I completely understand. We rent a 60 year old house with NO insulation. During the summer we get several heat waves of over 100* plus. The inside of this house is horrible and no way to cool it down when allowed to get hot so I have a rule - if they're predicting over 95*, the A/C goes on but not until at least noon. And the A/C is only a little window unit so we have to close off the rest of the house to keep the livingroom/kitchen cool. And we have the big fans, leave the windows open at night, etc. and it all only helps until around noon on a really hot day. So you do what you have to do and don't beat yourself up for it. Its just not worth it to be that miserably hot. I am all for frugality but I am also all for being reasonably comfortable - life's too short to be miserable like that to save a few bucks! IMO

**kaykwilts** · 05-19-2008, 11:41 PM

We've had to turn our AC on a couple of times. To keep cooling cost down I'm going to try to do without as much as possible but in the deep south it gets mighty hot here.

**tammy8701** · 05-20-2008, 06:19 AM

lol here in ontario it was -2 and had to turn the heat on ,oh l am sure our turn will come

**Holly** · 05-20-2008, 06:29 AM

I just started the woodstove for the second day in a row.
Send the heat this way. I hate Cold

**Frugal Nurse** · 05-20-2008, 06:35 AM

I guess I could understand that because we feel that way about having to turn on the heat.

It's figgn cold here!

Ultimately, it's a personal choice. You thought it out. You're not wasteful. And you deserve it.

Don't feel bad!

**mombottoo** · 05-20-2008, 10:52 AM

Being frugal doesn't mean you have to be uncomfortable! We put the window air conditioner in our bathroom already, because the heat in there is unbearable when you use the tub.

**shoiji** · 05-20-2008, 06:06 PM

Don't blame you one bit. The heat really makes me stir crazy. Bought some fans so I hope that will help when it is really bad in the morning and nights. Have central AC so I am hoping to only use in afternoons early nighttime.

This year I hung emergency blankets in the windows. This is supposed to reflect the heat back which is good since I am on the second floor without any shade. Mind you the windows have blinds so you can't tell from the outside. Luckily the heat is really bad only from July - August.

Saw in the paper today that the electricty per kilowatts will be going up in June around here. So you can bet I will be really tight with turning on the AC. Will have to see how high I can keep the temp.

**PB&J** · 05-20-2008, 07:32 PM

We had to turn ours on yesterday and again, today. Yesterday, once it hit 82 in the house I turned it on, it was about 4pm. Today it was 3pm at 82.

I turn it off around 11pm when it starts to cool down, and open the windows at night. So at the most, it is only running from 3-11pm, a third of the day. We keep ours set at 78-79 an that is cool enough.

**New-mom-to-be** · 05-21-2008, 06:25 AM

hippie mom had no AC in the house when we were growing up

It was bad for the planet. So we had an attic fan and box fans.

I refuse to be hot now that I am grown. AC is set at 74 and worth every single penny I spend.

**antkaki** · 05-21-2008, 08:29 AM

have had our a/c on for about a month now...usually is on earlier in the year.
i have to keep mine running most days due to asthma as when i get too hot i can't breathe very well...
it usually is set to 80 so it comes on mostly in the afternoon when the sun starts hitting the back of the house, where the living room and my bedroom are, it doesn't come on much after 9 when it cools down....
hope summer in new orleans won't be too hot this year (yeah right)...hope no evacs this year too! =)

**karone** · 05-28-2008, 10:25 AM

i have only turned it on once and that was to make sure the thing worked. it did for a few mins until i turned it higher. last week i went and got a $16 stand up fan and we only have that on during the day along with the windows open. if our ac dont work then when it gets to the 90's then i will ask my dad and stepmom for the money to get a new one b/c i wont have merrick in here when it gets that hot if i can help it. i know how to keep us cool without a ac but i hate being very hot also.