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What Temperature Do You Keep Your House At?

December 11, 2017 by Mr. 1500 Days 73 Comments

I’m not covering new territory with today’s question about temperature settings. We’ve been through it before, But hey, maybe someone new has a suggestion.

Mrs. 1500 has some strange quirks when it comes to thermostat settings. In the late spring, summer and most of fall, the house stays at around 70. This is without running heat or air conditioning. We just open windows and run the whole house fan strategically to control the temperature. Everyone is happy.

When the cold weather sets in, everything goes to hell. Except hotter. In the car and in the home, Mrs. 1500 likes to crank up the heat to sauna-like conditions.

Many winters ago in January, she cranked up the heat in the car to a hellish temperature. To try to embarrass her (and to save myself from heat stroke), I removed all clothes above my waistline. How strange this must have looked to fellow motorists. And that was my plan. I would humiliate Mrs. 1500 into turning down the heat.

This didn’t work. Just like our old car on a bad day, it backfired. Mrs. 1500 couldn’t have cared less that I was bare-chested. I only humiliated myself.

I told Mrs. 1500 about the Our Next Lifers who keep their house at 55. Her response:

Whatever.

And now our home is a sauna too. Last week when temperatures dropped, the thermostat went up. I’m not sure what the temperature was in our second story home office, but it was at least 80. I was sweating, even with just shorts and a t-shirt on.

I don’t know why she’s like this.

I want to hear where you keep your temperature, but first we must get to last weeks’s question when I asked you about how you cultivate discipline.

Health over Hops

 

Discipline Baby, Discipline

Mr. Freedom 40 Plan:

As for discipline, I think like most behaviors, it is developed through practice, training, and repetition. I think starting small and slow is probably the way to build up to greater and greater levels of discipline.

Mr. Freedom 40 Plan‘s comment got me thinking. Discipline is established in the same way we form bad habits. Warren Buffett once said this:

The chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.

Since it took a while to develop bad habits, it will take a while to work my way out of them.

Mr. 52Fire:

I find visualizing consequences helps a lot.

Mr. Frugal Asian Finance uses guilt:

…the biggest motivation for that discipline is shame and guilt (not very positive I know). Food is one area where I still struggle with sometimes. I can be on a diet but lose the momentum the moment I see delicious food, especially if it’s free.

Hey, whatever works, right?

Finally, Ms. Liz:

I can’t help you with the discipline thing–how can financial discipline come so easy and diet/exercise discipline be so hard?

This one really got me thinking and made me a little sad. I’m really good with money. Why am I so much better at that when my health is so much more important? Not good.

I don’t have the answer. I am going to do one thing though that I’ve been thinking about for a while: I spend a lot of time in my home office, so I’m going to make a big-ass sign that says Discipline Equals Freedom (Jocko Willink’s line) and hang it up somewhere highly visible. Any time I feel an urge to do something bad, I’m going to force myself to look at it.

Will it work? I have no idea. Maybe I’ll print out a picture of Jocko sneering and hang that up too.

 

What Temperature Do You Keep Your House At?

Know that I have no desire to go as extreme as the Our Next Lifers. 55 is too low and we have a well insulated home with a high efficiency furnace. Keeping the temperature in the high 60s results in a gas bill around $100 only in the coldest of months.

How about you? Are you more 55 and 85? And if you’re the latter, can I interest you in a roommate for the winter months?

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Filed Under: Ask the readers Tagged With: jocko willink, temperature, thermostat

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Team CF says

    December 11, 2017 at 7:57 am

    There is this concept in winter, it’s really neat, it’s called a sweater (available with hoody)! 😉
    Not sure if Mrs 1500 is a hot head (yes, pun intended), but you loose most of your energy through you head. Wearing a toque indoors might help, looks pretty cool too (or is it cheap?).
    We keep our thermostat at around 19.5-20 degrees Celsius when we are home (67-68F). Which seems to do the trick for the both of us. If we get cold, we up by 0.5 degrees C or put on more cloths.
    Team CF recently posted…November 2017 Dividend UpdateMy Profile

    Reply
    • Mike @ Balanced Dividends says

      December 12, 2017 at 6:42 am

      My same exact thought regarding the sweater! I was going to comment the same thing as soon as I read the title of this post.

      Great point re: your head and a hat – using your head makes all the difference 🙂
      Mike @ Balanced Dividends recently posted…Land(less) Landlording: How and Why We Use REITsMy Profile

      Reply
    • Cubert says

      December 15, 2017 at 4:37 am

      You can do .5 degree increments? Is that like, a European thing? In our house, we keep it at a cozy 69 during the day, and 66 overnight. Our NEST drops it to 64 when we’re away.

      We used to keep it at 62 overnight before the kids, when I was closer to my 30s. Seems as you age you get cold easier. Maybe Del Boca Vista is in my future.

      Reply
      • Alex Turner says

        January 7, 2018 at 5:25 am

        65F – 70F is the perfect temperature. I live with my mom dad and granny. We have a years old fireplace which provide us enough heat in the winter.
        Alex Turner recently posted…Best Portable Workbench – 2017-2018 Buyer’s Guide and ReviewsMy Profile

        Reply
  2. Gwen @ Fiery Millennials says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:31 am

    I thought I liked my house warmer, but this winter is going to change that for me. As my multi-family used to be a big SFH, I have one furnace for the entire house. The thermostat is downstairs in my tenant’s unit. He sets it warm because I have a big house full of drafty windows. Thus his unit stays decent and the 2nd floor is closer to cozy sauna then comfortable. There’s not much we can do about it either unless I’d like to replace every single window………. which I don’t.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 11, 2017 at 12:02 pm

      That stinks. You can close your vents to keep the heat down maybe.

      Reply
    • Jonathan says

      December 12, 2017 at 2:30 pm

      @Gwen – As part of your lease, you could agree to a maximum setting, say 70 degrees, and install a lockbox around the thermostat so that your tenant does unnecessarily up the heat. This is especially true if you are paying for the heat. If not, then it is probably a moot point.

      Reply
  3. Lance says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:35 am

    Note: We have a couple of space heaters to take a little chill out if needed (my wife def. likes that at night…and a blanket).

    During the week (I’m recently “retired” and home during the day but my wife still works p/t): 58F during the day, 65F for a few hours in the evening, and 56F overnight. Weekends: 65F during the day and 56F at night.

    I also sometimes turn it up during the weekdays a few degrees if my wife (or kids or others) are home. It makes life a little better for me!

    For reference – we’re in Wisconsin, and there are some pretty chilly days around here.

    Good luck in your battle of the thermostat…

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 11, 2017 at 12:03 pm

      Wisconsin! Yes, your winters are intense. They may you appreciate the 3 weeks of summer though!

      Reply
  4. Eric says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:41 am

    We are in AZ. During the summer we run it at 84 from 12pm to 7pm (peak charge hours) and then at 81 from 7pm to 12pm. Been doing that for 5 years, you get used to it eventually and it saves a TON of money. Only downside is that you go to a neighbor’s house and you get a runny nose due to the temp difference

    During the winter, we will usually keep it at 68 degrees.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 11, 2017 at 12:04 pm

      Whoah, 84! Good for you though! You save loads of money on the electric bill.

      Reply
  5. EM says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:51 am

    We live in south Florida and have kind of the opposite problem. I’m not a native to the area and think that it’s ridiculous to run the house’s heater when I live in Florida. As a result, the house can get in the low 60s when a cold front goes through. The rest of the winter is usually pleasant, though, with temperatures naturally in the mid 70s.

    In the summer, though, we have the AC set for 81, because otherwise we would spend a fortune in electricity. Remember that summer in Florida is basically April through November so this adds up quick. We have a more cost-based approach to climate control than it seems you have, though!

    Reply
  6. Kim says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:57 am

    We are in SoCal so it’s warmish during the day (except this week, hello fires in December, thanks climate change) and chilly at night. We just moved to a two story house that has almost the entire downstairs tiled, poor insulation and some older wood windows so it feels colder in the mornings. The thermostat is off most of the time for now, a few mornings we have turned it on to 67 to break the chill but then off it goes. The coldes the house has been is 62 upstairs so far this season so not too bad yet. Making due with an extra blanket on the beds for now. Typically in our old house thermostat was set for 66 at night and 68 for the am routine then off until night.

    Reply
  7. Brian says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:06 am

    I know you’ve been dying to get a tattoo. Think you’ve found it: “Discipline Equals Freedom”. Would look great on forehead.

    We’re in NC. In the summer we keep it at 78 and our power company says we’re the envy of our neighbors because of our low electric bills. This has not been confirmed with our neighbors.

    In winter it’s set at 68 when we’re home/awake and then down to 64 when we’re away/asleep. We also have a wood stove that can easily bring the downstairs temp to 74-75.

    Reply
    • Matthew in Michigan says

      December 11, 2017 at 9:23 am

      Ah yes, that time of year…. thermostat wars. Id prefer 60 and pile on warm clothes. However my wife thinks I’m crazy….I am but besides the point, she’d prefer 75….I also have 3 daughters so I’m totally out numbered.We compromise on 69 when we are home. Oh, and we’ve lived in Michigan our entire lives so you’d think she’d be use to the cold! ?

      Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 11, 2017 at 12:12 pm

      I know you’ve been dying to get a tattoo. Think you’ve found it: “Discipline Equals Freedom”.

      I’ve actually thought about it, but just can’t bring myself to get a tattoo. Mrs. 1500 has enough for the both of us.

      Reply
  8. SMM says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:13 am

    77 in the summer and 71 in the winter (my wife get’s cold fast). But normally in the day time on the weekdays it’s at 65 in the winter and 85 in the summer. Every degree helps it’s really true. The upcoming summer season is when I need to drop some savings and get everything cleaned and maintained.
    SMM recently posted…A Customized Budget Is A Good ThingMy Profile

    Reply
  9. Accidental Fire says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:15 am

    I keep it at 60, but I have a three story house and the difference in temps is pretty big between floors. So my office is on the top floor, where it’ll average around 64. That’s where I spend most of my time and that’s a decent temp. But the thermostat regulates on the middle floor at 60, and the basement is about 56.

    And oh lord Heady Topper is so good it’s criminal. Seeing that picture at 10:30 in the morning is bad. Now I will think of beer all day. Thanks….
    Accidental Fire recently posted…Bitcoin Heading Into Cyclically Strong Three Minute Period Of DayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ms. Lily | TFG says

      December 11, 2017 at 3:39 pm

      We don’t use heat for ourselves but we keep the master heater on for house guests starting at 60, they can crank it as high as they want. My husband is used to the cold (he prefers it) and my family was poor so we didn’t use heat ever. Soooo if I had a choice…55? Just to keep the pipes from freezing (happened to our neighbor and everything exploded.)

      Our house has 3 floors too and the temperature varies depending on who is in the house and using it. Everyone cranks it to 70+ especially guests from tropical areas.

      Reply
  10. Mr. Tako says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:15 am

    During the weekday our heat remains off most of the time. Temps probably drop to 61F during the day, but it’s not a big deal because I wear an appropriate second layer of clothing in the winter.

    On the weekends, we splurge and keep the heat at 68F. Not so hot that we’re sweating, but as long as we’re actively doing stuff it’s comfortable.

    Here’s a tip: Get Mrs. 1500 a set of nice warm slippers and some gloves. Keeping those outer extremities warm can do wonders for that whole-body warm feeling.
    Mr. Tako recently posted…The Wealth AnchorMy Profile

    Reply
  11. Andrew says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:17 am

    Here in Canada, this household likes it at 64F when we’re home. We let it drop down to 57F at night. 80F is insane man. That’s well beyond intervention temperatures!

    Reply
  12. Dave @ Married with Money says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:27 am

    During the week days: 64, until 6pm then up to 70 until bedtime. Overnight, 67.
    Weekends: Pretty much 70 all day.

    We were operating at 68 for a while but the wife got really irritable.
    Dave @ Married with Money recently posted…Wedding Day Loans SuckMy Profile

    Reply
  13. Wade says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:33 am

    71

    We have an ecobee3 smart thermostat. I run the fan 50 minutes out of 60.

    71, dropping to 70 at night.

    We have 4 females and myself in the house. I do not like to be cold. None of my wife and kids like to be cold.

    71 is the perfect temp.

    We live in a cold climate. Even if below zero, our heat bill (natural gas) is rarely over $100.

    66 is cold to me. 55 would be “why bother with heat, just wear my jacket and hat/gloves all day” weather inside.

    Reply
  14. FIbythecommonguy says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:36 am

    We have a programmable Wi-fi thermostat from Honeywell. Without going into the full 7-day schedule, the basic schedule is as follows. If we are home it is 68 degrees, away during the day 60 degrees, and after 9 pm it drops to 62 degrees. The best part is if you are off schedule, going to be away longer, you can jump on your phone and adjust accordingly.
    FIbythecommonguy recently posted…DIY Toilet InstallMy Profile

    Reply
  15. Done by Forty says

    December 11, 2017 at 9:41 am

    In the summers here in AZ, we keep it at 81/83, which is still damn hot but when it’s 120 outside, the AC is still working really hard to keep the house 40 degrees cooler.

    I can’t even remember what we do in the winter. We rarely even turn it on, but maybe something in the sixties? I’m no help at all.

    My trick is just wearing a hat and thick socks, even a winter jacket if I need to. I find that warming my body is way easier than warming the house.

    Another trick: if you feel cold, just go outside for a few minutes, then come back in. Suddenly the cold house seems warm!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 11, 2017 at 12:16 pm

      “Another trick: if you feel cold, just go outside for a few minutes, then come back in. Suddenly the cold house seems warm!”

      Yes!

      Another one: Do some jumping jacks and sit-ups.

      Reply
  16. Joe says

    December 11, 2017 at 10:03 am

    Our HVAC has been broken for 6 years so we don’t have a lot of control over our temp. Maybe you can sabotage your heater to make it go up to just 68 degrees.

    Our condo is very well insulated, though. It’s 70 degrees in the living room from a space heater. That’s where we spend most of our time and winter is perfectly comfortable.

    Summer is usually okay too. It could get to 90 if it’s really hot, but it’s not too bad with the windows opened. The problem last summer was the wild fire. There were ashes all over the city and we had to keep the window closed. Yuk! It’s time to fix the HVAC.
    Joe recently posted…How We’re Generating Passive Income in 2017My Profile

    Reply
  17. freddy smidlap says

    December 11, 2017 at 10:55 am

    62 in buffalo. i moved here in ’02 and wanted it warmer so mr.s smidlap relented. we ended up with a $700 gas bill for our old drafty giant house. i learned to love 62 after that.
    freddy smidlap recently posted…Some Financial Mistakes – The Upsides and DownsidesMy Profile

    Reply
  18. Fervent Finance says

    December 11, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Around 67 during colder months and 72ish during the summer.
    Fervent Finance recently posted…Work or Bust?My Profile

    Reply
  19. Money Beagle says

    December 11, 2017 at 11:08 am

    For the winter we keep it around 69 during the day and 61 or so at night. That seems to work out well though it’s annoying because when it heats back up in the morning it runs more often and everything is toasty, so 69 is really like a ‘real feel’ of 70-71 whereas in the afternoon it seems to run less often so it feels more like 67-68. I’m not sure if it’s just a function of the thermostat or the furnace or what, but consistency is hard to come by, and that’s the most aggravating part.
    Money Beagle recently posted…Why We’re Spending $2,540 On Gift Cards In A Single WeekMy Profile

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  20. The 76K Project says

    December 11, 2017 at 11:27 am

    85 seems a little high, but IMO, it’s better than 65! What can I say – I get cold easily! Then there’s my husband, who’s a walking furnace and who’d happily keep the heat off all winter if left to his own devices.

    Reply
  21. Mrs. BITA says

    December 11, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    Disclaimer: We live in CA, so WTF do I know about actual weather.

    Right now our thermostat is set to 69 when we are at home. At night, we turn it down to 60.

    In the summers we set it to 78-80 in the day. We open the windows, turn on the fan and turn off the thermostat at night. We used to run the AC a lot more in the summers until I realized that I was turning into a special snowflake that could not tolerate a bit of heat, and even worse, that I was brining up a snowflake who would melt into a puddle of whinge the very first time I took her back to India to visit or to live for a short while. So we decided to turn up the thermostat and do some good old-fashioned sweating in the summer.
    Mrs. BITA recently posted…Visualize Your NumbersMy Profile

    Reply
  22. Michael says

    December 11, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    66°-68°f when I’m home, 63.5°f when I’m away.

    Alberta, Canada

    Reply
  23. Handy Millennial says

    December 11, 2017 at 12:34 pm

    I’ve got a pretty drafty house. I have tried to improve on this, but there is a limitation. I am not about to insulate the house on behalf of my landlord. Anyway, I keep it at 65, and on really cold days I can feel by hands, feet and nose getting cold.

    Reply
  24. Mr. Fired & Free says

    December 11, 2017 at 1:06 pm

    67 here in Maryland.

    On a related note, we bought a Nest thermostat a couple of years ago. After utilizing the auto-adjust settings for awhile, we’ve stopped doing so and it pretty much acts as a normal thermostat. With that said, other than the ability to adjust the heat/ac remotely, it wasn’t a life changing investment.

    Reply
  25. Adam says

    December 11, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    DC area. 96-year-old cape cod, windows all replaced within the last 10 years, all-electric heat pump and “furnace”. We moved in seven years ago during a cold snap and turned the thermostat to what was thought was a thrifty 72°; result: $465 energy bill.

    So we redid all the attic insulation and bought a programmable thermostat.

    Now it’s 62° when we’re asleep, 71° 7am-10am and 5pm-11pm, and set to turn the heat on if it gets below 59° during the day (while I telecommute with a 750W space heater under my desk). Fortunately even on cold windy days the house holds enough heat that 59° doesn’t happen in those intervening 7 hours and our energy bills only very rarely crack $300.

    That said, the wife would like it warmer and we do have a gas line running into the house… so as soon as we’ve a spare $7k we’ll probably switch to a gas furnace (with a heat pump for the summer, when we keep it around 79° or so). Our wood siding is original but instead of repainting I’m tempted to go fiber cement with insulated backing; pricey, but if it makes the place more comfortable we’re all for it.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:44 am

      $465!!! Holy hell!

      I’m not sure the siding would give you big bang for the buck. I’ve always read that the attic is much more important and you’ve already taken care of that.

      The gas furnace is a good idea though.

      Reply
  26. SharonW says

    December 11, 2017 at 2:12 pm

    You could also consider psychological as we as physical cold. I find that if I have “warm” images, I feel warmer. So decorate with some golden twinkle lights, throw some cozy blankets and pillows around the house, light candles in the room where you spend the most time. Local heat like hot tea, heating blankets and space heaters helps, too.

    Reply
    • SharonW says

      December 11, 2017 at 2:13 pm

      as well as… sorry.

      Reply
  27. Financial Velociraptor says

    December 11, 2017 at 2:17 pm

    76 in the summer and 70 in the winter. Houston has no other “seasons”.
    Financial Velociraptor recently posted…New written puts for Monday 27.46% annualizedMy Profile

    Reply
  28. FullTimeFinance says

    December 11, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    Typically 67 at key hours and 65 at night. It was 66 and 63 but my wife and kids staged a revolt;)

    Reply
  29. Biased About Money says

    December 11, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    I like it cold, so in the winter it tends to be in the mid 60 to high 60’s but sometimes I like it colder than that. Which means I can keep the heat down. In the summer this becomes a bigger problem because I have a tendency to keep the AC on way too much, I have trouble sleeping if its too hot. It’s tough with a significant other though because you have to balance two people’s (and maybe kids) preferences.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:49 am

      You and I are the same person, temperature-wise anyway. I like cold. Heat sucks. In the summer, I have to get all of my physical outdoor activity in before 9am or else the heat just kills me.

      To keep it cool in the house, we installed a whole house fan. When the weather is cool (between 5 and 7am), we fire it up to cool down the house. We can bring the house down to mid-60s (yes, the Mrs. complains). The indoor temps may peak at like 75 in the middle of the afternoon, but this is tolerable.

      We also hung up shade sails strategically to block the western sun.

      Reply
  30. Donna says

    December 11, 2017 at 3:00 pm

    I was like your wife. Come winter, I could not get warm. Honestly, I was cold no matter how high the heat. The fix… I started taking B12. It is amazing to be like a normal person now. I no longer need to hibernate all winter. Maybe your wife is low in B12 also. Something to consider.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:49 am

      Whoah, thanks for the tip.

      Reply
  31. Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life says

    December 11, 2017 at 3:48 pm

    We used to be a toasty 78-80 degrees at all times but that’s because it was basically free. Our old place was so incredibly insulated we never had a gas bill above $45, and we ran the heat 2x a year. NOW we have it set to 71 degrees and last month’s bill gave me a concussion, clocking a solid $200. That thermostat is now going down to 66 BUT we will always turn it up for guests, so Mrs 1500, you could totally visit us. I’m the one who likes the heat more but as it turns out, I will pile on the sweaters and huddle by the space heater to avoid turning on the furnace in search of savings.
    Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life recently posted…2017 Money Move: Maxing out annual contributionsMy Profile

    Reply
  32. MW says

    December 11, 2017 at 4:24 pm

    We just moved from Mass. There we had an oil burner for heat, so I kept the house at 58F overnight and about 62F in the evenings. I worked out of the house. With 3 sweatshirts/flannels and a stocking hat basically from October until March.
    We just moved to central Florida. I don’t plan on turning on the heat ever.
    Flip side was summer, where I would turn the A/C down to about 75 overnight, and then let the house heat up to about 82F during the day.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:50 am

      Love this: ” I don’t plan on turning on the heat ever.”

      Reply
  33. Felicity (@FelicityFFF) says

    December 11, 2017 at 4:42 pm

    We range between 55-65, depending.

    Vast majority of the time it’s between 55-60, lower when we’re away or asleep. ?

    Reply
  34. Justin says

    December 11, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    68F daytime and 64F at night. It gets warmer upstairs (no trees = sun heating the house ALL DAY!!) so it’s an easy way to have a comfortable temp in different zones of the house (it’s only 1800 sf and an older house so it’s just 1 furnace and 1 thermostat, therefore one zone).

    Like you I’ve realized that our heating bill is never that large. It’s $50 or so in the shoulder months of winter and maybe $100-120 during the depths of winter in January. Natural gas is cheap and going from 62 to 68F for a month costs about the same as going out to eat as a family at an inexpensive restaurant. I’d rather be comfortable if the cost is only $50.
    Justin recently posted…Cracking $2 Million: November 2017 Financial UpdateMy Profile

    Reply
  35. Candi @ minhus says

    December 11, 2017 at 5:35 pm

    We keep it between 67-69. We have the opposite situation than you, I prefer to save money and my boyfriend stays in his man cave with the space heater running full blast, “for the cats,” while I layer up. In summer it’s 74-76.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:50 am

      The cats! Always the cats! Ha!

      Reply
  36. MrWow says

    December 11, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Well… We don’t run the heat and we don’t have A.C. so that eliminates that problem. If you’re cold, get a blanket or put on pjs.

    If we turn it on it smells like burning. Can’t tell if that’s good or bad.

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 8:51 am

      No AC in southern CA? Now that is something I couldn’t tolerate!

      Reply
  37. Nicoleandmaggie says

    December 11, 2017 at 7:03 pm

    Our heater is broken so we’ve been in the low 60s. So cold.
    When we get it replaced on Friday it will be set at 65, 68, or 72 depending on time of day and how cold my fingers are.
    Nicoleandmaggie recently posted…What are we getting for people this year?My Profile

    Reply
  38. wendy says

    December 11, 2017 at 7:46 pm

    I’m on the eastern side of the SF Bay area… right now it’s 36F in the morning up to mid60’s during the day outside. I keep my apt 58-60 at night and maybe 64 if I’m home and not moving around (ie, reading blogs vs cleaning, crafting, etc). My winter electric&gas bill is about $20-35 (~700 sqft)

    In the summer, I keep it 82 during the day when I’m not home and drop it into the mid70’s from when I get out of work until the sun goes down…then I can turn off the AC, open all the windows, put on the fans, and cool everything off – that’s the nice thing about this climate. My summer electric&gas bill is about $30-50.

    I have to admit that I personally run fairly hot and don’t like to feel overheated. Plenty of friends and family just seem to run cold, so I understand that there are different comfort levels. Literally I’ll feel too warm and vaguely sweaty and they’ll have ice cold hands and be wearing several layers of clothing… some of that is metabolism, genetics, etc., besides just what clothes they wear.

    Soooo…. have to show some sympathy to Mrs1500 on this… You gotta figure out a compromise… you dress for summer and she dresses for winter and split the heat setting

    Reply
  39. Jacq says

    December 11, 2017 at 8:27 pm

    65 at night, 70-74 after work to take the chill off. I wear fuzzy pants, fuzzy socks, long sleeve shirt and a fleece or robe with a fuzzy blanket for tv watching. I got a space heater for my bathroom so I can get ready without heating the whole place up.
    Between gas & electric in the winter bills are around $100. I rarely use ac in the summer so I get it much lower.
    Part of my interest in a tiny house (some day) is smaller space to heat, and me designing the insulation. I know most of my heat helps keep the upstairs until comfortable, just like their ac drifts down in the summer.
    My sister’s place faces south, but she keeps it 77+ in the winter and walls around in a tank top and shorts. Summers see her in fuzzy pants & maybe a hoodie with the ac at like 60. *sigh*
    Good luck with your war of the temperatures!

    Reply
  40. Jazzdelaney says

    December 12, 2017 at 6:15 am

    61 in the winter and as high as 86 in the summer, but you have to work your way up to it! At night we set it down to 55 and bundle up underneath our big comforter. I have mad respect for the ONL’s but I draw the line at wearing gloves in the house.too many things I need my hands for!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 12, 2017 at 7:05 am

      Ha ha yeah, gloves in the house is extreme.

      Reply
  41. Mom says

    December 12, 2017 at 7:55 am

    In the summer, it’s 78, in the winter, it’s 65-68 (65 at night, 68 when people are awake). We also take advantage of the Nest’s geofence with our phones and it’ll turn itself down to 60 when no one’s home (or up to 83 in the summer). I *like* it cold, and I get sick when I go from hot to cold, or cold to hot quickly, so the closer the house is to outside temperatures, the better for me.

    Reply
  42. Jason says

    December 12, 2017 at 8:47 am

    Nice to see a couple other Florida comments on here 🙂 Ideally we won’t turn on the heat all Winter, perhaps using a space heater to warm up the bedroom for an hour at nighttime. Snuggies and snuggles work 🙂 Summertime is a little different 🙂 We let it warm up to 85 when we’re at work and slowly work it down in the evening to about 80 by night. We (wife and I) also downsized from a 1,800 SFH to a one bedroom condo which helped tremendously!

    Reply
  43. Jonathan says

    December 12, 2017 at 2:39 pm

    This conversation makes me think of how Matt Resinger (youtuber and home builder from Austin) talks about “green” and energy efficient homes. He doesn’t use the term green or sustainable or things like that because those terms are not clear. He uses comfort and comfortable.

    I think the case and point is the old drafty home. If you insulate well and seal up the building envelope, then the house is more comfortable. It isn’t drafty. There aren’t cold spots (or hot spots).

    It is just a nicer living experience. You don’t need the heat or cooling demanding all the time. Comfort is achieved.

    Reply
  44. LadyFIRE says

    December 12, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    I’m a 59er! Well, more specifically I set the heater to 15c, but I barely ever actually turn it on. The heater goes on if we’re REALLY cold, or sick. Otherwise we just put an extra layer on – and then slide around on the tile floors in our thick fluffy socks!
    LadyFIRE recently posted…The Year of Investing – November 2017My Profile

    Reply
  45. DNN says

    December 13, 2017 at 6:08 am

    I keep my heater on close to the bed at night so i don’t freeze.
    DNN recently posted…#RecreationalMarijuana: The Hard Truth About Marijuana and World EventsMy Profile

    Reply
  46. Scott Trench says

    December 13, 2017 at 10:34 am

    I enjoy the colder weather, and sleep best under a nice pile of blankets at temperatures of around 55 degrees. I am perfectly fine wearing some pajamas and a hoodie, and actually prefer this. In the summer, I am miserable with nighttime temperatures above about 72-75 degrees, and have an AC and fan. I’m with Mr. 1500! Please no hot air at all!

    Also, while I can’t help you with the car situation, having been in that upstairs room in your house, it seems like your house’ ventilation may be adding to your discomfort. The way it’s set up, that upstairs bedroom where you work seems to BAKE in the sunlight, and get really warm. You have that tarp which blocks some of the light and heat, but I suspect that some sort of ventilation might be really helpful. I don’t think you can solve this problem without a serious overall look at your house’s ventilation. I might consider hiring a professional on that one. There’s nothing more miserable than being hot and sticky on a cold winter day.

    Reply
  47. Valerie says

    December 15, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    When it’s over 70* outside, I keep the AC set at a max of 80* while I’m gone, and 73 when I’m home and 70* to sleep or clean. When the humidity drops below 70ish% (I’m in Florida) I keep the house at 75*. Big difference adding in the humidity factor. Can’t seem to get rid of the chill, AC will run all year until it is around 60* outside, if it’s over 60* outside the humidity is too high to beat an AC running at 70*. Part of why we had no problem walking around Las Vegas in 105* all day with no humidity.
    BTW my budget (avg) billing is only $110 on 2k sq ft. (cinder block home & huge oak trees) I had a perfect month this year with no AC/Heat and actual bill would have been $60. So on the comfort level versus saving. I’d have to do neither forever for $600/yr. Don’t think that’s worth it, I’ll sooner cut it everywhere else.

    Reply
  48. Doug says

    December 18, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    Okay, so

    #1… I think 22 degrees celsius (I’m Canadian) is the perfect room temp.

    #2… I recently discovered Jocko via a Tim Ferriss podcast. He is definitely the man. I’m going to be purchasing his book very soon now, looking forward to it! Inspirational guy

    Reply
  49. Ms. Frugal Asian Finance says

    December 19, 2017 at 10:56 am

    Thank you so much for the shout-out, Mr. 1500! 80 degrees does sound a bit warm in the winter. But I’m sure Mrs. 1500 has her reason for doing so. I’m curious to know why too hehe.

    We keep the thermostat at about 77 in the summer and 64 in the winter (we recently increased it to 67). That’s what feels comfortable to us and helps us save money too!
    Ms. Frugal Asian Finance recently posted…6 Ways Google’s Saved Me Thousands Of DollarsMy Profile

    Reply
  50. Mrs Money says

    December 21, 2017 at 9:13 pm

    OH my gosh ?? I am seriously in tears Laughing over this! We never have our thermostat over 68. During the day it’s usually 66 and at night 62. I can’t sleep if it’s hot!

    Reply
    • Mr. 1500 Days says

      December 22, 2017 at 8:41 am

      Are you willing to come to Colorado to talk some sense into Mrs. 1500? 🙂

      Reply
  51. Dani says

    December 28, 2017 at 8:39 am

    I look forward to winter mostly so I can wear my flannel pj’s and all of my hoodies in the house. Your wife can do the same! Get her really cute pj’s or something! We keep our house 65-70. It’s not too hard in NM to stay warm, though lol.. we’ve been having 70 degree days.

    Reply
  52. Happy Hiller says

    January 15, 2021 at 7:50 am

    Картинки по запросу best temperature for house
    Depending on the season, the ideal house temperature for both comfort and efficiency is between 68 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer, the recommended thermostat setting is 78 degrees F. In the winter, 68 degrees is recommended for energy savings.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tell Me Again: What Is Your Net Worth? - FIRE Wanderer says:
    December 18, 2017 at 5:35 am

    […] I’ve asked about net worth before. It was my most commented post ever. Since it’s been such a great year, it’s worthwhile to ask about it again. But first, let’s get to last week’s question where I asked about the temperature wars in our household. […]

    Reply

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Freedom!

My goal was to build a portfolio of $1,000,000 by February of 2017; 1500 days from the birth of this blog (January 1, 2013). And hey look, I’ve since retired!

Investments only (primary home excluded)
1/1/13 (The Start): $586,043
1/1/14 (1 Yr Later): $869,635
1/1/15 (2 Yrs Later): $987,351
1/1/16 (3 Yrs Later): $1,057,961
1/1/17 (4 Yrs Later): $1,257,128
1/1/18 (5 Yrs Later): $1,527,701
1/1/19 (6 Yrs Later): $1,549,440
1/1/20 (7 Yrs Later): $2,035,040*
1/1/21 (8 Yrs Later): $3,379,746**
1/1/22 (9 Yrs Later): $4,762,642
1/1/23 (10 Yrs Later): $3,112,821

2023: Investments only
1/1: $3,112,821
2/1: $3,582,368
3/1: $3,716,852
4/1: $3,861,599
5/1: $3,694,445
6/1: $4,089,141
7/1: $4,384,858
8/1: $4,539,865
9/1: $4,468,622

Gains: $1,355,801

Overall
Gains since 1/1/2013: $3,882,579
Net worth***: $4,698,622

* The big jump between 2019 and 2020 was partly because we bought another home, but kept the previous (much more expensive) one as a rental. We have since sold it.

** Tesla.

*** Includes our primary home equity in addition to our investment portfolio.

Finally, we still have about $290,000 in mortgage debt (which I love!). No regrets about the debts!

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Investing is risky business. The information contained on this site is for informational purposes only. As with all matters financial, proceed with caution. Do your research and seek professional advice.

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