My friends call me from time to time to check in and catch up; it’s the only way we can keep in touch since I’m not in driving range anymore. Three years ago, I packed up my things and made the very long trip from New England to the southern end of the East coast. I’m looking at the same ocean, but it’s about fifty degrees warmer and I can go swimming if I want to.
I no longer have to worry about shoveling snow, breaking ice, or having to call out of work because I won’t be shovelled out in time to make it in for my shift. I’m not losing money from being unable to get into work, and I’m also not paying out the nose for heating my house. Sure, I trade it for running the AC system nearly year round, but let me tell you the cost isn’t even remotely the same. A lot of houses like mine, run off of oil heating in the north. Oil is the absolute worst money sucker. Oil heaters aren’t that bad, but budgeting the cost of the fuel is all but impossible.
Since the price is always changing on the market, you can’t even budget it out. The price I paid in October could go up by over a hundred dollars by the time I need more in December. The AC is constant; the price of a kilowatt isn’t changing. Plus, its not a finite fuel, so I’m not stressing about running out. I will take a dozen heat waves over just one blizzard.