I had to laugh when I was reading some of the comments about us staying here if we were going to spend the money on solar power. Suppose we spend $20,000 after incentives. Here are some . . “what if” type scenarios.
- Suppose you’re someone who buys new cars often. Our vehicles are a 17 year old pickup, a 13 year old Honda and a 7 year old Toyota. No matter how you look at it, if you’re buying new vehicles every 4 or 5 years (and some do it way more often), you’re losing way more money on those vehicles than we will on a solar system if we move and leave it behind.
- Suppose you go out to eat twice a week and even though I don’t know if it’s possible, suppose you spend $20 per meal and could eat at home for $5 per meal, that’s $15 twice a week $1560 per year you’re “losing” and not getting back. We rarely go out to eat!
- Suppose you have cable TV and you’re spending $60 per month on that, you’re spending $720 and while some would argue that there is a good return on that investment, for us it was not.
- Suppose you go on vacation once or twice a year. We don’t and I’m only guessing but I figure you can’t do much for less than $2,000 for a week’s worth of vacation and many vacations are way more than that. Just say $2,000 per year for a vacation . . you may feel you get a good return on that investment but we’d rather be at home doing things around here so we don’t spend that money.
If you add up the eating out, cable tv and vacation, that comes to $4,280 per year and that’s a big chunk.
Most of us have a limited amount that we can spend and while you may choose to not to install a solar system unless you are sure you’re going to be around for the life expectancy of the system, we aren’t exactly looking at it that way. For us, we are concerned about the stability of the grid and the grid in Texas is probably way more secure than the grid in the rest of the country, but we also think it will be a fun project. I don’t spend money on hair color, nails, clothes but I do spend my fair share on yarn and kitchen gadgets.
Vince and I laughed reading some of the comments because we had just spent $10K on a new air conditioner system in MO just months before we found out we were moving. We would have gotten the exact same amount of $$ out of the house had we not put in the new system but we wanted a more energy efficient system and didn’t think we would be moving so soon. You never know . . but we didn’t lose sleep over it . . it was just one of those things that happens.
Through the years, I’ve seen that some things people spend their money on just floors me and I’m quite sure that others are astonished at the things I spend my money on but so long as I’m not asking anyone for a handout and no one is asking me for a handout . . it’s everyone’s own business how they spend their money.
It’s all in perspective!
Vickie VanDyken says
Absolutely correct!! You earned it you should be able to spend it as you choose. If you want it and can afford it, go for it. I think it’s great to be less dependent on the Grid and more on yourselves.
I know what we will be spending on, our truck threw a bearing last night 🙁 Took out the crankshaft to.) Sad thing is hubby bought a new set of bearings to roll in but thought the Oil Cooler was the problem. Truck ran fine in tests but when he put it under a load it didn’t make it but a few miles down the road. Hindsight being 20/20 we sure wish he had rolled those bearings in! Now were are looking at 15 grand or so to rebuild the engine. Thank goodness he can do a lot of the work and we have another good mechanic ( out of work because he is older) to help. No new truck in our future, rebuilding is our best option. The newer the truck the more the government controls and sadly the lower the fuel mileage…not good when you are living on the profits.
Yup you should spend your money where you want! Right now I wish we had a little more of it to spend on what we NEED 🙂 Oh well life goes on and please don’t listen to those negative Nellie’s out there, Judy you do just as you please with your money !! Including buying yarn and fabric !!! LOL
Erin says
Well said!!!
Rebecca Grace says
I have had interior design clients spend $10,000 on a COUCH, $30,000 on draperies for ONE room… One client spent close to $2,000 on custom draperies for the dining room of a home that she was only renting for a few months while her “real” home was undergoing remodeling… To each his or her own. And there is no price tag that can ever be placed on the time spent with loved ones. If you miss out on these years, no amount of money will ever buy them back for you.
Dottie N. says
Excellent, Judy! People always seem to question how/why other people spend their money and I figure we can spend what we want (we earned it). When things were “tough” in the early days, we did without (or made do with what we had – same as our parents/grandparents, etc. before us).
It took a LONG time to feel I didn’t have to “defend” our spending (if others didn’t understand how/why we spent/didn’t spend the way they thought we should).
Barbara says
I have found that there are just certain types of people who stick their nose in other people’s business no matter the subject. They do it with friends and relatives all the time and it is their normal.
I rarely eat out but decided to accept an invitation last week with a group that I know. I left food on my plate (when I’m full I quit eating) and one person looked at my plate and told me that I was wasting food. I just laughed. I can’t imagine anyone in their right mind trying to tell me how much food I should be eating, but there it was.
There are some days when I read your blog and comments and I think how much fun it would be if you made up some outlandish story just to see what comments you would get.
I did that once with a small online group I belonged to a few years ago. I got so sick of a couple of them always criticizing and telling me what I should do, I told them I was going to get a tattoo. You would not believe the reaction I got to that statement.. Needless to say I left the group, but I left laughing!!
DebrafromMD says
We had solar panels installed 5 years ago. Between the grant that we received from the state, the credit we got on our county taxes, and the tax credit we received from the government, we spent 12,000.00 out of pocket. The value of our house increased by 20,000.00. So looking at the totals, we made money even before we got any break on our electric bills. Our neighbors asked us what our bill had been after a recently bitter cold and snowy month. We spent $140.00 (which is really high for us) versus their bill of $500.00. I should also mention that our state pays us for solar energy credits. It is really fun to watch our electric meter spin backwards during the summer.
Tinkerfeet says
We are all solar and are very happy, it works for us! Money had nothing to do with it, just a different way of life.
Ellen says
I find it fascinating that folks will criticize or challenge you. I find your patience with thm even more fascinating!
I thoroughly enjoy reading about your life, your thought processes, your decision-making and am honored that you share so much with your readers..
I get a lot of grief for driving a 14yo car, living in my paid off smallish home of 23y, growing as much food as I can in our little yard, and saving my earned income my retirement instead of spending it. Aren’t people funny?
SarahB says
I totally agree with Ellen! Plus, you review EVERYTHING and so we get the benefit of seeing how it works/doesn’t work before we take the plumge too! I am SO glad you tell us your plans, ambitions, failures and successes.. 🙂
Judy Dunning says
I’d love to do solar. There are just 2 of us and it will take a long long time to recoup the $$.
The main reason I want t do it is “it is the right thing t do!”
Susan says
Wasn’t it Art Linkletter who said, “People are funny!” In fact, wasn’t that the name of one of his shows? I’d rather buy fabric than eat out, buy fabric instead of new furniture, and only take vacations which involve … you guessed, didn’t you? Buying fabric! =) NO ONE better tell me how they think I ought to spend the money I make myself! And solar makes sense, even if you sell. The experience you gain in putting this system in could easily save you money and time next time you put one in.
Jackie says
I didn’t think “return on investment” was the purpose!
JudyL says
I think it’s always a consideration, even though maybe not the sole “purpose”.
Sharon says
I love your blog today. Your money and your decisions.
We drive old cars, buy things we might not need, grow as much of our own food as possible and are having a $10,000 fence installed. Why? Because we love our way of life (and our dogs) No, we don’t have to do any of it, we could live in the city and buy at the grocery store, but there is just something about being able to be independent, esp when you’re over 70/80 that makes it so satisfactory.
Sandy in IL says
Don’t you just hate it when someone tells you how to spend the money YOU earned? We all have choices to make in life and it isn’t someone else’s business where your dollars go. Like you said, you aren’t asking for a handout from the government. Some people just have too much time on their hands to criticize like that.
Nancy says
We put solar in a couple of years ago – no regrets here even though it will take years to “return” our investment. If we remain where we are it will feel okay as electric rates continue to rise. It also feels “green” and I like that. I dont’ care if others think it wasn’t a wise investment.
Patty M says
I totally agree with the perspective thing. I have a friend that gets confused when I say something is too expensive. Apparently she thinks I am saying I cannot “afford” something when I say it is too expensive. Just because I have the money doesn’t mean I have to spend it on some things.
Brandy M. says
Oh my gosh, we spent OVER $7,000 on a week-long vacation in the Caribbean… Ok, so it was very luxurious, but…. I wouldn’t think twice about doing solar for $20k. I’d LOVE to have solar energy!
I really like that you wrote out the costs of some of our “luxury” expenses – cable, dining out, etc…! I think many people spend this money and don’t even think about how much it adds up. These, unfortunately, are often people who really can’t afford whatever it is – eating out, expanded cable, daily coffees, etc… This really puts it into view!!
Enjoy your solar power!!
🙂
Rebecca in SoCal says
It’s good that you can laugh. I, too, am surprised at the things people say to you sometimes.
I have recently started reading a “tiny house” blog, and a few days ago, she addressed some of the things people have said to her. It’s amazing how critical people are of the way she is living her life, especially when it has absolutely no effect on them! (Perhaps they feel guilty about their consumerism?)
Thank you for keeping this window into your life open!
Shelley says
I remember Grandpa Don not wanting to spend money on hearing aids when he was 93 because he “wouldn’t get his money’s worth.” Everyone else was sure “they” would 🙂