Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

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JV
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by JV »

WillRetire wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 9:43 pm Think about whether it is the cold or the duration of winter or a lack of sunshine that affects you.

Sunshine is a big factor for me. Some places are quite grey and I would rather have sunny & cold than grey & warm. But everyone is different.
No question sunshine is a major, major factor. As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain. The gloom from Oct. through April is terrible. But beyond that, the duration of temps under 60 degrees is unacceptable. It's May 6, and the outlook is 50's for the week, then maybe we'll hit the 60's. Not a 70 in sight till probably June. It's just too long for me. I love the windows open, being outdoors, just sitting in a lounge chair in the sun reading a book. Hopeless...

The suggestions and info here have been awesome. I have at least 2 more years to go until my daughter determines her fate (college, etc.), so we'll see.
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JV
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by JV »

joe8d wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:02 pm Hi fellow WNYer. I've lived here for going on 79 yrs. Last winter was not bad and I think,do to Climate Change, things will continue to get warmer. WNY, In fact is projected to the place to be in future due the effects of climate change. We have 20% of the world fresh water supply just for starters. So hang in there, you may be sitting in the cat bird seat and not realize it.
I appreciate the insight, but I have heard this before. Unfortunately I'll be long dead when this becomes a reality.
Mr.RegPark
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Mr.RegPark »

We’ve just had our 2nd day of 100 degrees in Scottsdale, and I love it. I grew up in Wyoming, and my bones are still thawing
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beyou
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by beyou »

Other end of NY here, and no. I have had multiple opportunities to relocate down south for work and always turned them down. Of course the weather is a bit better in my end of the state, close to the ocean lessens the winter and summer’s worst. But I don’t dream of moving south each winter, no not at all. I have relatives in FL, Atlanta and other areas in the southeast, and found it unbearable to be in S Florida from May to Sep. They wont come to me in the winter and I wont go down there in summer. No place is perfect, and home is home.
wander
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by wander »

No. I can adapt very well. I only focus on what's really important. Weather has less value on my chart.
z91
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by z91 »

I used to own property by the coast that was constantly hit by overcast. When it was nice out, it was absolutely beautiful, but most of the time it wasn't. Lots of people vacationed in the area so I rented it out instead. Now I live where it's sunny 90% of the year, but not horridly hot (70s). I wouldn't change a thing now.

Weather plays a huge part in quality of life for me.
finite_difference
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by finite_difference »

sureshoe wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 6:38 pm Google "Focusing Illusion"

Sure, you might hate the weather, but moving won't necessarily increase your happiness level. In fact, it might decrease it.

Basically this idea is that everything has a tradeoff, and people who are miserable in Ohio weather are probably going to miserable in California weather. In fact, if you check out "most livable" or "happiest" cities, you'll find they're often cold climate cities for various reason ranging from hours of sleep to weather to community to activities, etc.

I have friends who have moved to Texas... and I just don't understand the desire to live somewhere that it's simply butthole hot most of the year (and the cost of living is skyrocketing if you want to be anywhere near a metro area).

Snowbirds pay for that luxury. I can't imagine moving around like that. Again, that's me.

Anyway, where you live is deeply personal, so it's not like "you're wrong", it's just sometimes we put a disproportionate weight on things. One of my best friends moved away because his wife "hated Ohio winters". Now, they're thinking about moving again because "Dallas traffic sucks". Focusing Illusion.
Thanks for your post. I completely agree.

I really hate hot, humid summers. For about 2-3 months I can’t go outside. But the rest of the year is really not that bad when I think about it.

When everything else is good, it makes the one bad thing easy to focus on.

Rather than moving, I’m thinking to take a month in the summer for vacation somewhere cool. Also, it’s easy to forget how much moving really sucks.
The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. - Thich Nhat Hanh
sandramjet
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by sandramjet »

JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
FishTaco
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by FishTaco »

Not primarily. It's the biting insects in the summer that do me in.
Prahasaurus
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Prahasaurus »

It's why we decided to move to the Mediterranean. After spending two years in the Gulf in the Middle East on a project and loving the heat, we couldn't go back to Central Europe, where we had been for the past 20 years. It's cold, but that's manageable. The issue is the sun disappears for 4-5 months behind the clouds. From November through April or so, you rarely see the sun. It's so depressing. I love the snow (for a couple of months), I love cross country skiing, I love roaring fires in the evenings when it's -5 degrees outside. But in moderation, not for almost half the year...

We love the weather here, how everything is so much slower. Added bonus, we still have an apartment in mainland Europe, so we will spend 1-2 months there each year. Probably in August, when it's brutally hot here, and in December, to see the family and ski. Covid has kept us from flying back for now, but that will change soon.

I do think it's important, however, to find new friends when you move. Don't underestimate that, you definitely don't want to be socially isolated. It's a bit challenging at times with no family here. But fortunately we've made some fantastic new friends. Without that, even with the nice weather, beautiful blue sea, and fresh olive oil, it would be difficult.
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vested1
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by vested1 »

ballons wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 4:45 pm Every places sucks, you just don't know it yet. Your hatred of winter will transfer to traffic, humidity, nothing to do, wildfires, hurricanes, tourists, housing prices, 110F summers, or whatever that local has.
I'm not picking on ballons, just a general observation.

I've never been to anyplace that sucked, other than Barstow, CA. I suppose members from Barstow will now chime in to tell me how great it is. I've never thought of myself as an optimist, but compared to some of the members commenting here I may have to change my online name to Pollyanna.

I don't "hate" it here "yet" in upstate SC because we haven't experienced 2" hail breaking our windshields and destroying the roof, or had to rebuild the house because a tornado flattened it. But hey, there's always tomorrow, and who doesn't like an adventure?

Seriously, leaving perfect weather on the central coast of CA simply resulted in a series of tradeoffs.

Example:
12 miles to the nearest large grocery store here, 14 minutes drive.
At our previous home, 3 miles to the nearest large grocery store, 15 minutes drive.

There are good and bad aspects in every location. You can concentrate on the bad if you enjoy being miserable, in which case I would suggest moving and being miserable for a different reason somewhere else, or you can concentrate on the good and not be miserable.
iamnotsteve
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by iamnotsteve »

Central Illinois. I enjoy about 2 months of the year and hate the rest. But... Family is here, so we stay.
Somethingwitty92912
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Somethingwitty92912 »

JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 11:31 am Greetings, my fellow BHs,

I live in Western NY (WNY), and have for the past 27 years. As time has gone by, my disdain for this area has grown more severe each year, mainly because of the horrid weather. It's May 5 and I'm still in a sweatshirt and sleeping in flannel sheets, and have been since last Oct. It's not the WNY weather alone, it's all the northeast, as coworkers and friends often feel the same who live in this zone. I don't enjoy cold-weather activities (e.g. skiing, etc.); I actually hate the feeling of being cold. Perhaps my body is just getting less and less acclimated, who knows.

"So just move," you say? The issue is that we've carved out a life here and make very good money, on track to retire in early to mid-50's with a pension for my wife, plus our kids are mid-to-late teens who will either graduate or will in a couple of years. My wife and I often discuss her leaving work early, moving, and me continuing to work, primarily for health benefits. Lots of changes are coming with my kids in the next couple of years, but I am finding that I just can't handle the weather anymore. By the gods, I just want to open a damn window! :oops:

I was mainly just curious if others are or have been in this boat, and what you have done to mitigate those feelings. The pandemic nixed travel all of last year, plus we are trapped within a school calendar, so traveling together has not been easy. I honestly may just escape for a week or two in the winter, alone if I have to.

Suggestions? Sorry for this sounding like a "vent" post. I'm honestly just searching for ideas.
Like a few other suggestions, schedule all of your vacation time during the winter, take trips down south. I did this for years. Even if you don’t go anywhere, if you don’t like your job just time off during those periods it can be helpful.

Also, look up the northern most countries, the ones that are dark most of the year. They have tricks to help keep your mood positive. It’s depressing living in a bad climate. As someone who is strongly effected by the seasons, I understand what you are dealing with. Consider repainting rooms brighter colors, look it up; but, a certain type of lighting helps as well, stay physically active… ect. There’s actually a lot of other hacks for this, however I can’t remember anymore. Google is your friend here.

See if you can get your kids internet schooled during longer vacations down south.

Don’t mess around with this stuff, being happy is kind of important to your overall life experience. You will earn less if you are a grumpy-pants.

-somethingwitty
JackoC
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by JackoC »

People in 'Western NY' differentiate it, while we in the NY area just tend to think of 'upstate' (everything outside practical commuting distance to the City). In terms of weather, I think we're a bit closer to the truth. Our daughter lives only 2.5 hrs north of us (we're right next to the City in NJ) and it's very noticeably colder and snowier there than here (temp in that Hudson Valley locale is some days nearly same as here but can be 15 degrees colder on winter mornings). Enough that I'd have trouble tolerating it.

I don't love NY (city) area weather but find it tolerable. Of course that's in part because I'm from here and have lived here most of my life (other place we lived for any length of time in the US was LA, I found the summers there hotter and more humid than advertised, actually not much better than here, though winter was definitely better than here). But I would have a problem with upstate NY winters, and FL summers (among popular no income tax states for NY-ers). The main downside here is costs: too much capital tied up in the house, and taxes. If we left it wouldn't be primarily due to weather.
WillRetire
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by WillRetire »

JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm
WillRetire wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 9:43 pm Think about whether it is the cold or the duration of winter or a lack of sunshine that affects you.

Sunshine is a big factor for me. Some places are quite grey and I would rather have sunny & cold than grey & warm. But everyone is different.
No question sunshine is a major, major factor. As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain. The gloom from Oct. through April is terrible. But beyond that, the duration of temps under 60 degrees is unacceptable. It's May 6, and the outlook is 50's for the week, then maybe we'll hit the 60's. Not a 70 in sight till probably June. It's just too long for me. I love the windows open, being outdoors, just sitting in a lounge chair in the sun reading a book. Hopeless...

The suggestions and info here have been awesome. I have at least 2 more years to go until my daughter determines her fate (college, etc.), so we'll see.
Interesting... in 3 separate posts, you mentioned the desire/need to open windows. And "60 degrees is unacceptable". OK, that narrows things a bit if you want 70 degrees and up year-round. But not too hot/humid as you stated in an earlier post. I think you are on the right track to look at California and other parts west, as you stated earlier. Back east: Parts of Cape Cod are surprisingly temperate due to the ocean breezes. (Woods Hole is lovely but pricey.) Mountains of NC might be an option (e.g. Asheville).

There are online quizes & surveys that help identify places to retire based on your answers to questions about your preferences regarding weather, cost of living, life style, etc.. I suggest you look at those. They may help you identify candidate locations.

In the years leading up to retirement, take some vacations to these places to see if you like them. When your choices narrow down, visit again during a different season to see if you still like the place(s).

Good luck!
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by alfaspider »

sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am
JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
The amount of rain doesn't necessarily tell you how many sunny days a place has. For example, Houston has almost 50 inches of rain a year (a lot more than Seattle), but isn't known as a particularly rainy place. The difference is that Seattle tends to have a continuous light misting rain while Houston has shorter more intense rains (such as hurricanes dropping 50 inches in a period of days).
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JV
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by JV »

alfaspider wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:55 am
sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am
JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
The amount of rain doesn't necessarily tell you how many sunny days a place has. For example, Houston has almost 50 inches of rain a year (a lot more than Seattle), but isn't known as a particularly rainy place. The difference is that Seattle tends to have a continuous light misting rain while Houston has shorter more intense rains (such as hurricanes dropping 50 inches in a period of days).
Agreed. No question Seattle and Buffalo are similar rain-wise (thanks for pointing that out), and they are also similar regarding the amount of sun, as Buffalo has 48% sunny days and Seattle has 47%, but...Buffalo is kind enough to heap on 85" of snow.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Independent George »

JV wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:18 am
alfaspider wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:55 am
sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am
JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
The amount of rain doesn't necessarily tell you how many sunny days a place has. For example, Houston has almost 50 inches of rain a year (a lot more than Seattle), but isn't known as a particularly rainy place. The difference is that Seattle tends to have a continuous light misting rain while Houston has shorter more intense rains (such as hurricanes dropping 50 inches in a period of days).
Agreed. No question Seattle and Buffalo are similar rain-wise (thanks for pointing that out), and they are also similar regarding the amount of sun, as Buffalo has 48% sunny days and Seattle has 47%, but...Buffalo is kind enough to heap on 85" of snow.
I once worked with a British guy in Seattle. The running joke was he moved to Britain West. I suppose it's kind of like all the Scandinavians who settled in the upper-midwest; they just couldn't get enough of the gloom and snow.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by ballons »

vested1 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 4:10 am
ballons wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 4:45 pm Every places sucks, you just don't know it yet. Your hatred of winter will transfer to traffic, humidity, nothing to do, wildfires, hurricanes, tourists, housing prices, 110F summers, or whatever that local has.
I'm not picking on ballons, just a general observation.

I've never been to anyplace that sucked, other than Barstow, CA. I suppose members from Barstow will now chime in to tell me how great it is. I've never thought of myself as an optimist, but compared to some of the members commenting here I may have to change my online name to Pollyanna.

I don't "hate" it here "yet" in upstate SC because we haven't experienced 2" hail breaking our windshields and destroying the roof, or had to rebuild the house because a tornado flattened it. But hey, there's always tomorrow, and who doesn't like an adventure?

Seriously, leaving perfect weather on the central coast of CA simply resulted in a series of tradeoffs.

Example:
12 miles to the nearest large grocery store here, 14 minutes drive.
At our previous home, 3 miles to the nearest large grocery store, 15 minutes drive.

There are good and bad aspects in every location. You can concentrate on the bad if you enjoy being miserable, in which case I would suggest moving and being miserable for a different reason somewhere else, or you can concentrate on the good and not be miserable.
This is my point. If you are already concentrating on the bad i.e. winter weather, you are likely going to concentrate on the bad elsewhere.
Slacker
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Slacker »

Couldn't stand the summers in Phoenix, among other things, and not interested in owning two homes so we moved.
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galeno
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by galeno »

Nope. I live near Atenas Costa Rica. Atenas and Guadalajara Mexico are known for having the best year around weather in the world.
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four7s
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by four7s »

After living the first 30 years of life in the Upper Midwest (Iowa & Minneapolis) we picked up stakes and moved to Florida. We lived near the ocean and beaches for 22 years. We loved the seafood and all that was typical of Florida......everything was green, the blue sky most everyday, almost always warm weather, even the rainy season wasn’t too bad. But change was needed so we moved to Las Vegas and enjoyed 20 years of the show business that was available 24/7. Now as we are in our 70’s we need to decide where we want to ‘wind things up’ so we are going back to Florida. We sold our Vegas home in one day and bought in Florida and we can’t wait till July. At our age moving is hard but change is coming to our USA and we’re choosing to ride into the sunset in the Sunshine State. 😎
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jabberwockOG
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by jabberwockOG »

My wife and I absolutely hate the cold. We grew up in a cold grey snowy Midwest big city and got out of there as soon as possible - right after finishing university, so in our early 20s. We lived in 3 different cities in the deep South for the next 45 years - essentially most of our adult lives. We honestly feel sorry for old friends and family that remain stuck in the cold and dark 5 months a year (although some profess to like it and we believe them). Some of the lucky ones, as they got older and more affluent, have started wintering in sunnier warmed climes - 3-4 months of snow-birding and seem very happy doing so. Different strokes ....life is way too long to live in a place you don't enjoy. And as we get into old age the added risk of slipping and falling on ice, or car accidents in ice and snow seems like a silly risk to take if you have an alternative to avoid it.
MarkerFM
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by MarkerFM »

OP, I feel your pain. I spent a decade one year in Buffalo. Great people, but the cold, gray and snow were killing me. Then a business opportunity to me to the Midwest, where the weather was almost as bad. What did I do? Turned the heat up as much as I wanted, bought a special light box for when I sat at my desk, and made sure we went to a very nice island in the Caribbean at least 10 days every winter. The summers were great in the Midwest, but we actually decamped to an even better place for the summers.

Fast forward to I'm retired early, the kids are in college, the weather still sucked. I told my wife we are not spending another winter there and we bought a place in Florida. After several years of living in the three places, we got rid of the Midwest place altogether and live happily every after.

So look at your budget and put a line item in it for weather compensation. Use it for extra heat, getting away in the winter, and anything else you can think of to make your life tolerable until you can leave.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by hvaclorax »

OP,
Make this actionable.
Move. Here you might inconvenience some family members. You are responsible for getting it right. So many elements to consider including crowding, COL, new vs old friends, what outdoor activities you will enjoy. Know thyself. That’s key. Of course same for wife and family.
Stay in NY. Embrace what nature gives you in term of outside activities. Ski, snowshoe, skate, fish, bike, and hike. (We have a wood burning fireplace so I am hauling all winter long.) In the winter with proper gear and clothing you can have fun. Weather drama such as a storm or windy day or a cold snap makes it challenging. Embrace these events as well. Seasonal affective disorder can be treated. Springtime is tougher, we get a taste or tease of warm weather then it snows or it becomes blustery. Wind chill is a real deal but again properly dressed it can be overcome, even enjoyed.
Humans are quite adaptable. The challenge lies between our ears.
When the weather turns nice, I become deconditioned to the cold. So this challenges me to closely follow my weather apps. I use several. Especially temperature trends and wnd speed trends for the outing planned. We don’t always get it right. But it’s not a terrible inconvenience either way.
I find that cold weather requires higher levels of exercise so my body heat warms from within. That is why heavy exertion works so well in the cooler or colder days. (Also why it’s said wood warms you twice. In my case it’s three times.) I have friends who hate summer heat waves because it limits their ability to exert to some degree.
When you add state and local taxes, crowding, commute times, rural vs.urban, and COL no place is perfect. Sunlight helps even when it’s cold.
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JoeRetire
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by JoeRetire »

sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am
JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
Normally, people don't care so much about inches of rain, but rather number of rainy days/number of sunny days.

Still, Buffalo has only 3 more days of sun annually than Seattle.
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chazas
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by chazas »

Independent George wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 1:18 pm
willthrill81 wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 12:30 pmWe live near Spokane and absolutely love the area (though not the city itself so much). It's an outdoor lovers Mecca, and you can fly to about 18 airports from GEG. Housing prices have increased dramatically over the last six years though. Our home has nearly doubled in value over that time; according to the WSJ, Spokane is ranked as the 5th hottest emerging real estate market in the country, and nearby Coeur d'Alene in Idaho is #1. Of course, home affordability is highly relative; people moving here from CA and Seattle think that housing in the area is still cheap and are routinely making cash offers for well above asking price sight unseen and with no contingencies.

And of course, living in a state without an income tax is a nice bonus.
Dangit, why do people keep stealing my ideas? I want to be the rich out-of-towner buying up all the land!
wfrobinette wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 1:14 pm The humidity can be bad a few months out of the year in the TN, GA, NC, VA and SC areas but the rest of the year is great. I have friends that love the desert but 115 or more is still.
What about KY? Knowing nothing about it but Zillow listings, Frankfort, KY has entered my radar. I have a friend in Lexington, too, so I might visit and scout locations soon.

The great thing about the desert is that even when it's hot (but not humid) during the daytime, the evenings are gorgeous even in August.
I lived in Lexington for a couple years due to an ill-advised job transfer. I made some good friends there and enjoy visiting but it was an awful place to live. COL was deceptively high (small city, little competition for good service providers so they charged a ton - which they could because of all the horse money surrounding the city), hard to find a lot of things without driving to Cincinnati (not a big retail base), just a weird overall feel (midwestern place that thinks it’s southern, and socially and culturally is stuck a couple of decades ago). Pass.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by sschoe2 »

I have lived in the Chicago area all my life. My family has lived here for over 100 years. The weather is what it is. I would prefer a warmer climate but I deal. What I can no longer stand is the government. The politics and exorbitant and regressive taxation is causing most of my family as well as myself to seek exit.

The only reason I stayed as long as I did was taking care of my ailing mother and I had a stable well paying job that is hard to get in my profession Chemist. Now that my mother passed and my job is much less stable due to an aquisition I am finally serious about leaving. There are some companies in my niche industry near Cincinnati I am targeting. There is a big one in NJ but that would be worse than IL.
Valuethinker
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Valuethinker »

JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm
WillRetire wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 9:43 pm Think about whether it is the cold or the duration of winter or a lack of sunshine that affects you.

Sunshine is a big factor for me. Some places are quite grey and I would rather have sunny & cold than grey & warm. But everyone is different.
No question sunshine is a major, major factor. As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain. The gloom from Oct. through April is terrible. But beyond that, the duration of temps under 60 degrees is unacceptable. It's May 6, and the outlook is 50's for the week, then maybe we'll hit the 60's. Not a 70 in sight till probably June. It's just too long for me. I love the windows open, being outdoors, just sitting in a lounge chair in the sun reading a book. Hopeless...

The suggestions and info here have been awesome. I have at least 2 more years to go until my daughter determines her fate (college, etc.), so we'll see.
It's a weird spring though, this year? I have been (in Toronto) in the 80s in May.

I must admit my ideal outdoor temperature is around 60 though-- I loved Fall more than any other season, at least once better hayfever meds became available -- so I was unlikely to move somewhere hotter than Ontario. Fall in Northeastern North America is just golden...

Sounds like you need to try New Mexico or Arizona? The eastern side of North America is hot, but it's also humid and has mosquitoes. Sitting outside is, as you would know, taxing to say the least. In terms of work opportunities though, North Carolina might be the one to zero in on because of everything that is going on in RTP & in Charlotte. Or the greater DC area.


I think I am right that Buffalo gets 4x snow of Toronto? Toronto seems like it hardly has a winter these days (excepting the polar vortex).
Last edited by Valuethinker on Sun May 09, 2021 9:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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BogleFanGal
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by BogleFanGal »

Somethingwitty92912 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 6:33 am
Also, look up the northern most countries, the ones that are dark most of the year. They have tricks to help keep your mood positive. It’s depressing living in a bad climate. -somethingwitty
Ha! I wish they had effective tricks for those of us who are miserable being stuck in disgustingly hot climates and can't move. We're equally as depressed...and quite irritable to boot. If one more person says to "think cool thoughts", it won't be pretty lol.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Valuethinker »

Independent George wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:49 am

I once worked with a British guy in Seattle. The running joke was he moved to Britain West. I suppose it's kind of like all the Scandinavians who settled in the upper-midwest; they just couldn't get enough of the gloom and snow.
The culture is likely also relatively similar - Vancouver BC even more so. Vancouver and Victoria BC have huge expat Brit populations. One reason is gardening all year round is important - my father, a British ex pat, loved gardening, and was never entirely happy with that aspect of living in eastern North America. I think he regretted not moving out to Vancouver in the 60s.

New York or Silicon Valley are of course the usual destinations for Brits from a career point of view, unless MSFT etc brings them over to HQ (a frequent way; I had an uncle who moved his family to Minneapolis, he worked for 3M in the UK).

Otherwise Brits tend to go to California, if they can, for the same reason they move to Australia or Cape Town. Has the one thing Britain does not have enough of - sun.

(that said, people overrate how rainy it is in Southern England. It's actually quite a dry place, dryer in parts than Portugal, which leads to restrictions on water use etc).
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Marseille07 »

Elsebet wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 5:01 pm The only time I ever disliked the weather where I lived was when we were living in Seattle. I remember the first winter we had there in 2013 where it seemed like it rained every single day for months. The days are extremely short too in the winter which means even on the rare sunny day in winter it doesn't last very long. There is even a term called "sunbreaks" out there for this. The summers were okay, but most years cool and too short. The last few years (2017 and on) it seemed like we'd have one month of summer then the smoke from the wildfires would come, then it would start raining. There was only one real fall that I recall in 2019.
I share the same sentiment. It's really beautiful on rare sunny days in PNW, but it's mostly overcast / rain and cool / cold here. I moved here recently but already wondering why anyone wants to live here long term.
Last edited by Marseille07 on Sun May 09, 2021 10:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Somethingwitty92912
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Somethingwitty92912 »

BogleFanGal wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 9:15 am
Somethingwitty92912 wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 6:33 am
Also, look up the northern most countries, the ones that are dark most of the year. They have tricks to help keep your mood positive. It’s depressing living in a bad climate. -somethingwitty
Ha! I wish they had effective tricks for those of us who are miserable being stuck in disgustingly hot climates and can't move. We're equally as depressed...and quite irritable to boot. If one more person says to "think cool thoughts", it won't be pretty lol.
Air conditioning? =)
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by 40 Years' Gatherin's »

As I sit here typing this, there is an icy snow falling in northeast Ohio. Happy Mother's Day!
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by marcopolo »

Hate is a strong word, but our dislike of the weather in PA was one of the driving factors in choosing our retirement destination. We are now in Hawaii, and couldn't be happier.

Good luck to you.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by uberdoc »

I live in NYC for many years now. There is a clear trend of less and less snow and cold. Until December weather stays not terribly bad. Jan to March is still cold. April and May are rainy. All along the coastal east coast weather is slowly getting warmer and more pleasant. I wish and also don’t wish (global warming) for this trend to continue. Weather is improving but cost of living and other qualities of life are getting worse in coastal NE US.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Metsfan91 »

I like our rust belt weather. 3 months summer. Followed by beautiful fall and fall colors. Then 7'-8' feet snowy winter. Finally, cool spring knocks on door to remind us that summer is around the corner.

I know a family who moved from Minnesota to Texas. The family could not tolerate Texas heat. They moved back to Minnesota after a couple of years... Weather may look better in other areas from far away.
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Isabelle77
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Isabelle77 »

Independent George wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:49 am
JV wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:18 am
alfaspider wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:55 am
sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am
JV wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 10:33 pm As I mentioned earlier, Buffalo is like Seattle without the rain.
Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
The amount of rain doesn't necessarily tell you how many sunny days a place has. For example, Houston has almost 50 inches of rain a year (a lot more than Seattle), but isn't known as a particularly rainy place. The difference is that Seattle tends to have a continuous light misting rain while Houston has shorter more intense rains (such as hurricanes dropping 50 inches in a period of days).
Agreed. No question Seattle and Buffalo are similar rain-wise (thanks for pointing that out), and they are also similar regarding the amount of sun, as Buffalo has 48% sunny days and Seattle has 47%, but...Buffalo is kind enough to heap on 85" of snow.
I once worked with a British guy in Seattle. The running joke was he moved to Britain West. I suppose it's kind of like all the Scandinavians who settled in the upper-midwest; they just couldn't get enough of the gloom and snow.
Gotta speak up for the western PNW :) We live near the Oregon border in SW Washington. I walk 4-5 miles most mornings along the Columbia River. I think I couldn't walk this winter, maybe 3 times because it was either too windy or raining too hard. I think I had to wear a winter coat for a total of about two weeks, otherwise just a sweatshirt and a hat. Yes, it misty rains a lot, yes, the light in the winter can be rough. But compared to a midwest or New England winter? It's a hundred times milder. It's always green, and the nature surrounding us is amazing. I see sea lions, bald eagles, and otters pretty regularly just on my morning walks. And the summers are (in my opinion) the most beautiful in the country. There are lots of reasons to not move to the PNW, but the weather doesn't personally bother me at all. To each his own I guess.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by iamblessed »

Isabelle77 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:01 pm
Independent George wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:49 am
JV wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 10:18 am
alfaspider wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 9:55 am
sandramjet wrote: Fri May 07, 2021 12:44 am

Interestingly, if you look at up average annual amounts:
Seattle - 38" of rain per year; 5" of snow per year
Buffalo - 39" of rain per year; 85" of snow per year

Seems more like Seattle is like Buffalo without the snow :D
The amount of rain doesn't necessarily tell you how many sunny days a place has. For example, Houston has almost 50 inches of rain a year (a lot more than Seattle), but isn't known as a particularly rainy place. The difference is that Seattle tends to have a continuous light misting rain while Houston has shorter more intense rains (such as hurricanes dropping 50 inches in a period of days).
Agreed. No question Seattle and Buffalo are similar rain-wise (thanks for pointing that out), and they are also similar regarding the amount of sun, as Buffalo has 48% sunny days and Seattle has 47%, but...Buffalo is kind enough to heap on 85" of snow.
I once worked with a British guy in Seattle. The running joke was he moved to Britain West. I suppose it's kind of like all the Scandinavians who settled in the upper-midwest; they just couldn't get enough of the gloom and snow.
Gotta speak up for the western PNW :) We live near the Oregon border in SW Washington. I walk 4-5 miles most mornings along the Columbia River. I think I couldn't walk this winter, maybe 3 times because it was either too windy or raining too hard. I think I had to wear a winter coat for a total of about two weeks, otherwise just a sweatshirt and a hat. Yes, it misty rains a lot, yes, the light in the winter can be rough. But compared to a midwest or New England winter? It's a hundred times milder. It's always green, and the nature surrounding us is amazing. I see sea lions, bald eagles, and otters pretty regularly just on my morning walks. And the summers are (in my opinion) the most beautiful in the country. There are lots of reasons to not move to the PNW, but the weather doesn't personally bother me at all. To each his own I guess.
If you live in SE Washington it would be colder but sunny?
Isabelle77
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Isabelle77 »

iamblessed wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:04 pm
Isabelle77 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 3:01 pm
Gotta speak up for the western PNW :) We live near the Oregon border in SW Washington. I walk 4-5 miles most mornings along the Columbia River. I think I couldn't walk this winter, maybe 3 times because it was either too windy or raining too hard. I think I had to wear a winter coat for a total of about two weeks, otherwise just a sweatshirt and a hat. Yes, it misty rains a lot, yes, the light in the winter can be rough. But compared to a midwest or New England winter? It's a hundred times milder. It's always green, and the nature surrounding us is amazing. I see sea lions, bald eagles, and otters pretty regularly just on my morning walks. And the summers are (in my opinion) the most beautiful in the country. There are lots of reasons to not move to the PNW, but the weather doesn't personally bother me at all. To each his own I guess.
If you live in SE Washington it would be colder but sunny?
Yes. Colder in the winter with more snow but much sunnier and hotter in the summer. Still eastern Washington is a lovely area, we will likely retire just over the border in Idaho, depending on what everything looks like in 10-15yrs.

Edited to add: I wouldn't really call Spokane SE Washington. That's more like Walla Walla. Spokane is just referred to Eastern Washington and Coeur D'Alene/Sandpoint is Northern Idaho. That whole area is growing like crazy.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by awval999 »

marcopolo wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 11:56 am Hate is a strong word, but our dislike of the weather in PA was one of the driving factors in choosing our retirement destination. We are now in Hawaii, and couldn't be happier.

Good luck to you.
Today was brutal weather.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by sabhen »

This thread reminds of a topic discussed by Danny Kahneman about whether good climate makes people happier.

A famous study by ‘Does living in California make people happy’ – they asked students in the US Midwest (Michigan and Ohio) and in Southern California to evaluate either their own life satisfaction, or the life satisfaction of a student in the other region.

Both Californians and Midwesterners predicted Californians to be happier, and students’ ratings suggested that the better climate would contribute to higher happiness levels. However, there were no discernable difference in both the happiness levels found and the contribution of climate to those happiness levels.

The "focus illusion" bias causes people to overweight climate: “Easily observed and distinctive differences between locations are given more weight in such judgments than they will have in reality.”

Overall, academic research indicates that other factors – primarily, social relations, work and financial situation, and health, have a lot larger influence on overall happiness.

Is it not funny that some of the "happiest" countries in the world happen to be in Northern climate?
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Carguy85 »

stoptothink wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 12:44 pm
iamlucky13 wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 12:37 pm
The same for clothing. I realized I too often restrict my outdoor activities during the winter because I have a long-established habit of both being cheap about clothing, and disliking wearing heavier clothing. I started working on breaking those habits this year and it has helped me, I think both because of the opportunity to do more activities comfortably, and because of getting more exercise helping my mood. I know in your area, that won't be enough in the heart of winter, but at least reduce the discomfort at the worst of times, and try to achieve actual comfort outdoors at least during the shoulder season.
My wife has Reynaud's Syndrome and basically sheltered herself indoors for 6-months a year here in Utah. She invested in good winter clothing and now we do things year around, including hundreds of miles of snow shoeing each winter season. Really changed her perspective on the weather here.

Interesting. I’ve come to the same realization with clothing. I have a condition that results in the exact opposite called cold urticaria...essentially an allergic reaction to cold temps that causes redness/swelling/itchy painful patches. A 70 degree surface against my bare skin has even caused such reactions. This realization ironically happened sitting on some patio furniture at a buddies house on a may evening in Las Vegas. I also have a long standing habit of being cheap with clothing and have for as long as I can remember preferred shorts and t shirts (long-standing habit from my youth before I started having reactions to the cold). Born and raised and still live in a smallish Midwest college town where daily winter highs are about 30 but luckily just a few snows a year of maybe up to 6 inches are normal so I guess relatively mild. After giving it much thought on places to live and the trade offs I’m convinced that I need to simply force myself to break old habits and dress appropriately and value quality winter clothing. It could always be worse..Minnesota cold for winters or gulf heat/humidity summers. Not to mention all the family is here and the COL is low.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by anoop »

ponyboy wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 11:47 am CA is of course the sweet spot, but, well, its CA.
Not anymore with wildfires and drought.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by stoptothink »

Carguy85 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 6:50 pm
stoptothink wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 12:44 pm
iamlucky13 wrote: Thu May 06, 2021 12:37 pm
The same for clothing. I realized I too often restrict my outdoor activities during the winter because I have a long-established habit of both being cheap about clothing, and disliking wearing heavier clothing. I started working on breaking those habits this year and it has helped me, I think both because of the opportunity to do more activities comfortably, and because of getting more exercise helping my mood. I know in your area, that won't be enough in the heart of winter, but at least reduce the discomfort at the worst of times, and try to achieve actual comfort outdoors at least during the shoulder season.
My wife has Reynaud's Syndrome and basically sheltered herself indoors for 6-months a year here in Utah. She invested in good winter clothing and now we do things year around, including hundreds of miles of snow shoeing each winter season. Really changed her perspective on the weather here.

Interesting. I’ve come to the same realization with clothing. I have a condition that results in the exact opposite called cold urticaria...essentially an allergic reaction to cold temps that causes redness/swelling/itchy painful patches. A 70 degree surface against my bare skin has even caused such reactions. This realization ironically happened sitting on some patio furniture at a buddies house on a may evening in Las Vegas. I also have a long standing habit of being cheap with clothing and have for as long as I can remember preferred shorts and t shirts (long-standing habit from my youth before I started having reactions to the cold). Born and raised and still live in a smallish Midwest college town where daily winter highs are about 30 but luckily just a few snows a year of maybe up to 6 inches are normal so I guess relatively mild. After giving it much thought on places to live and the trade offs I’m convinced that I need to simply force myself to break old habits and dress appropriately and value quality winter clothing. It could always be worse..Minnesota cold for winters or gulf heat/humidity summers. Not to mention all the family is here and the COL is low.
I was diagnosed with chronic idiopathic urticaria ~20yrs ago and mine is especially bad in the summer, so I literally feel your pain. I'll go weeks at a time where I'll wake up every morning with something swollen and itchy, taking benadryl each night (even gotten prednisone several times). Autoimmune issues are fun, I also have Hashimoto's and RA.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Carguy85 »

Oddly enough I prefer our house to be 64 degrees in the winter and a fan on while sleeping..the summer months 68 (because I’m cheap)...I hate being hot/sweating but a popsicle will literally cause my lips to swell. Been going on for at least the last 12 years... so much for the 7 year itch! No (other) autoimmune stuff that I know of...yet.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Slacker »

Carguy85 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 7:54 pm Oddly enough I prefer our house to be 64 degrees in the winter and a fan on while sleeping..the summer months 68 (because I’m cheap)...I hate being hot/sweating but a popsicle will literally cause my lips to swell. Been going on for at least the last 12 years... so much for the 7 year itch! No (other) autoimmune stuff that I know of...yet.
I wouldn't call 68 in the summer as cheap. Seems quite cool. We set our thermostat to 74 in the summer and make up the difference in comfort using fans. We do have high humidity here. In the much drier AZ weather we could get away with having the thermostat set to 76 or 77 in the summer.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by Carguy85 »

Slacker wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 10:19 pm
I wouldn't call 68 in the summer as cheap. Seems quite cool. We set our thermostat to 74 in the summer and make up the difference in comfort using fans. We do have high humidity here. In the much drier AZ weather we could get away with having the thermostat set to 76 or 77 in the summer.
😳 .... we’d burst into flames at those temps 😀... at 68 it’s a matter of lying very still and thinking cool thoughts. No doubt the body’s cooling system works much better in dry heat. Mid 90s in the shade and a slight breeze actually felt quite pleasant on a trip out west whereas mid 70s in Florida involves dripping sweat just standing.
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Re: Anyone hate where they live primarily because of the weather?

Post by stoptothink »

Slacker wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 10:19 pm
Carguy85 wrote: Sun May 09, 2021 7:54 pm Oddly enough I prefer our house to be 64 degrees in the winter and a fan on while sleeping..the summer months 68 (because I’m cheap)...I hate being hot/sweating but a popsicle will literally cause my lips to swell. Been going on for at least the last 12 years... so much for the 7 year itch! No (other) autoimmune stuff that I know of...yet.
I wouldn't call 68 in the summer as cheap. Seems quite cool. We set our thermostat to 74 in the summer and make up the difference in comfort using fans. We do have high humidity here. In the much drier AZ weather we could get away with having the thermostat set to 76 or 77 in the summer.
Our thermostat is set at 76 in the summer and that is just because my wife is super sensitive to temperature. I'd be absolutely fine setting it at over 80. In fact, general recommendations from the U.S. Department of Energy are 78 in the summer.
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