I have a large family, and growing up, we lived frugally. My parents were very careful with money, and nothing ever was wasted. We clipped coupons, and ate leftovers. We wore hand-me-downs and shared clothes, rarely went out to try to eat, and never went on family trips. My dad also kept a close watch on the thermostat. In my community where I was raised, the winter weather was always brutally cold, with temps quite often dropping below zero. There was no choice but to run the furnace all winter longer. My dad set the thermostat as low as was possible, and we needed to bundle and dress in layers to stay warm. My mom learned to bake in the oven a lot, just to help heat up the house. On the other hand, in the summer, the house was constantly hot and sticky. Although there was a central cooling system put in, my dad would never turn it on. He’d always promise if it got really hot, he’d beginning the air conditioning. Apparently, it do not ever got quite hot enough, because we just opened windows and ran box fans. Without air conditioning, it became nearly impossible to fall into a deep sleep at night. Now that I’m an adult and have my own home, I refuse to suffer without air conditioning or heat in the winter. I don’t stress over what my monthly energy bills cost, I like to maintain my house at a comfortable temperature throughout every season. I have made sure that my house is tightened up and I save on energy where I can. I still clip coupons and never waste leftovers, but I refuse to shiver or sweat while working.