Detroit Moves to the Woods?

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razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:47 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:26 pm
I'm not sure this is a generational thing as much as it's a life stages thing. I remember people going nuts at that age with reckless abandon. They either figure it out or don't. The key, as always, is to live at or preferably below your means always. I bought my first house at 28, and it was on the low side of our budget in a pretty crappy area of Detroit. Wife found a job, I got a raise, we moved up. Another raise, we moved up again.

But to bring this back to the point of this thread...the hardest trap to not fall into is the constant drive for more and better and whatnot. We did it with our house in the city, then the wife lost her job, I got a pay cut (though only briefly), and the sobering reality of our constant drive for bigger/better set in and made us reprioritize things. We can no longer "Afford" our house in the city, so we're taking the opportunity to simplify. I can't begin to express how lucky I am to have found our new house from our friend, it's enabling us to live in an area that we otherwise wouldn't afford (Old Mission Peninsula is :waxer: AF, especially on land with water access like we have). But the house needs work and the timing was not the best, so we're making it work hell or high water.

Money can buy many things. Stuff, sure...but also freedom. Living significantly below our means has taken all the pressure we used to feel off work. Wife hasn't found a job yet, but that's OK because she's working her butt off (almost literally) on the move and getting the new house situated. It's not a big deal at all because we can more than afford it on my salary alone. Once we're in and settled, if I get forced back to the office, I can just quit and do whatever basic job I can find and still make the mortgage. But more likely, I'll maintain my job and sock as much money away as I can for the ultimate freedom of no longer being tied to the man.
Yeah, we aren’t really where we want to be. We don’t have enough saved up to throw at a down payment on a house without burning our reserves. Our biggest gripe is we spend too much on eating out. :rudy: shit.

Plus, :baby: costs are crazy. Diapers, toys, etc. but what I will say is at least we know where our shortcomings are and try to improve it. Sometimes after a long day we are both so mentally burned out from work/kid/etc that we just grab chipotle on the way home. It seems problem free but it adds up. Convenience costs a lot.

Currently rocking 2 car payments, rent, and all expenses on basically 1 income. We have a plan to attack some major costs but that’ll take some time.

I have no desire for more materialistic shit anymore. I occasionally make a small impulse buy or whatever, but I haven’t bought a new iPhone, or new phone case since the XS I got (2 years ago), biggest purchase/transaction I made on shit was the black wheels in June 2020, and that was minimal (just a trade) + cash.

I think it’s more important to know where you are and where you want to be, play the long game. We’d love a house for the space and privacy but our 2/2 in a good area 10 mins from my job is under $1/sq ft which is :mindblown:
Dude, you're young...you'll get to where you want to be in time. Just stay disciplined, you're on the right path.

I honestly don't know how you folks with kids do it. Not just the direct cost of kids, but the indirect like being too worn out to cook dinner so you go out, paying to have certain things done because you're wiped out...it's intense. When both the wife and I worked, dinner was out all the time due to convenience. Adding a kid on is just :mindblown: Also part of why we chose to not go down that path. Regardless, I don't think you can really beat yourself up about going out frequently...you've got a lot on your plate IMO.

It took me longer than you to stop caring about material things. That'll probably treat you well but at the same time, I think it's important to recognize that everyone values things differently. Some folks really like buying things, and there's nothing wrong with that since we need the economy to keep going to keep us all employed. The key is consume within your means, which many don't.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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troyguitar wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:59 pm Car payments are the devil. I really should get rid of mine. We don't need 2 cars in any way. The last time both of our cars were in use simultaneously was... 2018?
We haven't "needed" 2 vehicles in well over a year. Even when the wife was working pre-virus, we carpooled most days. At this point, I can't remember the last time we drove different vehicles simultaneously. It's an immense waste, BUT she claims she wants to keep her Jeep "forever", and if that works out, it's cheaper to just keep it. PLUS, if I have to travel downstate regularly for my job, She'll need to be able to get around somehow. I think there's still too much uncertainty right now to really commit to one vehicle if both are already owned.

In your case, you've got a badass rare car that you like a lot. Eventually you'll be able to enjoy it more, I think it makes sense to just hold onto it. Maybe make a point to drive it on good roads a bit more if you can.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 5:54 pm
razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 4:47 pm
Yeah, we aren’t really where we want to be. We don’t have enough saved up to throw at a down payment on a house without burning our reserves. Our biggest gripe is we spend too much on eating out. :rudy: shit.

Plus, :baby: costs are crazy. Diapers, toys, etc. but what I will say is at least we know where our shortcomings are and try to improve it. Sometimes after a long day we are both so mentally burned out from work/kid/etc that we just grab chipotle on the way home. It seems problem free but it adds up. Convenience costs a lot.

Currently rocking 2 car payments, rent, and all expenses on basically 1 income. We have a plan to attack some major costs but that’ll take some time.

I have no desire for more materialistic shit anymore. I occasionally make a small impulse buy or whatever, but I haven’t bought a new iPhone, or new phone case since the XS I got (2 years ago), biggest purchase/transaction I made on shit was the black wheels in June 2020, and that was minimal (just a trade) + cash.

I think it’s more important to know where you are and where you want to be, play the long game. We’d love a house for the space and privacy but our 2/2 in a good area 10 mins from my job is under $1/sq ft which is :mindblown:
Dude, you're young...you'll get to where you want to be in time. Just stay disciplined, you're on the right path.

I honestly don't know how you folks with kids do it. Not just the direct cost of kids, but the indirect like being too worn out to cook dinner so you go out, paying to have certain things done because you're wiped out...it's intense. When both the wife and I worked, dinner was out all the time due to convenience. Adding a kid on is just :mindblown: Also part of why we chose to not go down that path. Regardless, I don't think you can really beat yourself up about going out frequently...you've got a lot on your plate IMO.

It took me longer than you to stop caring about material things. That'll probably treat you well but at the same time, I think it's important to recognize that everyone values things differently. Some folks really like buying things, and there's nothing wrong with that since we need the economy to keep going to keep us all employed. The key is consume within your means, which many don't.
It’s really all about perspective but yeah, I LOVE cars but I will be happy to be in a beater and just :aintcare: in the future. The example you made with your house and wanting more and more is the same with any car. Same with the “mod bug” and everything else. I think some of it is normal.

Sometimes :tits: and I make a plan on what we would do if we came into a good amount of money. Highly unlikely (lottery) but we have it on the same page. Split the total into “portfolios” of spend
1. 20% immediate spend for lifestyle (pay off debts, buy a house and set ourselves up from a comfort standpoint, live off of this in our checking accounts after all set up
2. 10% trust fund for the :baby: when she turns 25
3. 10% immediately in traditional saving investments
4. 10% high risk investment portfolio
5. 10% low risk investment portfolio
6. 30% real estate/venture capital investment
7. 10% split 50/50 for our independent entrepreneurial exploration/desires. My 5% would be starting up a collector car business where I maintain and curate awesome cars that never lose value.

Pointless exercise but good to keep those juices flowing.
:doughnut: :narc: :doughnut:
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:05 pm DFD. The forum where everybody makes the same choices and then tells anybody trying to join the club that they are the stupidest motherfucker to ever walk the earth.
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I think in the grand scheme for my age bracket I am way above average but I don’t like to be comforted by that.
:doughnut: :narc: :doughnut:
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:05 pm DFD. The forum where everybody makes the same choices and then tells anybody trying to join the club that they are the stupidest motherfucker to ever walk the earth.
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razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:03 pm I think in the grand scheme for my age bracket I am way above average but I don’t like to be comforted by that.
Yea, but you need to be realistic with your life stages...only so much you can do. Plus you juggling a family at your age really piles on. You'll be just fine.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:02 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 5:54 pm
Dude, you're young...you'll get to where you want to be in time. Just stay disciplined, you're on the right path.

I honestly don't know how you folks with kids do it. Not just the direct cost of kids, but the indirect like being too worn out to cook dinner so you go out, paying to have certain things done because you're wiped out...it's intense. When both the wife and I worked, dinner was out all the time due to convenience. Adding a kid on is just :mindblown: Also part of why we chose to not go down that path. Regardless, I don't think you can really beat yourself up about going out frequently...you've got a lot on your plate IMO.

It took me longer than you to stop caring about material things. That'll probably treat you well but at the same time, I think it's important to recognize that everyone values things differently. Some folks really like buying things, and there's nothing wrong with that since we need the economy to keep going to keep us all employed. The key is consume within your means, which many don't.
It’s really all about perspective but yeah, I LOVE cars but I will be happy to be in a beater and just :aintcare: in the future. The example you made with your house and wanting more and more is the same with any car. Same with the “mod bug” and everything else. I think some of it is normal.

Sometimes :tits: and I make a plan on what we would do if we came into a good amount of money. Highly unlikely (lottery) but we have it on the same page. Split the total into “portfolios” of spend
1. 20% immediate spend for lifestyle (pay off debts, buy a house and set ourselves up from a comfort standpoint, live off of this in our checking accounts after all set up
2. 10% trust fund for the :baby: when she turns 25
3. 10% immediately in traditional saving investments
4. 10% high risk investment portfolio
5. 10% low risk investment portfolio
6. 30% real estate/venture capital investment
7. 10% split 50/50 for our independent entrepreneurial exploration/desires. My 5% would be starting up a collector car business where I maintain and curate awesome cars that never lose value.

Pointless exercise but good to keep those juices flowing.
:impressive:

We'd just pay our house off, buy a small place I'm Puerto Rico, and give the rest to a financial advisor with the plan of living off interest.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 8:20 am
razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:02 pm
It’s really all about perspective but yeah, I LOVE cars but I will be happy to be in a beater and just :aintcare: in the future. The example you made with your house and wanting more and more is the same with any car. Same with the “mod bug” and everything else. I think some of it is normal.

Sometimes :tits: and I make a plan on what we would do if we came into a good amount of money. Highly unlikely (lottery) but we have it on the same page. Split the total into “portfolios” of spend
1. 20% immediate spend for lifestyle (pay off debts, buy a house and set ourselves up from a comfort standpoint, live off of this in our checking accounts after all set up
2. 10% trust fund for the :baby: when she turns 25
3. 10% immediately in traditional saving investments
4. 10% high risk investment portfolio
5. 10% low risk investment portfolio
6. 30% real estate/venture capital investment
7. 10% split 50/50 for our independent entrepreneurial exploration/desires. My 5% would be starting up a collector car business where I maintain and curate awesome cars that never lose value.

Pointless exercise but good to keep those juices flowing.
:impressive:

We'd just pay our house off, buy a small place I'm Puerto Rico, and give the rest to a financial advisor with the plan of living off interest.
Our investments would be through a financial advisor. We’d also have a layer on retainer with some $ too. For, whatever reason ever.
:doughnut: :narc: :doughnut:
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:05 pm DFD. The forum where everybody makes the same choices and then tells anybody trying to join the club that they are the stupidest motherfucker to ever walk the earth.
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razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:03 pm I think in the grand scheme for my age bracket I am way above average but I don’t like to be comforted by that.
Having kids throws everything out of whack, sometimes you just need to get through a period of time and make it out the other side without trying to lose ground.

I'm so grateful that my wife and I have the incomes to support all 3 kids in childcare. There's 0 chance any single person can watch all three of these crazy monsters alone, and either one of us would go absolutely insane trying. We're in a major treading water situation while we're shelling out more than 3 grand a month for childcare, but once they're all in school and that money is freed up we'll have put ourselves in a position to have very flexible financial lives.
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coogles wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:00 pm
razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:03 pm I think in the grand scheme for my age bracket I am way above average but I don’t like to be comforted by that.
Having kids throws everything out of whack, sometimes you just need to get through a period of time and make it out the other side without trying to lose ground.

I'm so grateful that my wife and I have the incomes to support all 3 kids in childcare. There's 0 chance any single person can watch all three of these crazy monsters alone, and either one of us would go absolutely insane trying. We're in a major treading water situation while we're shelling out more than 3 grand a month for childcare, but once they're all in school and that money is freed up we'll have put ourselves in a position to have very flexible financial lives.
I honestly don't know how you folks do it with kids. :impressive: :bravo:
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:44 pm I honestly don't know how you folks do it with kids. :impressive: :bravo:
I could never hope to explain it, I just take it moment by moment and day by day. Life it batshit crazy.
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coogles wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:48 pm
Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:44 pm I honestly don't know how you folks do it with kids. :impressive: :bravo:
I could never hope to explain it, I just take it moment by moment and day by day. Life it batshit crazy.
My impression is you have to be very comfortable with uncertainty and chaos...two things I really like to minimize in my life. Hence my decision to :nope: out of that, but I still have immense respect for you folks that are going down this path.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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coogles wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:00 pm
razr390 wrote: Wed Nov 18, 2020 7:03 pm I think in the grand scheme for my age bracket I am way above average but I don’t like to be comforted by that.
Having kids throws everything out of whack, sometimes you just need to get through a period of time and make it out the other side without trying to lose ground.

I'm so grateful that my wife and I have the incomes to support all 3 kids in childcare. There's 0 chance any single person can watch all three of these crazy monsters alone, and either one of us would go absolutely insane trying. We're in a major treading water situation while we're shelling out more than 3 grand a month for childcare, but once they're all in school and that money is freed up we'll have put ourselves in a position to have very flexible financial lives.
I think we might be at the point where we consider child care. She wanted to stay home with the little one and knew some horror stories from daycare places since she worked in that industry (licensing and certifications). It’s taking a toll on her for sure, so I might have to convince her that maybe a few days a week it might be good to just have the little one in child care if possible. That way she can get out of her funk and maybe even put that time to use through work or something since everything is remote nowadays

Little one will have a chance to socialize with other kids as well.
:doughnut: :narc: :doughnut:
Desertbreh wrote: Thu Oct 17, 2019 3:05 pm DFD. The forum where everybody makes the same choices and then tells anybody trying to join the club that they are the stupidest motherfucker to ever walk the earth.
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razr390 wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:03 pm I think we might be at the point where we consider child care. She wanted to stay home with the little one and knew some horror stories from daycare places since she worked in that industry (licensing and certifications). It’s taking a toll on her for sure, so I might have to convince her that maybe a few days a week it might be good to just have the little one in child care if possible. That way she can get out of her funk and maybe even put that time to use through work or something since everything is remote nowadays

Little one will have a chance to socialize with other kids as well.
Our son absolutely LOVES school. It's been the absolute best thing for him. It's pretty easy to see he gets downright bored just hanging out with mom and dad all day, especially now that our attention gets divided with the twins. We can do all the crafts, go to the park and the playground and everything else, but he loves being around other kids. I don't have any great advice about picking a child care aside from "when you know you know". We visited half a dozen places and there was only one where we found the kids to be engaged with their teachers, energetic, well-behaved and overall appeared to be really enjoying themselves. It's not the cheapest place, although not the most expensive either, but picking our kids' school was the easiest choice we could've made for our kids.
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Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:00 pm
coogles wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 2:48 pm

I could never hope to explain it, I just take it moment by moment and day by day. Life it batshit crazy.
My impression is you have to be very comfortable with uncertainty and chaos...two things I really like to minimize in my life. Hence my decision to :nope: out of that, but I still have immense respect for you folks that are going down this path.
Just like all parents, we should spent a little time out of our busy weeks to acknowledge our parents for the efforts they made to keep us clothed, educated and fed.

I just got caught up with mine, fucking saints man.
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Tarspin wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:09 pm
Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 3:00 pm
My impression is you have to be very comfortable with uncertainty and chaos...two things I really like to minimize in my life. Hence my decision to :nope: out of that, but I still have immense respect for you folks that are going down this path.
Just like all parents, we should spent a little time out of our busy weeks to acknowledge our parents for the efforts they made to keep us clothed, educated and fed.

I just got caught up with mine, fucking saints man.
I try to stay engaged in their lives as much as possible, tough because I've had my differences with both parents. But, we're getting along fine. I do need to be a bit easier on them, I'll admit.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:13 pm
Tarspin wrote: Thu Nov 19, 2020 4:09 pm

Just like all parents, we should spent a little time out of our busy weeks to acknowledge our parents for the efforts they made to keep us clothed, educated and fed.

I just got caught up with mine, fucking saints man.
I try to stay engaged in their lives as much as possible, tough because I've had my differences with both parents. But, we're getting along fine. I do need to be a bit easier on them, I'll admit.
Mine just got back from FL and we socially distanced on the patio. I brought them a block of Jarlsberg cheese and a bag of Brazilian nuts from Costco. We had a few beers and a shot of whiskey and it was enough to keep us connected until their quarantine is over.

I've never seen them react with anything but joy when I visit.
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Man, haven't updated this in a bit. Got everything squared away with the house, all official for a few weeks now. Been living here since August, so there wasn't much a moving process, but it's been a very interesting adjustment. First, the house.

1,500 sq ft is small. No shit right? I'll maintain that it's the perfect size for 2 people, but in moving from a 2.5k sq ft house, there's a lot of stuff to get rid of because there's just nowhere to put it. We still have purging to do, but it feels REALLY good.

Appliances are impossible to buy. They're sold out everywhere and apparently production just isn't happening. We've had a refrigerator on order since the beginning of October, was supposed to be delivered this week and were notified that it won't happen this year and they're not sure when now. All because of the virus apparently. We've been making due with a small dorm style fridge, and while it's getting old I'm really surprised by how :notbad: it is. The previous owner left a chest freezer in the garage, which has been a massive help.

We're leaning toward just refreshing the kitchen instead of a full gut job. :tits: doesn't want to deal with the mess and inconvenience, and neither do I. Will likely just be appliances (if they ever come in) and pouring our own concrete counters on the existing cabinets that are honestly in OK shape for the age.

Windows are being replaced in January, they're in good shape functionally, but the seals have failed in many so they're hazy. That job wasn't bad.

Garage roof was BAD and started leaking, and we managed to get it replaced in under a week by some Mexican dudes. They did a fantastic job for $3k.

Getting carpet installed in the lower level, should be in the first week of January :notbad:

Finally, the lower level is COLD. I did some looking through the original plans, and it's clear it's intended to have a wood burning stove for heat and the furnace is supposed to be supplemental. All the stuff is there for a stove, but finding one has proven to be immensely difficult for reasons I'll describe in the next post. Might end up putting a gas stove down there so it's more convenient and easier to use...also readily available. This reminds me, I need to do a :nerd: post about the HVAC in this house.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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I've never been much of a political person, but I've also never aligned well with "Trumpers". Nowhere near a "liberal cuck", but I understood people in cities and the struggles they face.

But living in a more rural area has REALLY opened my eyes to why "Trumpers" exist and their motivations. I'll start with a story.

Per the last post, we've been shopping for a wood burning stove. Should be a simple purchase right? WRONG. We've discovered that for whatever reason, the EPA tightened emissions restrictions on wood burning stoves, requirements that went into effect this year and effectively cut the number of available stoves for sale down to 1/4 of what was available last year. Manufacturers decided to simplify their line-ups to focus on more volume to pay back investments in emissions tech, which would have worked fine if COVID hadn't hit. You simply cannot buy a wood burning stove right now. Seems like NBD to people in the city, but out here there's low income people that depend on these things for their main heat source. If they NEED one, they're SOL. Every place we go the people express massive frustration, and it's aimed directly at the .gov because wood burning stoves are relatively small volume in the grand scheme of the country, so to limit the emissions so drastically (they were already limited before, it got tighter in 2020), just makes zero sense. Worse is that fireplaces aren't restricted at all, and pollute WAY worse than a stove does AND are insanely inefficient for heat unlike a stove. :wat:

Stuff like this makes people here feel alienated, and I can completely understand why. When a candidate comes along and claims to be looking out for these people (I got one dude :triggered: when I asked why Trump didn't fix the wood stove EPA thing "THE LIBERALSZZZZ ZOMG"), they're naturally going to align with them. BLM is :whocares: when 99% of the population is white and the only time you even SEE a police officer is at the local diner or when something REALLY bad happens (seriously, they don't sit around writing speeding tickets here). Clean water is :whocares: when it comes out of the ground for free. And when drug addiction take down large portions of the population, there's a natural reluctance to fully support cannabis legalization. I never really saw it from their POV, but now that I do...it's clear why this country is so divided. I'm glad that I'm on a hill away from everything, because this issue of division is only going to get worse. I find it fascinating albeit sad and somewhat scary.
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You talking a pellet stove? My in-laws have one of those in their little lake house - maybe 1,200 square feet - and that thing will heat up that place to 80 degrees inside in a matter of minutes. It's pretty crazy, they rule.
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coogles wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:37 pm You talking a pellet stove? My in-laws have one of those in their little lake house - maybe 1,200 square feet - and that thing will heat up that place to 80 degrees inside in a matter of minutes. It's pretty crazy, they rule.
Nah, wood burning or gas. I don't want to be tied to needed to keep a stash of pellets...though I'll admit that I haven't looked into it much. Wood is abundant on our property and gas is cheap AF. Gas is leading right now due to convenience. Most come with a thermostat in the remote so you can just set it to a temp and let it go.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:44 pm
coogles wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:37 pm You talking a pellet stove? My in-laws have one of those in their little lake house - maybe 1,200 square feet - and that thing will heat up that place to 80 degrees inside in a matter of minutes. It's pretty crazy, they rule.
Nah, wood burning or gas. I don't want to be tied to needed to keep a stash of pellets...though I'll admit that I haven't looked into it much. Wood is abundant on our property and gas is cheap AF. Gas is leading right now due to convenience. Most come with a thermostat in the remote so you can just set it to a temp and let it go.
Pellets are cheap AF and you can hook a thermostat up to it too, but gas has the obvious advantage of not having to pay attention to a hopper, clean out an ash tray, etc..

:themoreyouknow:
https://iwae.com/resources/guides/pelle ... guide.html
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coogles wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 3:00 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:44 pm
Nah, wood burning or gas. I don't want to be tied to needed to keep a stash of pellets...though I'll admit that I haven't looked into it much. Wood is abundant on our property and gas is cheap AF. Gas is leading right now due to convenience. Most come with a thermostat in the remote so you can just set it to a temp and let it go.
Pellets are cheap AF and you can hook a thermostat up to it too, but gas has the obvious advantage of not having to pay attention to a hopper, clean out an ash tray, etc..

:themoreyouknow:
https://iwae.com/resources/guides/pelle ... guide.html
Interesting. I knew little about them, but the few things that made me :notsure: to begin with are confirmed...
most families use between 2 - 3 tons of pellets a year. A ton can vary in price from $180 - $250. That equates to around $750 per year for most folks. When comparing this to the price of other fuel sources, a pellet stove can be one of the most cost-efficient ways to heat your home.
Not here, gas is cheap AF...may or may not stay that way, but it would be cheaper to run a gas stove.

and
A pellet stove unit does require electricity to operate. On average, a pellet stove will need $10 - $20 per month depending on how frequently you use it. If you are thinking of getting a pellet stove as an off-grid option, you may have to think again, because unless you have access to a constant supply of electricity, it will not work.
Power outages are rare, but I like knowing that a gas or wood stove can work without electricity. Sure, not all gas stoves can, but most have AA battery backup igniters in case of a power outage.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:44 pm
coogles wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:37 pm You talking a pellet stove? My in-laws have one of those in their little lake house - maybe 1,200 square feet - and that thing will heat up that place to 80 degrees inside in a matter of minutes. It's pretty crazy, they rule.
Nah, wood burning or gas. I don't want to be tied to needed to keep a stash of pellets...though I'll admit that I haven't looked into it much. Wood is abundant on our property and gas is cheap AF. Gas is leading right now due to convenience. Most come with a thermostat in the remote so you can just set it to a temp and let it go.
We have a gas stove in our room over the garage/party room, with a remote with thermostat. It's 5/7. Looks cool, and it's pretty efficient too. Pro tip. The remote has a receiver that you wire into the electronics of the stove, which is a pretty simple installation. The first remote we got had a battery powered receiver, which is normally fine, BUT, when the batteries got weak, they'd still receive a signal to turn on the stove, but for whatever reason would not receive a signal to turn it off once the set temp was reached. Several times we'd go up in that room to find it over 90F with the stove blazing away. No bueno. I finally got smart a few years ago and found a remote that had a plug in receiver unit. It wired into the stove the same way, but just plugged into the wall. Fortunately, my builder left a closed off electrical box with wiring in it right behind the stove so it was simple for me to wire up an outlet and plug the thing in. It's been fine ever since.
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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Detroit wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:23 pm
coogles wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 3:00 pm

Pellets are cheap AF and you can hook a thermostat up to it too, but gas has the obvious advantage of not having to pay attention to a hopper, clean out an ash tray, etc..

:themoreyouknow:
https://iwae.com/resources/guides/pelle ... guide.html
Interesting. I knew little about them, but the few things that made me :notsure: to begin with are confirmed...
most families use between 2 - 3 tons of pellets a year. A ton can vary in price from $180 - $250. That equates to around $750 per year for most folks. When comparing this to the price of other fuel sources, a pellet stove can be one of the most cost-efficient ways to heat your home.
Not here, gas is cheap AF...may or may not stay that way, but it would be cheaper to run a gas stove.

and
A pellet stove unit does require electricity to operate. On average, a pellet stove will need $10 - $20 per month depending on how frequently you use it. If you are thinking of getting a pellet stove as an off-grid option, you may have to think again, because unless you have access to a constant supply of electricity, it will not work.
Power outages are rare, but I like knowing that a gas or wood stove can work without electricity. Sure, not all gas stoves can, but most have AA battery backup igniters in case of a power outage.
Mine works just like a hot water heater. It has a pilot light so no electricity required for simple on / off of the unit.
:wap: Where are these mangos?
Detroit wrote: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:19 pm I don't understand anything anymore.
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wap wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 4:30 pm
Detroit wrote: Wed Dec 16, 2020 2:44 pm
Nah, wood burning or gas. I don't want to be tied to needed to keep a stash of pellets...though I'll admit that I haven't looked into it much. Wood is abundant on our property and gas is cheap AF. Gas is leading right now due to convenience. Most come with a thermostat in the remote so you can just set it to a temp and let it go.
We have a gas stove in our room over the garage/party room, with a remote with thermostat. It's 5/7. Looks cool, and it's pretty efficient too. Pro tip. The remote has a receiver that you wire into the electronics of the stove, which is a pretty simple installation. The first remote we got had a battery powered receiver, which is normally fine, BUT, when the batteries got weak, they'd still receive a signal to turn on the stove, but for whatever reason would not receive a signal to turn it off once the set temp was reached. Several times we'd go up in that room to find it over 90F with the stove blazing away. No bueno. I finally got smart a few years ago and found a remote that had a plug in receiver unit. It wired into the stove the same way, but just plugged into the wall. Fortunately, my builder left a closed off electrical box with wiring in it right behind the stove so it was simple for me to wire up an outlet and plug the thing in. It's been fine ever since.
Interesting. Probably battery powered so it works in the event of a power outage, but I too would prefer it plugging into the wall. There's an outlet behind where the stove goes for a blower fan, so it would be as simple as plugging in the wire ZFG.

We've got a dude coming out Monday to quote the job of installing a gas stove. I don't really feel like dealing with running the gas line, so we'll see what he comes back with. The job is simple other than running the gas line...the wall behind it is FIVE FEET THICK CONCRETE (yes FIVE FEET), and the ceiling is concrete, so there's going to need to be some creative thinking. There's a fresh air vent through the wall for a wood burner that's no longer needed that I'm hoping to repurpose as a run for the gas line, but we'll see what he says.
Desertbreh wrote: Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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