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Monday, January 28, 2013

Just Because I Can Doesn't Mean I Have To!

My home is in a high rise condominium and NO, this isn't it.  This is a picture that I borrowed from a Wikipedia entry entitled "Tower Block".  I was reminded of my awe and wonder at the density of the population in Hong Kong during my trip there in the early 80's.  I can only imagine what it must look like in the early 2000's. 



There are advantages and disadvantages to this type of living.  I'm not sure if I can cover them  in one post and please bear in mind, I speak just from my own point of view. 

I own my unit outright, and as a senior living on a decreased income it is very affordable.  I know each year in October how much my monthly common fee will be for the following year, and each year there is an increase.  The fee never goes down, although one year it remained the same.  The increase is based on the amount of the decrease in the condo's fund which covers repairs, major capital projects, cost of utilities, management fees, wages for the superintendent couple and a bunch of other smaller items. 

There are 112 units in my home building, and I can't control how the other 111 units consume utilities, but I can control how I use them.  So like many of my frugal readers and followers, I use only the water that I need to use, ie taking short showers, not letting the water run unnecessarily, only washing full loads and only washing on off hours.  There is no smart meter to record each individual unit's usage of power but I still use the washer/dryer only when it is most economical.  I know that not everyone here follows this method as during this cold weather I can look out the window and see the moisture escaping the vents during the daytime.  I'm turning off the lights that are unnecessary in each room, and as I leave a room. 

So as I said in my post title.....

Just because I can, due to it not impacting me directly, doesn't mean I have to!!!




2 comments:

  1. If more people took your viewpoint then hydro brownouts would never happen.
    Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good way to live no matter who you are or where you are.

    ReplyDelete