Schools back in session and guess who the teacher is? Me! Never thought I’d ever have to teach my kids anything but morals, values, and making good choices. But insert 2020, COVID –19, and the world being shut down, and here I am teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic! Not to mention transforming my guest bedroom to a classroom complete with desks, chairs, and a chalkboard.
With the kids being at home full-time, my electricity bill has been consistently in the $300 to $400 range each month, which is very uncommon for my family. Typically, the summer months are when we take vacations, so we are not at home for weeks at a time during the summer. Though we’ve saved money by not vacationing, we’ve spent more money on electricity. This is a bit concerning since there is no set date to when we will return to any type of normalcy. In addition to the pandemic, explosion in Beirut, and earthquake in North Carolina, did you know the state of Texas is in a drought? Yep, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, 71% of Texas is experiencing drought-like conditions. We have gone weeks with little to no rain. To me, less rain and more sun equal solar panels! I honestly think that solar energy is my new obsession, but of course, you know who keeps saying you know what, because he wants to know “Why Now”? I have all the answers to his questions in my head, but somehow getting them to come out of my mouth in a way that makes sense is the problem. While the kids were doing lessons on their laptop, I decided to visit IntegrateSun’s website for some additional knowledge. As I perused through IntegrateSun’s bright and colorful website, I came across their downloadable e-book entitled “10 Things To Know Before Going Solar”. I felt like I hit the jackpot! It was so thorough and well put together! I believed I had enough information to practically speak to my husband's concerns and transform his “why now” to “right now”! What immediately caught my attention was the section on understanding your electricity bill. Based on the information from the eBook, I was able to calculate my family uses 7,500 kilowatts annually. The eBook also shared that an average solar system produces 8,750 kilowatts per year! This made me do a little dance around the kitchen because that is more than enough energy to power my home plus, receive a refund from our utility company! Cha-Ching!
I also discovered what type of roof would be ideal for solar panels.
Ironically, our roof is brand new since we replaced it after the hail storm last year. I am also very confident that a hybrid solar system is the best choice for my family as opposed to an on-grid or off-grid system. The eBook stated that it costs more, but the security it will bring to my family and the energy independence is well worth the investment. To my surprise, IntegrateSun has different financing options; some offer little to no money down which makes their solar systems more than affordable.
I became excited all over again, but I knew I was not the one to break the news to my husband. All it would take is one look in his big brown eyes, and I would fail to close the deal. So I called IntegrateSun and set up a virtual meeting with a solar expert named Sean for back up. Sean was so sharp and solar savvy; I almost wrote him a check after our first consultation, which explains why I am not in charge of the finances. My shoe closet alone proves I have no discipline when it comes to spending. So I decided to bring in a heavyweight. I told Sean I was about to introduce him to his greatest opponent, so don’t pull any punches and come out swinging! Sean laughed and said, bring him on!
Mark was home from work relaxing, the kids were in the backyard playing, and I had just put the chicken in the oven when my cell phone rang. Mark had no idea about the surprise I planned for him tonight. Sean called at exactly the time I suggested! I told him the best time to speak with Mark was when he was winding down from work and slightly hungry. The aroma from my famous baked chicken and Sean’s fantastic solar presentation might be the combination and motivation for Mark to finally decide to go green! I chatted with Sean briefly on facetime, then I politely walked over to Mark, handed him the phone, and said honey, it's for you. He looked at the screen and Sean was smiling, rocking his IntegrateSun gear, ready to shine! Mark muted the phone, and asked me what was this about? I smiled and said...a brighter future!
~ To be continued ~
Write a comment below and let us start an interesting conversation together as I journal how I went from being solar misfit to a solar socialite in a short period of time. Stay tuned as we continue to find our pathway to the sun