These past two weeks have been like a roller-coaster. Last week, the number of COVID – 19 cases in Texas was at an all-time high. This week, we have seen a significant decline in the numbers. This only proves that in this thing called life, change is inevitable. We go through seasons of highs and lows, tragedies and triumphs, good times and bad. The key is to stand strong through times of adversity because change always comes. The same is true when it comes to energy. For years, we have relied on electric companies to power our homes, but as the demand to replenish and restore mother earth increases, we must answer the call to change.
After a few weeks of research, I’m convinced we should make the switch to solar energy. It's better for our family, it's better for our finances and its better for our future. It's my husband that is going to need a little more convincing. As stated before, he’s going to be a tough sale but not an impossible one.
A few things are working in my favor that just might push him over the edge.
The Pandemic – With the COVID -19 scare, lost wages, and the disruption in our everyday life, my husband has become obsessed with saving money. He was furloughed the first two months of the pandemic and if it were not for our savings and backup accounts, we would have been in bad shape. Saving for rainy days has become a priority. There are instant savings and long-term savings associated with going solar that I’m sure he’ll appreciate.
No Pro Sports – Since sports have been canceled, Netflix has been our go-to for entertainment. Recently, we watched Zac Efron’s “Down To Earth” documentary where Zac showed how an off-grid solar system gave power to an entire community after the hurricanes in Puerto Rico. This caught my husband's attention because we lost power during Hurricane Harvey for three whole days. The rain was endless, the heat was smoldering, the power company was non-responsive and we had to throw away everything in the fridge. Let’s just say we were not happy campers. Being energy independent would have been beneficial in this instance.
His Profession – My husband is a tax accountant for a Fortune 500 company. He is paid handsomely to find loopholes and tax breaks for his company, which makes him a little salty. Especially after he watched the Greg Wise documentary on “How The Rich Avoid Tax”. We are not rich, but there are a few tax breaks we can capitalize on by going solar. Convincing my husband to get a solar system may not be so hard after all. Maybe I’m just traumatized by all the times we had to make a major purchase and he gave both me and the salesperson such a hard time. But I did my research and I thought I had enough information to plead my case…boy, was I wrong!
I waited until after dinner and the kids were quiet in their rooms before I approached him. He was in the kitchen eating his favorite snack so I knew he was in a good mood. As he finished the last of his ice cream I told him I had been thinking a lot about switching to solar energy and I think its something our family should invest in. He allowed me to make a few statements from my well rehearsed pitch, then he said two words that shook me to the core. I thought I was prepared for any reasoning and logic he’d throw at me but for some reason, this caught me by surprise. He looked at me and simply said…”Why Now? Which seems like an honest question but believe me it was loaded.
Maybe If I had suggested buying a solar system in 2019, he would not have asked this question. In 2019, life was good, normal, and predictable but this year has been like a horror movie with an ever-changing plot twist. To make a $30,000 home investment now just doesn’t seem wise. He just started back working after being furloughed and I had to take a leave of absence from work to home school the kids. Though I am sure I could have won the battle on why we should go solar, I know I would ultimately lose the war on the question of why now?
This sucks, but I’m not giving up! I know that going solar is the right move for my family. My husband is no pushover that’s for sure. Though I’ve never been good at sales, I’m sure Integratesun has some solar consultants that can help me close this deal! I think I’ll give them a call and get some reinforcement. Yep, I’m calling for backup!
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.
Yours truly, A Solar Socialite.