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During his final months, my husband Jonathan worked tirelessly to complete his last book, Money and Me. The book is now available for pre-order and will be released in May 2026.
What’s so special about this book? This book features Jonathan’s best and most personal HumbleDollar articles. The articles are curated in such a way to teach everyone about personal finance through Jonathan’s own money journey. And sadly, his terminal cancer diagnosis is part of this journey about which he candidly writes.
For those who have cherished Jonathan’s articles over the years, this book is essentially a HumbleDollar compendium, and so much more.
Thank you for your comments. There will indeed be more hot water in my future. The question now is from which source. Jonathan and I learned a lot from your suggestions and will meet with a plumber in the near future.
We had a jetted tub we didn’t use much because the water would cool off and we were always adding more hot. When we did a renovation last year, we got a tub with jets and an inline water heater (kicks in when the jets are on). It required another circuit be added, but it’s amazing how nice it is to turn on the jets and the water just stays warm. We use it a lot more now. There are also models that don’t have jets but have a heater added with low-volume water pump to keep the water warm.
Another alternative: Ask your plumber if there is a resale market for used water heaters. Also check the internet for buying or selling used heaters in your area. You could replace your unit with a used heater, which would also save money. The used market may be robust in a large city market.
I recently built a new house in Houston, which has different hot water requirements than Philadelphia. In the summer months, there is no cold water. I installed a tankless gas water heater outside the house and of course, the small heating tank froze and burst before we even occupied the house. Most heating units are installed in the attic in our area. This may seem incredibly stupid to some, but just requires proper monitoring and maintenance. I attempted to relocate the heater to inside the house, but rerouting the gas line proved problematic. The electric version drew 117 amps when heating which clashed with the solar panel / battery system I also had in place. I settled on the outside location with a gas unit. It was not chosen to minimize total cost, but my monthly utility bills are lower.
I’m a cheapskate like Jon. Most of the suggestions listed will cost quite a bit. I’m a retired builder, remodeler and building inspector since 1981.
I would either: