Yes that is right. You can save money by installing deck lighting. Let me just tell you a quick personal story about how I could have saved around $200 in just one night.
Being married with two kids, we don’t get to go out that often. But one night last summer we went out with another couple for some dinner and drinks. We didn’t go anywhere too fancy or too expensive.
Let’s just see where my money went:
$5.25 beers, $9.75 wine and cocktails for the girls, $10.00 appetizers, $20 – $25 dinner x 2 for my wife and I, an $8.00 shared desert, and a $10 per hour babysitter. All told I spent nearly $200.
And what was I thinking the whole time I was out? Well in between waiting forever for our expensive drinks, getting bumped into by the wait staff and other pushy customers, and dining on food we could have easily prepared just as well at home, I was thinking how much better off we would have been by entertaining our friends at our house. Let’s see how our experience would have been different…
It was a nice cool night outside. We have 11 lighted post caps on our deck which provide a really nice ambient light. It is not too bright and not so dark that we can’t see each other. It’s actually kind of romantic. And it is much better than using the swarm inducing flood lights or smelly citronella candles. The low voltage lights don’t really attract any bugs at all.
There certainly wouldn’t have been any waiting at the bar for expensive drinks and there wouldn’t have been anyone pushing past us other than the kids. There would have been no babysitter fees for either couple. We could have had an entire bottle of wine for the same price as one glass at the restaurant. We could have had an entire six-pack of beer for the same price as one beer at the restaurant. We could have had steak or chicken on the grill for all four of us AND our kids for the same price as my dinner at the restaurant.
All in all we probably could have easily saved $200 or more between the two couples.
Now I love to go out as much as anyone. But if you are looking to save a few dollars and bring the party back to your house, why not enjoy the company of friends out on your lighted deck?
My lighted post caps are certainly not for everyone and they might not even be the right solution for you. But even if they aren’t for you, I should be able to help you out with another suggestion. Take a look at my website, www.MoonlightDecks.com, and give me a call if you have any questions regarding lighting options for your deck.
Thanks!
Steve