I moved to St, petersburg a little over more than four years ago, then i accepted a task offer in the area because of the incredible weather, attractive beaches & affordable living, then fresh out of university, I was struggling to spend money off student loans, however between our vehicle payment, vehicle insurance & health insurance, our budget was harshly tight.
I found an apartment with particularly low rent & fairly close proximity to the water.
I was willing to sacrifice amenities for the sake of location, my apartment was harshly small & all of the appliances were aged. My toilet ran regularly, the kitchen faucet leaked & there was only enough hot water for an eleven minute shower! Hardly any of the windows opened & there were constant issues with mold growth, one of our largest complaints was the cooling system… The heat & humidity in St. Petersburg makes air conditioner especially important. The cooling system in that apartment was old, noisy & created a musty smell that gave me a headache, and whenever it started up, I’d start sneezing, however despite running non stop, the cooling system couldn’t keep up with outdoor temperatures in the nineties. The living space always felt hot & sticky. Plus, the machine wasn’t energy efficient. In an effort to reduce the cost of our electric bills, I kept raising the thermostat setting. I tried running box fans to help out but kept tripping the breakers. It was a relief when I finally got a raise & was able to move into a nicer apartment. I made sure to find accommodations with an effective & efficient cooling system.