As an adult, it's much easier to be pragmatic about these kinds of choices.
But when you've got little children who are freezing cold and can't understand why mum and dad won't turn the heater on, putting up with the cold becomes that much harder, and even more so when the winter-related sicknesses start to bite.
Variety the Children's Charity has hundreds of families around the country on waiting lists for vital winter essentials, including nearly 30 families in the Bay of Plenty.
Yesterday, Variety launched its Warm Hearts Winter Appeal. The appeal will help provide beds, warm bedding and winter clothing, as well as helping pay medical costs for disadvantaged Kiwi kids on Variety's emergency list.
One of the Bay of Plenty families that was helped by Variety this year was a solo dad whose two primary school-aged children suffer from asthma.
His partner of 27 years tragically took her life about a year ago, and the family has been struggling since.
The Tauranga father told the Bay of Plenty Times he was forever grateful Variety had come to the rescue.
"That was a huge relief ... It has made me a lot happier and more stressfree through these cold nights."
I can't imagine what it must be like to cope with the daily grind of life while trying to come to terms with such a heartbreaking event.
Having one less thing to worry about must be such a weight lifted off his shoulders.
Thank goodness for charities and organisations like Variety who are able to step up and help in a time of need.
What they do for families is nothing short of heroic.
