Yeah the 3-4-5 gets guys all the time bc they forget the tread thickness plays into the rise. I always cut one stringer, set it, lay a level across two treads, and check the drop before I even think about cutting the rest. Plywood and 2x material are never the size they say they are either, that 1/8 you lost probably came from the tread itself not being a true 1 inch or whatever you planned for. Next time mic your material before you trust the math, saves you a whole afternoon of cussing.

Notice how everything breaks right after the warranty ends, tents, phones, fridges.

The savings really do come from the schedule, not the wifi. Think about it: a smart thermostat still just turns the system on and off at set times, the app only saves you the walk across the room. Where the fancy ones can pull ahead is when your schedule is weird, like shift work or lots of travel, since they learn your patterns and tweak things you would not bother to. But for a normal 9 to 5? A $40 unit with a decent 5-2 schedule gets you 95 percent of the way there. Your water heater idea makes sense too, since a simple timer that kills power during work hours does the same trick, no app needed.