I am looking into installing a digital programmable thermostat into my house. I have seen many of them and I know there are differences, but its a little over my head. Do I need to get one that is the same brand as my Furnace/AC? I have seen a model out there for almost $500 and it is accessible through wireless networks. Is it worth it or just a gadget?

I have a Hunter model in my house. The thing I looked for was how they programmed. You can get some that are 5+2 or 5+1+1 day models but my preference was for models that allowed for individual day programming and had an override for days that I was at home or extended vacations where I wasn't home for a week or two.

I went with Honeywell based on consumer reports. The model cost me around $50 and it works great. I work year round, so I just go a 5+2 model. I saw a difference in my energy bills the very next month. It pays itself back pretty quickly.

Are there really models out there that cost hundreds of dollars and what can they possibly do that is worth that amount of money?

I have one of these and I love what it does for me. I sometimes work away from the home for weeks at a time, so I got one that hooks into my network. I can control it through my phone/internet.

I love my programmable thermostat. I looked into an internet ready model, but I don't have the skills to do a wired version. The few that I found that link into wireless networks were far to expensive, so I just went with a standard model.

I haven't gone so far as to replace my thermostat yet, but from what everyone is saying, this is a good move. right? how hard is it to program? I have a fairly normal schedule but from time to time that changes and of course there are holidays and vacation days. How do I handle all of that?