My fridge and freeze compartments are set at "1" with "1" being the warmest on a scale of "1-9." So raising the thermostat above 42F is really out of the question on this 1999 Fridge. I will comment that the 42F is measured at the top most section of the refrigerator. If measured at the bottom, where the cool air stays, the temp is right at 38-39F. So if you have food that might spoil in a few days (e.g. milk), store it at the bottom. This applies as well to the stuff you want to keep longest in your freezer. Keep the doors closed and the cool air will stay inside a very long time.
I do keep the both compartments fairly full of thermal mass (i.e. reused 2L bottles full of water, reused gallon milk jugs full of water). These do act as flywheels to moderate temperature swings.
I try to plan meals so that the left overs get consumed within 2 days after preparation. This means little chance of spoilage.
FYI: My fridge has a standby power consumption of 3W.
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