Do you control your thermostat via ir remote?
If so, an esp32 or esp8266 running esphome and an ir led connected to a pin might be a solution.
Would cost like 3 dollars in parts from AliExpress, and you could connect it to home assistant or node red for more control or automation.
You could also add a temp sensor like for example ds18b20, which are also pretty cheap, if you want to be able to read temperature remotely or automate based on temp
You severely underestimate my cheese eating ability