Keep Cool on a Budget This Summer

Lower Your Utility Bills This Summer

I have mixed feelings every time I hear my AC kick on. I'm definitely grateful to have a cool home, but I'm very aware that every moment the AC runs, I'm spending money. If you live in a hot area like I do, summer often means skyrocketing utility bills. That's just part of life, isn't it? It doesn't have to be. Try these tips to lower your utility bills this summer.

Optimize Your AC Usage

Your air conditioner is almost always going to be your biggest source of skyrocketing electric bills over the summer. These strategies should make a dent and help you lower your utility bills.

Be Smart About Your Thermostat

Don't cool your house when nobody's home. Turn the temperature up when you leave and lower it when you get back. The best way to do this is with a programmable or smart thermostat. This will take care of managing the temps for you. With a smart thermostat, you can even have the temperature adjusted gradually so your HVAC system isn't burdened with sharp increases and decreases.

Talk to your utility provider. Many have green energy or energy efficiency programs that offer thermostats to qualified customers for free or at deep discounts. I was able to purchase one at a deep discount at my local Habitat For Humanity Restore. They have a special section with "green" lightbulbs, power strips, thermostats, etc. 

Keep Your AC Well-maintained to Lower Your Bills

It may cost a bit of money upfront, but it's worthwhile to have your system checked by an HVAC pro every summer. Some offer yearly maintenance programs that also include checking your furnace. Don't forget to clean or replace your filters regularly. 

Do you have an outside AC unit? Keep grass and weeds trimmed back and clean any debris that accumulates on the unit. If you have window units, consider how old they are. Newer models run more efficiently and have smart features you can use to optimize your savings.

Supplement With Fans

Use fans wisely, and you can lower your bills. First, turn on exhaust fans when you cook or take a shower to get hot or humid air out of your house. Use fans to keep yourself and your family cooler. If you supplement your AC with a fan, you can often lower your thermostat by three or four degrees and stay comfortable.

Just remember that fans cool people, not rooms. Keep them aimed at people, and turn them off when nobody is in the room. Use ceiling fans to circulate air and create a windchill effect.

Insulate

Look around your windows and doors to see if any leaks could be letting cold air out and hot air in. Seal these with weather-stripping or caulk. 

As tempting as it is to open the curtains on a beautiful, sunny day, that's just going to heat your house up even more. Use blinds, curtains, or shades to block the sun when it's hottest outdoors. You can also use reflective window film to reduce heat buildup.

Generate Less Heat

Avoid heat-generating activities this summer to reduce utility use. Start by rethinking how you cook. Your oven could use the summer off. It generates the most heat, and is probably the least efficient appliance you own. Check out these alternatives:

• Eat cool foods like sandwiches salads chilled soups & fruit
• Grill outdoors
• Use a slow cooker or instant pot to reduce heat output and use less energy
• Try a toaster oven if you need to roast or bake something

Replace standard lightbulbs with LED alternatives that last longer, use less energy, and generate less heat. 

Stay Cool And Hydrated

Eat and drink foods that cool you down. In the summer, I work hard to keep things in the fridge and freezer that promote hydration and cooling. I currently have:

• Bags of frozen watermelon and grapes
• Homemade ice-pops
• Pitchers of iced tea and lemonade
• Cucumber salad
• Frozen bananas
• A pitcher of cold water with frozen pineapples and ginger

Increase Your Heat Tolerance Carefully

Disclaimer: In my household, we are all adults in fairly good health. Do not do this if you are elderly, disabled, have health issues, or have young children. Your health and safety are never worth a trade-off for utility savings. 

Having said that, I grew up in a household where 68 degrees was the norm for the thermostat in the summer and 72 was the norm for wintertime. That's how I set my thermostat when I started out on my own as well. Then, I found myself desperately needing to lower my bills.

So, I researched and found that the best way to reduce my monthly utility costs was to change my thermostat habits. It was tough, but I slowly made adjustments. What I learned is that it is very possible to adapt to warmer and cooler temperatures. Now, I feel quite comfortable at 78 degrees in the summer and 62 in the winter. You don't have to go that far, even a few degrees can make a difference.

Get Out of Your House

A few of my friends made the permanent switch to working remotely when the pandemic hit. They enjoy the flexibility, but many of them have noticed that their utility bills have gone up. What's the culprit? They're running the AC all day long in the summer and heat in the winter. You may be doing the same, especially in the summer when kids are off school and hanging around the house.

What's the solution? Get out of the house during the hottest part of the day. Hang out at the library, go to the park, go for a swim. That way you can keep the lights off and the thermostat up during the hottest time of the day.

 

Why not get out of the house and earn some extra money. There are side hustles you can try like mystery shopping and gig driving that offer the perfect excuse to get out of the house. I just wrote a blog about it the other day. Check it out here!

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