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Fri, May 25 2007

10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill

It’s not even June and the temperatures are quickly rising.  Here are some tips to help keep your summer electric bill under control.

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1.  Keep your blinds closed as much as possible.  Opening the blinds allows the heat of the sun to come right into your house.  I leave my blinds closed while I’m gone and then open a few blinds later in the day.  I tilt the blinds upward to allow me to see outside and get a litttle natural light, but not heat up my house.

2.  Change your air filter every month.  Dirty filters make your air conditioner work extra hard and can increase your bill 20%.

3.  Bump up the thermostat 2-3 degrees. 

4.  Get a thermostat with a timer.  If you’re gone from 8-5, then have your thermostat go up a few degrees while you’re gone during the day and have it come back down shortly before you get home.

5.  If you’re going on vacation or going to be out of town for a few days, turn the thermostat up.  You don’t need to keep your house on 72 while you’re out of town. 

6.  Use ceiling fans to circulate air.  Ceiling fans can make your rooms seem much cooler. 

7.  Plant trees or shrubs around your a/c unit to protect it from the sun (but not blocking the air flow).  A unit out of the sun can use up to 10% less electricity.  Also, clear away any leaves or debris that may clog your unit.

8.   Don’t place lamps, tvs, or other electrical equipment near your thermostat.  They let off heat and make your thermostat think it’s hotter than it is.

9.  Don’t cool unused rooms.

10. Caulk windows and door frames and use weather stripping.

These are just a few ways to save money on your electric bill.  What ways can you save?

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Comments

  1. Trackback
    1777 days ago
    Frugal Friday #13: 25 Ways to Reduce Your Water Bill

    [...] few weeks ago, I gave you some tips on saving money on your summer electric bill.  There are more ways to save throughout the year that you might want to consider.  Here are some [...]

  2. By Sandy

    I cook as much as I can on the grill or in the crock pot. Keeps the inside of the house cooler by not heating the house by the oven or stove.

  3. Trackback
    1804 days ago
    Festival of Frugality #75 Recap at Clever Dude Personal Finance & Money

    [...] Mommy has some excellent ways to lower your summer electric bill. I really want to plant a tree on the side of our house near the A/C unit, but I need to find the [...]

  4. Trackback
    1808 days ago
    Going Beyond Index Funds, IRAs and Life Insurance: Finance Carnival Picks » Silicon Valley Blog About Money

    [...] Frugal Friday #9: 10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill by Thrifty Mommy [...]

  5. Trackback
    1808 days ago
    MakingOverMyMoney.com » Blog Archive » Electric Bill Down

    [...] Frugal Friday #9: 10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill [...]

  6. By PiggyBank Raider

    Great tips! I am seriously looking for ways to lower my costs in the future… and electricity is such a HUGE bill!

  7. Trackback
    1809 days ago
    Blogging Away Debt » Blog Archive » Presenting the 76th Festival of Frugality!

    [...] BEST ARTICLES ON HOW TO SAVE ON ELECTRICITY – there was a tie here, good tips from two articles! I lowered my electric bill even though it’s late spring! & Frugal Friday #9: 10 Ways to Save on Your Summer Electric Bill [...]