Are You Kidding Me: Cutting Summer Energy Bills

I just received an energy bill for $219.00…I about lost it. This is excessive for less then 1200 square feet of space. Granted, I live in the devils armpit and I need to cool my house to less then the 115 degrees it is outside, but jeez!

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I cannot handle paying this much to cool my house so I set out on a mission to find a plethora of ways to cut these costs. Here is what I’ve found so far…

Programmable Thermostats
Did you know that you could save up to $200 a year using a programmable thermostat? Many people buy them, but not many people actually program them.

Simply program the thermostat to keep a cooler temperature in your home while you’re there and warmer settings while you are not there. Check with your local energy provider, some are giving them away for free!

Avoid Generating Heat Indoors
Cooking using the oven and even the stove creates more heat indoors and eats up your hard earned dollars to cool. Try heat free meals like grilling outdoors or cold dishes like salads and sandwiches. When grilling outdoors you can cook up twice the amount you normally would and use the microwave to re-head, generating much less heat.

Add grilled meats to salads, sandwiches, quesadillas, and tacos. Add extra grilled veggies to salads and pastas that don’t take much time or heat to cook.

You could also try cooking the evening meal in the morning before things really start to heat up outside and there is always the option to use the wonderful Crockpot!

Hunt Down Lost Energy
Hunt down those cracks and crannies in your homes foundation, windows, and doors. Don’t forget the attic and basement doors if you have them and make sure windows are tightly sealed or double panged.

Fans
Ceiling fans are one of my favorite ways to cool off. They may not actually cool the air, but they keep it moving, making the room feel cooler. This combined with a higher temperature on the thermostat makes the room feel cooler.

Just make sure to turn them off when no one is in the room!

Update the AC
Replace old air conditioning units, just like all appliances now there have been upgrades in new technology. New energy efficient or energy star models may be available. Some cities offer rebate programs for switching to more efficient appliances, check with your city. http://www.energystar.gov/

While you’re at it, check into updating other appliances. Replacing large appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers can save you money using up to 50% less energy then your current models. Rebates and tax breaks from local governments, utilities, and the feds are available for all kinds of appliances.

Plant Trees
Planting trees on your property improves property value and they offer shade, offsetting your cooling costs. Plant trees that loose their leaves in the winter and they’ll do double duty letting the sun through to warm your home in the winter!

Take Advantage of the Sun
Solar powered solutions just may be the perfect answer. Start small to absorb the cost of getting started with solar energy with a water heater. Solar water heaters can save a family of four 30% of the cost of conventional water heaters. Appliances that run on solar energy are also eligible for tax credits and refunds.

Use the Interwebs
Personal home energy audits help you to calculate exactly how much energy you’re using. You can also calculate how much energy a new energy efficient appliance would cut from your bill or find out if you qualify for tax credits for replacing your appliances and cars with energy efficient models.

What other cost saving tips do you have for saving on cooling costs? Tell me in the comments!

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Tags: Air conditioning, cutting cooling costs, Energy, energy efficient appliances, energy rebates, Energy Star, money saving tips, Personal Finance, rebates, Refrigerator, save money, save on AC, save on cooling, Solar energy, tax cuts, Temperature, Thermostat, Water heating