Saving Money on Energy Bills: Stay Cool This Summer Without Breaking the Bank

Saving money on energy bills is not impossible.

With some planning, a little time and investment, you can beat the heat without an outrageous energy bill.

Guys, I am a Southern Belle. I don’t sweat. I wilt like a prize flower.

But to be honest, after working so hard to cultivate a great money mindset, I would rather save the money so we can use it toward doing fun things as a family.

Saving Money on Energy Bills

Hydrate

Drinking plenty of water is going to allow your body to keep a cool temperature better and will let you weather the summer with your house temperature just a little higher. This is practically free, and I really, really can’t emphasize this enough.

Dress

Of course dressing cool will help keep you cool. Shorts, thin fabrics, short sleeves, etc. Keep your hair off your shoulders. Wear cotton and other breathable fabrics.

Peak Hours

Energy companies charge more during the hottest part of the day. Turn off your air conditioner so that you don’t have to pay those prices. Turn on fans instead.

Temperature Differential

You need to watch your inside temp so that your AC isn’t working overtime. Residential units can create a 20°F difference between the inside and outside air. This means that if the day is 98°F outside, you can only expect the AC to reach 78°F inside.

Thermostat

Keep your thermostat set higher. Remember the temperature differential. If 75°F is the coolest you can expect, set the temperature to 78°F or 79°F.

Supercooling

​This is a technique for running your AC over a 24 hour cycle.

Set it very low at night (Like 67 or 68 ℉) so that it can cool the house easily at night, then set it higher during the middle of the day as outside temperatures start to rise and enjoy the cold air trapped from the night/morning.

Update AC

Newer ACs are quite expensive but are also very energy efficient and updating is a great way to save money. Additionally, this investment will add value to your home. 

Solar

Solar is becoming cheaper every day. You don’t have to go completely off grid. Getting a few panels installed will drastically save on your bills.

Fans

Fans use much less electricity than an AC so running several of them costs less and helps circulate the air to keep you cool!

For those that want to make their fans work harder without using more electricity, set up buckets of ice right in front of the fan so the fans blow straight over the ice. This circulates the cold air coming off the ice.

Timers

You can now buy timers for your thermostat, hot water heater, etc that will turn off the appliance during peak hours, after a certain amount of time or whenever you set it. 

Vents and doors

Close the vents and doors to any room that you will not be using. This directs all the air into the rooms you are using and reducing the volume that your AC must cool down. 

Windows

Close the blinds and use blackout curtains. Keep the sun out!

Bubble Wrap

Cut bubble wrap to fit your window. Spray your window liberally with water, stick the bubble wrap to the window.

The water and air in the pockets of the bubble wrap will absorb the heat from the sun instead of it heating your home. I have seen people put a piece of cardboard covered in fabric behind the wrap so that the window looks nice.

Dryer 

Dry your clothes outside if possible. The dryer makes a lot of heat and uses quite a bit of electricity.

Drafts

Check your windows and doors for drafts.

Many energy companies do energy audits where a technician will come to your home and show you where you can improve your insulation or what updates you can do that will save you money in the long run.

If you know you have drafts, spray some insulation foam there. It may not be a pretty fix, but the savings will be well worth it.

Turn off 

Turning off appliances like the air conditioner when you’re out is a perfect way of saving money. You won’t be there to enjoy it so why run it?

I have even heard of people turning off the electricity at the breaker to save money while they are gone so they don’t pay for electricity at while they are out. You can also use power strips if you don’t want to flip the breaker or need to run the AC for animals.

Cooking

It’s obvious that cooking creates a lot of heat, so don’t cook or bake during the hottest part of the day. Use a crockpot, microwave, grill, Instantpot or just eat food that doesn’t require heating.

Do you have any tips for saving money on energy bills? Share with us in a comment!