Thrifty Tip – Keeping Cool | Broke as a Spoke

icicles I love air conditioning. Oh, do I love air conditioning. Ice cold air conditioning. Ideally, 68 degrees during the day and cooler at night.

This year, I turned the air conditioning on in March and it hasn’t been off since, but I have gotten better about conserving and keeping our electric bill in check.

Here are some tips* to help you enjoy the air conditioning while keeping your electric bill in mind…

Ceiling fans can make a room feel 3-8 degrees cooler and cost less than a penny an hour to run!
Each degree below 78 raises your energy bill 3-4% so be mindful of the thermostat and keep those ceiling fans on high!
Close registers in unused rooms and closets and keep the doors to those rooms shut. No use cooling a room you’re not using.
Turn the AC off when you’re not home. I know there is a heated debate on whether turning the AC off or down uses less energy, but here’s how I think of it – your home can only get so hot while you’re gone, if you leave the AC it removes a houseful of heat over and over again, if you turn the AC off, it only has to remove one houseful of heat when you get home.
Make sure to change the AC filter frequently. A dirty filter makes the AC work harder, using more electricity.
Keep your AC unit shaded, it will consume 10% less energy.
Close the curtains and blinds on the sunny side of the house to keep the heat out.
Reduce heat from lighting, appliances, and cooking. Use compact fluorescent bulbs, use the microwave instead of the oven, turn off computers and televisions when not in use, and switch your dishwasher to air dry.