When the days are hot and you’re running your air conditioning constantly, the electric bill can skyrocket. I know you want a comfortable home and you don’t want to pay a fortune to cool it off. In this post I’m going to show you how to save money on air conditioning – without turning it off!
HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON AIR CONDITIONING
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You can cut the costs of your air conditioning bill with just a few small changes to your home cooling habits.
You don’t have to turn your air conditioning off and go back to using fans.
So, how do you save money on air conditioning?
Let’s dive in.
CLOSE YOUR BLINDS
The cooler your home is to begin with, the less work your air conditioning has to do to cool it off. So, help it out by keeping your blinds drawn during the day.
You want to block out the sun and stop it from warming up your home.
This doesn’t mean you have to keep your blinds closed all the time. But especially in the middle of the day, when the sun is hitting your house, this will be helpful.
You can also close the blinds in sections of your home as the sun moves and hits different parts of the house.
TURN UP YOUR TEMP
Just by turning your air conditioning up two degrees you can save hundreds!
And you probably won’t even feel the difference of a home that is 2 degrees warmer.
If you do, just try out some of the other tips in this post to make your home feel cooler.
Give it one month with your thermostat set 2 degrees higher. Then compare the saving in your electricity costs. The money you save might be enough motivation to enjoy the slightly warmer temperature.
PUT IT ON A SCHEDULE
A smart, programmable thermostat is an investment that pays off over and over again throughout the year by lowering your heating and cooling costs.
I use this one and I love it because I can control the schedule right from my phone.
I turn my A/C off (or way up) when my family is all out of the house during the day. Then, since I’m usually the first one home, I’ll turn it back on from my phone right before I head home.
It’s nice to back to a home that’s already cooling off.
And it saves money by giving you full control to set a money saving cooling schedule.
KEEP YOUR FANS GOING
Ceiling fans are an amazing tool for cooling your home. Don’t turn them off when you turn the air conditioning on!
Fans will move the air in your home around and amplify the cooling from the air conditioning.
This can definitely help you feel more comfortable in a slightly warmer temperature.
CLEAN YOUR FILTER
A dirty filter mean your air conditioning system is running a whole lot harder than it has to. And that’s costing you!
You can buy a new filter right on Amazon, but be sure to check your air conditioner’s owners manual to see what type of filter you need.
Check your filter every 2 months and clean it or replace it as needed.
This is such a little thing that you can easily do to seriously lower your air conditioning costs.
GET A TUNE UP
Proper maintenance is the key to an efficiently running system. It’s suggested that you get a tune up every year. Personally, I think every 2 years is fine, especially if you have a newer system.
Be sure to shop around and compare prices.
I recently did this for my home and found that the price of a central air tune up varies by over $200 with my local providers.
We ended up using a coupon that we got in the mail for a local company we were familiar with and we got our tune up for $59.
CLEAR THE AIR PATH
Make sure that the path to your air ducts is clear so the air can get out.
If you have a central air system, these are most likely in your ceiling, but check out your home to be sure.
You don’t want any furniture pushed up against the ducts, because that will block the air from coming out and cause your system to work harder and cost you more.
CHECK FOR LEAKS
Make sure that your windows and doors are not leaking the cool air out.
Repair any cracks or holes you find.
You want to keep that cold air in!
STAY DOWNSTAIRS
We know that heat rises. So, by spending time in the lowest floor of your home you’ll be in the coolest space.
Consider staying downstairs where it’s cooler during the day if you can.
KEEP YOUR OVEN OFF
Your oven warms your home, so try to use it as little as possible on hot days.
Instead, serve cold foods like pasta salad, quinoa salad or just plain old salad salad.
If you want to make warm foods, cook them in your slow cooker or Instapot.
Find ways to cook on the stove top instead of inside the oven.
And of course, grilling is the perfect option for a warm day.
KEEP COOL
Now you know how to save money on air conditioning. It’s time to put these tips into action and cut down on that A/C bill.
Start by closing your blinds to keep that warm sun out. Try turning the temperature up 2 degrees and see how much it can save you. Use a programmable thermostat to keep your cooling on a schedule. Keep your ceiling fans going to move the cold air around.
Maintain your air conditioning system by replacing your filter and getting a tune up. Clear the path for your air to come out. Check for any leaks to make sure the cool air isn’t getting out. Stay downstairs where it’s coolest as much as you can and keep your oven off.
You don’t need to jump in an start doing all of these things right away. Just start by trying out one or two tips. Then, when you have those down, add in a few more. Over the course of the summer you’ll be able to save a ton!
Psst… Want to save even more? Hop on my email list here. It’s my favorite place to give you money saving tips and insights that I just don’t share anywhere else. Plus you’ll get lots of free financial tools just for signing up.
Don’t click away so soon! Keep reading and stay awhile! Here are related posts about saving money:
7 Frugal Habits that will Save you Thousands
3 Tips to cut your Electric Bill in Half
The Beginner’s Guide to being Frugal
39 Surefire Strategies to cut your Expenses Fast
Do you have any other tips for how to save money on air conditioning? Let me know in the comments below!
These are great tips! We didn’t have AC growing up and my parents never let us use the oven or stove after 8am in the summer. We had a grill with a little side burner, so we used that if we wanted to make something on the stove. If we had to bake it was only after the sun went down and the open windows were going to cool the kitchen off.
Love that Sara!