5 Effective Ways to Cut Your Energy Costs This Summer

#1 Wash your laundry with cold water instead of hot water.

You can cut your per-load energy usage by sometimes 50% with this one trick. This 50% decrease over several weeks can put a dent in your energy bills at the end of the month.

#2 Close your blinds and curtains during the day.

Direct sunlight heats up your home really fast in the summer, causing your air conditioner to work even harder. This means more expensive bills at the end of the month.

#3 Change the temperature of your fridge and freezer.

If you set your fridge to 38 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees, you will be able to keep your food just as fresh without having these machines work as hard to maintain temperatures. Bonus points if you keep your fridge opening to a minimum throughout the day, cover your refrigerated food/drinks, and only put already cooled foods in the fridge.

#4 Line dry your clothes.

This one takes a little bit more discipline but will help you save big on energy costs by not using your dryer. If you must use your dryer, consider buying Dryer Balls that can help cut drying time by sometimes 25%.

#5 Use fans in conjunction with your air conditioning.

Your AC is one of the biggest energy consumers in your home. Try to utilize all the fans you have available to better circulate the cooled air throughout your home. As always, check to see if your air conditioner needs to be upgraded or replaced. It could be costing you a LOT more than you think.

Last updated August 11, 2020