It's that time of year again where you fire up your trusty AC unit and dread seeing that bill!

I put off turning on my AC as long as I could. It wasn't until two nights ago, I was laying in bed and I just couldn't take it anymore. It was too hot in my house. Now, I know that I am not the only one who waits to turn the AC on until the last minute. I also know that I am not the only one looking to find ways to save money on those dreaded energy bills.

I found an article from Time a couple of years ago that talked about some of the best ways to save money on your electric bill during the summer while using your AC unit. It's been something that I go back to each year to make sure I have everything checked off when I finally decide to turn it on. Hopefully, these tips will help you out this summer too!

Don't Set Your Thermostat So Low!

First off, you are going to have to make sure that you don't set your thermostat too low.  Every degree increases your bill by at least 3%. According to Time, researchers have found that if you set it a few degrees higher, your body gets used to it in a week or two....that's if you can stand the heat in that amount of time.

If you really want to save some money, here are five tips that can help you do just that when it comes to air conditioning:

Tips To Save Money On Your Energy Bill Will Running Your AC Unit:

1. Clean your air filter.  If you haven't cleaned the filter on your air conditioner since last year, it's costing you more than it should run it.

2.  Make sure you're using all your fans.  They're way cheaper to run, so use them to circulate the cold air. Don't forget to flip that switch and set them to run counter-clockwise in the summer. (HERE'S HOW)

3.  Make sure you're not blocking air vents with furniture (common sense should tell you not to do that, but you never know with people nowadays).  Also, make sure your thermostat is in a good spot.  If the sun hits it or it's in a room that's warmer, the A/C will keep running even when the rest of your place is cool.

4.  Stop cooling down rooms you're not using.  If you have an extra bedroom, keep the door closed.  And if there's an air vent in there, keep that closed too.

5.  Keep your blinds and curtains closed.  Your air conditioner has to work a lot harder if the sun's blasting in through the windows.

Another tip that I would recommend is to make sure that you have your system serviced every year. It could really help in making sure nothing is faulty. Not to mention, you might be able to pick up some new tips and tricks on how to save money with your unit by talking to the person who is servicing your AC unit!

(H/T- Time)

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