Earlier we discussed how to save on home heating costs. Now for the exact opposite. How to save money on your electricity bill by decreasing your air conditioning usage. The concepts are the same, trying to use them less. But here is how you can do it.

Leave the house

Your house is extremely hot. Rather than cranking up the AC for a couple of hours, go out. Hit up the mall, not necessarily to buy something, but to go for a walk in a cool place. Live near the beach? Go and enjoy the breeze. How about going to the park and sitting in the shade.

Keep the heat out

Don’t let direct sunlight into your house. Close the blinds on the side of the house the sun is hitting. You can open your windows on the other side to let any breeze in.

Seal the house

When you do turn on the air conditioner, make sure none of that cold air is leaving your house. Keep all of your doors and windows closed. You want to cool your house down, not the entire neighborhood.

Use a fan

Ceiling fans can cool your room and use much less electricity than the air conditioner. You can also use a smaller plug in fan. You can put a bowl of ice in front of it to spread out some colder air. You could also wet a towel and rub your face and neck with it. The air that will hit you will drop your body temperate rather quickly.