Ways to cut bills in the summer months

With summer kicking into gear across the country, you can literally hear the drone of air conditioners turning on all over the U.S., and as the days get hotter, the energy bills get higher.

These days, the average household spends $1900 annually on energy (based on electricity and gas usage), according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, much of that energy is wasted money, say energy conservationists.

College students especially are feeling the effects of the high prices of energy usage.

Senior communication major Jennifer George stated that her electricity bill with four other roommates last month was about $1000. That's $250.00 per roommate on energy alone.

That amount of money can actually be the cost of rent for some apartments in the Greenville area.

So what can students do to lower the costs during the summer? Luckily, you can do right by the environment and your budget without any major lifestyle sacrifices.

According to the EPA, by taking some relatively painless steps, you can cut your bills by one-third or more.

1) Upgrade to a programmable thermostat.

These devices allow you to cool your home at different temperatures at specific times. For example, turn down the AC during the day when no one is in your home and then turn it up again 30 minutes before you or someone else is due to arrive home. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), you could cut your heating and cooling bills by 10 percent annually just by turning your thermostat back 10 percent to 15 percent for eight hours a day."

We are getting one of those digital thermostats; it's going to cost about $150.00 but it will save us a ton of money," said George's roommate, junior psychology major Caitlyn Donnelley.

2) Keep your air conditioner clean.

To kick the summer off, your AC unit should have a professional tune up (expect to pay somewhere between $90 and $120), says Maria Vargas, an Energy Star spokesperson at the EPA. Also, air-conditioning filters should be checked every month to see if they need cleaning or replacement. This will keep the air from straining to move through a dirty filter and will improve the efficiency in cooling your home.

3) Get a fan.

This is a simple tip that will cut back on your energy costs dramatically.

4) Turn off appliances.

For those dedicated hairdryer and curling iron users as well as TV watchers, unplug your stuff! Even when all of your home electronics are turned off, many continue to suck down energy. In fact, idle TVs cost U.S. consumers $600 million annually, or $5 per household, according to the EPA. If an item is not in use, plug it into a power strip and cut the entire strip off when you are not around to use it.

5) Go green.

This will require some work; however, the benefits outweigh the effort. Planting just three shady trees around your house can whack $100 to $250 off your annual heating and cooling costs, according to the DOE. Leafy trees shield your home from direct sunlight, keeping temperatures down.

These easy steps can help you stay on top of the rising prices due to energy costs as well as help ease the pain of high bills.

So here is to staying cool this summer, and keeping all of the cash from your summer job in your wallet.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.