Ask Liz Weston

Get smart with your money

Creative ways to cut your energy costs this summer

By

Blasting the air conditioning to counteract stifling heat can provide much-needed relief this summer, but the utility bills that follow might not be as pleasant. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the price of electricity has been steadily climbing over the past two years.

“Most U.S. households will continue to pay high costs for energy throughout the summer because of high energy prices and the anticipated hot temperatures,” says Courtney Klosterman, home insights expert at insurer Hippo.

The good news is you might have more control over your energy usage than you think. Paula Glover, president of the Alliance to Save Energy, a nonprofit that advocates for energy efficiency policy, estimates that based on numbers from the Energy Department, consumers could save 10% to 20% a year on energy bills just by shifting habits and making some energy-efficient investments. But, she adds, “You have to be diligent.”

In Kimberly Palmer’s latest for the Washington Post, learn creative ways to cut your energy costs this summer.

Related Posts

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michael Kimmel says

    Hi Liz:
    I love your newsletters, however, the “Creative ways to cut your energy costs” links to a WaPost article that you need a subscription to read. Not helpful! Very frustrating, actually. Please advise.
    Thanks,
    Michael Kimmel

    • Liz Weston says

      AP used to provide a free link but they no longer do. You can search for the column headline; there’s usually a free option out there. WaPo has a lot of other great columnists, though, so it’s well worth a subscription.