Save on Air Conditioning -- Get Out of the House

Escaping the heat of the midafternoon by going out can end up paying for itself in the energy you save on air conditioning.

While there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the cost of staying cool at home, the best method is to not run your air conditioner at all.

If the economy has bitten into your budget so that you can't afford to give yourself a little splurge every once in awhile, you can even indulge in some of them and save money at the same time.

It costs approximately $6 to $10 a day (12 hours) to run your air conditioner, depending on the model and the cost of energy in your area. That can add up to $180 to $300 a month for the air conditioner alone and means if you can escape your house during the hot daylight hours, you can spend a little and still come out ahead.

There are also plenty of places you can go where you don't have to spend any money, but can remain cool during the summer heat without increasing your own energy bill.

Here are a few suggestions:

Coffee Shop

If one of the things you gave up to help your finances was that premium cup of coffee, you can have a cup while still saving money. Take your newspaper, laptop or a good book and head down to your local coffee shop.

For the price of a cup of joe, you can spend the afternoon reading the latest news, working or catching up on your reading, and it will still be less than if you cranked the air conditioning all day at home.

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