Well, it’s put up or shut up time now.
We are heading right into the teeth of a hot, steamy, southern Summer.
And I’m going to find out if my new approach to air conditioning my home is going to pan out. I had to do something though for crying out loud. I could have bought a boat with the money that we were spending on just cooling the house From April through October. Seriously, we were spending ridiculous amount of money when it came to the utility costs associated with air conditioning. But then again, we had never experienced anything like the Summers down here. Enough is enough though. As retirees, we have to keep a close eye on our spending and keep to our budget. Don’t want to outlast my money. So this year, it was a whole new deal when it came to the demand we put on the heat pump. I talked with my local friends who have far more experience than I do when it comes to reining in the air conditioning costs. And while there were a number of interesting strategies shared, there was also a common theme. Less is more. That’s what I was hearing. Don’t reach for the thermostat in April as it warms. And even in May, just turn on the cooling only when you really need it on an unusually warm afternoons. And then, once the deep heat and humidity descend, be disciplined with the thermostat setting and uses fans all the time. So we did the first part as we’ve been super selective with the air conditioning. We opted to keep the windows and doors open instead. But we are now close to leaving the thermostat on cooling. So I guess we’ll see just how much we can save.