Electric bills can be at an all time high during summer because most homes have their air conditioning running all the time. Here are some suggestions on how to keep electricity use at bay:

If you can do without air conditioning, the better. Open windows during the day to let the breeze in.

You can also use fans instead. Or if you can simply cannot do without air conditioning, consistently keep the temperature low (about 78 degrees would be manageable) and supplement with fans. It’s still less expensive than keeping the room colder than the North Pole.

Replace all light bulbs with the high-efficiency type. They may come off as expensive at first, but they will last for a long time and they don’t use up a lot of electricity.

Do your laundry in the evenings. This way the machine won’t have to compete with the heat around it. Use only cold water as running hot water can be more expensive.

You can also have dinner by candlelight outside the patio or garden in the  evening, weather permitting. This way, you get to have a more intimate and relaxing ambiance and you won’t have  to use up much electricity.

Try not to use your dishwasher all the time. If you’re just washing a few plates and glasses, you can rinse them in water instead.