As the temperatures rise, so do energy bills. Between the costs of gas, increasing food prices and the general downturn of the economy, you may be looking for ways to cut down your monthly expenses. If your budget is tight this summer, or you just want to save money on your bills, you can use the following 7 tips to reduce your energy costs.

With the price of oil topping $130 a barrel every little bit helps. Implement these below suggestions today and save enough money for 2-4 extra tanks of gas by Labor Day weekend!

1. Energy savings start with keeping your thermostat in check. If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, buying one would be a good investment. This way you can set your air conditioner for a specific temperature. When you leave the house, set the thermostat for several degrees higher than when you’re at home.
2. Keep your family in the dark, literally. Turning off unnecessary lights in your home can help cut your energy costs. Get your family to get into the habit of turning off lights when they are not in use. Keep rooms that you aren’t using completely dark and only turn on one light in a room if possible. In addition to saving money on your energy bills, keeping the house dark during hot summer days will make you feel cooler.
3. Make sure to use Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) in all of your lamps inside and outside. These use ¾ less energy than standard light bulbs. Don’t balk at the price of the CFLs. Although they are more expensive than standard bulbs, they last longer and will help you save on your energy bill.
4. Consider using motion detector switches in the bathroom, hallway and children’s room. They can be set for different time increments from 10 seconds all the way to 20 minutes. This is especially helpful if you have children who are forgetful about turning off the lights.
5. Turn off your electronic devices when you aren’t using them. Many electronics, like laptops and cell phones, have a “stand by” mode when they aren’t in use. Even though stand by uses less energy than when the device is in use, it still uses some energy. All of those hours of stand by can really add up. You’ll be surprised at the difference turning everything off can make.
6. Clean behind appliances like your refrigerator and clothes dryer. Dust and debris can collect behind these appliances and decrease their energy efficiency. By cleaning them out at least every three months, they’ll run correctly and use less energy. Considering the fact that these appliances are big energy users, it’s worth it to take this step. This tip applies to your air conditioning unit as well. Before the summer heat kicks in completely, have your air conditioner serviced and cleaned so you can be sure it’s running efficiently.
7. Create cool air in your home by using fans instead of turning on the air conditioner all of the time. Fans can distribute cool air throughout the house. You can keep this cool air in the main part of your living space by shutting doors to the basement, garage and other places.