Lowering Thermostat Saves Money, Energy, and More

It's the time of year when we begin lowering the thermostat at our house. As the temperature begins to drop outside, so does the temperature inside. We do it gradually, so we hardly notice the change. In the summer our thermostat is set to 74 degrees, and in the winter, 67 degrees.

Why do we do this? Well, of course, to save money...and energy!

Lowering your thermostat just 1 degree for 8 hours reduces your fuel bill by 1 percent. So, by keeping our thermostat set at 67 vesus say, 70 we are saving approximately 9 percent off of our bill. The average U.S. single family household spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills. Using this as a reference point, if you drop your thermostat 3 degrees, you could save over $170 per year.

Not only will you save money, you will save energy, and the environment as well.

Conserving energy is always a good thing, of course. But do you realize that each year, electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single family home produces more carbon dioxide than two average cars?

If that's not enough motivation to drop your thermostat a few degrees, how's this. It will help you lose weight! Seriously. To keep you warm your body will burn more calories, which in turn helps you lose weight. It also improves your general health. So basically, you will be healthier in a cooler home.

Not only is turning your thermostat down Eco-Cheap, it's healthy too!

So, turn that thermostat down. You probably won't even notice, except for that shrinking bill and waist line! :)