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Attempting to keep a firm grasp on your wallet during the summer is a challenge – especially with vacations and gas prices on the rise.  Though the U.S. Department of Energy predicts that electricity will stay high this summer, you can keep your costs down with these solutions. 

The first thing you should do is shade south and west-facing windows and think about ventilating the adjacent windows when the outside temperature is cooler in the evening.  Keep your house cool by closing the windows and shutters when you go out in the morning.  This stops the sun and hot air from coming in and keeps the house cool.  Install a foil radiant barrier in the attic. Staple it to the underside of the roof rafters, allowing an air space between the foil and the roof sheathing. Place staples about 3 inches apart. Position seams between sheets of foil centered on the rafters and seal the seams with a bead of caulking compound.

Equally as important, but easily overlooked, can be making sure that your house is sealed properly.  Make sure gaps and cracks are sealed with weather stripping and caulk, especially around windows and doors.  Seal and insulate the air conditioning ducts, especially exposed ducts in the attic or crawlspace.

A few more ideas: 

• Use your dryer in the morning when the conditioned air it vents to the outside hasn’t taken so much electricity to cool. 
• Use ceiling fans, but be sure to turn them off when you exit a room. 
• Unplug your television and VCR at night and when they're not in use and shutdown your computer. They each generate a lot of heat and waste a lot of electricity preparing to come on when the button is pushed.
• Compact fluorescents, although not giving off as nice of light, use much less electricity and put off much less heat than incandescent.