The household budget is a concern all year around for most families. Keeping the bills each month to a minimum or, at least to the budgeted amount is important to making sure there is plenty of money to do all of the fun things that you want to do.

And, this is the time of year when all of that saving pays off! Now that the weather is improving and the kids are out of school for the summer season – it is time to start scheduling those summer vacation plans.

Taking trips out of town and spending time together as a family are favorite activities for the summer months. Especially because the temperature outside makes it nicer to travel. But, just because it is time to spend money on fun activities and vacation – doesn’t mean it is time to stop those budget-friendly activities that keep our bills at a minimum.

In fact, most households will see a marked increase in their power and water bills during the summertime, so it is important now more than ever to be mindful of the energy-efficiency of your home.

Here are some things that you can do to make sure that your home is staying comfortable – without breaking your budgeting efforts:

• Consider putting your laundry efforts on a schedule so that you are running the clothes dryer and the dishwasher at night. Consider turning the heat-dry option on your dishwasher off, and letting the dishes air dry in the warmer temperature of the house.
• Keep your thermostat at no cooler than 78 degrees when you are home, and at 85 when you are away. These are peak temperature settings for the most energy-efficiency in your home.
• Keep the blinds closed on windows where the sun hits directly. Consider buying UV blocking curtains to really minimize the amount of sun that gets in through those windows. Plant a large bush or a tree outside of those windows. All of these efforts can reduce the temperature in that room by up to five degrees.

Keep your household budget on track this summer by following some simple tips for improving energy-efficiency. If you are going to be out of town for a period of time, turn the thermostat on your hot water heater down so that the water isn’t heated so hot while you are gone. You won’t need the hot water when you’re not home!