No one wants to spend any more money than they have to on their summer cooling bills. Fortunately, there are several easy and affordable things you can do to prepare your home for the summer cooling season that will shave money off of your electric bill.

Tips for saving money on your air conditioning costs

1. Plant more trees and shrubs. One of the most affordable and effective things you can do to reduce your cooling bill is to surround your property with shade-producing plants. Not only will such plantings improve your home's curb appeal, but they will help keep the sun's rays off away from your windows and help keep the temperature in your rooms low naturally.
2. Invest in a "smart" thermostat. Cooling your house while you're at work and/or school is a waste of energy and energy dollars. Instead, make sure that your house is cool and comfortable when you arrive home by investing in a thermostat that lets you turn down the thermostat via your smartphone a half hour or so before you arrive back home.
3. Consider solar screens. Installing solar screens are another way to reduce the sun's rays from heating the interior of your home. Such screens are easy to install, affordable and defuse around 70 percent of the sun's rays.
4. Change your air filter regularly. Keeping your cooling system's filter clean is another easy and affordable way to keep your cooling bills under control. When your filter is clogged with dust and dirt, your system has to work harder to push the air through, using more energy and costing more energy dollars. Having to work harder also shortens the life of your cooling system, something it makes sense to avoid.
5. Don't skip that annual service call. While it can be tempting to save a little money by not scheduling an annual service call on your cooling system, such a move can be short-sighted. An efficient, well-maintained system uses less energy and thus costs less to operate. Those dollars spent at the beginning of the season will more than pay for themselves over the course of the year.

Saving money on your air conditioning bills doesn't have to be a daunting or expensive task. Simply plant a few shade trees and shrubs, spend a little bit on a smart thermostat and make sure to keep your air filter clean to stay cool without breaking the family budget this summer. Talk to a professional like R & B Heating & Air Conditioning for more information.