Give Yourself an .18 an Hour Raise! Save on Heating Costs with Little Time or Money

What you see in the picture above is a programmable thermostat. I think whether you rent or own, you could possibly use a programmable thermostat in either case. There is some debate on whether programmable thermostats actually save money. In an article I read today about programmable thermostats that said they do not save money, it said that the people who use them think they are saving so much they put the temperature very low while they are gone and then very high while they are there so they end up not saving any money. Well, I thought that was kind of a no-brainer. You just have to use your head a little bit.

The concept is that people are not always at home and they also sleep, so you program your thermostat to your advantage. For example, if no one is home from 9-5, the thermostat can be turned down from 9-4:30. Then, as well, it can also be turned down while sleeping. I think many people actually sleep better in a cooler temperature. The point behind programmable thermostats is that how you program it is up to you. You can set it at any temperature that works to your advantage.

I used the below chart to come to the figure in the title. Annual savings of $365.00 a year and of course this will vary depending on how you set your thermostat.

You can spend a lot or a little for a thermostat. I saw them online from anywhere between $25.00 and $125.00. These costs should be easily recouped in the first year. There are a lot of videos on youtube  for how to program them. Here is another article for a few pointers:

http://www.houselogic.com/home-advice/saving-energy/programmable-thermostats/#.

So, you may be able to get more than an .18 hour a raise depending on your climate and how well you program your thermostat. Once again, an easy and relatively inexpensive way to save money with little time or money! Tax Free!