Tip 40: Install a programmable thermostat

If you have an older thermostat, you may be able to save a lot on your utility bills by upgrading to a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to set temperatures for various times of day so you can spend less heating or cooling your house when no one is there. For example, you can program your thermostat to warm the house up to 68 degrees by 6am, and then turn the temperature down to 60 degrees starting at 8am when no one is home on a week day. You can turn the thermostat down manually, but it is easy to forget and you waste money heating your house when no one is home.
You can install a programmable thermostat yourself in about an hour with no special tools. The total cost for the project is around $75 for a nice touch screen programmable thermostat that will last for many years and will pay back many times over in energy savings.

I like it when I can find a way to save money that results in improving my house and making things more convenient for me. Once I got my programmable thermostat installed, it takes care of turning the temperature up and down for me automatically. I think of it as a robot that works for me to save money on my utility bills.

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