According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family spends about $2,000 a year combined on household heating, cooling and electricity. One way to help reduce those costs is to think about how to save money when nobody is in the house. If you turn back your thermostat by 7 to 10 degrees for at least eight hours a day, it's estimated you can reduce your costs by as much as 10%. You can save even more if your home is empty for longer periods of time. Over a year, you can reap a few hundred dollars in savings with this one simple switch.
ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION