In the heat of summer, it can be hard or almost impossible to consider not using the air conditioner if it is something you’ve used routinely in the past.   But when we moved to a house from a small apartment last spring, our wallets were in for a huge shock after the first month of heavy a/c usage and we knew we had to take steps to live “warmer”.   Our strategy for limiting our a/c usage last summer and this one is to slowly acclimate our bodies to a warmer temperature by raising the setting on the a/c one degree per week.  We started at 72 degrees (which is downright chilly to us now!) and moved up a degree each week until we were at 78 degrees during the day and 80 degrees at night.

This year, we started at 76 degrees and have successfully already adjusted to last year’s high temperatures, and plan to push it even further.  With the slow acclimation, we aren’t uncomfortable when we adjust upwards, and 78 feels very comfortable.  Hopefully by the end of July, 80 will feel just as comfortable and normal.

So try it today!  Kick the a/c up a degree and see if you even notice the difference.  Soon your energy bill will go down and you’ll need that a/c even less.

This frugal tip brought to you by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

Broke Grad Student celebrates the onset of summer with the 131st edition of the Festival of Frugality.  Check out all the summer savings tips as well as his editor’s picks:

• Patience Will Keep Us from Spending Unnecessary Money at Money Ning
• 13 Frugal Ways to Celebrate the Summer at Sound Money Matters
• Secret Food Increase at LivingAlmostLarge
• The Frugal Olympics — Going for the Gold at Greener Pastures

Thanks for hosting!  The next edition of the Festival will be at Budgets Are Sexy so get your entries in!

This relates to what I discussed on my own blog today, but since it seems more and more people are pregnant every minute, it’s something I wanted to share again.

There is no single must-have list for every baby.  There are, of course, a few things you do need regardless (like something for the baby to wear, what that something is varies from person to person) but most everything else is completely negotiable.  I can’t even put car seat on the list because maybe you don’t have a car!  (If you do though, car seat is a must.)

So take any baby must have list with a grain of salt.  Buy the very fewest things you really feel you will need, and add to that on a need to have basis.  We survived two babies without a changing table, wipes warmer, and countless other things.  And it went fine. 

This frugal tip brought to you by paidtwice at I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

The Festival of Frugality made its way to Out of Debt Again! Thanks Mrs. Accountability for hosting with your 8 Little Pigs theme (I like that little rhyme too ) and here are her editor’s picks:

• To Be Debt Free presents CVS Extra Care Bucks.
• Money and Fitness Blog figures out if Shopping at Warehouse Clubs is Worth the Membership Fee.
• BeThisWay really sticks to her guns from Are You Going to Be This Way The Rest of the Time I Know You in Free Isn’t Really Free, A Story of Mendacious Marketers.
• SavingAdvice socked away $100,000 in 9 years and tells us about it in How I Lived in Million Dollar Homes for Free.
• Squawkfox tells how women can save potentially $4200 over 35 years with 10 Reasons The Diva Cup Can Change Your Life.
• Faron Benoit from Financial Learn shares 15 Cheap Romantic Date Ideas.
• The Happy Rock presents Free Workout Program - 100 Push Up Challenge.
• Grey from Frugal Fu presents The Fashion Debate: Could you (or should you) look good for less?

Next week the festival travels to Broke Grad Student so get those entries in!

One of the side benefits of my spouse making a lifestyle change to eating more consciously is a reduction in our overall spending on his food.  And that isn’t just because he’s eating less processed foods and more healthy ones (because many of those cost just as much if not more) but because he’s controlling his portions.  He eats less, leaving more left over for other meals, and allowing me to use less ingredients in a single meal.

So if you want to spend less on food and as a side benefit, adapt a healthier lifestyle - start controlling your portions.  The “recommended” portion for most foods is probably a lot smaller than you think!

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

MoneyNing plays host to Festival #129 and does a great job challenging us all to become just a little more frugal.  His three editor’s picks are:

• Frugal Babe presents Back In The Saddle.
• Paula Wethington presents Coupons are not just for junk food.
• Andrew Heath presents The Unlikely Way to Save Money.

Thanks for hosting and doing a great job!  Next week the Festival travels to Out of Debt Again so get your entries in!

For North America at least, summer is upon most of us, and if you have kids, you may be looking for some frugal summer fun.  One of our favorite summertime activities is  a practically free one (depending on proximity) - we go to the park.

If you live in an area with public parks, it is worth it to check them out and see what amenities are available.  In our area, there are several public parks a short drive away, and each of them have different facilities, playground areas, and even availability of shelter and water.  As long as the drive is relatively short (considering the price of gas), the park is one of the most inexpensive ways we can spend an afternoon.  And if we pack a lunch from home, we can make it an all day affair.

Just make sure to bring plenty of water and plenty of sunscreen!

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

No Debt Plan presents Festival of Frugality #128, also interspersing the editor’s picks throughout the categories.  Be sure to get your fill of frugalicious goodness!  The editor’s nods went to:

• Bean-Sprouts presents Zilok Launches in the UK.
• Funny About Money presents What’s a Thing Worth?
• MomAdvice presents Adventures in Breadmaking: Artisan Bread in 5.
• The Personal Financier presents The Personal Financier: Psychology tricks and increased spending – The Case of Expensive Wines.
• My Dollar Plan presents Frugal Tips I Can’t (or Won’t) Do.
• Cheap Healthy Good presents Eating Healthy While Clipping Coupons: The Dos and Don’ts.
• Saving Advice presents Why You Don’t Want A Budget.

Next week the festival travels to MoneyNing so get your entries in!