Keep cool

Nothing lifts the spirits in hard times like the ability to save a little money. So today's post is dedicated to finding ways to save money on one of the biggest utility bill oinkers--the air conditioner.
I know what you're thinking. "Weenie. Where's your spine? Just man up and shut the thing off."
And okay, I get that. We could completely shut if off. We could do that.
But there's the matter of the long sharp knives in the kitchen. And Mike still has his pheasant gun. I couldn't guarantee anyone's safety, along about July 15.
So yes, we do use the air conditioner, for the sake of the piano students, if nothing else.
I've studied and experimented over the years, with different settings and strategies. When we lived at the house before this, we didn't have central air. Only a gigantic window unit downstairs that gave me a cold and ear infection both times we turned it on. And a smaller window unit upstairs that overtaxed that wiring and periodically caused all power in the house to shut down for hours lest it burst into flames.
Back then, when the boys were little, our air conditioning strategy was simple--use someone else's. So out of the house we'd go, most days, to the library, the swimming pool or a cheap movie sponsored by the PTA. On particularly hot nights, we'd reenact a scene from the 1910s and sleep on lawn chairs on the deck.

Now that we have reliable central air, we have to figure out what's the best way to run it once in a while and still afford food. Various experts suggest keeping the thermostat higher--at maybe 75 or 76. But really that still isn't enough. So over the years, we've devised this thermostat strategy:
1. The air doesn't go on in the first place until the indoor temperature reaches 85 degrees. I've identified 85 as our breaking point from careful observation. Are people throwing things down and bursting into tears? Usually that happens right at 85 degrees. Under 85? You can tough it out. It doesn't really matter what the temperature is outside.
2.Before it goes on, all fans must be running. We now have a fan in every room (except this one, where I'm writing. Too much comfort in the writing area just produces lethargy, I always say.)
3.The daytime setting is 78 and the nighttime setting 76. I find 78 feels so much cooler if 85 was your high.
4.In the morning we turn the air off but leave the windows closed and fans on, if the night was warm. The house usually keeps its cool until mid afternoon. If possible, we try to stick it out until evening before turning it on again. If the night is cooler, we go ahead and open the windows first thing.
5.We do turn it on earlier for piano students. It's hard to concentrate on a lesson or anything else if you're fingers are sticking to every surface you touch. In fact concentration pretty much goes the way of temper once you hit 85.

There are some psychological tricks as well. I never allow anyone to say it's hot. And whenever possible, I keep perfectly still and do not move.
I think this is the cheapest way, but I'm not 100 percent sure. Some say it costs more to cool down from 85 than it would have to keep it running at 78. It's hard to know from our bills, because of variations in the rates and in the number of people living here. But...I don't...hold on a minute....oh dang, it's only 83.
Now where was I? Oh yeah. Anyway, I guess this way works as well as any, but I'm open to suggestion. Now I gotta get out of this room.

PS. Check out the link for Kansas City on the Cheap. This site lists all kinds of free and cheap deals including...OMG...Father's Day is this weekend. I completely forgot Father's Day. Gotta go.