5 ways to slice summer power bills

Editor's note: This is a transcript of the audio file.

With record high temperatures throughout much of America, many people are escaping to the great indoors. But running the A/C more often can really drive up your power bill. I'm Lucas Wysocki with your Bankrate.com Personal Finance Minute.

Summer time is notorious for driving up the cost of cooling your house but there are ways to take the heat off of your monthly electric bill. Start by identifying vampire devices in your home. Anything with a display that stays on even when the device is off and most device chargers will suck up energy even when they're not being used.

Plug those devices into a power strip or outlet with a switch and make sure to cut the power when they're not being used. Next, buy and use a programmable thermostat. Without thinking, you'll keep your home cool when you're home, and save money when you're away. Finally, nothing feels better than cooling your home to meat-locker temperatures when you get in from the heat. Resist the urge and you'll save.

Instead, cool down with a cool shower or an ice-pack. For more money saving tips, visit Bankrate.com. I'm Lucas Wysocki.