One of the most effective and inexpensive ways to reduce your air conditioning costs is to adjust your thermostat setting. The savings can be significant when you set your thermostat at 78 F or higher. For each degree you raise your thermostat setting, you reduce seasonal cooling costs by 6 to 8 percent. And by using ceiling fans to supplement an air conditioner, most people can raise their thermostat setting three to four degrees and feel just as comfortable.

During heating season, Progress Energy recommends setting the temperature at 70 F during the day and 60 F to 65 F at night. For each degree you lower your thermostat, you reduce heating costs 3 to 5 percent. By setting your thermostat back 10 degrees at night (8-10 hours), you'll save 10 to 20 percent in heating costs. The lowered thermostat setting saves energy dollars by reducing the length of time the heating system operates throughout the night.