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Summer is here, and with the rising heat, your home’s utility bills are sure to rise too. Utility bills tend to be higher in the summer because the heat compels homeowners to blast their AC, stay indoors with the electronics running, and generally not prepare properly for the season. The average consumer’s electric bill, according to The Energy Information Administration (published by CNBC), will be close to $400 between this June and August.

Don’t sweat your utility bills this summer. There’s a solution for those high energy costs that you could do yourself! Here are a few tips to save money on those summer home utility bills.

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For some, it’s a non-negotiable expense: the AC. If it’s too hot, you get in a bad mood, you become lethargic and you can’t get anything done. Problem is, the same thing happens when that hefty power bill shows up at the end of the month. Here’s how to stay cool this summer, and within budget.

(Bankrate) — The approach of winter brings a chill to homeowners and home insurance companies alike.  Homeowners feel the pinch in their pocketbooks from rising energy bills. Heating and cooling account for 56 percent of the energy use in a typical American home, according to the Department of Energy.  Home insurance companies take a similar hit from the estimated 54,500 home fires each year in the United States, one-third of which occur during January and February, causing an average of 190 deaths, 625 injuries and $286 million in property loss, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

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Read more: 6 ways to save on home heating http://www.bankrate.com/finance/personal-finance/6-ways-to-save-on-home-heating-1.aspx#ixzz1CEslsMeO