Save Money This Winter—Set Your Thermostat Here, Experts Say

Photo by Sean D on Unsplash

The temperatures are about to plummet. Maybe, you've already noticed. I sure have. I walk my dog DJ, every morning just after 4 am, and I've noticed, it's been pretty brisk these last few days. As a former Minesotan, now a dedicated Washingtonian, I am NOT a fan of the colder temperatures.

According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, Winter Arrives on Sunday, December 21st.

The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, however, it is NOT necessarly the coldest day of the year. The coldest day of the year in Washington state was December 30th, 1968, when Mazama and Winthrop recorded an all-time low of -48° F.

One of the biggest arguments in our household is about what the temperature should be set at. My husband likes it colder, while I like it warmer. Can you relate?

THIS Is the Best Temperature to Set Your Thermostat at for Saving Money.

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Depending on which publication you follow, most experts agree that the the best temp to set your thermostat at is 68°F when your home, and just below this at 60-65 degrees when you're away.

Then there's the question of changing the temperature at night or when you're not home. The Department of Energy suggests you turn your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees from its normal setting for 8 hours a day, saying that can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling.

Even though 68° F is what's recommended, I have to admit, I turn it up a few more degrees, more like 70° F. What's your perfect thermostat temperature setting?

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LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

Stacker consulted 2021 data from the NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) to illustrate the hottest and coldest temperatures ever recorded in each state. Each slide also reveals the all-time highest 24-hour precipitation record and all-time highest 24-hour snowfall.

Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.

Gallery Credit: Anuradha Varanasi

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF

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