I thought the $140 smart thermostat was a scam until my July power bill came in
Bought a smart thermostat in April for $140 mostly because my brother would not shut up about his. I set it to bump up to 78 while I am at work and drop to 72 an hour before I get home. My July bill at my place in Mesa came in $61 lower than last July, even though it was hotter this time. Now I feel dumb for waiting so long, so what other cheap home stuff actually moved the needle on your energy use?
$61 lower than last July, even though it was hotter" sounds like a solid win, but I'd pump the brakes before crediting the thermostat with all of it. Rates and billing cycles shift too (my July bill covered more days than June's did last year, which alone can swing things by $20 or so), and AC run time depends on way more than temp. Did the numbers hold up at $61 once you checked your actual kWh used? That is the part that tells you if this is real or just a luckier month.