The Oil Drum

1. Set your air conditioner thermostat no lower than 78 degrees -- a 75-degree setting uses 18 percent more electricity and a 72-degree setting uses 39 percent more electricity. This setting allows for sufficient cooling while still conserving electric power.
   
2. Only use an air conditioner when you are home. If you want to cool your room down before you arrive home, set a timer to have it switch on no more than one-half hour before you arrive
   
3. Turn off all nonessential appliances.
   
4. Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
   
5. Only use appliances that have heavy electrical loads (dishwashers, washers, dryers) early in the morning or very late at night.

#5 is interesting because you are still using the energy, but you are really simply shifting demand to when power is less in demand. For more on what you can do, see my own little list below.