Air conditioners not only waste lots of energy but they also release refrigerant chemicals that can destroy the ozone layer.

Fans are a good alternative and circulate air well but if the air isn't cool then its no where near as nice as an air conditioner. In addition, a fan that is plugged in and running all day wastes electricity as well, but not nearly as much as an air conditioner. Fans are good on mild summer days. If you is a fan instead of an air conditioner, you might save 60% or more in energy.

Keeping Your Shades Closedso the sun cannot come in and heat your home only works for so long. If you have bad insulation or windows you home can still get hot. 

Basements are Usually Cooler if you have a finished basement, I would recommend spending your lounge time down there. If your basement is not finished try making an area where you can relax, watch, or even just play games with your kids/friends.

Those are all the options I can think of when remaining inside.  

However, there are lots of things you can try to reduce the amount of energy that your air conditioner uses by following these tips:

An air conditioner not only cools the air but actually does "condition" it. It does this by removing dust and dirt as the air is drawn
through a filter. In addition, it lowers the amount of water in the air being filtered meaning it lowers the humidity, making the air more comfortable at any temperature.
However, running an air conditioner day in and day out can cause a lot of heavy damage on your electric bill and not to mention the environment. Five to 50% of your household budget can be used for air conditioning depending up the climate of the region you live in. 

There are two kinds of air conditioners. Central air is often is one unit that sends out cool air to other areas through ducts or pipes. While room air conditioners provide cool air for a room or small area. They are either window units or can be built into an external wall. They are less expensive than central air but usually multiple room air conditioners are needed in order to cool an entire house or large area.

Size

 
Once you decide which type of air conditioner would suit your needs better, you can look at the size of the air conditioner. Here, bigger does not mean better. Large air conditioner units cool spaces in a quick amount of time, which you think would be good until you realize that the air conditioners has to turn on and off repeatedly  wasting more money and electricity than necessary.Large units also not not get rid of the humidity in the air as well. However, too small of a unit will not be able to coll even a small area and will have to be run constantly, wasting more energy, and possibly not even cooling the area.

When looking into purchasing an air conditioner, think about the area that you will be cooling. when thinking about size alone, an air conditioner generally needs 20 Btu for each square foot of living space. For
instance, to air condition a room that is 15 feet wide and 20 feet long, you would calculate: 15 x 20 x 20(Btu) =
6,000. Thus, an air conditioner with a 6,000 Btu capacity would be required.

Efficiency

Energy efficiency in air conditioners should be a major deciding factor in your decision and purchase. This element can often be the deal breaker when considering units with similar prices and features. high efficiency units may be higher priced, but will save you more money in the long run because they cost less to operate.

When looking at air conditioners make sure to look for the bright yellow EnergyGuide labels which provide information on energy efficiency.
EnergyGuide labels are mandated by Congress as part of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. The
label displays an energy efficiency rating (EER) in large black numbers. The higher the rating, the more efficient
the appliance. Units with an EER of 9.0 or above are considered very efficient. The label should also provide a cost/use chart to calculate the cost of operating the appliance based on local electricity
rates and expected hours of use.

Central air conditioners are rated according to their Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Like the EER, the
higher the SEER, the more efficient the system. 

lastly, you also might want to consider comparing warranties and maintenance agreements when buying your unit.

Installation

Once you have the air conditioner make sure it is properly installed in order for it to be most efficient. If a unit is improperly installed it will waste energy. You can either install the
unit yourself or hire a professional.

  Here are some installation tips:

Read and follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully. You also want to install the unit in a shaded spot because you do not want to decrease efficiency by having the sun beat down on the outside part of the outdoor heat exchanger. Shade the unit with an awning or similar device if it must be in the sun.o not try to hide the unit's external part behind shrubbery. Also do not obstruct the back of the unit with plants because this also decreases efficiency. The air conditioner also should lay flat.

make sure the air conditioner fits well into the sleeve. Also, make sure the unit's front and rear filter plates, top
and side flanges and the gasket on all four sides are waterproofed. 

Finally, verify that your home's electrical system can meet the unit's power requirements. Room units operate on
115-volt or 230-volt circuits. The standard household receptacle is a connection for a 115-volt branch circuit. If worried about your wiring, consult an electrician or electric utility.

An HVAC
contractor should install your central air conditioner.

Maintenance and Operation

Make sure to examine the unit's air filters once a month to keep it running efficiently. Clean or replace filters when
necessary   Keeping your filters clean can cut energy consumption 5 to 15%.

Room units should be covered or removed and stored in the winter.

Again, make sure it fits snugly into the sleeve and window because gaps in the seal can let out cool air. Always check the seal before installing because it can be damaged by moisture. 

Clean coils when they become too dusty. To do this unplug the unit and use a vacuum
to remove dust from the interior heat exchanger; the exterior heat exchanger may be cleaned using
water from a garden hose.

When maintaining a central air unit,confirm that the ducts are properly insulated, especially those that pass
through the attic or any other unconditioned areas.

Make sure furniture does not obstruct air conditioning vents.Also, be sure to close doors to rooms that are unused because they do not need to be cooled.

Weatherstrip all doors and windows.

Close all unnecessary openings such as fireplace dampers, doors and windows.

Set the thermostat to 78 F. Anything lower can increase your costs by at least 12%

 
One mistake that people make is turning the thermostat to a lower temperature at first because they think it will cool the room faster but the reality is it won't. Instead it will only cool to a lower temperature than necessary and waste energy.

In order to get more air set the fan speed on high except in humid weather, set it to low in that case.

Placing heat producing appliances such as TVs or lamps near thermostats can make them give off a false reading.

If you are going to cook in the oven, try to do it later in the evening or early in the morning as to not produce more heat when the unit is trying to cool the area.

Other Tips

Don't use the air conditioner if it isn't above 78 F, your wasting a lot of energy that way. Try to use it only on extremely hot days, and don't run it while no one is home. If no one is home keep all shades closed to enable a cooler home when you get home, and turn the unit on then if necessary. Also, if it is not to hot shut off the  unit and open windows and run a fan at night because the temperature usually cools down. 

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