Daylight Saving Costs You Money

Benjamin Franklin conceived Daylight Saving Time, which will happen Sunday at 2 a.m., as a way to save energy—more daylight means fewer candles—but the time change doesn’t actually save money, a study has found. Because in the winter months, people wake up closer to the coldest part of the night, they spend more on heat. And in the summer, they come home closer to the hottest part of the day, so they crank up the air conditioner. Indiana switched in the 1970s, and the move has cost the state $3.79 in electricity a year per household. That’s $9 million a year. Researchers estimate Hoosiers lost another $1.7 million to $5.5 million in social costs related to pollution. The cost may be even higher in the South, where people max out on AC. The costs may be lowered by savings in commercial buildings. The researchers concluded with a recommendation to scrapping Daylight Saving Time.