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I keep the AC at 74, whether I'm home or not. I have pets that are more comfortable with the cooler temperature.
In the hottest part of the summer here, setting the AC on 66 or 68 would be merely a gesture...the AC can't cool that much lower than the outdoor temperature, at least mine can't, and it's fairly new and sized properly for my house.
My electric bill is about $120 in the winter and $160 in the summer. The only time I've ever seen it above $200 was during a really cold month...electric heat is pretty expensive and the vaulted ceilings that make the house feel cooler in the summer make it harder to keep warm during truly cold weather.
I find I am most comfortable with it set at 77. I moved to Florida on purpose because I like it warm at 77 it removes most of the humidity and is comfortably cool. Sometimes I will turn it to 74 or 75 if it's super hot outside. I pretty much run it at 77 all year and never turn it higher when I am not home because I have pets. Once in a while, it gets cool enough that I can turn it off and open the windows. Maybe if I am lucky, it gets cold enough to turn the heat once or twice during the year.
My electric bill was $30-40 in the winter and $70-80 in the summer. I just moved out of my condo into a house, so I don't know what to expect yet.
I set it at 80, if it gets too hot it goes to 77, that usually cools it off, if not a little lower. I don't like it too cold. If money was no object I would cool it a little more, and cooil the whole place instead of mainly the bedroom where I am most of the time.
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that "your 75 degrees" is not mine. I mean that due to the house's insulation and the temp outside, our homes' thermostats react differently.
OK, OK, you got me ... NOT a scientist. But I've read this & it sounds quite logical. And yes, there are other factors.
Secondly, because you are frugal, where do you set your thermostat in summer?
(Web search reveals most pundits recommend 78F.)
That's about where mine is all the time. Sometimes 80. Coming into 80 degrees from 100+ outside actually feels pretty good. We've had a cooler than average spring here this year so open windows, doors and ceiling fans in all the rooms have been the 'cooling' system. I've used the AC once, so far. It's starting to heat up now so it'll be interesting to see what happens with the electric bill. I just moved from a very small house to a much bigger one.
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that "your 75 degrees" is not mine. I mean that due to the house's insulation and the temp outside, our homes' thermostats react differently.
OK, OK, you got me ... NOT a scientist. But I've read this & it sounds quite logical. And yes, there are other factors.
Your 75 degrees is not mine. There, I've said it. It's true, though. It's very humid here in the summer and the second floor is always quite a bit warmer than the first. When I turn the thermostat down to cool the bedrooms, it feels cold downstairs to me.
I feel comfortable when it's in the upper 70s to 80 -- if it's not too humid and there's a breeze or a fan.
I only turn the AC on when it's super humid and the temperature is above the mid 80s. If it's not humid, the AC does not go on until it's 90s. Then the thermostat is set to 78.
Very frugal but husband is not. I would set it at 84 in the summer if I could be my frugal self, but 81 is about what we both agree on (still frugal). If I weren't frugal, it would be 78.
Our thermostat is set at 60 degrees during summer and winter, spring and fall windows are open.
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at 77 it removes most of the humidity and is comfortably cool. Sometimes I will turn it to 74 or 75 if it's super hot outside. I pretty much run it at 77 all year and never turn it higher when I am not home because I have pets. Once in a while, it gets cool enough that I can turn it off and open the windows. Maybe if I am lucky, it gets cold enough to turn the heat once or twice during the year. 
