(InvestigateTV) - Summer heat and high energy prices can put pressure on budgets, but there are ways to lower cooling costs, plan for repairs and find help if bills are piling up.

For those struggling to pay the power bill: every state has some sort of energy assistance program available for residents.

Cherry Dale, the vice president of financial education at Virginia Credit Union, said those who qualify could get help with paying their bills each month or paying for maintenance or even a new HVAC system or air conditioning unit."Having an emergency fund is important, and part of that emergency fund can be cost, such as energy costs to heat or to cool your home. If that emergency fund is there and you want to save on top of that, you could create your own energy savings fund as well," Dale said.