Does turning off the AC before shutting down the engine actually help the battery?

[jasonroy]

This might sound like a silly question but I've heard two different things from two different people and now I don't know who to believe. My uncle, who's been driving in Sharjah for like twenty years, swears that he never had battery problems because he always turns off the AC, the radio, and even the interior lights before he turns off the engine. He says this reduces the sudden draw on the battery when you start the car again. But my coworker says that's old advice and modern cars handle all that automatically so it doesn't make a real difference. Honestly I don't know enough about cars to judge who's right. What I do know is that my battery died last week after only fourteen months and I'm getting really tired of this cycle. I want to try some new habits but I don't want to waste my time on things that don't actually matter. I was reading an article the other day that gave some solid advice on how to increase battery lifespan in hot weather and it mentioned that the real killer here is the combination of extreme heat and vibration from rough roads, not necessarily whether you remember to turn off the AC. That got me thinking. Maybe I should focus more on keeping the battery physically secure and checking the terminals for tightness rather than stressing about my shutdown routine. What do you guys think based on your own experience? Has anyone actually tested the AC off trick and noticed their battery lasted longer? Or is it just one of those myths that won't die? Would love to hear real stories.