By: Juliana Weiss-Roessler
Summer is here, and it is a scorcher! So much so in many areas that you might just be tempted to hide in your house and crank up the A/C… until you realize how much your utility bill is actually going to cost you. But fear not! In the hot summer months, there are other ways to beat the heat and avoid melting away without your bank account melting away as well.
Go for a dip. Don’t have your own pool or a fancy pool membership? No worries. Check around – lots of neighborhoods have public pools that you can use for around a dollar a day. Sure beats the water park, huh?
Set up a fan and some ice. It may seem silly, but trust me when I say this one works. Put some ice out in a bowl in front of your fan. It will pick up the freezing air coming off the ice cubes and send it right at you for a blast of cool air that’s just as good as air conditioning… in a very localized area. But unlike air conditioning, ice is a free and renewable resource, and running a fan costs little more than turning on a light.
Turn off the heat. One way to keep cool that lots of people just don’t think about: keep off all heat sources. This means no oven, no dryer (or keep it on the “no heat” setting), and being smart when you use things like hair dryers or even take a hot shower. Try doing it at night when it’s cooler or even turning the temperature down.
Make popsicles. Or have ice cream. Or any other cool treats. You’ll be lowering your temperature from the inside out. I’m not sure if that’s scientifically true, but I sure feel cooler afterward!
Run through the sprinklers. You’re watering the lawn anyway, right? Use that crisp, cool water to give your body a break from the heat as well. Bonus if you’ve got a Slip ‘n’ Slide or another fun water-based game.
Open the windows at night. People survived for thousands of years in achingly hot areas before A/C by understanding the weather and adjusting to it. A simple adjustment for you that can save a good amount of cash is simply turning off the A/C and opening your windows at night. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a nice cool breeze that will even keep your house cooler for part of the day.
Wear light colors. The darker the color, the more light – and heat – it absorbs. In hot weather, especially if you’re going to be outside, try wearing lighter colors and fabrics that breathe easier like cotton.
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