Stay Cool – Save Cash

Some days it may not feel like it – but summer is here. And staying cool can be costly. Here are some alternatives to bumping up the air conditioning constantly.

For your body:

1)      Neck: Place something cold on the back of your neck. If you choose something frozen, such as an ice pack, wrap it in a thin towel and moving it around often, to avoid one place getting too cold. (This can be damaging to the nerves.)

2)      Feet: Sit with your feet in cold water. Cooling your feet can help your entire body feel cooler. (Note: If you choose to add ice, use sparingly – and listen to your body. Don’t go so long or so cold that your feet turn blue or numb.)

3)      Whole body: Take a cool shower, turning it colder over a matter of several minutes. This will bring your body temperature down slightly. You can also extend the relief by wearing your swimsuit in the shower. When you get out, pat dry just enough so you’re not dripping. Leave on your suit. The cold water still in your swimsuit will keep you cooler longer. Add some air flow, such as a fan, and you have your own personal air conditioning!

Around the house:

1)      Make furniture feel cooler: Cover furniture with lightweight, light colored, cotton bed sheets. Cotton stays cooler than the heavy fabric of upholstery. Plus it can help protect your furniture if you are sweaty or sticky from the heat. Elastic edged fitted sheets work nicely and stay in place.

2)      Pull up cooler air: If you have a basement, use a fan to pull cooler air into the rest of the house.

3)      Push hot air out: At night, close all the doors to a room. Open one window. Place a fan in one side of the window, facing out. Leave the other side of the window unobstructed. The fan will blow the hot air out of the room, and cooler air from outside will come in to replace it.

4)      Force air where you want it: Close off rooms not in use. This will force more airflow into rooms that are occupied. If you have air conditioning, also close the vents in unused rooms. This prevents paying to cool those areas.