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Beat the Heat on a Budget

August 18, 2010 by Daniel

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Summers in the south are…hot. I can take a dry heat but a hot, humid, sweltering heat is another matter altogether. Nowhere is that hottness more evident than in my utility bill (my electric bill to be precise). Crazy as it may seem, I keep my house at a balmy 78 degrees during the day and 76 degrees at night. We have lots of tile so it really doesn’t seem as hot. But it’s hot nonetheless.

So, what do you do if you can’t afford to run your A/C all day? Or, like me, you’re tired of high electric bills? As Jennifer Derrick from PF Advice explains, there are several actions you can take today to beat the heat and save money to boot.

Fans: Get as many fans as you can. Ceiling fans work great, as do box and pivoting fans. Box fans can be placed in windows where they suck in more air volume to blow around.

This is what I do at night. A quiet, oscillating fan pushes a nice breeze throughout the room. I can’t open the windows because it’s way too humid and would only make things worse. If you’ve never used fans before, it can take some getting used to. I have to warn you, though. Once you start sleeping with a fan, you’ll have a hard time falling asleep without it.

Misters: You can buy special misters, or just fill a clean squirt bottle with water. Spritz yourself with water and let it evaporate.

I see these often at outdoor venues. You can also use a sprinkler and garden hose outside. Although your water bill may increase, it won’t be as drastic as electricity.

And, my favorite tip:

Put your underwear in the fridge: Clean underwear only, please. Pulling on a cool pair of panties feels wonderful.

Or just boxers or briefs if you’re male (I hope). I’m surprised I never thought of this. But, being male, I may have been too fearful of getting frostbite on a few sensitive items.

For more heat beating tips: Beat the Heat on a Budget – Personal Finance Advice by Jennifer Derrick

Filed Under: Budgeting, Saving Tagged With: budget, save money, saving

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