Beat the Heat on the Cheap
As summer rolls ever onwards, the heat can be tough to beat without burning a hole in your wallet. The easiest and most obvious option to beat the summer heat is to invest in an air conditioning unit. However, if you would prefer to keep your costs down, there are lots of ways to cool down without spending too much.
Buy two fans
A cheaper alternative to an air conditioning unit, table fans cost under $20 and are portable, light and easy to transport. The trick is to buy two fans, then position them across a room, facing in opposite directions to create a cross draft.
Close the blinds
Most of the heat in a room is caused by the sun's rays during the day. To reduce the heat, block the sun out during the day. Close the windows and the blinds in the hottest hours, opening them only at night when you need to.
Make your own cold water bottle
The diametric opposite of a hot water bottle, a cold water bottle helps to lower the ambient temperature in a localized area. Use a plastic bottle, fill it with water and freeze. When ice forms, wrap the bottle in a plastic bag to stop leakage, and place in the bed with you.
Take lukewarm showers
The summer heat may tempt you to take ice cold showers, but this actually increases temperature, as your body tries to compensate for the loss of heat. Instead, take lots of lukewarm showers during the day it will reduce the heat and make you feel cleaner, better and cooler.
Drink up
To keep cool and hydrated, drink lots of cold fresh juices or iced teas, both of which will help beat the heat. You can press your own juices or make up a big jug of cold iced tea to keep in the fridge. Quench your thirst and cool down with liberal doses of cold drinks.
