As the heat of the summer approaches, and gas prices continue to rise, any idea of how to reduce costs would sound appealing to the average consumer. Here are some quick, simple ideas for how to avoid using the air conditioner for as long as possible.
Wet Cold Towel and Ice
Buy lots of ice. Wet a towel with cool water and place it over a bowlful of ice wherever you plan on relaxing in your house, whether it be the living room or your bedroom. Wearing as little as possible, use the ice cold towel to cool the areas of your body that sweat and get the hottest, including your face, your chest, and your legs. When the towel grows warm, just place it back on the ice, and continue to refill the ice as necessary throughout the day.
Cold Showers
The cost of water is a lot less than the cost of electricity, so use it to your advantage. Take frequent cold showers throughout the day to refresh yourself and get cool again. You may even be daring enough to take a cold bath, throwing a couple of ice cubes in the water to prolong the feeling. Take a book with you or set up your television in the bathroom. If you’re a couple, bring your honey too—why not? We have to be creative with how to spend our days when saving money in a hard economy.
OPA – Other People’s Air
The best way to stay cool without spending money is to use OPA—other people’s air conditioners. Instead of getting on the computer at your house, go to Panera, Starbucks, Kinkos, or another public arena to get cool and either finish up work or check your email and listen to you tunes. You can even watch television on your computer these days. Many television networks post full episodes online. So if you don’t mind the smell of Java or being around other people, spend the time you would normally spend on your own couch in a coffee shop or other location enjoying the nice cool air.
What about the museum or the library? This might be an opportunity to become more culturally aware and experience new things. Go see a new exhibit or spend the day in the library.
Use all of your resources when you are trying to save money in the dead heat of the summer. You don’t have to leave your air conditioner running all day long—who can afford that anymore? Instead, use OPA and old school methods of staying cool for the majority of your day.
