How to beat the heat this summer without going broke!

I know we live in a Caribbean island and we are accustomed to the heat but these last few weeks have been extremely hot. Even though at times we get a rain, it does nothing to dispel the heat that seems to rise from your body.

The best way to beat the heat is of course to use fans and air conditioning however, this results in another problem as the electricity bills will adversely be affected! Even though using fans are cheaper than air conditioners they also don’t seem to be as effective as their expensive counterpart.

How can we beat the heat this summer without breaking the bank?

Summer Tips to Stay Cool (For Free or Near enough)

I have friends who swear by this trick to stay cool without using fans or air conditioning, they stick their sheets in the freezer. That’s right and after a few in the freezer their sheets get really cold and they remain cool long enough for you to fall asleep.

Position is important

If you don’t relish the idea of laying on fresh from the freezer sheets you could also place your fan in a better position. Fans are just for blowing hot air around!

Point box fans out the windows so they push hot air out, and adjust ceiling fan settings so the blades run counter-clockwise, pulling hot air up and out instead of just twirling it around the room.

Do-It-Yourself

What about making your own air conditioning without paying the cost of higher electricity bills!

You can do this by positioning a shallow pan or bowl (a roasting pan works nicely) full of ice in front of a fan. The breeze will pick up cold water from the ice’s surface as it melts, creating a cooling mist. Set up multiple fans throughout the room for maximum effect.

You can cool down a whole room by hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window. The breeze blowing in will quickly bring down the room’s temperature.

There are lots of pulse points in the feet and ankles so you can cool down the whole body by dunking (clean!) feet in cold water before going to bed. Better yet, keep a bucket of water near the bed and dip feet whenever you’re feeling hot throughout the night.

Well what do you think? Can these tips work?

Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: heat, summer