Summer is heating up, but that doesn't mean you have to blast AC all day. There are plenty of cheap and easy ways to cool down without breaking the bank.
So I asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their best tips for cooling off without AC. Here's what they had to say:
1. "I live in Vegas, and I take a lot of showers when it gets too hot. It doesn't have to be cold showers, but the important part is to not actually towel off because the evaporation of the water off your body is the part that feels cooling."
2. "We hang thick wool blankets up over our windows. Wool is a very effective insulator, meaning it does not conduct heat."
"Many people use aluminum foil on windows, which does reflect light, but also conducts heat. So recommendations for aluminum foil say to use it between windows and drapes (in our case, thick wool 'drapes')."
3. "Water is the holy grail for me. Like, permanently trying to stay wet. I hold my head under the tap and let the cool water run over my neck, face hair, as often as possible."
"And keeping my feet in a bucket of water. And those spray bottles. And when I'm on the bus or somewhere, wetting a Kleenex or a piece of cloth with water from my bottle and constantly wiping myself down with the wet cloth, and then laying it on the back of my neck. And at night, when everything fails, crying myself to sleep lol."
4. "Tip for pet owners: Get your dog a shirt, dampen the shirt, and when it’s not on your dog put it in the fridge to keep it cold. Also make frozen treats."
5. "Peppermint oil in a mist bottle with water (avoid your face). Then user a roller ball to apply it to your temples and neck for an extra cooling sensation."
6. "This is more for people relocating, but TREES. Their shade will cool down your building."
7. "Put lots of ice in a big bowl. Place bowl between you and a fan. Blow the fan in your direction. The fan will blow cold air rather than the nasty hot air that feels like you’re just blowing steam around the room."
8. "I sleep with a spray bottle filled with water and use it whenever I need it. Also, when it's really hot, I take a wet towel to bed with me."
9. "Fill 2–3 gallon Ziploc bags with water and put them in the freezer. Once cool or partially frozen, take them out, wrap them in a thin cloth (a T-shirt works better than a towel), and put those ice-cold bundles on key areas: thighs, neck, chest, head, lower back."
"The coolness lasts at least an hour or two. My cats love these ice bags too."
—e_k
10. "Track the coolest time of the day, and be sure to open your windows for an hour or two to flush your home with the coolest air. Even better if you put a fan blowing OUT in that open window to suck out the hot air."
11. "Don't wear clothes when home."
12. "Wrists, necks, and feet are the quickest paths to cooling down your body temp. Cold compresses, ice packs, or cold water will do the trick."
"And if it's super humid where you live, cover yourself in baby powder after your shower; it'll help keep you feeling fresh longer than without."
13. "Run a flat sheet through the washing machine before you go to bed, and use it as a cover in bed, with a fan on you. Feels a bit weird sleeping damp, but the evaporation is super cooling." —squarahlou
14. "Our top floor apartment gets outrageously hot, so we keep all the windows and blinds shut during the day. When we open them at night, we put a box fan in one window facing inside, then another box fan in the window on the opposite side of the apartment but facing outward."
"It sounds weird, but it creates an awesome cross breeze because it's pulling cool air from outside in and pushing hot air out."
15. "I do have AC but not in the bedrooms. I put ice packs (like you use in a cooler) underneath my pillows at night. You can reach your hand up and put your pulse point (wrist one, obv!) on it, and it stays insulated. I also have done this for my dogs on their beds so they can choose whether or not to be on it." —swirl5335
"Take ice blocks or a frozen hot water bottle (don't overfill it) into bed with you — particularly helps down by my feet."
16. And finally, "Stay very, very hydrated. The heat is so much worse if you aren’t drinking enough water."
Do you have another genius method for beating the heat? Share it in the comments below, and check out the rest of our personal finance posts for more money-saving ideas.
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.