Frugal living is a lifestyle that not everyone completely understands or appreciates, but it’s usually more noticeable during an intense period such as summer where we constantly have the air conditioner on. Leaving our appliances on to cool our home can be expensive, but it’s almost necessary to beat the heat—or is it?
There are plenty of frugal practices you can pick up if you want to save money on your utility bills this summer, and this article will go through a bunch of different ideas and tricks that you can use to cut household costs.
Stay hydrated
Buying bottled water can eventually get expensive. If you aren’t used to drinking tap water then it might be time to start filling bottles with tap water and simply chilling them in the fridge. Staying hydrated is incredibly important during the summer and your body temperature is far more important than the temperature of your home. If tap water isn’t potable in your area, then consider investing in a cheap water filter instead. Check this article at https://wellnessmama.com/8079/water-filter-options/ for some reviews on common types of water filters.
Make use of your fans
Fans are far less electricity-hungry than an air conditioning unit and can even be powered using solar power or simple batteries. Handheld fans are great for cooling off your face or neck, and your ceiling fan is a low-cost way to circulate cold air around your home. There are plenty of companies that sell quality ceiling fans, such as https://www.mylightingsource.com/store/categories/1480/Casablanca-Fans, if you don’t already have one. They also work great in the winter if you simply turn the switch on the fan itself so it pushes air up instead of down.
Use doors wisely
Hot air spreads around your home very quickly, so it’s a good idea to keep your doors closed so that you don’t encourage it. In fact, if there are cool areas in your home that are protected by shade, then you should consider keeping the doors to those areas closed. You can then use those rooms to cool off since hot air isn’t invading them. Once the sun sets, you can open the door to these chilled rooms to allow the cold air to escape and lower the temperature of your house.
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Cook outdoors
If you have an unused grill laying around, then brave the heat and go outside to cook instead of staying indoors. Not only does it give you an excuse to start a summer garden party, it also ensures that the heat from your oven and stove don’t spread around your home and heat it up. Grilling outside allows the heat from cooking to dissipate into the summer breeze, ensuring that it stays well away from your home.
Close the blinds
If the sun shines directly into certain rooms, then it can help to close the blinds so that sunlight can’t get in. If you have thick curtains then this works especially well to keep those heated rays away from your home. It might darken your home a little, so another option is to install a film on your windows that specifically blocks out the heat.