This is My First Apartment‘s 200th post! Hurray!

Yep, it’s August and while summer has played (somewhat) nice so far, it is not sparing us from feeling like we’re cavorting in a sauna the size of NYC this week. Well, today IS a bit better, but there’s not telling when we’ll be back to 90+ degree days.

Of course, hot summer days are uncomfortable, but for us young folk trying to scrounge by on entry level salaries, they’re also EXPENSIVE.

I’ve done my own research though and asked a bunch of friends and here are some collective solutions:

1) Your AC is not your friend. It is a giant vacuum attacking your bank account.
I need AC as much as the next curly haired gal in order to cool down my frizz, but there are ways to cut down on usage. Air conditioning units have increased their efficiency in the past few years, but they’ll still cause your electric bill to grow legs. Also, check out the comment from our last post regarding How Much Apartment Utilities Actually Cost which tells you how to stabilize your electric bill year-round!

2) There are other, non AC solutions to cool down.
First, use a fan in conjunction with the AC. While you’ll still be using electricity, you’ll be using significantly less. Beyond that, make sure that your curtains/shades are thick and can keep sunlight and heat out of your room. I have some nice Roman shades and I’m SHOCKED at how much cooler my room is when they’re drawn. As an aside, this is also a nice way to avoid nosy neighbors!

3)Get outta your apartment!
If you go to the movies — the cooling system’s on their dime. If you go out to dinner? Same thing. Yes, it’s a bit counter-intuitive when it comes to money, but there are also free ways to cool down. Check out when museums near you have free visiting times. There’s also the library and the local pool.

4)Keep that fridge/freezer closed tight.
You’re probably thinking, um, am I a child? Do I really need to be told this? Well, hopefully not. But, my roommates have left both open multiple times this summer and I’ve come home to find my milk sweating bullets. It’s just plain wasteful, not to mention costly.

Tags: air conditioning, budgeting, summer