Last year I moved into an apartment that doesn’t have air conditioning, and there was a stretch of time in July where it was absolutely brutal. It got up to 100 degrees with high humidity levels every day for a good week and a half, and my apartment was miserably hot.

The easy solution is to get air conditioning, but this isn’t always possible. Air conditioning can get expensive quickly, especially if you live in a very warm climate. However, there are some simple steps you can take to stay cool on hot summer days that are either completely free or very cheap. Here are a few of the best ones!

• Use white blinds or shades. You should, of course, close your shades or blinds in order to keep the hot sun out of your home, but using white shades or blinds also helps to reflect the sun away from your home.

• Don’t use the oven. The last thing you want to do on a hot day is heat your home up more than necessary. If you can prepare cool or microwaved meals, you will be able to avoid having an unbearable atmosphere in your home!

• Use fans. Fans hardly suck up any energy at all—even the most powerful fans will cost you less than $10 a month if you have them on all day. Studies show that a ceiling fan can make a room feel six or seven degrees cooler than it actually is. Even air movement of as little as one mile per hour can make you feel up to four degrees cooler.

• Avoid using incandescent bulbs. These bulbs can actually give off a small amount of heat themselves. If you use fluorescent bulbs instead, they will save you energy and reduce the amount of heat that is being expelled.

• Reduce the humidity in your home. Use a dehumidifier, if one is available to you. Avoid washing and drying clothes, showering or boiling water during the day, if possible. Since humid air feels warmer than dry air, reducing your humidity levels can help you stay comfortable.

Do you have any other tips for staying cool during the summer without air conditioning? Be sure to share them!