The temperatures have been getting hotter and hotter the last couple of weeks and that typically means you will have your air conditioning blasting (if you have one), and that can get pretty expensive. But I get it, after a long, hot day at work, you want to come home to a cool house.

Photo by yechan park on Unsplash
Photo by yechan park on Unsplash
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There are lots of different ways to help keep your home cool with or without an air conditioner or central air. My first apartment did NOT have an air conditioning unit, but my new apartment does. I have yet to turn it on. Why? I use a couple of these tips.

Tip One: Close the blinds. This is such an easy way to keep your home cool while you are away during the day or maybe for the weekend. Obviously, with the blinds closed, the sunshine will not be beaming in and heating your home.

Photo by Darren Richardson on Unsplash
Photo by Darren Richardson on Unsplash
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Tip Two: Don't use the oven or avoid it if you can. The oven is an immediate home heater that we sometimes don't think about. In the winter, after using the oven, I will leave the oven door open to use the heat. That just shows how much heat is given off.

Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
Photo by Andrew Valdivia on Unsplash
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Tip Three: Make sure that you don't have leaks around windows and doors. This helps keep that cool air in and that hot air out. It's pretty simple. If you live in an apartment, you can take a tissue and hold it next to your patio door, front door, or windows on a windy day and see if the tissue moves. Easy way to see if you are sealed up well.

Photo by Danielle Dolson on Unsplash
Photo by Danielle Dolson on Unsplash
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Tip Four: Change out those old nasty lightbulbs for LED bulbs. You know the old ones that you have to turn off for 5 minutes before removing them because they are too hot to touch. Not only will the LED bulbs save you money, they'll help keep your home cool as well.

Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash
Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash
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Hopefully, these tips will help you keep cool this summer AND save some money on your electric bill. Stay cool people.

LOOK: Here are 25 ways you could start saving money today

These money-saving tips—from finding discounts to simple changes to your daily habits—can come in handy whether you have a specific savings goal, want to stash away cash for retirement, or just want to pinch pennies. It’s never too late to be more financially savvy. Read on to learn more about how you can start saving now. [From: 25 ways you could be saving money today]

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