20 ways for renters to stay cool and save money this summer
Lower utility bills and better energy efficiency will help you keep your cool.
CHILL: Up your summer fun by lowering your utilities and carbon footprint. (Photo: Orin Zebest/Flickr) 
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If you have a standard water heater with a tank, turn it off at the breaker. It only takes about 20-30 mins to have it heat your water, so you just have to remember to turn it on. This is a year-round money and energy saver. Left on all the time means the the heater cycles on periodically, draining your bank account and wasting energy.
If you live in a God-forsaken desert, and have plumbing in the attic, it is likely you can turn the water heater off altogether throughout the summer. When we lived in Phoenix (past tense is a wonderful thing!), our water heater was turned off from March until October, and the 'attic water' was sufficient to shower with. If we needed a hot load of laundry, we would fire up the heater, and turn it off before filling the washer. But do you really need to wash in hot water? Very rarely...
Stay cool by wearing linen. I recommend the tropical guayabera shirt.
http://www.mycubanstore.com/men/men-guayaberas
When it is hot and you don't have the A/C on it, it is that much easier to take advantage of the long summer days by getting up with the sun. If you are hot when you wake up, just get up. Thanks for this article, I have naturally began eating smaller meals in my un-A/C'd house. It works because today I ate a large meal and took a large nap. That doesn't happen if I eat light.
After reading Sharon Astyk's book, 'Depletion and Abundance', I tried one of her suggestions and it worked! I freeze several bottles of water overnight, and then place them in the regular fridge during the day. The ice in the bottles slowly melt, and prevent the fridge from running during the day, preventing more heat from being produced by the fridge. In the evening, I take the melted bottles out and return them to the freezer. There is less demand on electricity overnight, so it has been a.... More
I've seen people put shades *outside* their windows to reduce heat gain from direct sunlight. It can be more effective than interior shades, which still allow heat into the house through the glass. You could also block sunlight with plantings outside windows (could be potted plants, too).
This is absolutely the truth. When the side of the house is shaded, either by trees, wide eaves, or coverings hanging from the eaves, the house walls/windows aren't being heated and transferring that heat back inside. We live in an RV, and the difference between being parked in the shade or in the sun is telling.
My tip is a weird one but don't knock it til you try it! If you have trouble sleeping in the heat, gather up your sheet and get it damp under the shower for a few seconds. Not wet - damp.
The cool feeling against your skin is lovely and it means you can snuggle into the sheet and get comfortable, instead of lying like a starfish :)
My kids love it too.
i grew up doing this, but we would just spritz our sheets with a spray bottle. it's especially effective if you have a fan blowing on you, too!
I love opening the windows at night to let the cool air in, then closing them in the morning to trap the cold air in. Depending on various things, the hottest days were barely noticable and even then it was when I came home in the evening. And by then it was cooling down, so the windows were opened again to let the cool air in. This works great if you have double hung windows and both the bottom and top window can open, cooler air coming in from the bottom and warmer air going out the.... More
If you can't stand being sweaty (and the sticky salty feeling that comes with it), you can get excellent results from a spray bottle of water. - Most cheap ones can be put on a "mist" setting. A few squirts on the head and arms and you're good to go!
