Don’t want to waste money by running your AC all summer? Don’t have air conditioning? Here are 8 tips to help you beat the summer heat using common household items.

Turn off heat sources. Switch off your computer and lights when not using them. Instead of incandescent and halogen lamps, use compact florescent ones that produce less heat.

Alternative air conditioner. If it’s hot but not humid, place a bowl of ice in front of a fan. As the ice melts and evaporates, it will cool you off.

What’s the wind doing? If there is a breeze, try circulating air by opening windows on the north and south sides of your home or apartment. Block solar heat with white window shades that deflect the sun.

Traditional desert technique. If the air outside is dry and cooler than the air inside, hang a damp sheet in an open window. Any breeze passing through the sheet will be cooled by the evaporating water.

What to wear? Something loose-fitting, preferably of a light color and cotton, which will keep you cooler than many synthetics.

Quick fix. Fill a spray bottle with water and keep it in the refrigerator, and use it for a quick refreshing spray to your face after being outdoors.

Fan strategically. At the end of the day when your home is steaming with trapped air, try some nighttime ventilation to help cool you while you sleep. Face the blades of a window fan to the outside to draw warm air out of the house and pull cooler air in. A fan that is blowing in seems an obvious choice, but it’s not as effective as one blowing out.

Running a fan and an air conditioner simultaneously. If you turn your air conditioner to low, set a fan to blow air over you. The air conditioner removes humidity from the air while the fan helps move heat away from your body. Continue to save by turning off your fan before you leave, because fans don’t cool a room, they just make you feel cooler.