WATCH: How to slash your a/c bill and still keep cool

Want to lower your electric bill? Here’s how to turn off your A/C today and still keep your house from feeling like an oven all summer long.

Your home has probably cooled off during the night, so in the morning, the goal is to keep the sun and the hot air out like it’s poison. When you leave for work, shut the doors, shut the windows, shut the blinds, shut everything up!

When the sun begins to set and it feels cooler outside than inside, it’s time to open everything back up. For optimal cross-breezes, open windows that aren’t directly across from each other. The longer the path between the inlet and the outlet, the more of your home you’ll be cooling.

Now it’s time to shut down your electronics- and anything generating heat. Turn off unnecessary lights. Computers produce a lot of heat- including the laptop you’re reading this on, which is probably cooking your legs right now. Dryers, dishwashers, and stoves are all going to make things hotter. So either put chores on hold, or take your meals outside to the grill and hang your laundry in the sun.

You’ve worked up a bit of a sweat heat-proofing your house. The last step is relaxing by a fan. Ceiling and table fans don’t actually cool the air- but they can make it feel about 4 degrees cooler- especially as the moisture evaporates from your skin. A wet cloth wrapped around your head will also help keep you cool- at least until your family begs you to please just turn the air conditioning back on. Stay cool!