In the Midwest, the summer months can bring the heat. Many people look forward to this season for a variety of reasons like possible vacations or camping, baseball season (for local kids and professional teams), and fun summer activities like gardening, swimming, and biking. The part of the season that may be challenging is beating the heat, especially when budgets are already tight and energy costs may be rising to keep your home cool. Let’s discuss some ways to beat the summer heat and enjoy the change in weather. Whether you need to find cool places to spend time, find summer cost-saving cooking options, or home energy saving, look for ways to improve your financial wellness over the summer.

Places to beat the heat

Public libraries may be an option for a cool place to relax and spend time during the peak heat of the day. Local public pools are typically a low-cost option for spending some time cooling down in a pool during the day. Many areas have local community centers or senior centers that may be an option for a break from the heat. If you are in need of assistance, contact the Illinois Department of Human Services to see if you qualify for any assistance programs to help during the summer or you can call 211 for help finding essential community services. If you are out in the heat, please be aware of the signs of heat exhaustion, which may include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, elevated body temperature, and decreased urine output. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends staying cool, hydrated, and informed this summer regarding heat related illness.  

Summer cooking

While eating food at home tends to be more economical, you may still find additional ways to reduce the costs of food. When preparing food at home during the summer, you may want to avoid overusing the stove/oven. There is an energy cost to using the stove/oven, but the heat it produces can create an additional cost to cooling your home back down. Maybe you could try some summer recipes that do not involve the use of a stove/oven or consider cooking outside. 

Home energy-saving tips

The Department of Energy provides some great resources and guidance on ways to conserve energy use. When trying to keep your home comfortable in the summer, try using ceiling and window fans as a way to circulate the air in addition to air conditioning. Some additional tips from the Department of Energy are how to conserve energy while using air conditioning including programming your thermostat as high as comfortable, cleaning your air conditioning filters as needed for efficiency, utilizing window coverings during the day to block the sun’s heat, and trying to purchase energy-efficient products when possible.  Enjoy your summer with ways to stay cool while also considering your health and financial wellness.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, May 13). Heat stress related illness. Cdc.gov 

Federal Communications Commission. (n.d.). Dial 211 for Essential Community Services. Fcc.gov 

Illinois Department of Human Services. (n.d.). State Emergency Assistance Programs. Keep Cool Illinois. 

Mahlandt, J. (2024, February 14). Focusing on food costs. Finding Financial Balance - University of Illinois Extension. 

United States Department of Energy. (n.d.). Fans for cooling | Department of Energy. energy.gov. 

United States Department of Energy. (n.d.). Home Cooling Systems | Department of Energy. energy.gov.