If you want to save some money this summer, live like the Europeans do and try going without air conditioning. In fact, a quarter of Canadian households ditched their AC last year. Going a whole summer without AC saved around $300, according to estimates from BC Hydro. According to the province, running a fan for an entire summer costs just $6, offering a cost-effective alternative for staying cool. Some other tips to keep cool include keeping your windows and curtains shut during the day, opening them at night, and avoiding using an oven. It might seem daunting, but it’s totally possible: Just look at countries like Germany, France, and the U.K., where no more than 5% of households have air conditioning. During the U.K.’s scorching 2022 summer where some days saw highs of 40 C, many people kept cool the old-fashioned way — but in the case of those temperatures, maybe we’d recommend leaving the cold air on.
