Though the arrival of summer brings fun days at the pool and delicious barbeques, it also brings sweltering temperatures and unbearable humidity. If you feel like your home never feels cool, despite constantly running your air conditioning, it's time to take action. Check out these unconventional ways to save money and keep your home at a comfortable temperature this summer.

1. Draw the Blinds and Drapes
Much of your home's unwanted heat enters through your glass windows and doors. Keep the heat outside where it belongs by drawing your blinds and drapes during bouts of hot weather. If you miss having natural light streaming through your windows or have an exterior view that you want to enjoy, you should at least consider closing your blinds and drapes during the afternoon hours, as this is typically the hottest part of the day. 

2. Utilize Your Fans
Make sure that you're running the fans throughout your entire home to encourage cool temperatures. The fans in your bathroom and microwave work by removing warm air from your home and moving it outside. Though you typically use these fans when you're raising the temperature of the room (by cooking or taking a shower), you can also use them to remove hot summer air.

Your ceiling fans are another valuable tool when it comes to cooling your home. Check that your ceiling fans are running counterclockwise; this will push the warm air to the top of the room while allowing the cold air to remain closer to your living space. There should be a switch on your ceiling fans that allows you to change their directions.

3. Run a De-Humidifier
On muggy summer days, it may not be the warm temperatures that make the weather unpleasant: it's the high humidity levels. High humidity can turn an otherwise pleasant, balmy day into a blazing event. A de-humidifier will remove moisture from the air in your home so that it feels cooler. 

4. Swap Your Light Bulbs for Energy Efficient Alternatives
If your home contains incandescent light bulbs, you should know that this type of bulb throws off a high amount of heat. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with CFL and LED bulbs. Both of these alternatives are more energy efficient and emit smaller amounts of heat than incandescent bulbs. The less heat the you emit into your home, the lower the temperature. 

Regardless of what kind of bulb you use in your home, make sure that you turn the lights off when they aren't being used. This is an effortless way to cool your home and lower your energy bills.