The alternative that will work for you depends on the equipment you already have in your home and what you are willing to purchase. Many people have ceiling fans in their homes, which help circulate air and keep a room cool at a low cost. If you don’t have ceiling fans, you could install one in each room or use portable fans. Ceiling fans and portable fans cost less to use than air conditioning, giving you a cooler feeling without having to cool your entire home. Be sure ceiling fans are set to rotate counter-clockwise. And close window shades and blinds wherever possible to limit the amount of hot sun that enters the home.