[RobertSmalls]

You can do this in America, too. I have a window A/C for the bedroom, and I could have one in the living room, too. Find room to set the A/C on the floor or a table during weeks of mild weather, so you can open a window and let in cool air. Being in Buffalo, I probably pulled the A/C out five times during the summer, and ran it for only six weeks or so. Even if it's too hot outside during the afternoon, you can keep your living space nice and cool if you plan ahead.

If you have central A/C, you should balance the ducts to send cool air only where it's needed.

If you have kitchen doors, close them and open the windows if you have something in the oven. My kitchen got HOT during the summer - probably triple digit temperatures while I was baking. Solution: if you must bake on a hot day, plan ahead. Do all your prep work before you turn on the oven, and do the dishes after the kitchen cools down. Or if you're having pork chops, have them on the grill instead of in the oven.