If I die from a heat stroke, tell Bradley Cooper I love him ...

I decided to check out weather dot com this morning to see what temps I was working with for the weekend, and I started sweating just reading our 10 day forecast:

Excuse me, 104 today?  Not cool.  Literally.  And these are just the temps before you factor in the heat index.  I've lived in Texas basically my entire life, so I'm used to this.  It doesn't mean I like it. 

I always wonder how people in the North survive the winters and blizzards, but I'm sure y'all wonder how we survive our sizzilin summers.  You just stay inside as much as possible and accept that you may pass out from a heat stroke at any time. 

In case you don't want to take out a loan to pay your summer electric bill, here are 5 ways to avoid a heat stroke on the cheap:

1. Cool your pulse. Wrap an ice cube in a towel and apply it to any of your body’s major pulse points (wrists, behind the knees and inside elbows) for a minute, then remove it for a minute—repeat until you feel sufficiently cool.  Pulse points are areas with the best circulation, so lowering your blood temperature in those spots will carry the cooling effect throughout the entire body.

How cute are heart shaped ice cubes?  I found this heart ice cube tray on Amazon for $6.99:

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 2. Try a hint of mint. The menthol that's in mint creates a cooling effect. Chewing a piece of gum that contains menthol will trigger cold-sensitive nerves in your mouth, making a glass of water taste colder than it normally would.  Similarly, lotions and soaps that contain mint or menthol will lend your skin an icy sensation.

Bath & Body Works carries a Mentha Body Vitamin Body Lotion for $14:

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or Target has a Mint Mojito lotion for $5.99:

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3. Go downstairs. It's true that heat rises: warm air is less dense, so it floats upwards. If you're in a house, head to the first floor or the basement to enjoy chillier temperatures. A good way to rid upstairs rooms of hot air is to place a fan in a window to suck the warm air out.

4. Slice up a cucumber or watermelon. On a hot day, eating fruits and vegetables with high water content will not only help keep you hydrated, the added fluids allow your body to release heat by thinning the blood.

Watermelon is so good in the summer!  I can't get enough of it.

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5. Sit still. Though it's tempting to create a breeze by fanning yourself, excreting energy by moving around in the heat will actually end up making you feel even warmer. So stay calm—and stay put—to avoid raising your own body temperature.

Get a personalized fan instead like this pink personal air circulator for $19.99 from Target:

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Stay cool this weekend bargainistas!  If you need me, I'll be in my apartment slathering on mint lotion, inhaling watermelon and taping ice cubes to my wrists.  TGIF.