Thanks for voting!Fall is here and you know what that means – the chill of winter is creeping up on us. Don’t want to think that far ahead? With all the extra costs winter brings (winter coats and boots, heating bills, broken water heaters, dead car batteries, winter getaways, the list goes on…brrrrrr), we can see why you’d think twice before boarding the winter welcome-wagon. Want to beat Old Man Winter at his own money-freezing game? Make fall your time to winterize your wallet. Personal Finance Advice can give you a few tips to prepare your house, car, and family for the cold between now and December 21st.
Sure, winter may be the farthest thing from your mind. You probably feel like you just got the hang of the fall school and sports schedule. Or maybe you just plain refuse to think about the cold until the end of the MLB playoffs. But some winter prep in these fall months can save you a chunk of change on all things winter. And save you time waiting around for busy repairmen in below freezing temps, or standing in long lines at the local hardware store for a new snow blower.
Waiting until your dog’s teeth are chattering to turn on the heater and buying outerwear from sale shelves at the end of the season are two of many ways Savers pocket some extra cash when prepping for the cold. How do you save money on winter goods?
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We only have a gas bill for the 4 coldest months of the year, so I took that amount, divided by 12, and rather than have four $250 bills when I’m already spending money on holiday gifts and Thanksgiving stuffing, I pay a reasonable throughout the year. We also start our holiday shopping 4th of July weekend, and that includes the things I need for homemade gifts.
Absolute best thing to do if you live in a cold climate is to installl a programmable thermostat. I had been lazy for many years and kept putting this project (all 20 minutes of it!) off for several years. In December of 2008 my natural gas bill was just over $300 for the month. I finally said enough is enough and bought the programmable thermostat at Home Depot for $40 and installed it the same night. My gas bill the next month? Wait for it…$140 and some change. And January was REALLY cold! I could not believe it. I only wish I had done it sooner.
Honestly, two wires, color coded, set up the program and you are done and laughing all the way to the bank!