Tips like these helped us pay off $127K in debt. You can read our story in Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After.
Autumn captures my heart like no other season. The brilliant color, the cooler temperatures, and rapid approach of the holiday season all bring happiness. Like every season, fall provides unique opportunities to save money. While you devour apples harvested at their peak and jump into piles of leaves, I doubt you’re thinking about the cold winds of winter. However, just like the wise little ant encouraged the grasshopper to plan for the snowy days ahead, I want to remind you balancing the budget in January begins now. Here are my best tips to save money during winter by planning during the fall.
Seal up Cracks
During the months of September and October in Indiana, I find many days I can get away with neither having to turn on the air conditioning or the furnace for heat. It’s a blessing to live in a mild autumn climate. Once the chilly temperatures set in though, there’s no mistaking your need for warmth. One of the very best things you can do now while the weather is pleasant is to take a few hours to seal up the cracks in your home. Check the windows and doors and when necessary re-caulk. Consider purchasing or even making your own “draft dodger” for external doors that remain closed during the colder months of the year.
Clean Your Gutters
When the snows and ice arrive and subsequently melt away, you don’t want your gutters to clogged with leaves. At least once late in the season, clean out your gutters or hire someone to do it for you. The dollars and time you spend will be well worth the investment. Clearing out your gutters always costs less than purchasing new ones and recovering from the damage caused due to malfunction.
Show Your Furnace Love
We never give our major appliances enough attention during their “off seasons.” Instead of panicking when your furnace breaks down on the most frigid day of the year, take some time to do some routine maintenance right now. At a minimum, replace the filter. You may also consider having a professional give your furnace a “check up” and clean the unit. While this may cost you a few dollars now, it has the potential to save you hundreds in the future.
Stock Your Pantry
Filling your shelves with staples and your freezer with meals may seem like an expensive venture. However, having the food you need on hand will keep your family out of the drive through during busy holiday seasons. Take a solid inventory of what you already have and then build a list of family favorites. Think of non-perishables or items with a long shelf life. I am sure to keep plenty of cereal, oats, rice, pasta, canned and dried beans, coffee (you never want to run out of coffee!), and peanut butter on hand during the winter months. If you have space to store toiletry items like deodorant, shampoo, paper towels, toilet paper, and tissues, stock up on these items, too. Running out of essentials often leads to a trip for “one thing” where we overbuy and overextend ourselves.
Budget Extra Dollars for Heat
It’s time to face facts, friends. You will spend more money on to heat your home during the winter than you do during the summer months. For some budgets, the difference between cooling costs decreasing will even out the amount charged. Other households need to plan for an additional expenditure. Many gas companies offer a “budget plan” to spread the expense of increased costs throughout the calendar year. You may want to look into such a program to weigh its potential benefit for your budget.
A penny in the fall can truly save you a pound when blustery, freezing weather arrives. Carve out time to plan ahead to save future you plenty of money.
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
[…] Don’t get caught up by household repair. Read 5 Ways to Plan Ahead NOW to Save Money During Winter. […]