It’s that time of year again when the leaves start changing and you pull out the winter wardrobe. The chaos of the holiday season is just a few short months away. There are a few things you can do now to prepare your home and family for the coming season.

Prepare your home for the cold weather

Depending on where you live in the country winter time can be brutal on your yard and home. Take steps while it’s still warm to get ready.

Trim the trees and bushes. If the trees near your home have branches that could snap under the weight of ice or snow, have them removed to prevent damage to your home or car or the possibility of causing an injury to someone walking by.

Wrap the pipes. Heating tape around your pipes, especially those on outside walls will help prevent your pipes from freezing. Make sure you know where the pipes are located, how to get to them, and how to turn the water off. If your pipes do start to freeze, being able to turn the water off quickly will give you a better chance of stopping the pipes from bursting and causing extensive damage to your home.

Check your water heater for leaks and maintain a proper temperature setting (the Department of Energy recommends 120 degrees). On older water heaters that don’t have much insulation, you save six percent of your heating energy for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit you lower the temperature. Many plumbers offer an inexpensive heater check this time of year. Better safe now than losing your hot water come January.

Insulate.Well-insulated attics prevent ice developing on your roof and causing damage to roofing tiles and well-insulated basements can help prevent your pipes from freezing and lower your energy costs. If your house need additional protection roll insulation is surprisingly cheap and can be installed without professional help as long as you wear proper clothing to protect from irritation from the fibers. Look at your local home store for insulation rated between R-30 and R-49 for attics and R-13 for outside walls. Blow in insulation is also an option, but you’ll need to look for professional advice. Here is a great article to get you started: https://www.wikihow.com/Insulate-Your-Home

Seal the cracks.Windows and doors are the weakest spots when it comes to keeping heat in and the cold out. Check the seals around your windows and doors and caulk or place weather stripping around any weak spots if necessary. If you don’t have double pane windows you can add a layer of protection by using a clear adhesive window film to cover the glass and side cracks. Add door sweeps to the bottom of doors where the crack is too large to fill otherwise. Also, don’t underestimate the value of a drape or curtain over windows to keep the chill down. Same goes for rugs on uninsulated wood or tile floors.

Heat your home. While it’s tempting to turn your thermostat down to keep your heating bills from skyrocketing, if you’re too thrifty it can cost you rather than save. Your home should never go below 65 degrees. The air inside your walls gets considerably colder than the air in your home, so if you keep your home lower than 65 degrees, the pipes inside your walls will be in danger of freezing and then breaking.

Taking care of your furnace and any fireplaces in your home will help you prevent fires or smoke damage. Have them serviced at least once a year. Clean permanent furnace filters and replace paper or disposable filters. Check your smoke and fire alarms regularly and install a carbon dioxide detector if possible. This is particularly important in the winter months when your furnace is running much of the time. Clean and vacuum baseboard heating ducts and vents. If you have a wood stove or fireplace, have your chimney swept thoroughly. It should be cleaned before the soot build up reaches one-fourth inch thickness inside the chimney flue.

Winterize your finances

It’s not just your home that takes the brunt of the winter season, your monthly budget is a target as well. Gas and electrical bills typically go up with the cold weather keeping people indoors more often using their heater, lights and electronics. Don’t forget about all of those holiday parties and events coming soon either!

Save on electrical bills this winter by turning off or unplugging electronics when not in use. Use LED lighting when possible especially your holiday lights and decorations. LEDs use 75% less energy than conventional bulbs. You can also look into programs with your utility company which average your costs throughout the year so that your winter heating bill won’t be a budgeting surprise. Here is a great article on keeping your electrical bills low. https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/11/06/10-ways-to-save-on-energy-costs-this-winter

The gas bill can be reduced as well. Turn your thermometer down at night while you sleep and invest in a small portable heater for the room you’re using rather than raising the temperatures in the whole house. Close off any unused rooms and invest in a few nice blankets for those cold winter nights. You can also take advantage of solar energy.  Let the sun in during the day and close the drapes at night to keep out the cold. Keeping your home’s thermometer around 70 degrees in the wintertime can make a huge difference in your monthly bill.

It’s never too early to start saving for the holidays. If you haven’t already, start setting aside money for those extra holiday expenses. Prepare a budget for gifts and travel ahead of time and then be sure to stick to your budget! Picking up gifts throughout the year and storing them for the holidays is a great way to keep the budget in check. Here is a list of great resource ideas to save during the coming holidays.

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Stock up on food

This is a great time of year to stock up on food, especially canned fruits and vegetables as we near the end of the harvest season and stores have great stockpiles to move quickly keeping the prices low. Many grocery stores offer great deals on items which will easily last through the winter months until the next growing season when fresh produce is available. Make room in your freezer for an extra turkey or ham when they go on sale in November and December and take advantage of coupon deals and sales on your staple items. Keep an eye on grocery mailers for the best prices. By spending a little more now for groceries when they are cheap you can save through the holidays and into the new year.

Watch for off season deals

Now is the perfect time to start looking for summer clothing for next year! Stores don’t want to hang onto their swimming suits, shorts and sandals through the winter months. Stock up on summer clothing, swimming items, patio furniture and grills, bicycles, lawn mowers, and summer outdoor sports gear now to get the best prices of the year.

If you’re planning on doing some traveling, fall is the perfect time. Think about taking time off in October when it is off season for most tourist destinations but the weather is still amazing in most parts of the world. You could even go off season to visit distant family members now and avoid having to deal with the stress, cost and craziness of travel during busy travel days closer to the holidays.

Take Care of Your Health

We all know that the dreaded flu season is just around the corner. Stress and lack of sleep are huge factors in how well you can fight off diseases this winter. Make sure to stay current on your annual checkups and keep your vaccinations current. Getting enough sleep and exercise going into the hectic holidays and trying to eat healthy meals while avoiding sugary treats will give your body the boost it needs to stay healthy.

You should also have a contingency plan for those potential sick days that hit this time of year. Do you have some money saved for days of missed work due to illness of yourself or a family member? How about a plan for childcare if your student is sick or has a snow day called? Don’t let the weather or seasonal illness hurt you financially.

With a little bit of planning your home and family can get ahead of the holiday chaos and be ready for the long months of winter that follow. For more great tips on keeping your budget in check visit www.ffef.org