8 Ways to Save Money This Winter

When you are going stir crazy from the cold and snow of winter and feel that urge to go on a shopping spree, check yourself before you get to the door. Instead of running out and ruining your budget or spending money that you could be saving for the things that really matter to you, look through these tips for some ways to avoid the spending binge and to save money this winter:

1. Re-arrange your house. Using things you already have out plus some treasures in your storage room in the basement you can give your home a makeover without having to buy everything new. A can of spray-paint here and a bottle of glue there, and you can fix up a room to give it a fresh look, which will go a long way for your mood and health.

2. Replace your furnace filter! OK, you may have to head to the store for this one, but maintaining the health of your furnace can save you a lot of money and cold toes if it were to go out during a cold winter night.

3. Pull out some old board games and movies and reconnect with your family. While your kids may grumble about it, deep down they would love to have some time with you. And it is a great way to keep up with each other and form a stronger family bond without spending a fortune going out.

4. Check your tire pressure – Make sure your tire pressure is at the right amount (see your owner’s manual) so that they will function properly in winter conditions and keep your car running longer. Spending $0.75 to fill up your tires at the gas station is much better than the high cost of car repairs.

5. Make sure you use your gift cards – At our house we have a drawer dedicated to gift cards, and we frequently check to see what is in there so that we actually use them. This will help you save money at restaurants and shopping (be sure you don’t overspend just because you have a gift card), and there is no reason to waste “free money.”

6. Use the crock-pot. You can save money buying in bulk, and sometimes this can translate into meals for the crock-pot that you can eat now and save for later. Or you can make multiple servings of the meal and freeze bags to cook later while saving out some to cook tomorrow. This may also help heat up your living space depending on how much heat your crock-pot puts off and where your kitchen is located. Using the oven can also help heat up the house for a bit on those cold days.

7. Costco hot chocolate anyone? Yes, you can buy huge boxes of hot chocolate at your nearest Costco that will help warm you and the kids up after building a snowman, and they are less expensive than buying several boxes at the grocery store all year long.

8. Avoid shopping just to “get out.” Sometimes being all cooped up in the winter can get dreary, and sometimes our solution is to go out shopping or to go walk at the mall just to get out. This can hurt your budget though! Be sure that if you do go out you have a list and a plan. It is OK to spend time in stores, but avoid impulse buys and stick to your budget.

For some more money saving ideas be sure to check out my post on 101 Ways to Save Money.

Tags: save money, winter