With summer dog days in full effect, insulating your windows, shopping for ski boots and comparing stuffing recipes might be the last thing on your mind. If you want to save big, planning could be useful. MainStreet tells you how to cut costs of heating, travel, gear and gifts this upcoming winter. What’s key is that you start now!
HEATING YOUR HOME
While heating oil and natural gas prices soar, your bills don’t have to.
Replace furnace filters monthly: You’ll save at least 5% on bills.
Insulate windows: Keep cold air out with blinds and drapes at night, and let sun in during daytime. Cover windows with plastic sheeting or insulating shades.
Use a programmable thermostat: Set it to different temperatures for day/night and keep it cooler while away.
Seal doors with weather-stripping and door sweeps
Turn down the water heater’s thermostat: Every ten degree reduction saves you at least 3% on your bill.
Replace your old furnace: Get an energy-efficient model that won’t expend unnecessary energy/heat.
TRAVELING
Those of you traveling for Thanksgiving or looking to break out your skis let the planning (and saving) commence! According to STA Travel advisor David Rivera, booking early is best. You spend more money last minute. “Take into account your travel situation. Some make the mistake of booking early morning landings. If flights get delayed, they miss thanksgiving,” he says.
SKI TRIPPING
Sandra Robbins, Product and Marketing Manager for Travel Impressions, has valuable advice for skiers:
Book at least 90 days in advance: Some resorts offer promotions and free nights.
Educate yourself: “Conduct research and be more organized about looking for rates,” Robbins says.
Talk to an agent: American Express Vacations (AXP), for example, offers direct consultations with agents up to speed on deals.
WINTER GEAR
Don’t wait until the last minute to check if winter clothes are still on racks!
Assess Your Winter Gear: Try on old coats, boots, hats and gloves. Decide what to toss, donate or, if you have kids, hand down. Winter gear hits racks early, so replace old with new before summer is out.
Shop for Bargains: Check out stores such as Target (TGT) and Wal-Mart (WMT), where you can get all the warm clothes you need. At Target: Isaac Mizrahi for Target Ribbed Cardigan, $29.99. At Wal-Mart: Ozark Trail – Men’s Bandy II High-Top Hiking Boot, $29.92.
Off-Price Retailers/Warehouses: They often have an overstock of cool-weather clothes at great prices. TJX Cos. (TJX) owns 2,500 stores including T.J. Maxx and Marshalls. Winter clothing’s plentiful year round, and you’re bound to find brand names in the mix. Warehouses like Costco (COST) and BJ’s (BJ) often carry warm clothes at discount prices, too.
Boots/Gloves: Sierra Trading Post offers brand names, 30-70% savings off retail prices, and 100% customer satisfaction. You get excellent choices of quality winter boots. The site also sells outdoor gear, outerwear and clothing (Blondo Astria Boots – Waterproof, $49.97).
OnlyGloves.com sells gloves for every season. Visit its section on winter gloves- you’ll come away with gloves for the whole family. Prices are tailored to fit every budget (Alpine Women’s Gloves, $34.99).
HOLIDAY GIFTS
Rather than pushing through swarms of shoppers and finding empty racks the week before Christmas, there’s no time like the present to get creative.
Make lists: They’ll help you keep track of recipients. Set a budget for holiday spending and assign dollar values to people.
Limit the number of gifts you give your kids!
Comparison shop online: Sites like My Simon and PriceGrabber sell jewelry, sports equipment and more. Looking for deals? Sites like DealHunting (http://www.dealhunting.com/), ShoppersResource and Savester publish coupon codes for free gifts, shipping and discounts.
Plan while the weather’s warm. When the big chill comes, it won’t be felt by your wallet!
Related Links:
How To Winterize Your Home for Less
Six Ways to Save Money and Stay Cool
