Although the winter months are the most wonderful time of year, many people are anxiety-ridden about their finances. With inflation at an all-time high, it’s difficult to not be stressed during this season. However, there are ways you can financially prepare for winter financially. Here are some tips:
If you’re like many people, the holidays can be a stressful time financially. But it’s never too early to start budgeting and planning so that you can make it through the season without going into debt.
Heading into winter, use our money-saving tips to help ease the impact of colder months. By being proactive now, you can avoid stressing about expenses later. So, start preparing today by making your home and life more winter proofed and improve your finances.
Check your car
Now is the ideal time to make sure your car is in excellent working order before the worst of the winter weather hits. This includes checking your battery, scheduling a service, and using winter tires with only a few minutes of upkeep on most cars.
Winter weather is never ideal for driving, and if your car has any problems they will likely be exacerbated in the cold. Make sure to have your vehicle inspected before winter begins to avoid expensive repairs down the line. Also make sure your tyre pressure, you can find out your correct tyre pressures here.
Start shopping early
If you start your shopping list early in the year and buy items as you find them, rather than wait until closer to the holidays, you can save money and avoid crowds. That sounds like a plan!
Even though summer has officially ended, that doesn’t mean you can never find good deals on summer gear. If you wait until retailers want to get rid of their seasonal stock or take advantage of post summer sales, then you won’t have to spend as much money all at once and will be able to save some for times when your income is low. To make things easier on yourself, always remember not to overspend, and stay positive throughout the process.
Budget for unexpected expenses
Being caught off-guard by expenses is always a possibility, but if your funds are already tight, this can be a disastrous position to be in.
By budgeting for both your daily and unexpected expenses, you can create a cash cushion to ensure that you have the funds to cover typical cold weather costs like a broken water heater or burst pipe.
Homeowners in the UK are facing energy suppliers who could end up charging energy bills over £4,000 a year from next April when the Government’s Energy Price Guarantee comes to an earlier than expected end. But if you take some time to prepare now, you can make sure that bill becomes extra cash in your pocket.
Winter Proof Your Home During the Cold Weather Season
With winter well and truly upon us, now is the perfect time to start thinking about how you can make your home more energy efficient to minimise energy usage and reduce your heating costs. Simple things like investing in draught excluders or curtain liners can help keep the heat inside, saving you money on your heating bills.
Although it may only take a couple minutes, regularly checking your gutters and insulating your home can save you loads of money on energy bills in the long run. You might even be able to get free loft insulation.
Sign up for loyalty schemes
Joining loyalty programs can help you take advantage of seasonal sales and discounts, as well as save money with the current cost-of-living crisis. Prices for basic necessities like food and gas have been rising steadily, making it difficult to make ends meet. But with a little planning and careful spending, you can stretch your budget further by taking advantage of loyalty program rewards.
If you want to save money on your groceries and cut down your food bill, signing up for supermarket loyalty schemes is a great way to do it. Most of these programs are free to join, and they can give you the best deals on products without any hidden fees. So, if you haven’t signed up for one yet, now is the time! It only takes a few minutes, and it could save you money every week.
Shopping online? Then you should always search for voucher codes before making purchase as most retailers usually offer some form of discount from free postage up to a percentage off the total basket cost Always handy saving money and to stretch your money further over the festive period.
Further Advice & Guidance
If you are worried about being able to afford paying for all your household bills this coming season, you can speak to a charity such as Citizens Advice Bureau who can provide details of any additional benefits you may be entitled to
However, if you are already struggling with debt and are worried about further rising energy prices, please don’t hesitate to contact Become Debt Free today or leave an enquiry here.
