Winter’s arrival can feel like you took a hard and slightly shocking left turn somewhere along the way from summer. You may encounter a higher-than-expected bill from the gas company, electric company, or even the plumber. Every year you may ask yourself: why is winter so darn expensive? But there are simple solutions that can make this time of the year more of a joy and less of a drain on your wallet. These are the 33 expensive mistakes you don’t even realize you’re making (or maybe you’ve simply forgotten) around the house during the winter.
This list will help to specify all those mistakes that result in small and large expenses, that, with the help of some clever products, can be used to save you some major money this winter. The very fundamental mistake of letting precious and expensive heat escape from your home can be remedied with foam weatherstrips or insulation kits for your windows. Or perhaps what you need is a programmable thermostat or thermal blackout curtains to manage your heat wisely. The princely cost of an overbooked plumber can be avoided with the use of a simple heating cable for your pipes. Even your treasured pet will thank you when you remember to use salt-free ice melt this time around.
Make this the year you win the battle over exasperating domestic winter challenges. Use this list to stay one step ahead and be sure to squirrel away those savings into your summer piña colada fund.