How can you save on these expenses that come every winter?
Turns out winter isn’t just characterized by rain dripping down our necks, but also by money dripping out of our wallets. Why? Days get shorter, and with them comes the need to light our homes. The weather gets colder, bringing increased heating needs and car winterization. Winter clothing, which always needs something added to it, costs quite a bit – and let’s not forget the eternal viruses and flu that add to our medicine budget.
Winter’s seasonal expenses shouldn’t surprise us: they arrive every year at the same time. So why not prepare for them properly? Here are some tips for saving during the rainy season.
Electricity, Heating, and Lighting
- Lighting: Buy energy-efficient bulbs. They cost a bit more upfront – but save you much more down the line.
- Dark room: Turn off lights when leaving a room. There’s no point in lighting an empty room, even for those whose “dad works for the electricity company.”
- Heating: The keyword is: insulation. Seal windows well and close doors to rooms you’re not using so heating concentrates only where needed. It’s also recommended to position the heater centrally near an interior wall, which retains heat better.
- Water heater: Cloudy days are shower-planning days. Instead of waiting a long time before showering or forgetting the heater on for hours after – install a timer on your water heater switch. Set it for times close to when you need hot water, and salvation comes to Zion.
- Laundry drying: Don’t be embarrassed to dry the old-fashioned way: take advantage of sunny days to hang laundry outside, and combine using a dryer with hanging on a line or drying rack.
Winter Clothing
- Inventory check: Check what’s in your family’s closets: which clothes from last year still fit, which items can be passed from an older child who’s outgrown them to a younger one. Decide which winter clothes you can give to friends and family and which you can receive from them. Top of the list: coats – an expensive item that serves children for only one or two seasons.
- The list: After checking inventory, make an organized list of items you need to buy this winter and take it with you for a focused shopping trip. Buying items from a list is “shopping,” while going to the mall without a list is “browsing.” And that’s much more expensive.
- Secondhand: Secondhand isn’t just for cars anymore. Today you can find secondhand clothing stores with magnificent wardrobes. Consider it – you could save hundreds.
- Online shopping: Smart online shopping can save significant money.
- Smart wardrobe: A good seasonal closet includes mainly basics (basic items we use frequently and for a long time) and a few trendy pieces. The basics will serve you next year too. With clothing, don’t be right – be smart!
- End-of-season buying: If you can accurately estimate your child’s sizes for next year, buy at end-of-season sales for the following year.
Medicines
- Buy from your health fund: Prices for over-the-counter medicines at your health fund’s pharmacy are generally lower than those at pharmacy chains and private pharmacies. The gap sometimes reaches tens of percentage points. You’re already standing in line for prescription medication anyway? Prepare a list of over-the-counter medicines you need.
- You’re not a medicine warehouse: You’re not doctors, so don’t turn your home into a pharmacy. Buy medicines as needed and don’t over-stock. There’s never been a shortage of cold medicines at pharmacies.
- Vitamins and supplements: Compare prices between stores. The gaps can be significant. Additionally, check the value of buying supplements and generic medications – identical to well-known brands but cheaper. As they say? Once the pill enters your stomach – nobody sees the logo on it. Note that Ministry of Health approval for vitamins or supplements doesn’t testify that the product has been researched and actually helps with what’s written on it (for example: strengthens the immune system) but rather that it’s permitted for human use.
And finally – the forecast: if you’re careful to think and prepare, this winter won’t succeed in raising your expense levels more than you planned.
