Winter is firmly upon us, which is such a lovely time for so many of us.

Warm fluffy coats, thick wool scarves and big cups of hot cocoa. For others of us, it is time where money is tight, and we hope that something doesn’t go wrong. After all, according to the media, we are all just a single paycheck away from homelessness.

It doesn’t matter which of the two categories above that you fall under. What matters is that where you have the opportunity to do something, you should. There are a couple of things that you can manage asap to minimize the chance of being left in the cold later on.

Draught-Proofing

This isn’t just throwing a rolled up towel along the bottom of the back door. There is serious money to be saved on gas and electric by having the right draught-proofing. Go around your home and check that all of the seals on the windows and doors are done correctly. If you happen to see any damage or gaps, then you can pick up some sealant and fix that yourself pretty quickly.

You might like to also look into draught proof letterboxes and if you have a backdoor that no matter what you do seems to let the cold in, get a heavy curtain and install it across the door (just like a window) to soak the cold. You should also take a peek at the floorboards, there might over time be small gaps appearing. All of those little gaps add up to one big draught.

Appliances

It always seems to happen when you have the most amount of food in your freezer and fridge. Or, when there are piles of laundry that needs to be done asap. Things break and where in the summer you can hand wash clothes and dry them on the line, in the winter you’re going to be a bit stuck.

It is wise to book appliance repairs as early as possible to prevent irreparable damage. If you have had the appliance for a few years, and you know you are out of warranty, then get it checked and save money in the long run.

Guttering

Your guttering will get jammed up pretty quickly with leaves, moss and even leftover bird nests. During heavy rain, a lot of debris can get wedged in the downpipe, causing overflow. That overflow can freeze during the cold winter days, or over time cause damp. If you have any cracks or damage, this is a job worth doing.

Fences

Fences and gates take a battering from the rain, wind and snow. Over the last few years with winter weather appearing to get worse many a fence panel has gone flying off to pastures new. The hinges on gates, even when treated will once in a while need replacing. If it is a matter of rust, you can deal with that pretty easily with WD-40.

Small maintenance jobs taken care of at just the right time can save a lot of cash in the long run.