Let’s face it: life is expensive. The cost of living is rising in most areas and it can often feel like we are worked to the bone simply to break even. If you have a mortgage to pay and a family to take care of (and entertain), it really does mean that every penny counts. This is why if we are hit by a sudden unexpected cost, it can mean a lot more than simply needing to cut down on treats for the next month. This time of year in particular can be a testing time. With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, there’s never been a worse time to have a huge bill arrive on your doorstep. Take a look at some of the most common winter issues that can require you to shell out a lot of money in one go – and more importantly, how you can avoid them.
Damage to the home
Our home is our castle – and no one wants their castle to get into trouble. Unfortunately, houses can fall victim to a whole host of structural problems – especially at this time of year. Freezing winter temperatures and extreme weather conditions can spell trouble for your home. For example, snow and ice can mean frozen and then ultimately burst pipes. No one wants to be left without hot water when it’s snowing outside, so make sure your are able to insulate your pipes effectively to prevent a large bill. Heavy winter rainfall also means that our homes can be at risk of flooding. Even sturdy surfaces like our kitchen tiles can become waterlogged, making them unsightly and ultimately unsafe. If your home is prone to flooding, consider using concrete repair in order to make your flooring as waterproof as possible.
Problems with your car
Unusually low temperatures can wreak havoc with our cars. As soon as the temperature drops below zero, you may struggle to even get your car to start. This is because most modern cars are not equipped to deal with exceptionally cold weather – not unless they are specialist vehicles. If you live somewhere that is pretty cold all year round, you may want to pay a little more for a specialist car that is designed to operate in colder weather. But for the most part, there are ways you can stop your car falling victim to the things winter throws at it. Use car heats and keep your car in the garage during winter to stop the battery failing. You may also lose a significant amount of tire pressure in colder weather, so consider switching to winter treads.
Personal injury
Suffering a personal injury is never any fun, no matter what time of year it is. But the truth is, you are much more likely to injure yourself out and about during winter. This is simply due to the excess snow and ice on the floor, that can mean we are much less stable on our feet. If you do hurt yourself quite badly, make sure you have an emergency financial fund available for you to fall back on. You may need to take time off work if you can’t get around efficiently, so having spare cash to see you through the festive period is a must.
