It is July 1st. We will soon be inundated with ads about Christmas in July and Back to School Savings. The other day I was talking to my mom and she actually said to me “Winter is coming.” The weird thing is she has no idea about Game of Thrones so she just randomly mentioned this phrase.
As long as I can remember my mom always began preparing for winter during the summer. She would begin stocking the cupboards full of canned foods, toilet paper practically hit the ceiling there was so much of it! Don’t get me started on how much soap, detergent, toothpaste, and toothbrushes she would buy. But, doing this gave her piece of mind and as an adult I can appreciate that.
I find that I too begin my winter preparations during the height of summer. When temperatures top 100 degrees and I’m preoccupied with hanging out having a drink on a patio while taking in the sun and conversation around me; I find thoughts of winter are at the back of my mind.
I love the sight of falling leaves, the chill of snow in the air, going snowboarding and soaking in outdoor hot tubs afterwards with snow falling on my hair (or knitted cap!) Like most Coloradans I embrace winter with the nonchalance of of one who is used to the crazy weather changes that happen in Colorado.
This year has been interesting because I have been aggressively working on the process of taking care of my debt, using my sh$t, and not shopping. I will be re-evaluating my preparation process for this year. As I am still working through the product (lotions/perfumes/scrubs/etc.) that was purchased in years past, I am finding that I don’t need as much as I previously thought. Because I don’t want to buy too much new stuff I want to be a lot more strategic in my approach.
Here are some things to think about as you prepare for winter.
Thoughts of food:
- You should put together a meal plan so that you can figure out what foods you normally like to eat during winter. For example: if you love Channa Masala (indian chickpea stew), then maybe you should start stocking up on chickpeas, canned tomatoes, and better than bouillon-these are all ingredients in Chickpea Masala. You may even consider picking up canned coconut milk.
- Soy Milk-get the kind that shelf-stable. Here is a picture.
- Canned fish**be mindful of how the fish is caught/farmed
- Dried beans-Lentils, black beans, etc.
- Pasta
- Pasta Sauce
- Rice (brown)
- Hearts of Palm
- Canned Artichoke Hearts
- Grains-Steel Cut Oats, Quinoa, Rice (brown/white)
- Corn meal (polenta or cornbread)
- Potatoes**mom was surprised I didn’t have a random bag of potatoes in the house
- Frozen Vegetables
- Freeze good quality meat-I almost always buy good quality meat from Whole Foods
- Rice Noodles
Of course there are more things that you could put in your pantry. Start slowly purchasing food now so it’s not stressful later.
Personal Product
**You can have too much product! There is a reason why I am doing the “Using my sh$t” posts. Pace yourself**
- Toilet Paper-ok, you can’t have too much
- Soap-Figure out the average number each person uses each month
- Toothpaste
- Tooth brushes
- Shower gel
- Hand soap
- Deodorant
- Contact Lens Solution
- Razors
- Nail polish remover
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
Depending on who you are and the size of your family there may be more things on your list.
A New School Year
I don’t have kids but I would like some in the future. So, from time to time I vaguely think about all of the costs associated with children. School essentials seem like a no brainer.
- New clothes-A mix from the thrift store and some new pieces. The younger the kid the more likely most of the clothes can be from the thrift store. I used to wear used clothing and had no idea. I was also the best dressed kid in school. How do I know that? I ran into one of my teacher’s aides when about 6 years ago and she told me!
- Notebooks, pencils, pens, paper, etc. See if you can get the list of necessary items from the school now so that you can plan your purchases.
- Ask about any field trips that might happen for your child. Typically these types of things have to be scheduled several months in advance (I plan events). If they are going to the museum or there is a possibility of an overnight trip then you can anticipate that cost.
Clothing
- Get those coats dry-cleaned, fix any buttons that have fallen off
- Think about new boots-I’m not shopping this year…but, I have an idea about how to get new boots! Will keep you posted.
- Check out your socks. Maybe you need some new ones.
- Tights-maybe you’ll need some!
- Order some black turtlenecks and one great cream sweater if you don’t already have one. You will wear them all the time.
Winter Fun
This depends on where you live. For me theater/ballet/and sports seasons pick up substantially. I have figured out a way to go to all of these fun events cheaply.
- Purchase tickets early-prices are typically discounted before the season starts
- Understand that sometimes you just have to pay to play. I purchased tickets for Cirque du Soleil 4 months ago (full price) and will be taking my mom in two weeks for a mommy/daughter day. Cirque has a reputation for always selling out when it comes to Denver and I wanted to get the least expensive tickets available.
- I am trying to decide if I will purchase a 4 pass for a local ski resort that I enjoy snowboarding. The price is great $85 (usually it’s $65 a day) so it’s a huge savings. The weather has been an issue though. It’s always a gamble because each year the snow is different
- Basketball tickets-I am a HUGE Denver Nuggets fan. I LOVE going to basketball games. I am anticipating the 2013-2014 season and trying to think about which games are a priority for me. You can get same day tickets, but for big games this would be impossible. Check with your local sports team about any deals that they offer fans.
- Deals on hotel stays/cabin stays in the mountains. I love going to Breckenridge every winter. Hopefully, this year I will get a chance to stay for a few days and relax.
- I already have all my gear. If you don’t have the gear that you need for the stuff that you enjoy start going to Goodwill or even ask friends if they’re getting rid of old gear.
Thanksgiving and Christmas
Don’t freak out. Yes, I mentioned Thanksgiving and Christmas. They should be on your radar-NOW!
- Start going to Bath and Bodyworks annual sale and buy some super cheap product.
- Begin setting a budget per recipient and have a designated gifts that you purchase early. Put a reminder in your cell phone AND set up an email reminder so that you don’t forget where the gifts are. These reminders should be set for early November! So that you remember the gifts.
- Buy gift cards that don’t expire! These are great because they can be purchased early and you don’t have to worry about not using the card quickly.
That’s enough for now. The point is start thinking about these things now and start slowly preparing so that you’re well situated going from Summer, to Fall, to Winter. Get started, don’t panic, and save some money.
When do you start preparing for Fall/Winter? What are your favorite pantry staples? Do you buy a new wardrobe? Or, just a few new pieces? How do you prepare for your kids school year?
Is Coming…
Latest posts by Michelle (see all)
- How Work Policies Against Black Women Birthed a Love of the Soft Life - 20 March, 2024
- How Taylor Swift’s IP Victory Could Change the Business of Music - 28 February, 2024
- Why Don’t More Personal Finance Content Creators Talk About Policy - 16 January, 2024
Really good tips and list, I am sure this winter I will not miss these important ones. Thanks for sharing. Keep it up, I like your posts
Thanks Rita, I created these lists out of a lot of trial and error…and having been broke and discovering what I really needed at that time!
Oh gosh, I definitely should start prepping for winter this year because I’ve never really experienced one. It just rains in Vancouver but it gets really cold in Toronto. Better get a jacket, boots, and earmuffs asap!
I love, love, love winter clothes! The key is really good boots. If you’re feet are cold and wet it doesn’t matter how many layers you’re wearing you’ll be cold! Fall clothing should be in the mall either now or in a couple of weeks. I’m not shopping this year so I try to stay out of the mall.
I can’t wait to hear your idea on how to get new boots! I’ve been wearing the same ones for at least 8 years now. I’m not joking. I don’t go out in the snow much, so they haven’t really worn out. It’s getting time, though!
I love your tips on stocking the pantry. I will be putting those into action in my own home, especially because the two grocery stores near me do their stock-up sales around this time.
I plan on working on the boot idea soon because I live in Colorado and snow is about 2 or 3 months out! I am living a car-free life so it’s so important for me to get on this early. Cooking is one of my favorite things so I put a lot of thought and effort into the pantry project because I refuse to eat bad food 🙂
With the heat we have at this moment, I cannot wait for winter!
Breckenridge is just fantastic. Love that place for snowboarding and everything else. Is Loveland the place with the 4 packs?
See ya on the slopes!
Breckenridge and Crested Butte are my favorite mountain towns!! I get to Breckenridge every year and Crested Butte about every other year. I actually go to Eldora with the $89 3 packs-they sell 4 packs from time to time too and I’m hoping this year is the year for that. They are great with kids so if you take the kiddos they will be well cared for. Can’t wait for the season to start-this heat is ridiculous.
Thanks for the information! Costco sells those 4 packs as well, at least they did last season. I’ll keep my eyes open for them.
I’ve never been to Crested Butte, but really want to go. Durango too.
Crested Butte ROCKS!! It’s so beautiful. Wait until next year when the fires are out.
I live in Toronto, and feel your pain about the snow. Its just around the corner so I don’t understand why people feel the need to complain about summer.
There was already a light dusting of snow last week at one of our ski resorts! We are already “gearing up” for Ski Pass purchases. I’m enjoying summer while I can.