Tag Archives: winter

Cheap, Fun Winter Activities

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Enjoy the winter wonderland happening outside with your family! Don’t stay cooped up in the house all day – find something fun to do. Create quality time with those close to you with a few of the below ideas from Iowa State Bank.

Build a Snowman

Frosty isn’t going to build himself. Get the kids outside and moving with this fun idea. See who can build a bigger snowman or have a competition to find out who the best fort builder is. Then, have a snowball fight! Encourage the kids to play with neighbors and invite them to join the fun.

Go Sledding

Find the biggest hill you can and enjoy the ride. Not only is this activity free, but it can be just as exciting as an amusement park ride you’d pay for – especially when you don’t know how to stop at the bottom of the hill! This can become a daring adventure if your children are older because finding a steep hill will make the outing “cool” enough to your teenager.

Host a Movie Marathon

Sometimes it’s just too cold to go outside. Having friends or family over to enjoy movies can be a great bonding experience. Movies bring everyone together!

Take the Family Skating

Ice skating is great for all ages. You’re able to get out of the house and have fun doing something you all love. A pond can be a free option, but renting skates and going ice skating in a mall can be very cheap as well. Either way, you’re getting lots of fun for a very little price.

Bake Cookies

Bonding with your kids can never go wrong when sweets are involved! Make cookies, oreo balls, cake pops and more to see who the better baker is. You could even try out new recipes you saw on the Food Network if you’re looking for a challenge.

Play Board Games

Teaching your child the game of chess or another strategical game can get their brain juices pumping. Encourage your children to think before they make a move, and see how far they can go or if they can beat you.

Set Up a Savings Account

If your child is old enough to start saving, encourage them to come to the bank with you and set up a savings account. Since it’s cold and there’s less to do, now is the perfect time to teach them a little more about finances.

We love these cheap alternatives to having fun with your family during the cold weather. What activities do you enjoy best?

Fall and Winter Home Prep to Save You Money

As the seasons change, so do your bills. However, finding new ways to save can be tricky when you’re already super savvy. By creating a good savings foundation during the fall and winter, you will be able to start 2018 off in a healthy financial state. That’s why Iowa State Bank & Trust Company of Fairfield has compiled a list of tips and tricks to prepare your home for the seasons to come in order to save some cash!

Install energy-efficient windows

A low-emissivity glass also known as Low-E glass helps block the rays of the sun up to 90 percent, and keeps the heat inside when it’s cold. Energy Star estimates those who replace a single-pane window with an energy-efficient model will save $126-$465 annually. Now multiply that times the number of windows you replace and you’re looking at quite the savings.

Lower water heating temperature

If you lower your water heating temperature, you will save 4-22 percent yearly on your bill. Instead of allowing the water to get scalding hot, you can set it to only become warm which will increase your savings every time you shower, wash your hands, or do dishes.

Adjust the temperature

By turning back your thermostat by 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day, you can save up to 10 percent each year on heating and cooling bills. Each time you raise your heat by one degree, your heating bill raises three percent, so it’s important to avoid that mistake.

Weather stripping

Thirty to 40 percent of your heating costs are lost to air leaks, according to Energy Star. That’s why it’s important to find where drafts are coming from to cover the leaks with weather stripping materials, which start off at around $5.

Replace light fixtures

If you replace your home’s five most frequently-used light fixture bulbs with energy efficient ones, you can save $75 a year. Imagine if you did that with more bulbs!

Fix leaking faucets

If you fix a leaky faucet, you will save $35 and 1,661 gallons of water if it drips one drip per second. Little things like a leaky faucet end up having a big impact on your bills over time, so be sure to check your nozzles.

We hope these home hacks will help you save this fall, winter, and hopefully the seasons to come! Contact Iowa State Bank & Trust Company of Fairfield if you have questions about what else you can do in order to grow your savings.