It never hurts to be prepared for the winter in Iowa. These tips help you save money during the coldest part of the year.

Even though the fall season didn’t officially begin until the end of September, it is already time to start thinking about saving money on common winter expenses. When you live in the upper Midwest, you need to be ready for Mother Nature to throw you a curve ball at any time.

Iowa State Bank & Trust Company agrees with you. We wish the cold winter winds, snow and ice would stay away, but we think it’s important that you’re prepared. There are steps you can take now to make sure you don’t have to spend a lot of money during the winter months, when it will cost you more. Taking a proactive approach now will save you money later.

Winterize Your Home & Vehicles

If you live in Iowa, you’ve likely experienced the frustration when your car doesn’t start in the morning due to cold weather. The cold can damage your vehicle in a lot of ways, from draining the battery to freezing fuel lines. Before winter sets in, make an appointment with your mechanic to make sure your car is ready for winter. If there are any repairs that need to be made, it will likely be cheaper than fixing them later when the cold has made everything worse.

The cold can also leave your home vulnerable. Obviously, you can expect your heating bill to go up during the winter months, so you should make sure you have enough saved to cover the larger bill. You also should take steps to stop the cold from freezing your pipes, which can be very expensive to fix. Cover pipes in unheated areas with blankets and make sure valves are closed off to prevent freezing.

Holiday Cheer

Not everything about preparing for winter has to be expensive. In fact, there are steps you can take to make sure you’re prepared for the holiday season. Iowa State Bank & Trust Company offers Christmas Club Savings Accounts that allow you to save for the holidays throughout the year. While it’s too late to take advantage of the savings for this year, you can open your Christmas Club Account to make sure you have money to buy presents for your loved ones next year.

The winter can be an expensive time if you are not prepared for it. To make sure you have money saved for unexpected winter expenses, open a savings account at Iowa State Bank & Trust Company.