Winter preparation might make you cringe when summer in Maine is far from over! However, if you have lived in the northeast for any length of time, you probably know the importance of winter preparation. Ensuring that your home, garden, and automobile are ready for winter weather can be overwhelming and costly in the fall. By starting early, you can spread the time and cost of preparations throughout the late summer and fall.

Batten Down the Hatches

There are several simple and inexpensive things you can do to help keep your fuel costs down such as to apply caulk around windows and replace tired weather stripping around doors. You can also hang heavy drapes or fabric over windows to keep cold drafts out and the heat in each night. Be sure to schedule a furnace tune-up and filter change with your utility service provider. Quite often, this can be done for free, and will make your furnace run more efficiently. Winter preparation might save you some money!

If your home needs more extensive work to become energy efficient, state and federally subsidized, low interest loans such as PACE and Powersaver are available for making qualified whole house energy upgrades. Visit efficiencymaine.com to find out more.

If you use wood as a primary source of heat, ordering early could save you money. If you have a dry space for storage, pallets of compressed wood bricks can be delivered to your home already stacked for around the same cost as cord wood.

Get a head start on Winter Preparation

Avoid braving overcrowded stores with empty shelves just before a storm and put together your storm provisions now. Fill a box or bag with items you may need in a power-outage such as batteries, energy efficient LED flashlights, and nonperishable foods such as peanut butter, crackers, raisins, and canned goods.

Put the Garden to Bed

You can purchase perennials at a great discount from many garden centers and nurseries at this time of year. Planting them now can give roots time to establish before the spring. Covering beds with mulch doesn’t have to cost you a penny. Use dry raked leaves from your own yard to protect and nourish your gardens for the winter. If you have a large area to mulch, contact a local wood cutter or landscaper to purchase what you need. You may find significant savings!

Winter is No Time to Break Down

Schedule a tune-up with your mechanic to ensure your vehicle is running smoothly. If you do not own a cell phone, consider purchasing a prepay phone. They are fairly inexpensive, you only need a few minutes to call for help if you need it, and you can call 9-1-1 even if you do not have a service provider. Also, consider refreshing your defensive driving skills. Winter preparation includes staying on the road! The AARP Driver Safety class features a segment on winter driving, and completing the course may qualify you for a discount your auto insurance. Other restrictions may apply. Consult your insurance agent for details.

An ounce of winter preparation prevention now could make for a safe and happy winter later.

Are you worried about getting your folks back from Florida, or concerned about navigating the airports when you travel by yourself?  Could you use an extra pair of hands traveling with your loved one?

Consider hiring a travel companion.  Travel companions offer services ranging from pick-up, delivery and check-in assistance to actually traveling with you or your loved one and ensuring a smooth flight and a safe and secure arrival at the final destination. Other services might range from someone willing to drive your car back while you fly home, to RN-level assistance.

One example of a travel companion is Sonja Burns of Warrenm, who has started Air Companions ,  a service to offer assistance to travelers who shouldn’t – or don’t want to – travel solo. She’ll travel with the elderly, the disabled or impaired, people with a fear of flying, or those needing limited medical attention. She provides escort service to the final destination, helps with airport check-in and luggage, and assists with connecting flights. Since Sonja is an LPN and a direct support professional, she’s comfortable overseeing dietary and medical needs. And of course she’d handle any travel changes that are necessary if flights are delayed or canceled.

As our Snow Birds fly back south and we enter the travel season associated with changing residences and holiday visits, it’s good to have travel options. Consider a travel companion if it makes the journey easier, safer or more enjoyable.