MONEY TALK: Homeowner’s guide to financial planning for winter

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Cold weather is officially here, which means it’s time to crank up the heat and address those homeownership to-do’s you’ve been putting off all summer.

The winter season can bring added stress to homeowners, but it doesn’t have to damper your holidays.

Northwestern Mutual Financial Expert Justin Neal says the best way to approach winter home care is to create a financial plan.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” Neal says. “Be aware of opportunities where you can spend a few dollars now in preventative maintenance and preventative care and in partnership with the right reserve fund, that can be really powerful to keep you financially strong.”

Along with having a budget, Neal says to consider the following:

• Build a home-specific emergency fund
• Find ways to bring costs down (replace costly bulbs, keep your thermostat down, lower your water heater temperature)
• Consider doing the small jobs yourself
• Keep track of the maintenance performed on your home to help build its value

For more home financial tips like these, click here.

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