Uniroyal Winter Preperation

“Weather” You Stay or Fly away
Dear aspiring penny-pincher:
Hanging on to your hard-earned dollars isn’t easy these days.
You may sometimes feel like you’re standing over a drain,
feeding in loonies (household expenses, ch-ching, gas and auto
maintenance, ch-ching, travel expenses to escape the winter
chill, ch-ching). If so, read on. Saving a few extra bucks that you
can reallocate to the things you really want isn’t as hard as you
might think.
As a wife and mother in a two-freelancer household, I’ve had
plenty of opportunities to exercise my money-saving skills. And
as an award-winning parenting, personal finance and travel
writer, I’ve been able to refine my penny-pinching strategies.
I recently teamed up with Uniroyal Tire to pass some of those tips on to my fellow
Canadians. It seemed a perfect fit—Uniroyal has a great reputation for providing a quality
product at prices guaranteed to please a value-conscious shopper. And I am… well, I
prefer to stay away from the word ‘tightwad’ and call myself a strategic spender. After
all, if you fork out less money for heating your home, or simply getting wherever you’re
going, you have more money to spend on the things you really value.
Want to find out how you can implement some painless techniques that will keep more
cash in your pocket? Read on! You’ll find tips on everything from winter car care and
driving, to saving money when you head south for some sun. Print off one of our easyto-use checklists to ensure you’re well-equipped for a winter road trip, and that your
house stays safe when you’re gone. Or test your thrifty ways with our quick quiz
questions. In the meantime, have a healthy, happy, and fiscally-fit winter. Best of luck!
Camilla Cornell
The ‘Pay less Queen’
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Car Care 101………………………………………….
4
Winter Driving Aid…………………………………
6
Grab-and-Go Checklists:
Short Road Trip……………………………
7
Long Road Trip…………………………….
8
Tips for Savvy Snowbirds:
Before You Go………………………………
9
On the Road…………………………………. 11
While You’re There……………………. 12
Cut Home Energy Costs…………………… 13
Grab-and-Go Checklist:
Home Check ………………………………… 14
Guide for a Happy, Healthy Winter.. 15
*Uniroyal does not endorse, accept liability for and is not associated with the websites and sources
cited within this eBook. Websites and sources mentioned are offered as suggestions and are for
informational purposes only.
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By following these easy car care tips, you’ll save time and money, not to
mention keeping you and your passengers safe.
When the roads are
covered, make sure
you are too. Winter tires such as
the Uniroyal® Tiger Paw® Ice and
Snow™ tire are specifically designed
to increase traction in wintry
conditions. Install them on all four
wheels and avoid mixing tires with
different tread patterns and wear.
Check the tread. Winter
means freezing rain, if not
snow, and the deeper your tread, the
greater your gripping power on the
road. Ask your tire dealer to check
your tread depth and replace worndown tires before winter arrives.
The good kind of inflation. A Uniroyal survey found that most people
are driving around on under-inflated tires. A drop in outside temperature
means a drop in your tires’ air pressure (PSI - pounds per square inch.) Under
inflation affects handling and causes your tires to wear faster. Check your air
pressure monthly and maintain pressure at the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended
level, found in your owner’s manual or inside the doorjamb.
Check your fluids. Keep the gas tank at least half-
full to prepare for unexpected delays and top off your
windshield wiper fluid and coolant. Since cold weather is
especially hard on batteries, have yours checked to ensure all
connections are clean and tight.
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Car Care 101- Cont.
Heat it up. Use a block heater in winter when the
temperature drops to -20°C. A block heater keeps your
engine oil and coolant warm, making the vehicle easier to start
and increasing winter fuel economy by as much as 10 percent.
(Use a timer to switch on the block heater one or two hours
before you plan to drive.)
Get some new blades. Windshield wipers are meant to remove
moisture. Using them to remove ice and snow can damage the blades,
causing smearing and reducing visibility. Replacing wiper blades once a year is a
cheap and effective way to protect yourself in winter. Consider purchasing heavy
duty blades especially if you live in an area with frequent ice and storms.
Turn off the engine. Idling for more than 10 seconds wastes more fuel
than restarting the engine.
A drop in outside temperature means a drop
in your tires’ air pressure (PSI - pounds per
square inch). For every 5°C of temperature
drop, tire pressure goes down by
approximately one pound. So check tires
regularly in the winter.
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Read on for a few simple precautions that could help keep you from
getting caught in the cold. The consequences of a winter driving
accident could be more than financial.
Take it slow.
Drive cautiously, approach hills,
intersections and bridges with care, and be
aware of other drivers around you.
Question: How often should you
check your tire pressure?
Avoid sudden braking.
Try not to apply pressure to your brakes
on a curve. Don’t pump your anti-lock brakes.
Accelerate slowly after
stopping. Remember that traction is
greatest just before the wheels spin. Putting
gentle pressure on the gas pedal when starting is
the best way to maintain traction and avoid skids.
Answer: At least once a month.
Question: What could be wrong if
your car pulls to the left when the
brakes are applied?
Answer: Your left front tire might
be under inflated.
Smooth operator. Anticipate turns, curves and lane
changes early, always use your turn signals and steer with
smooth, careful movements. Icy, slushy and snowy conditions can make
turning more difficult and skids are often caused by sudden acceleration,
braking or turns.
Steer out of a skid. If you begin to skid, don’t panic. Let up on the
accelerator or brake and look up (where you want to go). Turn the steering
wheel into the skid in the same direction the rear end is sliding. If your front wheels
are sliding, hold the wheel straight and let the skid correct itself.
Stuck? Don’t spin your wheels. Spinning your tires could cause
excessive heat build-up, resulting in personal injury or damage to your
vehicle. If you can’t move after accelerating slowly, spread a
traction aid like sand, cat litter or a blanket in front of your wheels.
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… First-aid kit
… Blankets and warm clothes
… Windshield and lock de-icer
… Ice scraper and brush
… Flashlight with extra batteries
… Flares
… Jumper cables
… Tow rope
… Windshield washer fluid with antifreeze
… An abrasive such as salt, sand or clay-based cat litter
… Cell phone (battery fully charged and extra car charger)
… Check for proper tire pressure, adequate tire tread
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… First-aid kit
… Blankets and warm clothes
… Windshield and lock de-icer
… Ice scraper and brush
… Flashlight with extra batteries
… Flares
… Jumper cables
… Tow rope
… Windshield washer fluid with antifreeze
… An abrasive such as salt, sand or cat litter
… Extra bottle of motor oil
… Cooler with beverages and light snacks
… Sunglasses
… Cell phone (battery fully charged and extra car charger)
… A good book
… Portable weather radio
… Check for proper tire pressure, adequate tire tread
… Check your vehicle’s battery, fluid levels, defrosters and wipers
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They may not have wings, but that doesn’t stop snowbirds from heading south for sunnier
skies when cold weather hits. Consistently high gas prices and rising costs have been
making that trip south more and more expensive. However, planning a road trip that is
safe, comfortable and easy on the pocketbook isn’t all that hard with a few tricks up your sleeve.
Before You Go:
Give your car a check-up. Take your vehicle to a certified mechanic
for a thorough inspection of the battery, air filter, antifreeze, wipers,
windshield fluid, ignition system, thermostat, lights, heater, brakes, defroster, air
conditioning and oil. Simply keeping your engine properly maintained can save as
much as four cents per litre on gasoline; and having a clean, versus a clogged, air
filter can mean savings of up to 11 cents per litre.
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Tips for Savvy Snowbirds-Cont.
Check the inflation
pressure of your tires. Many
Canadians are surprised to learn that they
are driving around on under-inflated tires.
The proper inflation pressure can be found
in the owner’s manual or on the placard
usually found on the door jamb. For an
accurate reading, always check the
pressure when the tires are "cold" - at least
three hours after the vehicle has been
stopped and before it has been driven one
mile. Properly inflated tires last longer,
perform better and can save you up to three
cents per litre in fuel costs.
Protect your pipes. While you might be heading off to
warmer weather, your home still has to manage in the cold.
Water pipes are especially vulnerable to damage—pipes can freeze
and burst, causing hundreds of dollars of damage to unoccupied
homes. The most vulnerable pipes are those found in attics, crawl
spaces and outside walls, and they can be protected with foam or
fiberglass insulation or wrapping. Be sure all openings in walls and
foundations are sealed, and keep kitchen and bath pipes warmer by
opening cabinet doors before you leave. Lastly, do not set your furnace lower than 12°C;
keep it just below a nighttime thermostat setting.
Don’t let thieves know you’re gone.
Ask someone to pick up your mail,
and have your newspaper service cancelled. (Many newspapers offer this service
online.) Set some household lights on timers, both inside and out. Ask someone to shovel
your driveway, and have a neighbour park there occasionally.
Avoid unnecessary bills. Turn off the power to your
water heater, and reduce cable and internet services. Also,
unplug TVs, computers and appliances that could be susceptible to
damaging power surges.
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Chart your path.
With online mapping sites like mapquest.ca, it’s simple to
plan your route to the sun. But why not take it one step further? If you
know what cities and towns you’ll be passing through, make use of
websites like gasbuddy.com and hotels.ca to find the lowest-priced
accommodation and fuel en route.
Avoid expensive traffic tickets.
Educate yourself about the speed limits along your route
and use cruise control to tame your heavy foot. The speed limit
on I-75 to Florida, for example, is about 100 km (65 miles) per
hour, except in heavily populated areas, where the limit is 90 km
(55 miles) per hour. For more info on speed limits, check out
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limits_in_United_States. You’ll get
the dirt on speedtraps at speedtrap.org.
Camp free in your RV. Traveling south
in a motor home or travel trailer? The cost of
fuel coupled with campground fees can make
some RVers think twice about leaving home,
says Chuck Woodbury, editor of
FreeCampgrounds.com. But Woodbury points
out there are thousands of places where
seniors can stay free or at minimal cost.
According to Woodbury, some stores allow
RVers to spend a night in their parking lots and
other RVers hole up free in truck spots. "It's
often noisy, but the price is right," says
Woodbury.
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Get lower-cost health insurance.
Provincial health plans vary, but out-of-country coverage can be as little as
$75 a day for hospital care, a drop in the bucket considering some procedures cost
as much as $100,000. To make sure you’re adequately covered at a price you can
afford, check out a health insurance comparison website like www.kanetix.ca/travelinsurance. Another option: join the Canadian Association for the Fifty-Plus (CARP) or
the Canadian Snowbirds Association. Member benefits include discounted medical
emergency insurance.
Stay in touch for less.
Canadian cell phones operate throughout most of the United
States, providing a low-cost way to communicate. But if you have an
internet connection and spend more than a couple of weeks down
south, consider an internet phone service like Vonage or Verizon.
Basically you plug your touch-tone phone into a novel-sized adapter
box that connects to your internet line. For one monthly fee, you get
unlimited local calling and long distance and you can take your
phone service nearly anywhere in the world you happen to go.
Restaurant bills can boost the cost of your vacation in the
sun astronomically.
Keep costs in line by:
1. Eating out during the day (Lunch is cheaper than dinner.)
2. Ask for the seniors’ discount.
3. Remember to take advantage of coupons for
discounted restaurant meals and attractions available
at CAA outlets, car rental depots and hotel/motel
lobbies.
4. Check out the tourism website for the state you’ll be
visiting. You may find special offers or businesses that
take Canadian money at par.
5. Finally, bring refillable coffee thermoses and a small
cooler of drinks and snacks for the road
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Too many of our hard-earned dollars escape out the windows and roofs of our houses in
winter. These tips will keep you warm and take the chill out of receiving your next power bill.
Mind the gaps. Weather-proof gaps between doors and windows by sealing
them with caulk. Other options for weather-stripping include installing storm doors
and windows or adding plastic sheeting to the window interior.
What’s in your attic. If your attic isn’t insulated, be sure to remedy that as
quickly as possible. Heat rises, and you don’t want all the warm air to escape
through the roof!
Have your furnace checked annually. The extra cost may well pay for
itself, since a well-maintained furnace is less likely to develop costly problems. And
it will keep you safe too.
Don’t pay for heat
you don’t need.
If your heating isn’t already
controlled by a timer and
thermostat, have one
installed. You could save big
simply by setting the heat
lower during the day when
you’re out of the house and
while you’re sleeping at night.
Harness the sun.
On sunny days, open
blinds and shutters and tie
back curtains. Trim
evergreens and shrubs that
shade the windows. As soon
as the sun goes down, shut
things up to preserve the heat
inside.
Question: What percentage of a home’s heat is lost
through the glass in the windows?
Answer: 20%. And get this- For about $10 per window,
you can buy clear insulating film from the hardware
store and affix it to the windows. You might save
yourself $20 to $30 a year.
Question: How much could you expect to save on
home heating costs simply by insulating a drafty attic?
Answer: Approximately 20%.
Question: How can a lit incense stick help with
weatherproofing?
Answer: To determine if a small draft is present, light
the incense stick and check to see if the smoke drifts
sideways.
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… Weather-proof your windows and doors with caulk
… Insulate your attic
… Keep blankets, a flashlight, batteries, matches, a snow shovel and
rock salt on hand in case of a power outage
… Be sure carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are in working
condition
… Get a professional inspection of all fuel-burning heating systems
… Insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing and bursting
… Set your furnace no lower than 12°C
… Arrange for someone to pick up your mail and shovel your driveway
… Cancel your newspaper service and reduce internet and cable services
… Set household lights on timers
… Turn off power to your water heater
… Unplug TVs, computers and appliances susceptible to power surges in
case of a storm
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A harsh winter can mean less exercise and a higher risk of
germs and sickness. Follow these tips to help your family stay
warm, healthy and happy in the cold, without breaking the bank.
Take your kids to the gym. Many gyms and recreation centers offer
parent-child Yoga and Pilates classes, as well as family fitness training. You’ll
save on the cost of a babysitter and keep everyone in shape.
Burn calories while you shop. Bring your family to the mall to do
some vigorous walking—make it a game to see who can get to a certain store
most quickly (while remaining safe and conscious of other
shoppers!).
Take a time-out during television
commercials to get some exercise. Go up
and down the stairs or do some stretches to keep your body
active even while indoors.
Take advantage of the winter! Take your family
skiing, skating, snowboarding or sledding for your winter
holiday. To keep costs under control, buy secondhand through
skate exchanges, garage sales or stores that offer used sporting
equipment. And, when you are at home, encourage your kids to
get some exercise in the snow by making snow angels and
snowmen.
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Make sure you’re covered! When outside, be cautious of frostbite
and watch your kids’ exposure to sun and wind. The sun can reflect off the
snow and ice, so be sure to cover your child’s neck and face with sunscreen. Too
much wind exposure can leave skin chapped and raw, so take breaks to come
inside.
Cover-up right. When heading out to exercise,
dress warmly and in layers, but do not wear cotton.
Cotton absorbs moisture, and moisture from sweating will turn
cold and give you chills. Fabrics such as silk, wool and nylon
will keep you warm. Hit Value Village or used clothing stores to
find duds on the cheap.
Don’t forget your water! Because you and your
kids might not feel hot, it is easy to forget to drink
enough water. Stay hydrated, especially when exercising in
cold weather.
Keep your immune system in shape. In the cold
weather, your family is more susceptible to getting sick, so a daily
dose of vitamins is a good idea.
Wash your hands. This is probably the most effective cold
and flu preventative and it costs next to nothing. Stay stocked with hand
soaps for your home, and keep rinse-free antibacterial soaps with you in the car.
Sleep is cheap. Sleep keeps your immune system running, and some
people naturally need more sleep in the winter because of longer periods of
darkness.
High stress levels take a toll on your immune system. Figure
out ways to cut back on projects that are keeping you
stressed and overworked.
Take time to relax. Whether with your family or alone,
some down time can make a world of difference.
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Sources*
Car/Driving Tips:
Michelin North America
Uniroyal.ca
Betiresmart.ca
Cartest.ca
Safety-council.org
Carcarecanada.ca
Canadiandriver.com
Safeguarding Your Home:
CanadianLiving.com
http://www.ns.ec.gc.ca/
Real-estate-agents.com
Household-helper.com
Snowbird:
Statistics Canada
Canadiandriver.com
Gas- Savings Calculations:
Natural Resources Canada
Car Care Council
GasBuddy.com
Healthy Winter:
Healthy Canada- www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Doris.com
Marine Marathon.com
Do it yourself.com
*Uniroyal does not endorse, accept liability for and is not associated with the websites and sources
cited within this eBook. Websites and sources mentioned are offered as suggestions and are for
informational purposes only.
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