Last winter, millions were caught off guard when temperatures plummeted to the lowest levels recorded for more than 30 years. But once bitten twice shy so - if you own a car or home - get ahead with your preparations and be ready for this year.
Give your car a DIY maintenance
Tyre pressure: Check the air pressure in your tyres is in line with that recommended in your manufacturer's handbook - or, if you can't lay your hands on this, pressure levels are often specified on a sticker on the inside of the driver's door.
Tyre tread: Tyre tread should also be robust enough to grip the more slippery roads. The legal minimum depth is 1.6mm, though the AA recommends 3mm is better suited to the colder months.
Battery: Bear in mind that car batteries use more energy in the winter as they power extra heat and light so check yours is always fully charged. Consider changing your battery if it is more than five years old as it will be less reliable.
Radiator: Keep your radiator topped up with anti-freeze in the winter to prevent engine fluids from freezing.
See and be seen
Windscreen: Check windscreen wipers are in good working order before any trip, and that washer fluid is topped up - especially important when the gritters hit the roads. Make sure the inside of your windscreen is clean too for maximum visibility.
Lights: Keeping your headlights free from dirt is also important so you can see other cars - and they can see you - on wet, dark nights.
Keep safe if your car fails you
Breakdown cover: If the worst happens and you end up broken down on a freezing night, you'll curse yourself if you failed to join or update membership to a roadside recovery service. Breakdown cover needn't be expensive so if you don't already have it, use moneysupermarket.com's comparison tool buy it now.
Have your membership card handy and store it in your mobile phone under something easy to remember. In turn, always ensure your phone is fully charged when undertaking winter journeys by car - and keep blankets, thick coats and water in your vehicle at all times.
Preparing your home
Get insulated: Now is the time to save money and keep warm by padding out your home with cavity wall and loft insulation, both of which can shave £100s of pounds off your energy bills each year. According to the Energy Saving Trust, loft insulation should be to a minimum depth of 270mm to prevent heat loss through the ceiling.
Insulation in cavity walls is suitable for most homes built after 1920 and fills the space between the outside and inside wall. The government's Warm Front scheme is still open in spite of recent cut backs in the Spending Review so you may even be eligible for a grant. Log onto Warmfront.co.uk or call 0800 316 2805 to find out.
Fix lose tiles and clear gutters: When water freezes around your home's roof tiles, they can easily come loose, and fixing them in the dead of winter is not ideal. Mend any lose tiles now if you are able and, while you are up on the ladder, clear your home's gutters from dirt and autumn leaves so they are ready to take on a potentially icy winter.
Keep your home's heat ticking over: The last thing you need when temperatures plummet into the minuses is to find yourself without heating or hot water - so get your boiler serviced before the thermometer says freezing.
If you are going away for any length of time during the colder months, put your heating on a timer to ensure that your furniture and linen remains damp-free and - most importantly - that water in your home's pipes doesn't freeze and expand.
And if you are unlucky enough to suffer from a burst pipe this winter, at least make sure you know in advance exactly where your stopcock is, so you are able to turn off the water at the mains.
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