winter

(Melissa)

5 Tips For Tackling Winter Driving Safely

Waking up to freshly fallen snow can be a peaceful, idyllic scene, but realizing just moments later that you have to drive in all that white fluffy stuff to get to work can take the serenity out of the moment. [More]

Traveling This Weekend? Airlines Offering Travel Waivers Ahead Of Winter Storm

Traveling This Weekend? Airlines Offering Travel Waivers Ahead Of Winter Storm

Planning on traveling by plane in the next few days? The winter storm rolling across the country this weekend might have something to say about that. Ahead of the storm’s arrival, most U.S. airlines are issuing travel advisories and weather waivers for customers in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic who might find their plans ruined by snow, ice, sleet, wind, etc. [More]

(ash)

‘Tis The Season For High Energy Bills: Tips To Keep Warm And Lower Costs

Unless you enjoy living in a dark icebox, the winter months can be a real drain on your wallet, especially if you’re still reeling from holiday shopping. But keeping warm doesn’t mean you might as well throw money on a bonfire (seriously, don’t do that).  [More]

(Andrea Allen)

Clothing Retailers Lost $185 Million In November Because The Weather Is Too Nice

As the weather continues to be great in much of the country, the situation is getting worse for retailers. Now we can put some numbers on that: a firm that combines research on weather and retail reports that clothing stores lost $185 million just in November of this year. [More]

(The Impulsive Buy)

Café Mocha Is Apparently Now The Flavor Of Winter And Christmas, Thanks To M&Ms

If pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice latte, and caramel apple are the flavors of fall, red velvet is the flavor of Valentine’s Day, and key lime pie and s’mores are the flavor of summer, what is the flavor of winter? Is there one? M&Ms have traditionally sold bags of cherry or mint flavored candies near Christmas, but now they’ve moved on to hot beverages. The flavor for Christmas is… café mocha. [More]

(Misfit Photographer)

NHTSA Closes Five-Year Probe Into 1.8M GM Trucks & SUVs With Brake Failure; Doesn’t Order Recall

After five years of investigating why brake lines in some 1.8 million older trucks and SUVs have a tendency to fail, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration failed to find a safety defect and plans to close the probe without ordering General Motors to replace the often rusted brake lines. [More]

Visitors Bureau For Ice-Cold Ithaca Tells People To Just Go Get Warm In Key West

Visitors Bureau For Ice-Cold Ithaca Tells People To Just Go Get Warm In Key West

While the central New York city of Ithaca might be home to lovely Cornell University and the fictional University of Ithaca from the classic Breckin Meyer comedy Road Trip, it — like many places north of 35th parallel this week — is unpleasantly, bone-chillingly cold. But at least the folks at the Ithaca Visitors Bureau have a good sense of humor about the weather. [More]

Dunkin’ Donuts Profits Hurt By Crappy Weather, Moves Up California Opening Spree

Dunkin’ Donuts Profits Hurt By Crappy Weather, Moves Up California Opening Spree

When the Northeast experienced exceedingly nasty winter weather earlier this year, do you know what people didn’t do? They didn’t venture out of their houses for hot coffee, apparently. Dunkin’ Donuts announced its financial results for the first quarter of 2014, and they blame the crappy weather for profits that are $800,000 lower than last quarter. [More]

Old Man Winter’s Latest Storm Effort Has Canceled 4,500 Flights… So Far

Old Man Winter’s Latest Storm Effort Has Canceled 4,500 Flights… So Far

Yes, winter happens ever year. But goshdarnit if people aren’t completely fed up with Old Man Winter’s blustery temper this season, which has already seen thousands of flights canceled. Including those canceled over the weekend in preparation for this latest bit of blizzarding, at least 4,500 flights have been ditched and thousands others delayed. [More]

(Muffet)

Yes, Your Valentine’s Day Flowers Might Be Late Because Of The Weather

Florists have a rare convergence of crappy conditions for this Valentine’s Day, typically their busiest day of the year. As snow and ice smack the East Coast, many businesses have concluded that they’d rather send their employees home safe to their loved ones than deliver dead plants to their customers’ loved ones. [More]

(Karen_Chappell)

Blame Nature, Not Your Lover, If Valentine’s Day Flowers Don’t Show

Friday is Valentine’s Day, the annual Festival of Pink and Red Dead Plants and Sometimes Chocolate. This year, the timing of the holiday poses a special challenge to florists and other gift-deliverers: The 14th falls on a Friday, and the next business day is a federal holiday when many workplaces close. That’s tricky enough, but what about the blast of ice and snow currently threatening much of the country? [More]

Hurry And Pick Up A Top Snowblower Before The Snow Comes

Hurry And Pick Up A Top Snowblower Before The Snow Comes

If you live in a part of the country that gets snow, you might be thinking about buying a snowblower…um, sometime in the next few hours if you live in the Northeast. Fortunately, our bundled-up colleagues over at Consumer Reports has already done the heavy plowing for you and picked out the best machines on the market. [More]

Home Improvement Projects To Warm Up Cold Rooms

If some alchemy of floor plan design, insulation and ventilation makes one room in your home colder than all the others, you can even things out by installing a supplemental heating system. A quick home improvement project can make the room more livable. [More]

3 Ways To Keep The Heating Bill Down

3 Ways To Keep The Heating Bill Down

When the temperature drops, the heating bills surge. But there are more ways to stay warm than figuratively setting your money on fire. [More]

Tips To Sell Your Home During Cold Months

Tips To Sell Your Home During Cold Months

It’s tough enough to sell a home when the weather is cooperating, and more difficult still when the cold keeps prospective buyers withdrawn and sluggish. But no matter what factors are stacked against sellers, some will find a way to get rid of their homes. [More]

5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Warm During Cold Months

5 Ways To Keep Your Dog Warm During Cold Months

Dogs are better equipped to handle the cold than humans, but Jack Frost can still put the hurt on pooches. If you own a dog who spends a lot of time outside, there are things you can do to make sure he stays warm when temperatures bottom out. [More]

Get Your Car Ready For Winter

Get Your Car Ready For Winter

The changing weather means a different set of challenges for your car. In order to do what you can to prevent yourself from getting stranded in the cold in the coming months, it makes sense to give your vehicle a once-over. [More]

Federal Assistance Cuts Could Literally Leave Poor In Cold

Federal Assistance Cuts Could Literally Leave Poor In Cold

Low-income residents who rely on federal assistance to keep the heat on may be in for a rough winter. Because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’s allotment for heating assistance has plunged to $1.7 billion this year from $4.5 billion last year, thousands of homes may not be able to keep the heat on. [More]