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As the straggling Indian Summer days have finally given way to the inaugural frosts of the season, we shift our focus to preparing our cars for the cold winter months. For cars, winter weather conditions magnify existing problems; graduating small pings and hard engine starts to failed heaters and dead batteries — always at the wrong time. With freezing temperatures, rain, snow and ice on the horizon, responsible drivers should now take the time to prepare their cars with a standard winter tune-up.

Winter tune-ups are like vaccinations to people: they ensure the health of your car and prevent some nasty disorders from ever occurring. But even though conventional wisdom holds that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," the National Car Care Council reports that only 30% of motorists winterize their car. Similar to its spring counterpart, a basic winter tune-up does not have to be expensive, nor performed by a mechanic. Without any type of winter tune-up though, older engines will run rough and lose power, and newer cars suffer advanced wear and tear.

The basic winter car tune-up should first focus on the oil and the battery. Winter conditions generally require a thinner oil weight to minimize engine wear. For example, an engine that normally uses 10W-30 oil, should consider changing to a thinner 5W-30. In regards to the battery, cold temperatures drastically slow a battery’s chemical reaction upon starting the engine. In fact, a strong battery can lose up to 50% of its output in freezing conditions. A simple rule-of-thumb is that if the battery’s connections are noticeably loose or corroded, the battery is likely to be weak and in need of replacement. Just as a car’s oil requires close attention, the same applies to the vehicle’s other fluids, including the antifreeze, brake, transmission, and power steering fluid levels. Check your engine's hoses and belts for wear and tear as they can affect the electrical system, air conditioning, power steering, and the engine's cooling system.

In preparation for compromised road conditions, car tires should be inspected regularly for proper inflation and tread wear. When the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch, tires must be replaced. A “penny-test” is a reliable tool to check tire tread. Take a penny and put Lincoln’s head into one of the grooves of the tire tread. If part of his head is covered by the tread, you're driving with the legal amount of tread. If you can see all of President’s head though, it's time to replace the tire.

As visibility is certain challenge every driver in winter, be it with fewer hours of daylight or fog, snow, and rain, check your headlights (both high-beam and low-beam) to ensure that bulbs are aimed in the proper direction. Now is the time to change your windshield wiper blades as well, especially since the summer heat more than likely compromised their effectiveness. Experts recommend changing them every six months regardless.

Winterizing a car also involves preparing for a bit more of a survival-based emergency resulting from inclement weather. A basic winter kit should be stowed in your trunk in case you become stranded in your car for a period of more than a couple hours. Use the trunk space to store survival essentials including bottled water, blanket, flashlight, matches, snacks, and warmer clothing. For the Boy Scout troop leaders, we also recommend carrying paper towels, a red flag, a bag of sand, transistor radio, first aid kit, small shovel, and Danielle Steel’s latest.

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Winter officially begins on December 21, but shorter days and dropping temperatures have already started. Simply ask residents of Buffalo, New York who witnessed an unseasonably early snowfall in mid-October. Interestingly, meteorologists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center expect a winter that is 8% cooler than last year’s. Although the outlook does not warn of disaster-like conditions, history has demonstrated that even normal seasonal rains, snowfall, ice and winds can devastate homes. Autumn is the time for home owners to winterize their homes and prepare for the imminent elements of winter that threaten both the safety and value of homes.

Winterizing a home begins with protecting against freezing temperatures. Heating systems, including fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, and furnaces should receive their annual servicing to ensure reliability and safety. Ideally, these heating systems should keep the home’s internal temperature above 65 degrees to conserve the energy required to maintain livable comfort and prevent water pipes from freezing.

For water pipes that are not naturally protected by the home’s insulated walls (e.g. garage, outside sprinklers), owners should protect the pipes with either heating tape or insulating foam, which are both readily available at most hardware stores. To keep cold air or moisture outside, weather stripping and caulking should also be checked around any structural openings including doors, windows, and faucets.

The Insurance Information Institute reports that water damage and freezing account for approximately 17% of all homeowners insurance claims, while wind and hail account for close to 50%. The average claim for water damage and freezing is $5,095. Standard homeowners insurance policies protect homes against most types of damage caused by freezing, such as a water pipe bursting, or in situations where ice forms in a rain gutter and causes water to backup and seep into the house. Most importantly, home owners must understand that most homeowners insurance policies do not cover against flooding. Unfortunately, many learned too late after their homes were destroyed by the floods that followed Hurricane Katrina. Home owners should consider a separate flood insurance policy to complement their protection, depending on their proximity to possible flooding, because even flood damage caused by storm drain backups are a separate and extra endorsement to a standard policy.

Regardless of the season, the most common mistake people make with regards to their homeowners policy is to undervalue their home and possessions. In fact, experts estimate that 60% of homes in the U.S. are not adequately insured to cover their full replacement cost value. Remember, the full replacement cost value is how much it would cost to rebuild the house on the land it sits on now — not the value for which you could sell your house today. Be sure to also report any recent home improvements to your insurance agent and keep an up-to-date home inventory list so that you can accurately adjust your coverage to protect these items.

Winterizing your home is a convenient time to perform an annual review of your homeowners insurance policy to ensure adequate coverage levels, and to identify any potential discounts. If you have any questions about what is covered in your policy, take the time to contact your homeowners insurance company or agent. And always remember that you may be able to save a significant amount of money by shopping for new coverage as rates are always changing.

* To find out more about the NOAA Climate Prediction Center winter report visit http://www.noaa.go

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In a matter of days, the holiday season will return, and all those extra calories will once again propagate every corner of our lives, just like the seasonal decorations overtake the crowded malls. If during this time, you become a Jekyll-and-Hyde with uncontrollable snacking — wielding a 6-week license to feast, remember that your holiday pounds can easily tip you into a more expensive term life insurance category. If you are like the millions of Americans that are also on this threshold, you have three options: 1.) secure lower rates before the feast, 2.) maintain a strict holiday diet, or 3.) pay more afterward.

People comfortably accept a certain amount of holiday weight gain; knowing that they can simply use one of their New Year’s resolutions to undo such indulgence. However, the timing of the classic weight loss resolution clashes head-on with the other New Year’s resolution: Getting finances in order — especially as it relates to term life insurance.

It’s no secret that the more a person weighs in relation to their height, the greater their risk for long-term health complications and a shortened lifespan. Therefore, it should be no surprise that carriers use a simple formula to determine term life insurance policy costs: “The more you weigh, the more you pay.”

To be considered for preferred life insurance rates, it is important to keep your height to weight ratio at or near the ideal range for your body type. If you already have a term life insurance policy, and you have recently lost weight and kept it off, be sure to notify your carrier. If your carrier fails to reward you with lower rates, it may be time for you to shop around for a new policy. Carriers use different health ratios to determine rates, therefore, shopping around may uncover potential savings and better coverage. At any time, you may request a medical examination to expedite the process. Your rates are locked in for the term of the policy, so the carrier cannot penalize you for any gained weight. If in fact, the medical examination determines that your health has improved, you should pursue lower rates.

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