I, unfortunately, though not according to most, call a part of the frozen great white north, home. Most folks who live in my particular town, live for the outdoors and that white stuff that falls from the sky for far too many months.
My feelings on the matter aside, it is quite expensive to live somewhere where the temperatures plunge and the white stuff piles. I have never added it up, of course, especially as establishing a baseline is rather difficult. Plus, some things that I consider absolutely crucial, others do not.
Here is a non-exhaustive list of areas where I spend more money than you, if you happen to live in a warmer climate. I’m looking at you, Athena.
*This post contains affiliate links.
Toe Heaters and Mittens and Toques and More
First up, I know what you are thinking and no, toe heaters are not a joke. See, here’s some on Amazon:
(I wouldn’t mind some for my ski boots. Not at all.)
Obviously those are more of a luxury item, but having a pair of reasonable winter boots is not. I scored a pair of Sorels
I wear these to go get my Christmas tree and such. If I had the horrible task of shoveling snow, these would be my buddies. Thank goodness I live in a condo. (Seriously. No snow shoveling was a big upside on my pro/con list.)
I also have a pair of girlier (totally a word) ones, for around town. I believe they set me back in the neighbourhood of $100.
Don’t worry, I have a post in the works about shoes, because I know you all want to creep in my closet and find out about all of the shoes I own.
The final pair of winter boots that I own are short, covering my ankle, black boots that I bought in graduate school. I think they cost $50 and were a miraculous find on a sales rack, the only pair of reasonable winter boots at a reasonable price and thanks to an act of providence, they were in my size. I had spent two days scouring the city (a true city, with a big’ol’mall) for a pair of dependable winter boots that cost less than $150. Ouchie, I didn’t have that kind of money!
I also have a winter jacket
To put things in perspective, my spouse recently bought a shell, aka only the outer bit that’s water and wind proof, and it was $600 (on sale. No joke.). It’s an Arc’teryx
I wear my jacket around town and to ski.
Whew, this post is getting much longer than I thought, we may have to cover some more things next week. Onwards with clothes, though.
Mittens!
I have mittens and gloves. My ski gloves
Scarves
Not only do scarves offer a fashionable flair to outfits, they also keep you warm. Thankfully, they don’t break the bank, but nice ones do. You can pick up a scarf that will help keep you warm for $10 or less.
Toques! <- I am obviously Canadian
Noggin’ toppers, beanies, winter hats? I don’t know what other people call them, other than Australians. Toques trap heat and sit on your head. Most are $15-$25, depending upon who you wish to help advertise their brand. If you’re lucky, you can get one for free in a 24 of beer. I’ve done that before.
I have a sheepskin hat
Total Cost
Boots, a jacket, gloves, a scarf and a toque form the fundamentals for a winter wardrobe and most are non-negotiable. You can wear skate shoes through a solid portion of the winter (I do), but there are days when the snow is drifting, the sidewalks aren’t shoveled, and you don’t want a snow soaker. That’s just plain unpleasant. Also, boots are a lot warmer than skate shoes.
How much does basic winter clothing cost?
I’m so glad you asked. Let’s add it up:
| Lower | Higher | |
| Boots | $80 | $300 |
| Jacket | $180 | $650 |
| Gloves | $60 | $140 |
| Scarf | $8 | $150 |
| Toque | $8 | $35 |
| Total | $336 | $1275 |
Of course, you can do better than my lower end estimates, like I did when I scored used Sorrels. That said, the lower end estimates are the bottom end for reasonably good quality stuff, that will actually see you through a winter, warm and safe. The higher end numbers are by no means the top of the price bracket, they are just representative of the cost of the “better stuff on the rack” when you’re looking at winter gear.
Truly, the sky is the limit. I thought I was incorporating a pretty solidly expensive scarf price, but my spouse said I was wrong. Yup. Burberry scarves are $425 in Canada.
Maybe another time I’ll talk to you about $300 ski shirts. Yes, I said SHIRT.
Etcetera
On that note, there is a whole host of other gear you can acquire, to survive the long, dark, entirely depressing days of winter. Such as $300 ski shirts, and poly prop, and socks, and merino wool, and those boot heaters I mentioned before, and let’s not forget about ski pants. Those things, though, are optional, unless you’re really, really far up north, or want to go play outside.
Well my friends, it looks like I am too long winded and will need to resume my chronicling of the excessive expenses related to winter in another post. Until then, stay warm!
I recommend hot chocolate and Baileys for staying warm. I use them all the time.
I am somehow surviving without a proper winter coat or proper winter boots at the moment. It helps – a lot – that I have a car, and the most walking I do is to and from it.
I’m also surviving without Baileys! 🙁
Amanda @ My Life, I Guess recently posted…Why We’re Not Moving …Yet
I made it a long time in Ontario without getting proper winter gear, though I think you’re in a colder area than me for that!
I had to make non-dairy baileys for my spouse, because it was so key to Christmas 😉
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33
I live in New York and when it’s 18 degrees outside like it has been, winter weather gear is a necessity. It is definitely costly to invest in good coats, hats and gloves initially; however, thankfully they usually last for a while so you will get a good return on your investment.
Shannon @ Financially Blonde recently posted…Blogging for Beginners
Yes… long life is a good feature in winter gear. Winter has been nuts this year on the East coast. I hope you are surviving it!
Oh that just sounds miserable, so glad winters are mild down here.
I never knew what a toque was, but now it all makes sense and I can speak more Canadian…toque, poutine, looneys, tooneys, hydro bill. I can blend in up there now, eh?
Brian @ Debtless in Texas recently posted…SEO for Personal Finance Bloggers
Hahahaha. Yup, gettin’ there for sure 😉
You’ve got crazy summers, don’t forget!
Wow… that’s a lot of season related stuff!
I live in south eastern Australia. We, generally, just need to add another layer and on a really winter-y day, a coat.
Mind you, I think I might be amenable to swapping hemispheres to avoid our excessive summer heat.
Oh, and I just checked, in Australia a Burberry ‘Heritage’ scarf costs $715!!! Yep… definitely gonna get me one of those. Maybe TWO!
diane @smartmoneysimplelife recently posted…Why You Should Eat Frogs for Breakfast
SEVEN HUNDRED DOLLARS?! My mind is blown. That’s more than my very fancy trench coat cost!
I have only been in Australia during shoulder seasons, so I managed to avoid the crazy heat. Light jackets sound like a nice way to make it through the winter.
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33
I’m a coffee and Bailey’s girl, but I’m in! I have a habit of getting winter clothes for Christmas. I got new boots that are seriously warm, but my toes are perpetually cold. Might be time for me to seriously consider the warmers!
Emily @ Simple Cheap Mom recently posted…7 Free Indoor Places to Take your Toddler
I was really close to buying warmers once while I was waiting for my FIL in a shop. They weren’t labeled with a price, though, so it was more of a “hmmm, I wonder” type situation.
Come over for coffee and Bailey’s any time 🙂
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33
I’m on my way! Clean up!
Emily @ Simple Cheap Mom recently posted…When You’re Too Cheap for Original Art… (help me!)
My work buys my boots! Good to like -50 deg F!
It can add up, but like most things, it’s what you want to spend. Visit the thrift store in the summer and I’m sure you’ll find some deals.
Elroy recently posted…Israel – Jerusalem
Nice! I get a boot allowance for work, too, but only for steel toed ones… and I can’t justify winter steel toes due to my office-based job.
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33
I live in Chicago, so it’s not quite as cold, but we definitely get our fair share.
It’s true, the cost of winter gear does add up very quickly if you have to purchase it all. I do find that most of my gear lasts me at least 5 winters though if I buy nicer quality items. Spending a bit more upfront can be a great way to save in the long run 🙂
Stay warm!
Christina @ Embracing Simple recently posted…34 Frugal and Fun Date Ideas
I definitely opt for the higher quality stuff… I am so glad I scored those Sorrells for a song. Cheap stuff just isn’t worth it, I agree. It doesn’t last very long and it usually doesn’t do a very good job while it does “work.”
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33
The good news is that good winter gear can last a long time. I have a North Face down coat that I bought at least five years ago — so long ago I can’t remember how much I paid; as I recall it was on sale — and that looks like it will last basically as long as I can stand to wear it. My cashmere hat is just losing its mojo now (it’s getting stretched out) and I’ll probably have to replace it next year but it too has been going strong for many winters. I find that boots, cashmere-lined leather gloves (my glove of choice), smartwool socks, and scarves generally last 2-3 winters depending on how intensively they’re used; I will have to replace basically all those things next winter, but this winter I invested zero dollars in gear, so I got a break. (My current boots were bought last year for $40 on a discount rack and were brilliant last winter, but they’re less water-tight this winter and I think I’m going to swap out before things get too dire. They’re fake suede on the outside, so hard to waterproof.)
C@thesingledollar recently posted…Zero Food Waste 2015, Week 6: Don’t Be Penny-Wise
Nice score on the boots, it’s a bummer that they won’t last for more seasons.
I am jealous that you own a down jacket. They are crazy expensive. My spouse had to purchase one for work, but I’ve never had such an excuse, so I just squish it and look at it longingly sometimes.
Anne recently posted…Friday Jet Fuel #33