I like to check the clearance rack at the clothing section in the store during February and March every year. That’s when all of the winter clothing gets marked down to make room for the spring and summer apparel. Since long sleeve shirts, pants, and sweaters are more expensive than warmer clothing, these seasonal clearance sales are a perfect way to stock up for much less. We get winter weather for six to eight months every single year, so I end up needing warmer clothes more often than shorts and t-shirts. Even though I should be used to it by now, it feels like the winters get colder every year. It’s alarming when lows dip below negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit, especially for people without supplemental heating sources. Since many of us use furnaces that at least require electricity to ignite if they aren’t electric to begin with, a loss of power during this kind of weather could be life threatening. And at the very least, it could be destructive to your home in the event it leads to your pipes freezing and bursting. After we kept reaching lower record temperatures for the fourth straight year, I decided to upgrade my old oil furnace with a new one. This gives me a stronger source of indoor heat with reduced energy costs. Thus far this new oil furnace is running circles around the old one. It doesn’t take me nearly as long to get the temperature up after I’ve been away from the house for most of the day. And when it’s excruciatingly cold outside, I’m nice and warm indoors with this strong new oil furnace.