Are you ready for winter? Many of us aren't exactly looking forward to the colder weather and the inevitable storms. But here's the good news: what you do right now could protect your home and save you some money this winter.

The experts at Consumer Reports share their top tips to get your home and yard prepped for whatever winter dishes out.

You could wing it this winter, but preparing ahead of time offers some serious perks, says Consumer Reports’ Paul Hope. He says “Getting out ahead of winter could save you a lot of money on your energy bills and in the form of preventable repairs. The classic example is a burst pipe. It may only be a few bucks to protect it now but if you don’t do it, you may end up with a repair that can cost thousands later in the winter.”

What you can do now is

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