There are few things more quintessentially Canadian than embracing everything that winter has to offer. But concerns over rising inflation have led many Canadians to feel anxious about spending this season. In fact, a recent IPSOS poll found that four in 10 respondents have “changed their financial New Year’s resolutions due to inflation.”

If you’re aiming to stick to a financial plan this year, there are still plenty of ways you can enjoy winter. Below, we look at five budget-friendly activities you can plan over the winter season.

1. Ice skating

Going ice skating at a local rink is a wonderful winter pastime that requires no more than buying or renting a pair of skates. Many municipalities offer access to outdoor skating facilities to the public for free. For example, Toronto provides dozens of outdoor rinks that are open every day, including weekends. Montreal and Calgary also have many ice-skating rinks you can check out. And over in British Columbia, Vancouver has eight local ice rinks for residents to enjoy.

2. Sledding and tobogganing

Another way to have some affordable fun over the season is heading to a local hill for some sledding or tobogganing (a toboggan being a type of sled with no runners or skis on its underside). You can rent a sled or toboggan at many local parks or hills in Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver.

3. Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is another affordable and relatively low-impact winter activity that you can try, with many metropolitan areas across Canada offering a diverse range of trails and snowshoe rental services. Toronto, for instance, has snowshoeing trails in High Park, Tommy Thompson Park and along the Don Valley Ravine. If you’re in Montreal, you can try snowshoeing in several of the city’s larger parks with easy access to public transit, including Mount Royal Park and Parc Jean-Drapeau. And in the West, Calgary has several places where you can go snowshoeing, while Grouse Mountain is a great place to take it up in the Greater Vancouver Area. 

4. Winter festivals

If you’re not interested in physical activities, then maybe visiting an outdoor winter festival might be more to your liking. Winter festivals across Canada each have their own distinct flavour. For example, the Toronto Light Festival (running from January 17 to March 1, 2023) showcases art exhibitions in the city’s Distillery District. Meanwhile, Montréal en Lumière (running from February 15 to March 5, 2023) has a program that combines performing arts, gastronomy and free outdoor activities.

In the West, the team behind the Vancouver Mural Festival organizes the annual VMF Winter Fest (running this year from February 16 to February 26, 2023), a “free, all-ages festival transforming downtown Vancouver into an open-air gallery and celebration of art, lights and entertainment.” Not to be outdone, Calgary hosts the annual Chinook Blast (running from January 27 to February 12, 2023) where the best of the city’s “art, music, theatre, sport and recreation will be on display.”

5. Have a snow day

And finally, one completely free way to enjoy winter is to simply spend a day at your local park enjoying the snow with your loved ones – building snow forts, making snow angels or taking part in a fun snowball fight.

With a little planning, having fun over the winter season doesn’t have to be expensive. And using a good cash back card can help you get more out of your winter spending, making your money work harder for you. For instance, the Home Trust Preferred Visa has no annual fee and offers 1% CashBack Rewards on all eligible purchases with no cap. Additionally, you can add your Home Trust Preferred Visa to your favourite Digital Wallet, making paying for everyday purchases using your mobile device easy and convenient.

With a Home Trust Preferred Visa, you’ll be on your way to getting the most out of the season. Learn more by visiting hometrust.ca/credit-cards/preferred-visa-card.

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