I moved here in 1991 from Wenatchee, WA, where winters are a little more harsh and studded snow tires are needed most winters to just get around town - never mind longer trips. After 2-3 years of never needing the studded tires on either of our ordinary 2WD passenger cars around Boise and nearby - not once - my husband replaced them with soft rubber snow tires without studs. Then after listening to me gripe for another 2-3 years about the loud hum the studless snow tires made at speeds above 35mph - on Boise's usually bare-and-dry or bare-and-wet winter roads - I threatened to divorce him if he ever put them back on. I haven't used snow tires since, though I have so-called all-weather tires on my car now.
I have never chained up in my winter travels throughout the greater Treasure Valley, though I do have chains and other emergency supplies in my car. If you are a snow skier you'll want some proper snow tires, and chains if needed, to travel to our nearby ski slopes. Your needs will depend on the distance of your commute to work, and where you like to go "play." I've never lived farther than 3 miles away from the state Capitol building all these years, and for me, any sort of snow tires are a waste of money.
If you've never driven on ice, plan to visit a big parking lot somewhere when it's icy to practice. The best lesson you'll ever learn on the icy parking lot is to never follow too close behind a car, then pray that the guy behind you has learned the same lesson.
Now that I'm retired I have the luxury of not driving my car on bad-road days in the winter - I stay at home. So, unless you're retired too, eat your heart out