Driving in the snow takes skill. Yes, skill. Most cars you see off the road are 1. idiots 2. people who can't drive 3. SUV's who think they own the road.
There's no way around losing control. Just drive slower. You obviously have to take your turns slower, you have to be careful how you approach stop signs and red lights that are on hills, etc. You might even have to take different routes to avoid hills if you're having a tough time starting in first. When you're actually moving though, the lower the RPM's, the better. So, the higher the gear, the better. Same goes with starting. Try starting in 2nd. Don't romp on the gas. Spinning will get you no where. If it's cold enough, all you're doing is heating up your tires, melting a little of the snow but more so packing it down, and it's already cold out enough to freeze again and it'll just create a layer of ice for you to slide on.
You don't need snow tires. They are nice to have and they are a world of a difference to drive on over all-seasons, but you don't need them. In the 6 years I've been driving in the snow here in NY (and trust me, we will get feet upon feet, massive blizzards), I have never used studded or snow tires and I get to where I need to go with no problems. You just have to be cautious and drive better.
And also, using your e-brake around corner MAY help at times. If you start to understeer and slide, DO NOT SLAM ON THE BRAKES. Pull up the e-brake to swing the ass around, and then compensate. Or "drift", if you will.
When you need to stop, don't rely on your regular brakes as much, engine brake. You'll notice you stop a lot faster if you downshift and engine brake than if you try to use regular brakes (with no engine brake) to stop. Hell, I even dump the clutch into 1st gear and it stops me a HELL of a lot faster.