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The word “Budget” seems to hit a nerve with a lot of people. Most people just do not want to create a budget or follow one anymore. They feel that it is too constricting, don’t have the willpower to stick to it or is just a waste of time. They have failed time and time again and don’t want to bother with it anymore.
First of all, these are all excuses for not being able to control your money, but there is most probably another underlying reason you can’t stick to your budget; and it’s pretty simple to fix.
One Simple Reason You Can’t Stick To Your Budget
So, what’s the reason? Well, it’s very simple, you are not including everything you need to in your budget. Think about it, how often have you created a budget and promised yourself that this was the answer, all you needed to do is stick with it, only to fall flat a few months in?
I know that the reason I kept failing is that expenses always came up that I had not budgeted for. These expenses were not regular monthly items, they were items that I should have taken into consideration and did not. I’ve done it many times, and I am sure you have too.
The key to sticking to your budget is making sure you have covered all the unscheduled but necessary expenses. Here is a list of some expenses that you may be missing in your budget that you need work into it.
Forgotten Budget Expenses
Car Maintenance
I’m sure that you’ve included gas, insurance and any other regular monthly expense having to do with transportation. It’s always better to purchase car insurance to save yourself from financial hardship in the event that you’re involved in an automobile accident. But what about the expenses that are not monthly. Have you budgeted for regular oil changes? You know you need to have it done a few times a year right.
What about wiper blade replacements, yearly inspection, and registration? These are inevitable. Have you thought about how you are going to pay for your next set of tires? This may only be an expense that happens once every three or four years but your budget will take a big hit when you do need them. Why not plan for it now.
Gift Giving
Gift giving can really add up throughout the year and hurt your budgeting efforts. I’m sure that you’ve got Christmas covered because it is a huge yearly expense. But what about all the gift-giving occasions that happen throughout the year?
There are birthday gifts, Mother and Father’s day, grandparents day, weddings, baby showers, housewarming, graduations, retirement parties, get well gifts, all of your kid’s friends birthdays as well as your friends, the list goes on and on.
Plan for all of these occasions, even the unexpected ones. Figure out how much you are going to need for all the regular gift giving occasions then double that amount, or at least give yourself good padding in your budget to cover the unexpected ones. You will be glad you did and your budget will stay intact.
Building a gift closet is a great way to stay on top of gift giving, read my post on How to Build a Gift Closet to get started.
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Health Care
Health care, other than your monthly prescription refills or insurance premiums can really hit your budget hard. Of course, you wouldn’t have planned for those emergency room visits for a child’s broken leg or ear infections.
How would you have predicted that you would have slipped down the last three stairs in your basement putting holiday decorations away and sprained your knee?
Well, you can’t predict these things, but you should be prepared for them nevertheless. You have to expect that sometimes these things happen. They happen to all of us, being prepared is key.
You may not know when or how much it’s going to set you back, but having some money put aside when they do helps to keep your budget intact. It also allows you to focus on the more important things like taking care of yourself and your family.
Home Maintenance
Home Maintenance is another expense that will throw your budget into a tailspin if you haven’t been planning for them. Now let me ask you, how long do you think it is going to be before you need to replace the roof on your house? What about replacing doors or windows? These are some huge expenses.
The thing is that they will need replacing and repair, it may be in five or more years down the road, but when your roof starts leaking, won’t you be happy that you have been working these things into your budget.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be these huge repairs either. You have to expect that you will eventually need a plumber for those clogged drains that are impossible to clear with drain cleaner. What about having to hire a handyman to make repairs around your house that you are not equipped to fix. Preparing for the inevitable will save your budget.
Pet Care
Do you have all your bases covered when it comes to pet care? I’m sure food and regular grooming have crossed your mind, but there are other areas that you may not have thought of. What about unexpected vet bills and medications?
Have you thought of your pets yearly wellness exams or what about the yearly registration fee you have to pay to your municipality? These are things that most people don’t think of until it is too late to plan for them. Check out “8 Simple Ways To Save Money On Pet Care” for some great tips.
More posts that can help you stay on budget
Budget categories that you may be forgetting about
9 Budget challenges we all face and how to overcome them
10 Reasons you have no money & how to fix it
Cash envelope system explained: why use it and how to get started
How to plan for unexpected expenses to avoid budgeting your budget
Managing money like a pro – 21 money management skills we all need to master
How to stop spending money – 14 tips to stop overspending for good
Emergency savings 101 – Everything you need to know to avoid financial disaster
How to budget money the right way
15 Free budget planner templates
How to stop living paycheck to paycheck
Living below your means: Everything you need to know to get started
The ultimate guide to reaching your financial goals
5 Bad financial habits you must break
How to teach your teen to manage money
10 Financial habits you need to start doing today
Why young families need a financial plan and what to include
Wellness Care
In addition to unexpected health care and injuries, there are other areas that you should be planning for. What about planning to replace your glasses every three to four years because your vision has changed. How about dental cleanings and other work you may need to fix? Do you think that you can’t get a cavity?
Maybe you know that your child will need braces in a few years and think you have time to prepare. Before you know it, you are hit with these expenses and are not prepared.
It’s hard to know exactly what and when it will happen or how much it is going to cost, but it’s best to be prepared when they do.
Unpaid Time Off From Work
Planning for unexpected time off from work is another area that is hard to say exactly how much you will need because it is, in fact, unexpected. But what would happen if it does? Losing a week’s worth of pay will really do a number on your finances.
Budget at least a week’s worth of unpaid time into your budget yearly. You might not need to use it now, and that’s great. But what if you do need to take time off from work to care for a sick child or parent? Wouldn’t it be a bit less worrisome if you didn’t have to stress about money so you could concentrate on your family?
Clothing
Clothing can really take a bit out of your budget. You’ve probably included some money in this department but it’s a big possibility that you have not budgeted enough. Think about all the times where you unexpectedly had to purchase clothing items that you just didn’t think of in your overall clothing budget.
With every season that rolls around, you need to replace some items. Every winter you need to get the kids new cold weather items like jackets, boots, mittens, snow pants, the list goes on. Children outgrow clothing so quickly, it’s hard to keep up.
What about formal wear for some special occasion that you didn’t think of? Maybe your daughter was asked to be the flower girl at a wedding. How about work clothes for your new job?
Then there is the dreaded beginning of a new school year when you have to drop a small fortune on new clothes, backpacks, sneakers for gym class and so on.
Consider all occasions and seasons that are on the way throughout the year and plan for those expenses as well as the regular everyday stuff.
Unexpected trips
There are many reasons why someone could get caught into taking an unexpected trip. It could be having to go out-of-town to help out an ailing family member. Or it may be having an appointment with a specialist who is too far away to be able to make it a day trip. And, although it’s not something you want to think of, maybe a family member passed away unexpectedly and you need to be there for the service.
The fact of the matter is that these things happen, whether you like it or not. These are not things you want to plan for, but they do happen. Wouldn’t it take some of the pressure off if you had money put aside?
Everyone’s situations are different, you may have kids and pets or you might not. You might be renting instead of owning a home. But whatever situations you are in there are always irregular expenses that you should be planning for.
Think about all the items that you have had to pay for in the past few years that you were not prepared for. Now; think of how you would have saved yourself stress, frustration and worry if you had been prepared.
You never know what life will throw at you, preparing yourself for things that are inevitable is how you are going to save yourself financially and stick to your budget.
What are some expenses that have happened that you wish you had been better prepared for?
Free eBook "20 Ways To Improve Your Finances in Under 20 Minutes"
Improving your finances doesn't need to be a huge undertaking.
This FREE Mini eBook has 20 bite sized hacks to get your money situation under control that you can do in less than 20 minutes at a time!
Yep – “unexpected” expenses can wreck budgets. But many times those expenses really shouldn’t be unexpected – people should expect and plan for them. Great tips to help people overcome this part of the budgeting challenge.
Thanks Brad!!