Coming up with (and sticking to) a monthly budget is crucial for anyone who wants to keep a close watch over their finances. Although it’s fairly easy to come up with core categories for each expense and then figure a monthly budget for each, other expenses are always sure to slip through the cracks — leaving some to wonder why their monthly budget never seems to work consistently.
Does this sound familiar to you? If so, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find seven of the most common purchases that tend to be left out of monthly budgets, and what you can do to address it.
Automobiles can suddenly become huge money pits when something goes wrong. This is one reason that care troubles commonly require people to take out a short-term loan. However, you also need to keep tabs on the periodic expenses for your car that you’ll need to take care of even if it’s running in tip-top shape.
If you’re someone who pays their insurance premiums upfront, the cost for the next one may sneak up on you when the time comes to renew. Car tags, registration, new tires, and oil changes are other examples of vehicle expenses you should account for each year.
The monthly fees associated with memberships, subscriptions, and dues for the various things you purchase can add up quickly and many people forget to include these when making their monthly budget. Common subscriptions, memberships, and dues you may forget about include:
Prescriptions are often implemented into most monthly budgets, but what about medications that may be needed at the spur of the moment? If you come down with a cold, or one of your kids gets an upset stomach, you’ll likely need to make a run by the drug store to grab a few things. Depending on what the situation is, this can add up, even if you rarely get sick.
Pet expenses are one of the most overlooked costs of them all. Regular vaccination updates, grooming, new collars, leashes, and beds, and also the occasional medicine or treatment for when something goes wrong, and even their food — all of these things can put a dent in your budget if you aren’t being mindful of them.
Planning your budget around expenses involving your kids is one of the hardest things to do, even if you’re doing your best to account for everything. One common aspect that tends to sneak past your budget is the cost for extracurricular activities, whether that’s school trips, picture day, fees for membership dues in certain clubs, and so on.
When creating a typical monthly budget, food and groceries are almost always a main category (and if not, it should be). The majority of budgets only account for groceries and the occasional lunch at work, with maybe even an allotted amount for restaurants as well.
We can plan all we want, but sometimes there are still going to be those days when it’s just easier to grab some to-go on the way home or order a pizza. The same is true on the days when you’re out running errands or on a break from work and grab a snack from a convenience store. Even if you’re only spending around $5 each time, it’s going to burn a hole through your budget by the end of each month.
Clothing is another prime example of a budget item that can sneak up on you ever now and then. For instance, you may suddenly find yourself in need of a new pair of shoes or have to buy a new dress or shirt and tie for a formal event.
The same is true with things like haircuts, pedicures, and manicures. If you get any of these things every month or two, you should probably be including it in your monthly expenses — even if you do your own nails.
Addressing and preparing for overlooked expenses doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are a few easy ways to make sure you’re covered each month:
For more helpful tips on saving money, budgeting, and even travel recommendations, be sure to check out more from the Cash Store blog.
Tax season is stressful for thousands of Americans. Learn how to make filing personal taxes easier to reduce the hassle when tax time rolls around.
Read More >Do instant loans actually exist? Learn more about the types of loans people usually think of as instant, and why the description might not be accurate for all online loans.
Read More >No matter how strong your budgeting, you never know what financial curveballs are coming. Here are five unexpected reasons to need a cash advance loan to look out for.
Read More >Loan Amount is subject to loan approval. Loan terms and availability may vary by location. Approval rate based on complete applications received across all Cash Store locations. Customers can typically expect to receive loan proceeds in less than 20 minutes; however, processing times may vary. Loans / Advances are provided based on approved credit. Each applicant for credit is evaluated for creditworthiness.
Please see the Licenses and Rates page for additional product details.
Cash Store offers consumer credit products that are generally short-term in nature and not intended for long-term borrowing needs.
In Texas, Cash Store is a Credit Services Organization. Loans are provided by a non-affiliated third-party lender. Please see the Licenses and Rates page for links to Consumer Disclosures and choose the one for the product and amount that most closely relates to your loan request.
Customer Portal residency restrictions apply. Availability of funds may vary by financial institution.