Creating a working budget isn’t always easy because there are so many different components. However, the more things you can include in your monthly budget, the better you’ll be able to manage your daily expenses and plan for your future. That’s why we’ve collected a rather extensive list of the usual monthly transactions listed here to make sure you don’t forget anything in your budget plan!

Adding these items to your budget planner is one of the best ways to stay on top of your finances!

Typical Monthly Expenses

 

First, you’ll need to add the necessities:

  • banking fees
  • rent or mortgage payments (as well as any other associated fees, like condo fees)
  • utilities (phone, internet, TV/cable, water, heat, electricity)
  • insurance payments (home, health, life, auto, etc.)
  • transportation costs (gas/petrol, bus pass, etc.)
  • groceries (food)
    • toiletries (toilet paper, tissue, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, etc.)
    • cleaning supplies for windows, floors, surfaces, bathrooms, laundry, etc.

Other Possible Monthly Expenses

 

Don’t forget some of the less common expenses:

  • donations
  • parking fees
  • property taxes
  • childcare (daycare, babysitter, tutor, etc.)
  • sanitation or garbage expenses (depending on where you live)
  • pet needs (pet food, grooming, bedding, vet, pet toys, pet insurance, etc.)
  • debts (student loan, car loan, credit card, line of credit, ‘that personal loan’ from a friend, etc.)
  • doctor, dentist, or other medical appointments
  • out-of-pocket medical expenses, including over-the-counter items like allergy and pain medications, medical equipment, etc.
  • child support or alimony payments

Unexpected Expenses

 

This is the section where you should include expenses that aren’t part of your regular monthly payments:

  • house maintenance (repairs, landscaping, etc.)
  • car maintenance (oil change, seasonal tire swap, etc.)
  • self-care expenses (hair care, massage/physiotherapy, manicure, gym memberships, life coach, etc.)
  • events (birthdays, weddings, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, etc.)
  • schooling (supplies, school trips, lunches, etc.)
  • clothing and accessories (shoes, jewelry, cleansers, makeup, etc.)
  • buffer/miscellaneous (always good to give a regular monthly bonus amount for spending on the little unforeseen things)

Savings & Your Rainy-Day Fund

 

Although these things might likely be paid down the road, saving for them each month gives you peace of mind and helps you meet your financial goals. Don’t forget to include all of your forms of savings:

  • emergency savings
  • education savings
  • retirement savings
  • big-ticket items (cars, houses, furniture, etc.)
  • major events (wedding, anniversary, etc.)
  • tax payment at the end of the year
  • extra/overpayment of debts

The Fun Stuff!

 

Everyone needs to have fun, socialize, and destress as well. But these things usually have associated costs, so don’t forget to budget for them:

  • vacations
  • date nights
  • ordering in meals or dining out
  • home decor or upgrades
  • special occasion decorations (New Year, thanksgiving, etc.)
  • cable or streaming packages
  • extracurricular activities (sports, music, or dance lessons–including the fees and equipment)
  • other hobbies (art supplies, stamp collections, etc.)
  • entertainment (tickets, theme parks, audiobooks, etc.)

Contact us today for more about our innovative budget planner!

 

Did we forget anything? After you’ve collected all of your expenses into one great list, consider which are essential and which you can reduce or eliminate. There are many ways to save on most of these expenses, especially if what you buy is more than what you need. One of the best ways to budget is to determine which of your expenses are actually needs and which are wants, and our budget planning tool can make doing so much easier. Contact us online today for a FREE trial!