4 Things You Wouldn’t Think You Need to Budget For, but Need to Do
Most people that start a budget tend to overlook some important things such as repairs when making a budget. When the need for a repair arises, they have to take money out of their savings or take money out from other areas of the budget such as money allocated for food. In doing so, it may ruin their finances. Our advice to you is when you make the budget for next month, you make sure not to overlook these four important things:
1. Gifts for Loved Ones
There is always a month where birthdays or anniversaries come one after another. When you are on a tight budget, paying for the gifts can hurt, especially if you have to do it from your savings account. We don’t want that to happening to you so we propose that you set money aside for gifts. You don’t have to buy an expensive gift, but a moderate priced gift would do, unless that person is someone you value dearly like your parents, significant other, or children.
2. Unexpected Repairs
The two unexpected repairs that arise are house and car repairs. You should know that these would come eventually so you should make two jars, one designated for house repairs and the other one for car repairs.
Let’s face it, you need a working car to travel while you need a house that’s bearable to live in. If you see the paint chipping, paint it instantly. The point is that you don’t want these repairs to go from small to big because if they do, the repair bill will be huge as well. Plus, you might want to sell your car or home at some point in time, as maintaining their appearance will help increase their value.
3. Medical Expenses
No matter how fit you are, how well you look after yourself, or how rarely you fall sick, you need to put some money aside for your medical expenses. You might still get the flu, the seasonal cough, or an unexpected health crisis, which you didn’t foresee. If you have children, it’s a must that you make a budget to cover medical expenses. Children, as you know, have the tendency to fall sick a lot.
4. Veterinary Expenses
If you have animals such as dogs or cats, make space for their expenses in your budget. Apart from love, animals need a lot of medical attention. You are required to take them to the veterinarian for their annual checkups, tests, medicines, and treatments, especially if they fall ill. We have seen people that just stop visiting the vet because it’s becoming a burden, and that’s bad. You have taken them in so might as well take care of them properly.
If any of this applies to you, please take the time out to include these four things in your budget. When these unexpected expenses arise, you will be prepared to handle them, without fishing out of your savings account for quick cash.
A Selection of Unexpected Quotes
“Many people pray to be kept out of unexpected problems.
Some people pray to be able to confront and overcome them.”
― Toba Beta, Betelgeuse Incident: Insiden Bait Al-Jauza“Would you like to know your future?
If your answer is yes, think again. Not knowing is the greatest life motivator.
So enjoy, endure, survive each moment as it comes to you in its proper sequence — a surprise.”
― Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration“Many are the strange chances of the world,’ said Mithrandir, ‘and help oft shall come from the hands of the weak when the Wise falter.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion“Family was even a bigger word than I imagined, wide and without limitations, if you allowed it, defying easy definition. You had family that was supposed to be family and wasn’t, family that wasn’t family but was, halves becoming whole, wholes splitting into two; it was possible to lack whole, honest love and connection from family in lead roles, yet to be filled to abundance by the unexpected supporting players.”
― Deb Caletti, The Secret Life of Prince Charming“Most people want to be circled by safety, not by the unexpected. The unexpected can take you out. But the unexpected can also take you over and change your life. Put a heart in your body where a stone used to be.”
― Ron Hall“There is only one kind of shock worse than the totally unexpected: the expected for which one has refused to prepare.”
― Mary Renault, The Charioteer“The expected always happens”
― Benjamin Disraeli