45+ Things You Might Forget to Budget For

Have you ever wondered if there are things you are forgetting to budget for? If so, you’re not alone!

I recently polled my IG followers about common items people might forget to budget for. They came up with a HUGE list of great ideas!!

Health Care

1. Insurance Co-Pays
2. Prescriptions
3. Haircuts
4. Vitamins & supplements
5. Pet meds & vet visits
6. Dental & Ortho work (this can really add up with a bunch of kids!)
7. At-home medical supplies (bandages, gauze, over-the-counter meds)

Vehicles

1. Irregular maintenance (new breaks, rotors, AC, etc)
2. Oil changes
3. New tires
4. Car inspections
5. Taxes
6. License and registration fees
7. Car wash memberships
8. Saving up for a new-to-you vehicle purchase

Kids and Family

1. School supplies
2. Teacher gifts
3. Supplies or fees for hobbies
4. Sports fees & equipment
5. Music lessons and instruments
6. Tickets for sport/music events and concerts
7. Hot lunch and special snack money
8. Back-to-school shopping
9. Kid’s activities
10. Family fun
11. Family vacations
12. College funds

Holidays and Special Events

1. Christmas decor & wrapping supplies
2. Christmas gifts
3. Postage for Christmas cards
4. Family photo sessions
5. Hosting (in addition to your regular grocery budget)
6. Anniversary and birthday outings / special meals

Home

1. Home repairs
2. Replacing home appliances
3. New plants and flowers
4. Tree removal
5. Irrigation repair
6. Natural disasters
7. Pest control
8. Saving up for a big home purchase like a new roof, HVAC, or septic system

Other

1. Giving & Tithing
2. Unpaid time off work for sickness or family needs
3. Annual subscriptions (Amazon Prime, Netflix, various software programs, online courses)
4. Inflation on things you are saving for (they will be more expensive by the time you’ve saved enough)

Whew — that’s a lot!

Don’t panic though — if you are doing your best to stick to your budget and regularly putting money into your emergency fund, you are headed in the right direction!

If not, start today!

Did we miss anything? What else would you add to this list?