Save Money Archives - Flipping Pennies

10 Monthly Habits of the Super Wealthy

Posted on June 30, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

If you ask any wealthy person, they can tell you what the long term plan is for their business, their investments, and their finances. Wealthy people focus on the big picture, and not just what they want/need right now.

You can’t get wealthy if you’re in debt. Wealthy people go into debt when necessary (modest home, education, etc.) but get out as soon as possible. They put all their extra income into erasing any outstanding debts in their name.

Once they’ve gotten out of debt, wealthy people invest in things. They don’t just let their money sit, but they put it to good use. They also invest in things they know well and trust. You won’t ever see a wealthy person invest in some shady “get rich quick” scheme, even if it is their uncle who’s doing it.

Wealthy people know how to save, and lots suggest that it should be at least 10% every month. By saving, you not only build up your money, but you can prepare for emergencies and other unforeseen incidents.

Even if they’re given a raise, wealthy people live within their means. Don’t purchase items that are too expensive and put a strain on your finances. This prevents debts from building up and money getting spent too fast.

Most wealthy people will look at their short term and long term financial goals every day, maybe even multiple times. By looking at goals, seeing if you’re on track, and keeping them in mind, it gets easier to achieve them.

A recent study showed that wealthy people actually watch less TV than the poor; they only watch about one hour of TV a day. This doesn’t mean watching TV is inherently bad or will make you poor, it’s just that wealthy people engage in more productive activities.

Along those same lines, wealthy people know how to spend their time well. With everything they do, they ask themselves, “how will this help me achieve my goals?” With this level of focus, they are able to make and keep money.

Wealthy people also know the value of patience. By waiting for good deals or until the price of something they want drops, wealthy people are able to get more bang for their buck, saving them money.

Wealthy people understand the importance of education. They usually have a high level of education and, if they don’t, they go out and get one. Wealthy people are proactive in learning as much as they can so they can make the smartest financial decisions possible.

5 Finance Discussions to Have with Your Teens

Posted on June 30, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Managing your finances right now may seem pretty easy and straightforward, but for a teenager who is just learning about money management, it’s likely to be a confusing world. So, when you talk to your teen about finances, don’t assume they already know how things work. Take time to explain credit cards, loans, how to write a check, interest rates, etc. Explain those things you understand and take for granted, and make sure your teen knows that asking you questions about those things isn’t stupid.

Make sure you teach your teen how to budget. There are tons of different ways to budget (and tons of different apps and programs you can use), so make sure you teen understands what budgeting is, and then let them decide how to do it. Explain the importance of spending less than you make and what are the important things they should pay for first.

It’s always good to sit down with your teen and have an honest and frank discussion with them about what they’re currently spending their money on. While they probably aren’t making big bucks at their high school job, teaching them how to manage small finances will help them manage bigger ones in the future. So, ask them what they spend their money on—toys, entertainment, savings, presents, what? If you feel like they could use some guidance, then offer it. But always let them know what they’re doing well, too.

If your teen isn’t in the habit of putting aside some of their income for savings, then this is a vital conversation to have. Everyone should be putting some money away (some experts say at least 10%), and that habit starts when you’re young. It’s best to teach your teen the importance of saving and then let them decide how best to go about it.

Along with how to save, you should also talk about what to save for. Every teen is different: some want to go to college after high school, others want to travel, and even some want to go straight into a job. If your teen has expensive plans ahead (like college), then make sure they’re putting enough money off to the side to pay for that in the future.

25 Ways to Save Money at Target

Posted on June 23, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Do your best to stick to the end caps at Target. That means sticking to the perimeter of the store and trying to find deals. That’s usually where the best deals will be placed. After you’ve scouted those deals, go ahead and move into the store.

If something is discounted at 15 to 30%, then hold off on buying it unless you REALLY want/need it. Usually Target will increase this clearance to 50% or higher after a few days.

When shopping on Target online, put items you want in your cart and then leave them there overnight. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, you’ll get offered a coupon or discount code since Target wants you to actually make the purchase.

Whenever possible, always use coupons at Target. Not only do they offer TONS of coupons, but there are so many different kinds. Look for coupons on their website or tags near the actual product in the store.

If you are an avid Target shopper, then I suggest getting a Red Card. You could get their credit card, but there’s also a debit card version. You get access to great deals and discounts when you shop with a Red Card.

Download the Cartwheel app and let the coupons and great deals roll in! Before you go shopping, look at what deals are being offered on Cartwheel and make sure to take advantage of them!

You can also scan items in-store with the Cartwheel app. This lets you double check to make sure you’re getting the best coupon or discount on an item when you go to buy it. If you’re not sure if it has a coupon, scan it anyway! It can’t hurt.

I love buying DVDs at Target because they have a $5 and under section. Renting a DVD can sometimes cost that much, so I might as well spend a few extra bucks and get the DVD forever!

Target online offers a weekly deal, which is actually usually pretty great. So, once a week, get online and check the deal to see if it’s something you need.

Target usually offers some great combo deals that can save you lots of money in the long run. For example, they just recently offered a deal on First Aid supplies and another on sunscreen and similar products. Find them and take advantage!

Holiday clearance at Target is great. After a holiday, Target usually starts their clearance at 50% and only increases it until everything is gone. Pretty awesome.

To get access to coupons on your phone, text OFFERS to 827438. Target will send you coupons that you can use to save some pretty big bucks over time.

If you don’t want to get texts from Target, then download the Target app and go to their “mobile coupons” tab. This gives you access to all the same coupons without giving them your number.

Target is great because they let you stack coupons. That means you can use different types of coupons (store, manufacturer, etc.) together to get some great savings.

Target (like most stores) has their own Target store brand. If you buy their store brand, you can get some great discounts, plus they have a 1-year return policy for most items, so you don’t have to suffer buyer’s remorse.

Twice a year, Target has awesome sales on toys. This is usually in January (after Christmas) and sometime in July (usually in preparation for new toys that are coming in). Check the aisle every now and then and you can get deals as good as 75% off!

I love Target’s rain check program. Pretty much, if there’s an item at a good price you want but it’s out of stock, Target usually has rain check papers you can take (or scan) that guarantee that price for you within the next six weeks or so.

If you switch to the Target Pharmacy, then for every five prescriptions you fill, they give you 5% off for any transaction. That money can add up if you fill prescriptions regularly.

This isn’t always the case, but if a discounted item’s price ends in .06 or .08, then that’s usually indicative that it will be marked down again (it’s just part of Target’s system). So, if you see that, then wait a bit and see if it gets marked off even more.

Some products at Target have an attached gift card deal. That means that, when you make a certain purchase or spend a certain amount, Target will give you a gift card with your purchase (usually $5 or $10). It’s pretty much free money!

Target has a pretty awesome price match policy. Pretty much, if you find an identical item somewhere else for a cheaper price, then Target will sell you that item for the matched price. That’s pretty snazzy!

Not only that, but if you buy an item at Target and you see it for a cheaper price (either at Target or somewhere else) then you can go back to the store and they’ll refund you the money. This even works of Target drops the price of the item.

Registering at Target for weddings and baby showers isn’t only common, but it’s also super smart. Anything on your registry that you don’t get will be discounted by 15% after the event. Pretty awesome!

If you bring in your own reusable bags to Target, then you can get a discount! For every reusable bag, you get 5 cents off the purchase. It isn’t much by itself, but those savings add up!

While this isn’t the same at every store, usually Target has a schedule for what items it puts on sale. Here is the general list, but do some research at your own Target to see how it alters. Monday: Electronics, accessories, kids’ clothing, books, baby, and stationery. Tuesday: Domestics, women’s clothing, pets, and food items, Wednesday: Men’s Clothing, Toys, Health and Beauty, and Garden. Thursday: Housewares, Lingerie, Shoes, Toys, Sporting Goods, Decor, and Luggage. Friday: Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, and Jewelry.

5 Tips for Saving Money on Beauty Products

Posted on June 23, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

There’s no need to pretty much ever spend full price on beauty products. One great way to save money is by using a program like Ebates that provides cash back or rebates for numerous beauty products. Ebates is particular well-known for offering great rebates on Sephora products.

If you’re shopping online, then a nice trick to use is putting items you want in your cart and then leaving them there overnight. Sometimes the site will track that you’re hesitating on a purchase and will offer a nice discount to get you to actually make the purchase. And all it requires is a bit of patience!

If you’re shopping for new beauty products, then always ALWAYS get the travel size version (or free sample) first. Don’t buy a whole bottle of something, just to realize you don’t like it that much. Start small and, if you like it, then get the full-sized bottle.

Speaking of bottles, make sure to check the quantity and amount of the beauty product. Lots of times, companies will inflate the packages or containers to look bigger than their competitors, even though they have the same amount or less makeup in them.When you’ve come to the end of a bottle or tube, don’t just throw it away. Cut it open and use the rest of the product at the bottom. You’d be surprised at how much product can sit at the bottom of an seemingly empty bottle!

How to Make Extra Cash Using Ebates

Posted on June 9, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Promo codes, coupons, discounts, rebates. These are just a VERY small portion of the ways that you can save money when shopping and buying things. Ebates is another great way you can make extra cash back on your purchases. Here are some great ways to get the most out of your Ebates.

It’s super common for Ebates to offer deals and bonuses when you sign up for them. You can get up to a $10 gift card if you sign up at the right time. If there’s no offer right now, you can either check around and see if any of your friends have personal codes you can use to get points for signing up!

If you are using Ebates, you definitely want to shop at their registered stores and online shops. To the best of your ability, change your shopping routine so that you are using sites that have Ebates. It may take some time, but, in the long run, it’ll save you money.

If you sign up with Ebates, then make sure you’re using it consistently. Remember that the more consistently you use it, the more money you’ll make back. So try to use it every chance you get and keep growing your account!

When shopping through Ebates, be patient! Prices and offers can change so, if the thing you want right now doesn’t have an Ebates offer or isn’t a good price, then wait a bit. If things haven’t changed in a month or so, then you’re probably good to buy it since it most likely won’t change.

A lot of people don’t know this, but you can stack your Ebates with coupons and promo codes. Some people lose out on great deals because they didn’t realize Ebates work with most other promotional offers. Do this trick and you’ll see the money come rolling in!

When shopping with Ebates, do your research. Don’t just buy the product you want on the first site that offers an Ebates deal. Instead, look around at their other sites and see if the price and Ebates offer is better. Doing your research like this can save you hundreds (if not thousands) by the end of the year.

Traveling on A Budget: ITALY

Posted on June 3, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

If money is a bit of an issue, you don’t have to completely abandon your idea to travel to Italy! Believe it or not, it is absolutely possible to travel abroad on a budget. With a little planning ahead, some flexibility, and a desire to travel, anything is possible, even if you don’t have a plethora of cash!

When it comes to traveling, the first thing you want to have planned is your transportation. In most cases, you will likely have to fly to Italy. It is important to remain flexible with your dates and flight times. You can save hundreds of dollars if you fly at a time of day that would be less desirable to the general public. Anything to save a few bucks, right? Once in Italy, it’s extremely easy to visit all of your desired places on a budget. Italy has an extremely broad and developed train system. You can get pretty much anywhere in just a few hours time. There are bus and subway systems located in the larger cities, although these can be crowded. Walking is definitely the best option for avid sightseers!

When in Italy, accommodation can be cheap. Depending on the route you take, that is! Hostels are an inexpensive option for the young backpacker. They cost around 25 EUR a night, but are lacking when it comes to privacy. If you are looking for a little more privacy, but don’t want to spend a fortune at a local hotel, use AirBnb. AirBnB is a wonderful option for all travelers on a budget. Look for a place in the center of town, near convenience stores, tourist attractions, and yummy restaurants. If the only option you have is somewhere outside of town, look for a place with easy access to train or bus systems. It’ll definitely cut down on an stress you have when traveling through Italy!

The delicious food is what brings many travelers to Italy. But with delicious cuisine, comes higher prices. Before sitting down to eat, see if the restaurant or cafe charges a “coperta” fee. The fee is usually around 3 EUR, just for sitting down to look at the menu. Always look at the menu before sitting down to eat, and read to make sure you won’t be charged a fee. It is recommended to eat your main meal for lunchtime, and then have small snacks throughout the afternoon and evening. If you aren’t constantly eating out for every meal, you will notice a huge decrease in spending. Of course, buying pizza by the slice is always an inexpensive (and delicious) option!

Of course, when traveling across the world, everyone wants to do some fun activities. There are some free activities too! If you chose to stay at a hostel, see if they offer a free walking tour through the city, usually, just a tip for your guide is recommended. It’s recommended that you plan your travel time around the festival schedule. Consider going in February for the Venice Carnival, or over Christmas for the Rome Christmas market. Festivals are free to enjoy, and allow for a great insight into a culture. Do some investigating and see if the museums you are interested in seeing offer free admission for a time period or day of the week. Relax in Villa Borghese park in Rome for a free afternoon with a stunning view of the city.

Traveling on a budget is totally possible, and you may even find yourself in an area you wouldn’t have expected. Keep your mind open when it comes to accommodations, travel, and activities while traveling. You may come across something great!

5 Ways to Save $500

Posted on June 3, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Making money is virtually everyone’s favorite pastime. However, sometimes saving money is so much more satisfying than simply making money. Just relax for a moment, and imagine what you could do with an extra $500 dollars every month. If you chose to save it, you could be on your way to a vacation in paradise. Or maybe, the extra $500 can be used towards getting out of debt. Sometimes, it can even be used to do fun activities with your family. Because lets face it, what’s life without a little fun? If you’re interested in saving a little cash each month, here are five ways to cut your spending, and increase your savings.

Avoid The Grocery Store

I know, this sounds completely insane, but it isn’t as crazy as you’d think! For one week every month, forgo your trip to the grocery store. Your family members probably think they’re going to starve, but with a little creativity, that just isn’t possible! Use this week to fully use any items you have leftover in your pantry or freezer. Make meals with the leftover pasta, those frozen fruits and veggies, and all of those soup mixes you swear you’d make (but never did). Find fun recipes online to put your old items to good use, it will be so much easier to get through the week if your meals are yummy! At the end of the week, your savings should be anywhere from $60-$100 depending on the size of your family.

DIY IT!

Summer is here, and a pedicure may be hard to scrimp on. This can be an expensive luxury, especially if you’re getting multiple a month! Instead of spending upwards of $25 on your next pedicure, try doing it at home! Pick a fun polish, and have a girls day with your daughters or friends! Don’t worry if your painting skills aren’t quite up to par, you’ll be a pro in no time! Hair cuts are another source of monthly expenses, especially if you’re adding hair coloring into the mix! Instead of dropping $150 at the salon, consider making an appointment at a hair school instead. The students are professional, and always have supervision. You can get a cut and color for under $50. Seriously, and all for a cut exactly like the one from your salon!

Sell Something

Bring a little more money into your home by selling something you don’t use much anymore. This could be things like clothes, furniture, or old electronics. You know that old iPod that is sitting in the drawer, broken, because it was dropped in some water? Most times, many parts are salvageable, even if it does have water damage. You can sell old Macbooks (that are broken) for $475. What an easy way to make some money! Not only does selling these items help cushion your bank account, but because many of the parts are being used in other models, you’re recycling and cutting down on contributing these items to landfills.

Prorate Utilities

If you notice that your utility bill seems to spike during certain months or seasons, it may be time to prorate your service. When you prorate your service, you are able to predict your monthly utility bills. This allows you to budget more effectively, and gives you a heads up when there is a spike in your bill. Depending on the time of year, you could save hundreds with this method.

Cell Phone

Don’t worry, we aren’t telling you to completely ditch your cell phone. We are telling you to ditch the expensive phone plans! It sounds like a headache, but it could really be worth your while. Downgrade to a lower plan that could save you between $10-$20 every month. This is perfect if you find that you aren’t using all of your monthly data, why pay for an expensive plan if you don’t even use all that is allowed? There are tons of plans out there that cost $30 per month for a basic phone plan and data limit. Also, don’t upgrade your phone every two years. While this seems like a killer deal, there are tons of hidden fees!

Saving $500 a month has never been so easy with these tips. What are some other ways you save money every month?

5 Ways to Make Money Snapchatting

Posted on June 3, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Use your phone camera to make some extra money! Seriously, even if you don’t have any idea what Snapchat is, it’s easy to learn and you can make a lot of extra money while doing it! If you love sharing your life with your friends and family, this could be just the gig for you. Really, it is completely possible to make money Snapchatting all day! Here is a comprehensive list of companies looking for photography and video gurus to run their company owned Snapchats. According to a representative, you can make $40,000 working for FabFitFun as a Snapchat coordinator. FabFitFun is a company based around the health and beauty needs of women. Users can subscribe to a monthly box filled with makeup, nail polish, hair products, and more fun items. Some experience is needed, as this company is looking for someone who has at least a year of experience managing social media accounts for businesses. Job responsibilities include maintaining a content calendar, and of course, Snapchatting. PopSugar is looking to hire a Snapchatting guru with at least a few years of hands-on video experience. Workers will make between $40,000- $50,000 every year, and be responsible for creating “stunning” video content that is posted daily. Those interested can apply here. Of course, you could always work for the company in charge of the madness! Work for Snapchat as a Story Editor, and make a whopping $60,000 every year. A college degree is required, and they are looking for an extremely visual thinker to help manage content for the company’s account. Apply here! If you are based in Los Angeles, and have always dreamed of working for Time, apply for this gig. Time is looking for a content producer to make and create short form videos for various social media outlets (like Tumblr). The estimated salary is between $40,000-$60,000 yearly. The job will be centered in the people and entertainment categories, and there will be a lot of celebrity news. The company promises room for growth, so this could be perfect for anyone! Fashion lovers rejoice! If you love fashion and the icons behind the designs, this job working for Hearst (Cosmopolitan) would be perfect for you. Employees would be expecting to create diverse, unique, and fashionable content for it’s Snapchat discover channel. Seriously, how cool would it be to say that you worked for Hearst magazines?

If you want to make money online, there are a million ways to earn a living on the internet. Here are a few related posts that can help you decide which direction is right for you!

How to Start a Blog

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

How to Get Freelance Writing Jobs

20 Ways to Turn Crafts into Profits

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

Blogging Basics- Starting From Scratch

Posted on May 31, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Blogging has gone from a hobby, to a 6-figure income for me, in less than a year. It has allowed me to pay off student loans, pay down our mortgage (and hopefully pay off!), travel with my family, quit a miserable job, and be my own boss. It has far surpassed my wildest imagination, and because of that, I want to share what I have learned. When I started, I was at the very bottom. I had no knowledge about how to do this and I was starting from scratch. I would say that one of my strengths is that I have persevered and spent hours and hours researching, testing and learning new things. This is the reason that I have been successful. I literally googled “What is hosting” when I wanted to start a blog. The reason I tell you this, is to give you the hope you need to get started. I am no genius. I do not have a background in web development and I am not a web coder or master marketer. Everything I have learned, I have googled, researched, tested, tried, read and learned on my own. So, if I can do it, you can do it. Let’s start at the beginning. You want to start a blog. You have no idea where to start. You have read blogs and you enjoy blogs, but you don’t know how to start a blog. Let’s start with some simple vocabulary. You need a domain name. This is what your website is called, or your URL. Mine, is FlippingPennies.com. When choosing a domain name, pick something easy to remember. Avoid hyphens, misspellings and anything that is hard to tell people. You will be hopefully saying it often, and telling your friends, so make sure you like it:) Bluehost is giving my readers a FREE domain right now, if you sign up for hosting! This is at least a $15 value, and they have been soooo easy to work with. If you are considering starting a blog, this is a great deal! You can also read more about starting a blog and walking through the process step-by-step on my previous post, How to Start a Blog. First, if you ever want to make money on your blog, you need to be self-hosted. This means, that you must purchase a hosting package. PLEASE resist the urge to use free platforms, such as Blogger. Every blogger I know that started there, has had to go through the laborious process of switching to a self-hosted WordPress blog. You do not have the freedom with advertisements on a free blog that you do on a self-hosted blog. Hosting: This is a little piece of the internet. You are literally buying space on a server to store the data from your site, so that your website can be accessible via the internet. Your hosting service stores a database with your website files and keeps it online at all times, so that your website is accessible online. These plans start out at anywhere on the low end ($7-$8 a month) but right now, Bluehost is giving my readers a special price of $3.49 a month and a FREE domain. This is only available through my link so act now if you are interested. This is a super low price and probably won’t last for very long. Next, you need to install WordPress. There is a reason that most bloggers use WordPress. It is the most user-friendly platform out there. It is free to download through your Bluehost hosting plan. What is WordPress? This is the platform in which you will make your posts, add the pictures to your site, etc. It is the software you use for your blog. As I mentioned before, it is free and very user-friendly. Once you have your domain registered and hosting package, you can download WordPress. It is super easy to do and I walk you through it step by step in my post, How to Start a Blog. Once you login to your website through WordPress, you are ready to start blogging! First things first, I would choose a theme. “What is a theme?” you ask? It is a template that determines what your site looks like and how it is laid out. Do you have a sidebar on the right? on the left? both? How are your menus set up? Is there a large slider at the top? What does it look like? Now, keep in mind, that even when you choose a theme, there are still quite a few options within each theme that will help you organize your blog the way you want to. Wordpress offers many themes for free. There are a lot of other paid themes as well. Genesis Theme is a pretty popular theme and it has a lot of options. I have also used free themes and have been very happy with them. Next, on the right side of your WordPress interface, you will see “Posts.” This is where you will write and publish your blog posts. It is very intuitive and easy to figure out. There are options such as bold, italics, bullets, etc., just as you would see in a Microsoft Word document. You can add links by highlighting words in your post and clicking on the link on the menu above and pasting the URL in which you want to link to. You can choose headings, numbered lists and so much more. I would recommend getting familiar with this page and all of your options. When you are ready to publish your post, you can find the “publish” button on the right of the screen. Be sure that as you write your post, you “update” or “save” it all along the way. I have had plenty of situations where I am halfway done with the post and the power goes out or a toddler turns off the computer. NO!! So, now I am trained to save them as I go. There is a backup save on WordPress, but it is easier to just be sure that your post is saved as you go along. Now that you know a few basics, you are ready to go! If you are interested in starting from scratch and want to start blogging, get step-by-step instructions on my post How to Start a Blog! I hope this changes your life like it has changed mine. Also, if you have any questions along the way, feel free to contact me or email me and I will help in any way that I can. What other “Starting From Scratch” questions do you have? Fee free to post them and I will do an update and answer all of your blogging questions!

To learn more about How to Start a Blog, read my step by step tutorial to get you started.

Here are a few other good reads to help in your blogging adventures:

How to Make Money Blogging

8 Legit Ways to Make Money From Home

10 Ways to Earn a Living on the Internet

How to Get Freelance Writing Gigs

7 Easy Ways to Make Money Blogging

20 Things You are Forgetting to Budget

Posted on May 19, 2016 by flipping Pennies Contributor

Making a budget is a great idea, but if you forget to plan three or four things, then your whole budget can get thrown off. In order to avoid having to replan your whole budget, here are 20 things that you’re probably forgetting that you should put in your budget right now. Most people don’t add an emergency fund to their budget. We often have savings calculated in (for big purchases), but not a fund for emergencies that are unexpected. Funnel some money into an emergency account every month to take care of that issue. Haircuts and personal care are often things that go forgotten until right when we need them. So, when you sit down at the beginning of the week or month to budget, don’t forget this category! It’s sometimes hard to track the amount you spend on heating and cooling because it varies so much on what month and season it is. However, to the best of your ability, plan for the months where you’re going to probably be using them a lot so you have the money in your budget to cover it. We should all be budgeting for a vacation. It doesn’t have to be a big European getaway, but a little vacation to a bed and breakfast a few hours away should always be worked into the budget. I have a good friend who always says that if you don’t want to spend money on dates with your spouse, you’ll just be spending that money on therapy! So, make sure you work date nights and entertainment into the budget so you can relax and enjoy yourself after a hard week of working. Along with that, you should also have some money set aside for eating out. Buying fast food usually comes up in the moment (because it’s convenient), so work that into your budget ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about balancing the books later. Annual payments are super easy to forget about because we only pay for them once a year. Things like credit card fees or some memberships can be hefty but sneaky, so make sure they’re in your budget. While having to buy school supplies only happens once or twice a year (depending on how fast your kids go through them), it can be a pretty large chunk of money. So, if you don’t budget for it, then it might throw a wrench in your budget. Sit down now, and make sure you have it worked into your finances. Every now and then, you’re going to have to buy new work clothes. Things like shoes, suits, etc. can all be a pretty large charge if you have to buy them all at once. Figure out if you’re going to need new clothes this month or year, and then budget it. Gifts are something that always seem to pop up as extra expenses for me. Holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day don’t do this; but friends birthdays are usually the guiltiest! So make sure you know everyone’s birthday who you buy presents for, or just plan in some extra money each month for surprise presents. Pets can be just as expensive as children sometimes! Shots, food, leashes, emergencies, and other things can all add up pretty quickly if you haven’t budgeted them. If you own a home, then you know how home and yard maintenance’s can get pretty expensive. Blowing out the sprinklers, fixing the mower, painting the front porch, and other projects can cause some financial issues if you don’t budget them. Don’t let car expenses sneak up on you! Things like registration, tabs, repairs, or other problems should be worked into your budget so you’re not stressed when they come up. For those of you who contribute frequent donations, then make sure they’re in your budget! While it’s always good to give to charity, you want to go about it smartly. If you have monthly subscriptions like magazines or weekly delivery systems, then they need to be in your budget! If not, you’ll be wondering where all that money is going every month! While it’s great to get some extra income (especially when it’s not expected), if it’s not calculated into your taxes, then you can see a big chunk of your monthly budget get taken by those taxes! And you can even get fees tacked on if you don’t pay the taxes, which is even worse! If your kids are into sports or art groups, then the enrollment fees and cost of equipment can be a burden if not planned for. For the months when those activities start, make sure you budget for these expenses. Clothing is another thing you’ll have to buy frequently when you have growing kids in the home. You may find yourself buying new pants every few months and, if you don’t plan for it, the costs can build up. Unfortunately, even if you have insurance, medical bills can be pretty large. If you have regular doctor visits, set money aside for them, but also add a bit of money for emergency visits or other situations. You’ll also want money for non-prescription medication; things like aspirin, Nyquil, allergy medicine, and others are expensive, and if you don’t plan on buying them, then their price seems even bigger!