Every month brings a new budget with it’s own wheelings and dealings. While most expenses are expected, there can still be plenty of surprises. Our credit counseling advice is to try to anticipate expenses – that way you can save ahead of time instead of relying on credit. Take a look at these unexpected April budget items as you prepare your household budget.
Planning for Unexpected April Budget Items
Planning for the unexpected sounds a little silly. But I assure you, it’s still helpful. Even though they may be unplanned, they aren’t completely out of left field. That’s why you should think about them now to make them visible.
Guess what? April is a lot like March! Let’s review the items from that month, plus a few more for April.
Prevent credit card debt by budgeting for these April expenses.
College Visits
You might be making an unexpected college visit or two in the next month or so. Newly admitted students and those applying both want to take a tour of their potential future homes. Depending on proximity to home, you may be looking at hotel rooms, gas & mileage, food and, of course, lots of swag!
Outdoor Gear & Swimwear
April tends to be muddy. If your kids need the next size up in boots, it’s best to order those sooner than later. Additionally, swimwear is out in full force. Those suits disappear weirdly early in the summer. Make sure you get what you need while it’s still in stores. Look for coupons and deals to help the budget.
Summer Vacation
Hopefully, you have started saving for your summer vacation. Even day trips cost money. Plot out each trip you expect to make. Then you can see how much you need to stash away every month until it’s time to use those savings. You may need to rework your vacation plans based on how much money you can save. That’s more financially sound than putting an unaffordable vacation on credit, only to struggle to pay off the debt later.
Graduation Party
Graduation parties for high school or college seniors are typically scheduled for May, June and July. Depending on the size of the event, now might be the perfect time to put some money away towards the event. You could also talk with other families to try and combine efforts and resources. Additionally, you may want to just take a small group out to a nice dinner to celebrate.
Summer Activities
Vacations aren’t the only thing to plan for this summer. Your kids may want to go to camp or have another kind of experience that costs money. Make sure you and your kids are on the same page. It might be good if they contribute some of their own money.
Gardening
Finally, March and April are great times to start seedlings and the start of a lot of other gardening tasks. Gardening can save money, but it does take funds to get things going. Plan what you will be growing. Take an inventory of your tools, seeds, soil and other supplies. Then you will know what you may need to purchase.
Use these unexpected April budget items to help prepare your next budget and achieve your financial goals!
If you’re struggling to pay off debt, ACCC can help. Schedule a free credit counseling session with us today.
