Spring often feels like the beginning of a whole new year. After a cold, long winter of being stuck inside with nothing to do, we begin to emerge like bears waking from a several-month hibernation.
Spring is also the start of the active season. From now until Christmas, busyness will consume you. Life will be full of activities, repairs, vacations, weekend trips, decorating, and so much more.
Are you prepared?
Most people go into the summer season unready for the expenses sure to come. It’s not just the summer busy season that can be expensive. A lot of hidden costs can be lurking that will cost you more in the long run because you weren’t ready for them.
Let’s take a look at several ways you can Spring Clean your budget today to keep it looking healthy for the rest of the year.
1) Check Annual Expenses and Create a Plan
Memory can be a fickle thing. You might have some vague idea in the back of your mind of stuff you want to do or fixes you need to make, but by not planning for it and putting it down on paper, it can turn into an unexpected problem later.
Sit down and carefully write a list. If you want to repaint the deck, add it to the list. Planning a vacation to Fiji? Great! Add it to the list.
Walk around the house and do a little inspection. Better yet, hire someone to come out and see how your home/property is holding up. If there’s a problem that needs addressing, like the roof needs to be replaced, add it to the list.
Once you can see all the different things you need to do, spend time thoroughly researching every point. Take a lot of notes if necessary. For example, that trip to Fiji. What are the costs? Hidden costs? Will you have to put down a deposit ahead of time? What time should you buy the tickets for the best deal?
When you see it, all laid out for you, you will get a bigger picture of what you can afford and what you should probably save until next year.
2) Don’t Forget to Keep an Eye on Your Debt
If you made the resolution at the beginning of the year to pay off your debts and improve your credit score, then you need to take that into consideration before spending tons of money on vacations or other big purchases.
If you’ve been steadily paying down what you owe, then your credit score is improving. Instead of taking that family trip to Fiji, maybe decide to take it easy this year and put the extra money into your debts. Then, if you’re out of debt next summer, you can afford to do a lot more without jeopardizing your credit score and/or adding to your debt.
Also, maybe it’s time to check out other options you might have at conquering your debt once and for all. We can help! Give us a call today at We’d love to hear from you!
3) Remove the Clutter
It’s a good idea to periodically look over your books. The best idea is to be a stickler for keeping the books clean, but it can be time consuming and a lot of people just wing it.
By looking over your financial statements, bank accounts, and other bills, you can check for added payments, extra fees, or even subscriptions you just don’t need or use anymore.
Maybe you only watch HBO for Game of Thrones. Well, as of this writing, it’s going to be at least another year before the final season hits, so stop paying for it until then.
It’s so easy to get caught up paying for services we barely use, simply because we think we need them. If you want to save good money throughout the year, this is a great way to do it.
