| Do unexpected car repairs, quarterly insurance | | | | list them somewhat earlier than you actually |
| payments or unexpected medical bills find you | | | | expect them to come up. Be sure to update your |
| hard pressed to squeeze even one more dollar | | | | calendar as you discover more expenses. |
| out of an already stretched monthly budget? | | | | 3. Plan-in the non-monthly expenses into your |
| These are inevitable expenses and sometimes | | | | monthly spending |
| can put you under a stress condition when you | | | | Based on the foreseen amount and anticipated |
| need the cash to pay for these emergencies and | | | | amount that are captured on your calendar, plan |
| unexpected expenses. But if you learn to budget | | | | ahead your non-monthly expenses into your |
| for these emergencies events and save in | | | | monthly spending. For example, you know that |
| advance, you will be at a better position to handle | | | | your car insurance is going to due on May, set |
| them. | | | | aside small amount of your money for this |
| Like most of Americans, you may stretch your | | | | purpose starting on February. And when May rolls |
| income to cover the regular monthly expenses, | | | | around you can transfer the expense to your |
| and always choose to ignore or not to think about | | | | spending plan and have money available to pay it. |
| the brakes that are getting spongy or the | | | | Setting aside even a few dollars each month for |
| plumbing that's beginning to make strange | | | | foreseeable expenses can prevent larger money |
| noises. And you end up a surge on your monthly | | | | woes ahead. |
| expenses when the brakes wear off and the | | | | Sometimes, you may find it hard to set aside |
| plumbing break out. | | | | some extra money from your monthly income; |
| Planning and saving for those events can help | | | | but remember, repairing your car or paying your |
| prevent an ordinary life from turning into a crisis | | | | insurance is not optional expenses and you need |
| and can also cut down dependence on credit | | | | to spend it soon or later. So you need to find a |
| cards. Not having savings is a major reason | | | | way to reduce your monthly expenses so that |
| people get into debt. | | | | some money can set aside for emergency fund. |
| Here are some steps to help you get started to | | | | You may need to track your spending; then, |
| plan for your emergency fund, the | | | | reduce or cut the optional expenses such as |
| "Saving" fund which will help you | | | | entertainment, dinner at restaurant and other |
| prevent financial disaster. | | | | impulse purchase, the money save from those |
| 1. Identify your irregular expenses | | | | optional expense can be put into your emergency |
| Analyze your pass credit card statement and | | | | fund. |
| checking account registers to identify your | | | | In Summary |
| irregular expenses occur throughout the year. | | | | One of the mistakes people make when trying to |
| Examples of these irregular expenses are | | | | get their finances under control is not having an |
| property taxes, insurance premiums, vacations, | | | | emergency fund on their savings account. The |
| car tune-ups, holidays and birthdays. List down in a | | | | problem is that if you don't have money |
| piece of paper all the expenses which are not | | | | set aside for those unavoidable bills, you inevitably |
| spent in monthly basis. | | | | end up adding to your credit card balance to |
| 2. Write the anticipated amount on the calendar | | | | cover the difference. |
| In most of cases such as insurance premium and | | | | The bottom line is to start today. It may be |
| property taxes, you will know when the | | | | discouraging at first if you find that you |
| expenses are due to occur. And for those | | | | don't have enough money to fully fund your |
| unknown cases such as car repair and plumping | | | | emergency fund, but you'll begin to succeed |
| repair cost, try to anticipate their expenses and | | | | the minute you start the process. |