If you keep going over your budget every month, it’s probably because of these common budgeting categories you’re forgetting about.
Commonly Forgotten Budget Categories
There are several commonly forgotten budgeting categories that can really wreck your budget.
So you’ve committed to starting a budget and really sticking to it. And for the most part, you do!
But then every month you go over your budget and you just can’t seem to figure out why.
Is it because you didn’t budget for everything you should have?
It’s easy to remember the big important budgeting categories. No one is going to forget about their mortgage or car payment.
We have a tendency to include those big monthly payments because we think that is what affects us the most.
But there are all these little expenses that add up every month that can really destroy your budget if you forget to include them.
Below is a list of the most commonly forgotten budget categories.
Budgeting Categories That You’re Forgetting About
Many of these budgeting categories may not apply to you, but you’ll be surprised at how many you forgot to include!
Housing
Rent and Mortgage are easy bills to budget for. But what about additional housing expenses?
- Homeowners Insurance
- HOA
- Property Taxes
- Home Repairs
- Housing Updates
- Appliances
Utilities
My electric bill is the most expensive bill of all my utilities so I never forget to include that one. But here are some others that are important to include in your budget:
- Water
- Gas
- Electric
- Phone
- Sewer
- Trash
- Cable
- Internet
- Pool service
- Pest services
Food
Everyone budgets for groceries and some even try to include eating out in their food budget. But what about the following?
- Groceries
- Dining Out
- Lunches
- Coffee Runs
- Snacks
Clothing
Do you include clothing in your budget? I went years without including it because it wasn’t something I purchased every month. But one shirt at Target here and there add up and destroyed my budget.
- Loungewear
- Everyday clothing
- Work clothes/uniforms
- School uniforms
- Special occasion outfits
- Costumes
Pets
Pets are essential to life for those of us who have them. But they can get expensive too! One bag of dog food for my medium-sized dog is $40. One or two bags a month and there goes my grocery budget. Here are some other common pet expenses:
- Pet food
- Grooming
- Vet care
- Toys and treats
- Boarding
- Medications
Special Occasions
Special occasions don’t come around very often, but when they do they can be VERY expensive! So make sure to include it in your monthly budget and set aside any unused money each month so you have a nice cushion when a big special occasion rolls around:
- Gifts
- Clothing
- Food/cake
- Travel
Transportation
Every month I include my car payment in my budgeting categories. I even remember to include car insurance too. But that’s pretty much it. Then I realize I’m spending between $100-$200 a month in gas and it’s no wonder I go over my budget every month!
- Car payment
- Car insurance
- Gas
- Parking passes
- Oil Changes
- Repairs
- Yearly registration
Monthly Subscriptions
My monthly subscription of Us Weekly only costs like $1.99, so hardly worth putting it in my budget. Oh but don’t forget Netflix and Hula… and now Apple TV… and my book of the month…
- Streaming services
- Magazines
- Subscription boxes
- Sirium XM
Hobbies
Do you have a hobby? Hopefully you do! Even if it’s something small like you love to read books, those expenses can add up too. I belong to the Book of the Month Club so that’s an expanse right there. But there are also times I stop at Target and grab some books on sale too.
- Hobby supplies
- Hobby subscriptions
- Tutorials or classes
Savings
We all try to create a budget so we can save money. But do we actually remember to include savings in our budgeting categories? Here are some common savings you need to plan for:
- Savings account
- Travel savings
- Kids College
- 401k
- Investments
- Retirement
- Emergency Fund
Household Supplies
Some people include these items in their grocery budget. But I usually make a separate trip to Wal-Mart where these items are more affordable, and often forget to budget for these:
- Cleaning products
- Paper products (plates, napkins, paper towels)
- Laundry detergent
- Mops, brooms, sponges
Personal Care Items
Oh, how these add up every month and just blow my budget right out of the water! Personal care items can actually end up costing as much as my grocery bill each month. So it’s super important to include these items in my budgeting categories.
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Hairbrushes
- Hair ties and bobby pins
- Hair cuts
- Hairstyling appliances
- Hairstyling products
- Manicures and pedicures
- Makeup
- Skincare
Office Supplies
Do you find yourself buying pens and pencils more often than you think? I love the colored gel pens and find myself buying them quite often. Oh and notebooks! I LOVE making lists in cute notebooks. But those items add up fast too.
- Printer Ink and paper
- Writing supplies
- Staplers
- Scotch tape
- Shipping
- Stamps
Technology
I’m guessing you budget for your cell phone bill every month but do you budget for anything other than that? Here are some other technology items to include in your budgeting categories:
- Cell phone upgrade
- Cell phone repair
- Internet upgrade
- Phone cases and pop sockets
- TV repair or upgrade
- Tablet repair or upgrade
Fun Stuff
Don’t leave out the fun stuff. Saving money is fun but making money isn’t fun if you can’t enjoy it ever. So don’t forget to budget for these items too:
- Travel
- Alcohol
- Entertainment
- Gym Memberships
- Babysitting
- Self-Care
Forgotten Things To Include In Your Budgeting Categories
Every budget is going to look different based on your needs and wants and lifestyle. But the best way to stick to a budget is to make it realistic.
If you forget to include these common items, you are setting yourself for failure with your budget. And after so many months of going over your budget, you’ll end up throwing it away and go right back into debt.
Do yourself a favor and don’t forget to include these commonly forgotten budgeting categories into your monthly budget.
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Did I forget any budgeting categories? Leave them in the comments below and I’ll add them!
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