One part of budgeting I have never been very good at is quarterly or annual expenses. I can pay them when they come up, but I'm always kicking myself for not saving for them, so that my budget doesn't take such a hit in that pay period it's due.
I've been jotting down the expenses as I think of them. I think I have most, if not all, of them listed now:
Life Insurance: $330
Car tabs: $160
Property taxes on land: $900
Propane: $300
Amazon Prime (share w/DD) $54
Annual website hosting (this is for a website DH manages/updates for a non-profit club, we have always paid the hosting fee, while he's the one doing the website): $143
I need to be putting aside at least $157 a month for these! DD just messaged me last night. The annual Amazon payment comes out of her checking...well she opened a new checking at a credit union and isn't really using the old one, other than she had about $55 in it. The Amazon charge went through last night and overdrew her. She (and I) forgot all about it. She's not a student anymore, so now paying the full prime rate. I told her since I also use it to order stuff off and on, I will still pay for half of it. That checking is still linked to mine, so I transferred my share $54 and brought her back to having $5 in her account. She must have had overdraft protection (if she deposited within 24 hours) as she thankfully wasn't charged for the overdraft.
I'm sure there is something I have forgotten to include, but at least now I can be starting to put money aside for these each month.
I made myself a doctor appoint for this Friday morning. I have a half work day, so I'm just going to use a half day of vacation and take the whole day off. I need to get my prescriptions for my heart and cholesterol medication filled. I decided to try a doctors office in the city....where no one knows me. LOL. I'm not quite used to this small town, everyone knows everything stuff. Plus, once we get moved to our property, the city will only be about a 35 min drive. I'm going to a "women's health clinic". Sounds like a good mix of female providers, even a naturopath. I also see from their website that you can do a virtual visit (once established) for minor problems.
And I just got an email this morning from my health insurance company where they are offering "Doctor On Demand" Virtual visits. It looks like my co-pay for a visit like that would be $10. Plus, by signing up and registering they will give me $5 off my first appointment and are also supposed to send me a $5 Starbucks e-giftcard. Don't know that I will need to use the service, but at least I have that option now, if I come down with something like a rash or a sore throat, etc. Sounds like it would be a convenient way to go, since we live rural.
I always had a feel for "misc" expenses. The ex was what sunk it. I now put 300 euros aside for this kind of stuff (fuel, car repairs, odds and sods (and I still take care of my son's car while he is an apprentice) and it still works out). I reckon if you track it you will find your equilibrium. Anna
ReplyDeleteI'v not got a line in my budget for this amount. Hopefully I'll be glad next time one of the annual expenses comes up :)
DeleteSinking fund is the way to go I think. Just put that $157 aside from each paycheck or maybe a tad more in case property taxes or car costs go up.
ReplyDeleteWhat the heck is a car tab anyway? In VA cars were taxed as personal property and you had to pay for a sticker for your windshield each year showing you paid the tax.
a car tab is a little sticker/tab that you put on the back license plate, showing you'd paid your car tax for the year. Same thing, just goes on the license plate
DeleteWe pay them in our state, too. They also go on our plate and are based on the weight of a vehicle.
DeleteWe pay for a tag but get the little sticker for the month and year to renew paying our car tax. I think I last got an actual tag about five years ago. This year, I actually got a new tag. I just cannot attach it myself, so it sits on the dashboard until I find someone to screw it on. But, "car tab" confused me, too.
DeleteWe actually refer to the process as "renewing the tag."
DeleteOurs are just a little sticker, no tools necessary. They give a month tab when you first get the plate, but after that you just stick in the new year sticker over the expired tab
DeleteJust put that $157 aside from each paycheck or maybe a tad more in case property taxes or car costs go up.
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