Preparing for spring expenses

Along with scrubbing windows and organizing closets, tidying up your finances is a great task to add to your to-do list as you get prepped for spring cleaning. Every new season presents an opportunity to revisit your budget and ensure you have the money you need to cover all of your essential and non-essential expenses. To get financially prepped for upcoming trips, home and car repairs, and family events, here are several ways to budget for springtime expenses.

Budget for an upcoming trip

If you have travel plans in the months ahead, you will want to begin planning as soon as possible, including carving out space in your budget to cover trip expenses. It can be helpful to set up a separate savings account where you automatically deposit money once a week or twice a month which helps you save money specifically for your trip.

Begin scouting travel and lodging deals now and book a flight as soon as you’re certain of the dates. It’s widely believed the best time to purchase plane tickets for a domestic trip is at least 64 days in advance. If getting to your destination via car or train is more affordable, consider this as a way to free up more money to spend on the activities and experiences you can enjoy when you arrive.

Plan for activities and entertainment

As spring weather arrives and your event calendar fills up, you will want to be financially prepped for all the barbecues, weddings, and concerts being added to your schedule. If you haven’t had a chance to review your budget at the beginning of the year, take a moment to look it over now. Do you have enough income left over after paying for your essentials to designate the fun things you’d like to do? By proactively planning now, you can cut any unnecessary costs or suspend certain expenses to have the money you need for all your spring activities.

Evaluate home repairs and upgrades

Being a homeowner can be expensive, with regular repairs and maintenance being a necessary part of keeping your place safe and running smoothly. If you live in an area where winter months are cold and snowy, you’ve likely had to spend a lot of money keeping the inside warm and the outside cleared. With spring approaching, it can be a good time to start listing necessary home improvements, as well as any upgrades that can help make your house more energy efficient. With improved windows or insulation, for example, you’ll use less heat in the winter, or require less cooling in the summer, helping to save you money on your energy bills. Be sure to include home improvements in your budget so you can financially prepare for any maintenance or repairs that might need to be taken care of this spring. Household improvements include:

• Cleaning gutters and downspouts
• Updating attic insulation
• Installing smart lighting and energy-efficient lightbulbs
• Updating old plumbing
• Replacing HVAC units and filters
• Landscaping and tree trimming
• Repairing and washing screens
• Replacing outdated appliances

Give your car a tune-up

Before you head into spring, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is tuned up and ready for road trips. Winter can be exceptionally tough on cars, so this is a good time to make sure everything is working properly. Keeping on top of basic services and auto check-ups can help you avoid more costly repairs down the road, so be sure to include car maintenance in your spring budget. Common automotive maintenance expenses to prepare for this spring include:

• Rotating your tires and checking tire pressure
• Checking your cooling system
• Inspecting your brakes and battery
• Readjusting alignment and suspension
• Replacing your wiper blades
• Scheduling an oil change and fluid check

Estimate end-of-year school expenses

As the school year wraps at the end of spring, you may have several expenses that come up during this time as well. Events like prom, graduation, and senior trips; or end-of-year celebrations, teacher gifts, yearbooks, and graduation parties. With a little preparation, you can avoid draining your budget or raising credit card debt to cover these costs. Estimate how much you will need for these items and events and by which date, then break this total down by how many weeks you have remaining. If possible, set aside this amount every week, either manually or with an automatic deposit. If you’re out shopping in the months prior, keep an eye out for sale items where you can set aside gifts for later. With a little preparation, you can clear out any unnecessary money drains from your budget and be financially prepped for these memorable milestones.

With the new season approaching, you may become busy planning trips, backyard barbeques, and community activities, along with yearly home and auto maintenance. To help ensure you’ll be financially ready to take on these expenses, take time to review your budget, trim unnecessary costs, and determine how you can fund your springtime activities with confidence. Spring into action today and be financially prepped for a fun season ahead.

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