July Budget Categories

It’s so hard to believe that half the year has passed!  As you’re prepping your July budgets, keep these categories in mind!

Fourth Celebrations

Fourth of July celebrations are something I bring up in our June Budget Categories, but if you’re just getting started, don’t worry!  Even though the holiday is really close to the beginning of the month, you don’t have to go over budget just to have some fun.  If your plans are finalized, determine how much money you’ll need and start figuring out where you can squeeze that extra money from.  If you just can’t swing it, there’s nothing wrong with staying home or having some frugal fun!

Lawn Care

Depending on the weather in our corner of the northeast, July is when our grass starts to slow its growth and the weeds kick their growth into high gear.  Whether you pay someone to care for your lawn, or you do it yourself, it’s not free.  Look at your lawn expenses in the past to get an idea of how much you’ll be spending throughout the growing season.

Allergies

My allergies run year-round.  Nothing is weirder than having to be that one person that buys OTC allergy medicine in the middle of December.  But my kids’ allergies kick it into high gear this time of year between the grass and ragweed.  This results in buying our allergy meds more often than I do throughout the rest of the year.  If this is your prime allergy season, don’t forget to budget for it!

Increased Utilities

For us, July and August are our peak electric bill months.  It’s solely because our pool filter is running 16 hours a day, and we use our air conditioners during a heat wave or when I’m taking a day to can.  Either way, be sure to budget for an increase in these utility bills during the summers.

Pool Care

July is when stores start to change their seasonal sections to back-to-school items.  July also is the time we run low on chlorine tablets, water test strips, and pool shock.  By August it’s hard for me to find any of it without having to go to a specialty store and pay an extra premium.  So in our July budget, I make sure to save some money aside for shock and chlorine tablets to get us through closing our pool for the season in September and then reopening it again next year in May.

Back To School

Since July is when stores start setting up their back-to-school merch, July is also the perfect time to start making the list of necessary back-to-school supplies and start watching those sales.  Even if you don’t have kids in school, if you know you need items for your home office or business, now is the time to purchase items.

Garden

Since we have a short growing season on my mountain, July is when we start to do the majority of our harvesting can preserving.  Whether your season is just starting, or you’re in the midst of it, or you’re at the tail end, make sure to set a budget, and stick to it!  Don’t be afraid to get creative too!  Some of the best results we’ve had in the garden over the years have been from things we’ve had to come up with on the fly.

Farmer’s Market / You Pick Farms

Our farmer’s markets started in May, so June through August are the main months for going to the markets.  I really enjoy going to the Farmers Market for fruits and veggies that I don’t, or can’t, grow.  It’s a favorite place for plums and peaches too.  We love to eat our fruits and veggies fresh and in season, but we also preserve a lot of food this time of year to eat through the winters.  Either way, don’t forget to budget for the expenses for fresh fruit, veggies, herbs and flowers, whether you incorporate the cost into your weekly grocery budget, or you have a separate envelope for it.

Library Fines

We don’t visit the library much during the school year since we’re busy doing all sorts of other things, but when school is out, we go multiple times a week.  It never fails that our first time back at the start of the summer we owe some sort of library fine for a late book the summer before.  {True story… Bookworm owed a $10 fine.}

Vacation / Travel

Summertime is the perfect time to travel with the kids, so whether it’s fees for the local campground, lodging at the hotel near the amusement parks, and amusement park ticket costs, don’t forget about the other expenses that may come up.  These can include pet boarding, parking fees, beach day passes, and so on.

Miscellaneous Summer Costs

Between admission to the community pool, sunscreen, sandals, bug spray, and so on, there are small expenses that can eat up a good chunk of your budget when they’re all added up.  Be sure to have a miscellaneous category for these items.

Extracurricular Fees

Between youth camps in the summer, sports, marching band, and theatre league, funding all the extracurricular activities isn’t cheap.  Make sure that you budget for, and save for these expenses ahead of time.

Also, be sure to budget for any uniforms, pictures, and fundraisers that may come up.

Instrument Care

For those band moms, summer is the perfect time to get that instrument for a cleaning and see if there are any repairs that need to be done.  While I cringe at the bill, I know from personal experience that getting it in for routine maintenance will help keep the cost of emergency repairs and instrument replacement rentals down.

Sports Physicals

Summertime is the perfect time to get those annual checkups in!  Plus, if your child is playing school sports, they’re going to need a current physical on file.  If you need to pay a co-pay, don’t forget it in the budget.

Eye & Dental Exams

Just like wither annual physicals, summer is a great time to get the kids in for their exams.  Every spring and fall we have our semi-annual dental exams, and the summer is our annual eye exams.  If it’s been a while for either, you may want to get yourself in for a checkup.  Better to be on top of your health than have to play crisis management later on.

Sinking Funds

July is an excellent time to review your sinking funds.  How are the ones you’re doing now?  Well on your way to your goal, or do you need to reevaluate how much to save?  And don’t forget to add in any extras for items coming up.  I know that once our back-to-school shopping is done, I’ll have a smaller school sinking fund for all those small costs that come up throughout the school year such as science projects, etc.

Christmas

It’s July, and that means Christmas is coming.  Best to get started on saving up now so you know your budget when December comes.

Car Maintenance

If you’re planning any major family road trips, it’s always a good idea to get your car checked out before taking it on the road.  Changing your oil, and checking your brakes and tire tread, while it may seem like a financial inconvenience now, can save you from a bigger bill down the road.

 

Looking to set up your budget for a different month?

• June Budget Categories
• May Budget Categories
• April Budget Categories
• March Budget Categories
• February Budget Categories
• January Budget Categories

Are there any other budget categories you included in your July budget that aren’t on this list?  Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to add them!