Spark

5 Things to Budget For in the New Year

The start of a new year usually means starting fresh and tackling new projects. I try to clean room by room, usually slowly, throughout the year. I go pretty hard in the beggining as I start my spring cleaning and then slow down and then go crazy again at Christmas time.

I also like to think about things I am going to need for the year to factor into my budget. As a family of five I feel like there is a million things we are always needing but there are usually things I know will need to be replaced.

Furniture

Has your couch seen better days? What about a new table or bookshelf? I like to browse online for ideas and create Pinterest boards. Furniturebox has a ton of great products to inspire new rooms. In our house, our main couch has a tear in the leather and I am budgeting where we will be replacing the couch or repairing it.

Bedroom Furniture

Do you have a child who is outgrowing their furniture? Going from a nursery to a preschooler’s room or even a teenager’s room can really add up in costs. I remember going from crib to a big girl bed years ago and it cost $400. Then last year we separated our boy’s so they’d have their own rooms which meant new desks, paint, chairs and so forth. For adults, bedroom sets are usually something you keep forever but it could be time for a new mattress.

Car

Last year we replaced my husband’s car and going back to car payments was not fun. He had driven his last car for 15 years but it was time. We replaced mine a few years ago and I don’t see replacing it anytime soon. So I don’t need to anticipate a new car in our budget but definitely a budget for repairs and maintence.

Clothes

I usually buy clothes throughout the year as we need them but as kids get older, costs go up. I remember my boys outgrowing the child section and how the prices went way up because I had to shop in the teen/men’s section. I always keep in mind sports attire which usually my one son needs at least 2 pairs of soccer cleats a year and my other two kids need hockey gear replacement. My oldest son is going through such a growth spurt that I know we will definitely need to replace most of his gear this year.

Tech

While technology is always changing and evolving, there is tech that you know you will probably need to replace or want to upgrade. Maybe your ready for a bigger television or you noticed your television is not as bright as it used to be. Maybe your kids are ready for their own chromebooks or you want to upgrade your family computer. We replaced a lot of tech around our house last year but this year my office computer is going to need to be replaced.