The Dog Days of Summer

By admin|June 18, 2018|Monday Blog|0 comments

 

 

 

 

 

Budgeting For Your Blow Money

I absolutely love the summer months.  I truly enjoy working in the yard, cutting the grass, watering the flowers and spending extra time outside.  As I have gotten older, I don’t like the intense heat but I still enjoy everything about the summer months.  I enjoy the baseball season and the busy days leading up to the All-Star break.  I enjoy the strategy of the trading deadline and trying to work in an extra day or two at the lake.

When the summer months are upon us, it also seems like we tend to spend a little more money on “stuff”.  The extra bag of mulch to go around those new bedding plants doesn’t cost a bunch but those little expenses add up over the summer.  You might stop by the grocery store and grab a package of pork steaks to toss on the grill instead of a normal evening dinner at home.

Gasoline prices seem higher.  Recreational activities seem to cost more too.  My grandson had a t-ball game last Saturday and I stopped by the gas station to grab a bottle of water and a package of gum on my way to the game.  Again – not a ton of money but a few extra dollars here and there – they all add up.

As you are going through your summer months, be sure to budget for those little extra added expenses.  When we do our monthly budget, we actually have a category called “Blow”.  We know that we are going to just waste some money every month on little things so we figure it into our budget each month.  It isn’t a lot of money but if you don’t figure it into your monthly expenses, that money will slip through your fingers and you will “steal” it from other needed categories.

I always feel a little better when I have $20-$30 in my pocket.  I hate not having a little bit of cash on me so we plan for it each month and that is my “blow” money.  I can stop by the gas station and grab that bottle of water on my way to the t-ball game and never feel guilty.  I can stop at the grocery store on my way home and grab a bundle of daisies for the kitchen table and never feel like I am stealing money from any of our needed categories.  I have a few extra dollars in my pocket to do it and it is part of our plan.

Enjoy your summer months.  Enjoy the longer days and baseball season but don’t let those little extra expenses derail you from your plan.

If this makes sense to you but it just seems impossible or overwhelming, give us a call and schedule an appointment.  We are experts at it and will be happy to offer you some basic direction and advice.  It is what we do at Hollander & Associates.

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