"Large Expenses 2006"

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
"Large Expenses 2006"
9
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 3:46pm

I have a new chart on the wall in my little office area.

All my best,
Danni

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2004
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 5:09pm
We are also facing big expenses this year. We are moving to another state, buying an Airedale terrier, and also purchasing a few very expensive direct instruction items for our dd (avg $700/piece.) The move is the most crucial thing, and since our emergency fund will be funded within the next few days, we will start saving for our move. I figure it will cost $1000, plus whatever we lose in wages. (We rent a truck and do everything ourselves...not easy for a family of four, but a lot cheaper.) The move will pay for itself in a month's time (no rent), and we should get our security deposit back. We will sell our washer and dryer before we move, so that should get us about $350.
We are also contemplating adding to our family, so there would be medical bills, too. Thank goodness it is only January, and we have a little bit of time to do some planning!
Heather
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 5:12pm

I'd like to get a laptop. My current one is so old, the battery is completely discharged and I can't add any software to it because it doesn't have a cd drive and can't connect to the internet. I'm thinking a new laptop is going to be around 1,300. I totally don't have the money right now (still tackling the debt) but that's my big thing. I think I should have a piggy bank and stick my extra cash on hand into it, and put that towards the laptop fund.

That's a great idea about the big item list. I think I will print one out for myself!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 5:39pm

A dishwasher

Travel expenses-in March alone I have a trip for my grandmother's birthday (about 8 hours each way) and then my brother's wedding (5 hours each way) plus I usually spend a couple of days of Spring Break at a nearby lake with my mom and sisters (1.5 hours away plus probably 80-100 for condo and then shopping). I should also be defending my dissertation this spring (4 hours each way) and then graduating in May. I also have some gift expenses there I usually don't buy my grandma a gift but will this year (80th) and then my brother's wedding as well.

Home repair-we have some leaking in the basement so we'll have a plumber out if we get a tax refund.

Those are the expected ones.

Taleyna

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 8:07pm

I started this list at the end of last year, with a plan for how to pay for each one. Our expenses are:

10th anniversary: new rings, because mine is lost and dh is allergic to his; a weekend trip, our first weekend alone since our first son was born five years ago--heck, it'll be the first time we've actually slept all night in the same bed without someone crawling in between us since our first son was born! LOL (high: $3000; low: $700; most likely: $1500)

Trip to California: I have four aging grandparents and a great aunt in California (we're on the East coast, so this is an expensive trip), one of whom is expected to pass on this year. So we've decided to go ahead and set the money aside for the funeral. If it doesn't happen this year, at least it will already be paid for when it does happen. Our plan is for me to go alone with our youngest son and for dh to work from home with our older son. We'll have to pay for two plane tickets. (high: $1000; low: $650; most likely: $750)

Vacation: Last year was the first time ever that we took a full one-week vacation and actually went somewhere. It was awesome. So, we're going to try to do the same thing again this year. (High: $1000; low: $300; most likely: $750)

So our "most likely" total is about $3000. At that amount, we'll have the money for all of them from projected bonuses and freelance income by the end of June, which should be soon enough (our anniversary is in June, but we'll have enough for it in time). If we don't end up owing on our taxes, we will have an additional $1600 to put toward those events (fingers crossed).

I just really hope we don't have any unexpected expenses like the air conditioner this past summer. And I feel badly that we don't have plans to pay any of that "bonus" money toward debt, but we really feel like we need to keep living our lives.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-06-2006
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 10:12pm

" And I feel badly that we don't have plans to pay any of that "bonus" money toward debt, but we really feel like we need to keep living our lives."

I agree with you, but my biggest resentment in March of 2003 when I switched jobs and had a large tax refund was paying bills with all the money. I had 5 weeks+ accrued paid time off and didn't spend a dollar of it on me. I did my last day on the old job on a Friday and started my new job the following Monday. Still haven't had a vacation, but am budgeting for a 3 week break this fall if all goes well. Sure we could put that $$ towards bills, but we REALLY need a vacation. It will do wonders to my emotional well being and I am hoping it will help fiance and I recharge our relationship a bit also. Working 60+ hour weeks for the past 15 months has sucked the life out of us.

Perhaps since you are not putting bonus money toward debt you can work on ways to snowflake extra toward your debts. I'm not big on taking my lunch to work, but I also know this is a big source of spending for me every week and have tried to be more careful when I shop to get easy to pack lunch items so that I start brown bagging more often.

Proud sister of a Marine:

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 01-31-2006 - 10:51pm

Thanks for the feedback on that--especially your experience with paying all your extra money to debt and then resenting it. It's helpful to be reminded that we have to live our lives too.

We do snowflake bits and pieces to debt. We've been on our repayment journey for three years now. We expect, at the latest, to be debt free by the end of 2007, but possibly as soon as the end of 2006. Since we'll only be using our bonuses/freelance income through June for the big expenses, we can probably snowflake some of the second half of the year. Also, I am estimating low on my freelance income--it is frequently more than what I have budgeted.

So I only feel a *little* bad, lol.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Wed, 02-01-2006 - 12:20am

Well let's see:

1. Baby fund: We have to have enough so that we can do our major purchases if they are not bought off of my registry...we also need some other things for our new baby that aren't neccessarily big purchases...

2. Transition Lainey: We need to change her from the double bed to a twin bed so they can share the room and I can make better use of the space. She will need bedding and some organizational items etc.

3. Our House Downpayment: this is a large expense.. We are hoping to have 20% saved by January and some extra money for moving expenses, maybe even furniture if we have money remaining...

This will be our year of paying off and saving... we have plans to pay off both cars, Brandon's debt and save for all of these expenses... We will have to be very vigilant and be on our best behavior but it will be so worth it by next January!

Stephanie

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-12-2004
Wed, 02-01-2006 - 1:17am
Hi, Danni. Big expenses? Come on over. DH is fuming mad because l) He didnt renew his driver's license in time. So, he couldnt rent a car when he went to get car fixed (leaking something). $600. Sure, he has the money. I said, "Why dont you just put $5K of it down for a new truck (or, gently used). He said he couldnt afford it. 2) Dh is also mad--says we could have had the house paid off by now if we hadnt refinanced so many times (in past--probably true). 3)He missed all appts (he was off today from work, and the truck didnt run, etc.). 4) He also didnt renew one of the things he needed for work. It is a slump. Or something. Big expenses? He didnt even make a dent. As for me, I am on track to get my stuff done for work (classes, etc.). And, am trying to pay off the cc. Never mind. DH is in a rut. I always say, ounce of prevention, and he wouldnt be in this mess. Sigh. Whiz.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-10-2005
Wed, 02-01-2006 - 8:45am
well,I am late chiming in on this one, but we have some big expenses in 2006 too! First of all, we need to do some work to this house we bought in july! Lots of small things, painting, decorating, curtains, things like that... but they add up! We also want to put a new roof on eventually and redo the back porch and black top the driveway. I don't know if we will get to it all though
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