Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 19:26:01 GMT -5
I don't buy a lot of Christmas presents, but I do spend a few hundred on the four grandchildren. This year I also had to buy a new computer for myself. Food costs go up since I entertain a minimum of ten people a couple of times during the month. Some household costs go up since I discovered I didn't have a Christmas tablecloth big enough for the additional leaves. I have a few tips (not many) to people like my hairdresser and the woman who cleans my classroom. You get the idea.
Then January is also the month when car insurance, car tags, and the newspaper payment for six months is due. I used to have a timeshare whose annual fees were also due in January, but I sold that last year.
I budget for stuff like the car insurance, tags, and newspaper, but I always hate to take money out of savings. So I usually suck it up and just consider January the most awful, longest month of the year.
Anyone else with me?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 19:39:37 GMT -5
Financially for some reason March is always my hardest month of the year, I get paid for overtime working for other co-workers and Holidays and there are no Holidays between MLK and Good Friday usually and people generally don't take vacations in the colder months. January financially is not a problem for me because I get more income from working the Holidays. Now when you want to talk about weather-wise Jan and Feb are both just plain awful! can't wait for them to be over.
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Post by kadee on Dec 27, 2010 19:50:58 GMT -5
Jan. isn't too bad for us. Our tags are on a graduated schedule according to your birth date all year...mine happens to fall in Jan. But heating costs are up & since it is so cold, I'm using my dryer instead of hanging out...that will increase the electric bill. Dec. is usually the worst for me...property taxes due by the 10th and then Christmas + baking costs! For several years now I have tried to buy my baking goods from Oct. on...brown sugar, powdered sugar & any other things I might be low on...icings, cocoa, etc....trying to stretch it out. That helps! Our vehicle insurance will be due in Feb. & it is a short month! But the rest of the yearly expenses I have pretty much been able to schedule every other month or just put back a certain amount each month until they pop up!
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Dec 27, 2010 19:57:57 GMT -5
Concidering it was the month I was born A few poeple would agree with this.
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Plain Old Petunia
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Post by Plain Old Petunia on Dec 27, 2010 19:58:50 GMT -5
Definately, but not for budgetary reasons. It's the beginning of four solid months of chaos. And don't look, but here it comes.
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dianartemis
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Post by dianartemis on Dec 27, 2010 20:01:30 GMT -5
Not for finances but for work reports...gah!
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Dec 27, 2010 20:01:53 GMT -5
When I was working Jan-March were the cheapest bc I was working so much, I didn't have time to spend any money. But I've always liked July-Dec better bc it had more holidays and more days off and my B-day is in Oct.
We actually don't have any annual or semi-annuals bills in Jan. YAY!!
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Dec 27, 2010 20:05:24 GMT -5
From an money-output standpoint, I'd say that April and December tend to be our most expensive months.
We bought our home in the month of April, so our annual payment for homeowner's insurance, umbrella liability, home warranty, and flood insurance are all due then. And, since we got married in the month of April, we also have life insurance premiums for my wonderful DH which are due in April.
I do think that December can be expensive, too. We've got $3500 due for property taxes in December, plus a 6-month premium for my wonderful DH's vehicle is due then.
But I can't honestly say that we "dread" these months ~ after all, we plan and budget for these expenses year 'round. And I must say that the weather in April is simply lovely.
From a practical standpoint, I tend to dread our four months of summer ~ June, July, August, September with average temperatures of 97 and at least 50 days over 100 degrees. Coupled with our smog, it's pretty dreadful.
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Cookies Galore
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Post by Cookies Galore on Dec 27, 2010 20:14:04 GMT -5
January, April, July, and October are the "worst" months because my quarterly Perkins loan bill is paid. Granted, it's only $120 a month so it's not a big deal. January I do pay my car registration, but that's only $36. November we pay the renter's insurance, but my half is $42.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 27, 2010 21:30:23 GMT -5
Jan and Feb are my big saving months. I will just work and hibernate now for 2 months.
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Post by yogi on Dec 27, 2010 22:01:03 GMT -5
I wouldn't say it's my most dreaded month, but I do feel the need to ramp up my saving/cut back on spending in January since my bf's family loves to go all out for Christmas. We do a gift exchange and spend $200 on each other, which is way too much in my opinion.
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on Dec 27, 2010 22:12:46 GMT -5
The first time they allowed catch up contributions for 401(k) plans for those 50 and over was funny. My DH signed up for the full $5,000, without realizing that, since he didn't indicate otherwise, they would take the full amount out each paycheck until the full $5,000 was funded. His first check for January 2008 was $0. Nothing. We had plenty in savings, so it was just a matter of shifting money, but my DH was appalled. He's since changed his election. But I still have to shift money in January.
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cronewitch
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Post by cronewitch on Dec 28, 2010 1:50:33 GMT -5
Money wise January I fund my ROTH but just move money from taxable investments. April and October are the worse months for cash flow, property taxes and car insurance both hit.
Work wise I hate the end of December to the end of February, We get 4 paid holidays so I with year end payroll issues then starting January late with payroll taxes, year end financial statements and changing all the payroll tax rates and getting out W-2 and 1099s I get tired. February I have to start new year financial statements, set up new files for the year and make new directories and files. I won't catch up filing until March.
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bobosensei
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Post by bobosensei on Dec 28, 2010 4:05:46 GMT -5
Not necessarily. DH and I don't spend much on each other for Christmas and we don't have kids yet. Family gifts have been cut way down because we don't really buy for any of our 11 siblings or 7 siblings in law anymore. We cut down amounts spent on parents and one side the neices and nephews all draw names so we won't buy a gift until we have a kid to add to the name drawing.
For us the worst months are when we are able to coordinate time off and we go travel. We try to keep it reasonable, but since we will probably never live in Europe again we are trying to take advantage of being here. It will never be as cheap for us to travel since we don't have to worry with airfare over here. We are trying to do more trips to Eastern Europe since we discovered how much it saves us. Still we have a of places left on the list to visit before we leave.
We fund our Roth IRAs and split insurance payments up into equal amounts throughout the year. We have older vehicles so insurance and registration are fairly inexpensive for us.
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daisylu
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Post by daisylu on Dec 28, 2010 6:33:38 GMT -5
Jan and Feb are my big saving months. I will just work and hibernate now for 2 months. ' This is me. Jan/Feb are so brutally cold, there is no way you will see me out and about. Besides we just bought everything we wanted deeply discounted in Nov/Dec.
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kgb18
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Post by kgb18 on Dec 28, 2010 9:18:52 GMT -5
Expense-wise our costs are pretty evenly distributed throughout the year. December is definitely our most expensive month because of Christmas.
January is my most dreaded month though. I get a little post-holiday depression when all of the festivities are over and the decorations come down. And it's cold and snowy and dark and long. And it just seems like it's so long until spring. So, yes, I hate January.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 9:30:44 GMT -5
SS starts again for me in January, which cuts what we can save. Other than that, it's a low-spend month. I just have to deal with the bills from December and they're manageable. We're about to leave this AM on the last leg of a trip home from visiting friends and family and there's about $400 in hotels, $200 in gas and $300 in other spending about to hit the credit card bills. We do have insurance and property taxes going out around this time but I put money aside every month for that, so it's just a matter of sending out what's saved up. Oh, yeah- not looking forward to heating bills.
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Post by breezy on Dec 28, 2010 11:26:11 GMT -5
I recently separated from an 18 year marriage, and just recently started budgeting. So far, each month something unexpected has cropped up and my expenses have exceeded my budget.
I am hoping that January will allow my to get my budget under control. Hopefully there will be no more unplanned medical, travel, and gifting expenses. At least I have been able to pay for these items out of pocket and not run up cc debt.
I'm hoping to 'nest' during these cold months and keep my spending to a minimum.
I enrolled in the budget plan for my utilities, but I will still keep the thermostat as low as I can stand (between 68-70). I cut out cable for Netflix. I plan to look for cheaper forms of entertainment, utilize my gym more, and check out books from library.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Dec 28, 2010 11:51:23 GMT -5
Jan sometimes is tight because I've gone over budget in my Christmas spending. But I didn't this year. I actually had a bit left over from the Christmas fund. Unfortunately we went over in other areas, so Jan will still be a bit tight.
Towards the end of Jan, I've usually finished our tax return. I figure we'll owe several hundred, maybe more. Our tax bracket is increasing, so I'll have the fun task of figuring out where & how much to increase our withholding. (Ugh)
Mostly Jan is dark, cold & wet and I start thinking about warm weather and working in the garden.
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kimber45
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Post by kimber45 on Dec 28, 2010 12:26:40 GMT -5
Depends upon how cold it is and how much heating fuel we have used. January is not too bad, we have our quarterly sales tax due and our business insurance due, but I usually have enough budgeted for those expenses.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 14:45:20 GMT -5
Yes, maybe it is mostly just that it is a long, cold month with few holidays. I'm a teacher so I've just come off two months of very generous holidays. We get MLK day and nothing else until the end of March. Winter (usually) doesn't start in Alabama until January so late that month the utility bills start getting higher.
I "budget" for the expenses, too, having X taken out of my paycheck and sent directly to the credit union. But I still hate pulling the $$$ out of there.
I'm hoping this year January will be less dreaded since I got rid of the $550 annual timeshare maintenance fee. I had saved for it as well, not knowing if I would be able to sell it or not, so maybe that will make me feel better.
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Knee Deep in Water Chloe
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Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Dec 28, 2010 14:48:49 GMT -5
I love January because that's when I file my taxes. I commit a big YM sin by receiving a large tax refund. I don't care that I loaned the goverment money interest free. Meee toooo!!!!
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TrixAre4Kids
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Post by TrixAre4Kids on Dec 28, 2010 15:25:20 GMT -5
January is no better or worse, for me. My heating bill goes up of course, but the insurance is paid monthly and I put $$ away each month for the property taxes which are due in April and October. My favorite months are the ones with 3 paychecks! And this Friday is one of 'em
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jkapp
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Post by jkapp on Dec 28, 2010 16:08:48 GMT -5
Yes, only in that the property tax bill comes in about that time (late Dec/early Jan). I got my bill this year two days before Christmas...and the schools are giving us all a nice kick in the nuts again this year for Chistmas (10% increase). Thanks greedy teachers!!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2010 16:09:49 GMT -5
pffft...money's money and bills are bills.
Feb-u-dreary is the one I loathe. The holidays are over, everything is bare and desolate looking.
March is nice because spring is starting to spring, and we have some really pleasant days to remind us just how nice nice weather is.
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