It’s hard to believe that September is here! Here’s your friendly reminder to get your September budget ready pronto – and don’t forget to include these potential expenses in your September budget!
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES & FEES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SEPTEMBER BUDGET
Kids are back to school, but one thing that can always be certain is that there will be activity fees and other expenses. And boy can they add up fast!
Whether it’s a fall fundraiser, school t-shirts, or a fee to participate in extracurricular activities you will get asked for money. Be prepared to know what fits in your budget and what doesn’t prior to all those forms showing up in your kid’s backpack or your email.
Discuss what extracurriculars your kid is interested in and what does and does not fit in your budget before signup forms head your way; this will help keep the costs down and expectations realistic.
Our oldest has zero interest in lots of things until a form shows up in her take-home folder. Suddenly she’s dying to do this random $50 activity.
If your kid is the same I highly encourage you to figure out what you can and can’t afford before all those opportunities come up.
For families of multiple school-age children, this is especially important. We’re in that boat for the first time this year.
See what you can afford to include in the September budget and hold fast to that amount.
WINTER WARDROBE
Kids have this expensive little habit of outgrowing their clothes almost every single season until they are adults. You already know fall and winter are approaching and at least some of last year’s clothing is probably too small.
Pull out their winter wardrobes now and figure out what will no longer work and what items will be needed. Make a list, calculate your budget, and start looking for deals in the resale shops.
Lots of people decluttered their wardrobes back over the summer, and you can probably find some great second hand finds for winter. It does take a bit of time to build a second hand wardrobe, so you need to start early.
The added advantage of including this in your September budget is that you can also create a sinking fund for clothing; what you don’t spend this month can roll over to the October budget.
Want to save money on that winter wardrobe? Shop Second Hand September. It’s better for the environment as well as your wallet.
FALL CLEANING SERVICES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR SEPTEMBER BUDGET
I’m a pretty big advocate of doing what you can yourself, but if you can’t physically do it you’ll likely need to budget to pay someone else to do it.
There are also some services that are just better left to the professionals; we hire a chimney sweep to clean our chimney when needed. We love to use our wood stove safely, so this is an expense we’ll gladly budget every other year or so.
If you also need your gutters cleaned or any maintenance on the heating system done before winter you’ll want to include it in your September budget.
Save a portion of the expense each month until you have the money set aside and avoid a large hit to your budget in a single month. This is the beauty of sinking funds!
GREAT DEALS IN THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
So you have all the essentials included in your September budget? Great! Here are some items that you can save serious money on in the month of September.
If you have been waiting to buy something on the list you can save big on Labor Day sales. Once it’s in the budget of course.
BICYCLES Did you know new bicycle models are making their way to the floors around this time? September is a great time to buy last year’s model at a discount!
SUMMER CLOTHING Summer clothes will have hit the clearance racks at serious savings. Buy the next size up for the kids if you prefer to buy new but still save money.
LAWN MOWERS Once the weather starts to cool down, inventory left is marked down. If your lawnmower barely made it through the summer now can be a good time to shop for a replacement.
PATIO FURNITURE Sales are decent in August, but stores will be trying harder to move leftover inventory in September. Save big and start dreaming of all the backyard gatherings you can enjoy next year!
MATTRESSES Industry experts recommend replacing your mattress every seven or so years. If you’ve waited a bit longer than that check out the Labor Day sales. Mattresses are priced to move in September.
APPLIANCES Labor Day sales can be pretty good if you’re shopping for new appliances as well. Although not quite as good as Black Friday sales later in the fall.
If you’ll need a new appliance before the end of the year start setting the money aside now. Then you’ll be ready to take advantage of the next great sale.
If you see anything in this list be sure to include it in your September budget before those sales ads appear!