In your budgeting process, when should you look at recurring expenses?

You should consider recurring expenses throughout your entire budgeting process, but at two key points:

1. Initial Budget Setup:

Identifying Recurring Costs: When you first set up your budget, it’s crucial to identify all your recurring expenses. This includes items like rent/mortgage, utilities, car payments, subscriptions, loan payments, insurance, and minimum debt payments.
Estimating Amounts: For each recurring expense, determine the average monthly cost. Use bank statements, bills, or receipts to find accurate figures. If the amount fluctuates, estimate on the higher side to create a buffer in your budget.
Categorize Expenses: Once identified and estimated, categorize your recurring expenses. Common categories include housing, transportation, utilities, debt, entertainment, and groceries. This helps you understand where your money is going regularly.

2. Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustments:

Regular Review: Regularly reviewing your budget is essential. Ideally, do this monthly, but at least quarterly. As you review, pay close attention to recurring expenses.
Track Spending: Compare your estimated recurring costs with your actual spending. Are there any discrepancies? Did a subscription price increase? Are you using less electricity than anticipated?
Adjusting the Budget: Based on your review, you may need to adjust your budget allocations. If an expense is higher than expected, you might need to cut back in other areas to maintain a balanced budget.

Here are some additional tips for managing recurring expenses:

Automate Payments: Set up automatic payments for your recurring bills to avoid late fees and ensure timely payments.
Renegotiate Rates: Periodically review your recurring expenses, especially for things like cable or internet. Consider contacting providers to negotiate a better rate or seek out more competitive offers.
Review Subscriptions: Audit your subscriptions regularly. Are there any you no longer use? Canceling unused subscriptions can free up some budget space.

By incorporating recurring expenses throughout your budgeting process, you gain a clear picture of your regular outflows. This allows you to make informed decisions about your spending, identify areas for savings, and ultimately achieve your financial goals.