Today, we’re starting with a big one. . .auto expenses.  The goal here is to calculate how much to add to your auto fund each and every paycheck so you are prepared for both the daily and less frequent expenses you might experience with your auto(s).   Simply add together the totals of what you may spend in a year, then divide by one of the following:  52 if you are paid weekly, 26 if you are paid every 2 weeks, 24 if you are paid twice a month, or 12 if you are paid monthly.   Members to ListPlanIt can use our Auto Fund Worksheet (see our new video tutorial on Auto Fund Worksheet) to help calculate the amount you will need for your auto fund in Financial Planning.

• Payments - Whether you are paying on the loan of your current automobile or setting money aside each paycheck to pay for your next vehicle, payments make up a good portion of this fund.  The budget for Payments is usually anywhere from $200 to $400 per vehicle per month.
• Insurance - Depending on the age of the driver, your location, and the type of coverage, insurance can vary wildly  from budget to budget.  Some insurance carriers offer discounts to those who can pay up front for 6 to 12 months of insurance.  If that is the case for you, then consider paying your fund for the upcoming insurance payment and save money.
• License/Registration – While this may not be a huge amount when you consider that you only pay once per year, it can still be a burden to someone who is unprepared for the costs.  Just by adding $5 or so to your auto fund every paycheck, you’ll be ready when it is time to renew.
• Taxes - This expense completely depends upon your vehicle and the state you live in.  Consider the amount that you’ve paid in the past.  Or if you’ve just moved to your state, you may need to do a little research to know how much you will need to put into your auto fund for taxes each paycheck.
• Maintenance – Oil changes, car washes, and tune-ups are all important for maintaining the health of your vehicle.  You want your car or truck to last for as long as possible.  To figure out how much it might cost for yearly maintenance, take a look through your bank statements and add up all of the maintenance costs for last year.  That should give you an idea of about how much you will need for this year’s budget.
• Repairs - With all of the wear and tear on vehicles, they are bound to breakdown now and again.  Car repairs can put you in the hole fast.  And even with insurance, a car accident can end up costing a lot of money through deductibles and such.
• Gas - As gas prices fluctuate, you can never be quite certain of the cost of gas.  Some pay periods may see heavy driving and others may find you staying close to home more often.  If you put the same amount in your auto fund for gas each paycheck, then the lean driving week will feed the heavy driving weeks and the heavy driving weeks won’t break the bank.

How do you prepare for ongoing and upcoming auto expenses?

We were separated from Daddy last year for Valentine's Day. So we took some photos with our own love messages and sent them to him in a frame.

• Homemade Goodies
  Cake pops, cookies, rice crispy treats, wrapped in a bit of paper tied with string make great valentines. They are sure to not go to waste.

• Photos
  “A photo is like a thousand words.” Depending on your loved ones, photos can be used in gifts, sent by email, or even posted on Facebook. What woman wouldn’t swoon to be tagged in this Facebook post.

• Handmade Gifts
  Instead of buying containers for trinkets that will both just be thrown away eventually, find a gift idea that will remind them of your love again and again. For example, one year, I made pillowcases for each of my 3 children out of fabric with a heart pattern on it. I used the pillowcases then to gift wrap a book. They still love to sleep on their “valentine pillowcases”.
• Wearable Valentine
  Unless they already have more clothes than can fit in their drawers, a great gift for valentine’s day is one that they can wear and wear and wear. A valentine t-shirt or some valentine underwear both make great gifts.



• Experiences
  One of my favorite gifts is the gift of memory-making experiences. Whether it is with the whole family, or you and your significant other, an evening of good food and conversation are mighty special. See a movie. Take a walk in the park. Go ice skating. Try the new gelato place. Go bowling. See a local play or a musical. Spend the night away (at a hotel with a swimming pool, if the kids are in attendance). Spa treatment, anyone? No waste there.

What Valentine’s Day gifts have been your favorite to give?  What Valentine’s Day gifts have been your favorite to receive? Valentine’s Day is one week from today. Are you ready?

Click image to download this week's The Week Ahead.

• Monday: Make a list. . .Breakfast Inventory
  Ugh! It’s breakfast. . .again. Are you tired of trying to decide what to prepare for your family for breakfast? Create a list of all of you breakfast options. Put it in your kitchen binder so it is handy. Next time you just don’t want to think about what to fix, pull out your breakfast inventory.Members to ListPlanIt.com have access to our Breakfast Planner in Meal Planning.
• Tuesday: Tackle Your Taxes
  The IRS’ deadline for income tax returns is April 15, which will be here before you know it. Take some time today to gather your tax documents and records. Take an inventory of you have and what you still need. Decide on the method of filing that suits you best: by hand, online, through a tax preparer. Take steps to getting your taxes done. When you are finished, don’t forget to put your documents into a labeled folder and store in your filing cabinet.Find Tax Form Managers in Financial Planning.
• Wednesday: Buy supplies for Valentine’s Day
  Valentine’s Day is just under one week away. To make your valentine special, consider a special meal, a special treat, and/or a special something. Make a list of the supplies you need and where you should look for them, and get out and buy them. Don’t forget your children’s valentine cards for schoolmates and friends!
• Thursday: Prepare Valentines
  Sit down with your child(ren) and begin working on valentines. Gather the names of the recipients, your supplies, and your ideas to create some one-of-a-kind valentines.Find a Card Planner and a Valentine Cards to Send list in Holidays & Occasions.
• Friday: Finances. . .Creating Funds
  Don’t just have a guideline for your money, but decide on how to hold your spending accountable. Use your budgetary guidelines to create funds for each expense, whether on paper or using the envelope system. Make a deposit to each fund on pay day, and then subtract bills, expenses, purchases.Members to ListPlanIt.com will find registers, budgets, and fund worksheets in Financial Planning for your business or family finances.
• Saturday: Planning Retreat
  Make an appointment for a quiet hour alone to prepare for the upcoming week: holidays, events, meals, budget, etc.  What is a Planning Retreat?  Find out here.
• Sunday: Go on a Date
  Dads take out your daughters for a nice meal and some conversation with your little girls. Moms take out sons for some lively activity at the bowling alley. Valentine’s Day is coming up!

Visit ListPlanIt‘s Facebook page and tell us about your Week Ahead.

* holidays and special events are mainly those of the U.S.  If you are from a different part of the world, feel free to note your holiday or special event below in the comments.

Click image for a downloadable version.

Holidays

• 2/2 – Groundhog Day
  Will the little groundhog see his shadow today? Will we have to suffer through more weeks of winter or is spring on its way? Be sure to rewatch the classic movie Groundhog Day for a good laugh.
• 2/14 – Valentine’s Day
  For some new ways to find inspiration for this holiday of love, check out ListPlanIt‘s Pinterest boards:  Valentines’ Day Food, Valentine’s Day Cards, Valentine’s Day Crafts/Decor
• 2/20 – President’s Day
  A holiday that celebrates the birthdays of 2 of America’s greatest presidents:  George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

Special Events

• 2/5 – Super Bowl
  Are you ready for some football? Americans celebrate the most watched event of the year today. It’s the New England Patriots (Go Pats!) vs. the New York Giants. Be sure to prepare some yummy football food and gather the family.
• 2/21 – Mardi Gras
  The day before Ash Wednesday is a day to indulge before a period of fasting.  Mardi Gras is also know as Fat Tuesday in New Orleans or Carnevale in Venice or Carnaval in Brazil.  Eat, drink, and be merry!
• 2/29 – Leap Day
  You get an extra day this month, so make it count!  Read here for some ideas to on how to use your extra day to your best advantage.

Reminders

• Finance February
  February at ListPlanIt.com is a month to get our finances in order. . .tweak the budget, allow for debts to be paid, and discover new ways to make your money go further. For more information and tools, see ListPlanIt‘s Financial Planning.
• February is Black History MonthEvery culture has a rich and vital history.  Whether or not yours originates out of Africa, the more you know, the more you grow as a human being.  Take this opportunity to teach yourself and those you love some new things about black history this month.
• Ready tax documents and prepare to file taxesThe April 15 deadline may seem like a long time away, but most W-2s should have already been delivered in the mail.  Why not get it done now and not worry about being late?  There are two things you cannot escape. . .and one of them is taxes.  Just do it!
• Complete winter home renovationsWhile you are stuck inside with bad weather, take advantage and get those painting projects done that you’ve been putting off.  Restore that old dresser that you said you would get around to doing.  There’s not much to stop you inside when it’s cold and dark outside.  See ListPlanIt‘s Home Management for lots of helping in organizing your next home improvement.

Visit ListPlanIt‘s Facebook page and tell us how February is shaping up for you.

• Strawberry Footballs by Christy at From Glitter to Gumdrops
• Snackadium by Michelle at Maddycakes Muse
• Pizza Bites by Katie at Chaos in the Kitchen
• Buffalo Chicken Rolls by Andie at Can you Stay for Dinner?
• Indoor Pulled Pork by Zach and Clay at The Bitten Word
• Football Whoopie Pies by the team at Make Merry!
• Walking Tacos by Jenny at Picky Palate
• Puppy Chow (or People Chow, where I come from) by Ashley at Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
• Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull-Apart Bread by Heather at Family Friendly Frugality
• Lots more football inspired snacks by Melissa at 20 Going on 80

What is you favorite Superbowl dish or snack?

ListPlanIt has a brand new Weekly Cleaning Checklist in two versions: complete and blank. These are perfect for those who are either looking for some suggestions, or wanting to create their own. I put together a quick video tutorial this morning on how to use this page. You can find the completed version of Weekly Cleaning Checklist in our Trial and both versions to print or download in Home Management.

Click image to download this week's The Week Ahead (download link is at the bottom of the embedded page)

• Monday: Make a list. . .Valentine’s Day Cards/Ideas
  Whether or not you have a school aged child in your life, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to tell someone that you love them. For families with young children, use today to list the supplies you need for some special valentines.
• Tuesday: Tackle It. . .the Filing Cabinet
  W-2s may have found their way to your mailbox or inbox. Make sure your filing cabinet is in order so that when it comes time to prepare your taxes, you can grab what you need and get them done. Members to ListPlanIt.com have access to our Filing System Index in Home Management.
• Wednesday: Buy supplies for Super Bowl
  The Super Bowl is this Sunday, and whether or not you have a team playing in the big game (hmm hmm. . .New England Patriots), you may end up watching with some family and/or friends.
• Thursday: Groundhog Day!
  Will the little groundhog see his shadow today? Will we have to suffer through more weeks of winter or is spring on its way? Be sure to rewatch the classic movie Groundhog Day for a good laugh.
• Friday: Finances. . .Budget
  Is your budget working for you? Today is a good day to evaluate which areas are on track and which areas could use some tweaking. Don’t have a budget, you say? Well, there is no time like the present to get started. (Find registers, budgets, and fund worksheets in Financial Planning)
• Saturday: Planning Retreat
  Make an appointment for a quiet hour alone to plan the coming week.  What is a Planning Retreat?  Find out here.
• Sunday: Super Bowl
  Are you ready for some football? Americans celebrate the most watched event of the year today. It’s the New England Patriots (Go Pats!) vs. the New York Giants. Be sure to prepare some yummy football food and gather the family.

Visit ListPlanIt‘s Facebook page and tell us about your Week Ahead.

• Take a Hard Look
  Before you touch anything in the pantry, open it up and look with fresh eyes.  Pretend you are a guest in your home and are looking at the pantry for the first time.  What would you think?  What areas have room for improvement?  What would you do differently?  What are your goals for your pantry? What food items do you currently have in your pantry? Some items are worth buying and storing, but some items should only be purchased if you have a definite plan to prepare a dish with that item in it.    Unless you are storing up food for
• Remove Everything from your Pantry
  You need a good block of time if you start this project, but the best way to begin is to take everything out.  Set items in boxes so they can be moved around according to the amount of time it takes to finish.  Have one box labeled “keep”, another box labeled “donate”, and yet another box labeled “throw away”.
• Give it a Good Scrubbing
  With all items out of the way, you will probably notice how messy your pantry has become.  Sticky shelves, dusty baskets, and spilled food will likely be all that is left.  Depending on the type of shelving you have, a good vacuuming or dusting before you wipe down with a cloth and mild soap and water is recommended.  You may need to pull out something a little stronger if a stain or sticky spot persists.
• Evaluate Shelving and Storage in your Pantry
  Is your current shelving and storage system working?  If so, great!  Move on to the next step.  If not, then do some research on how you can make it better.  There are lots of inexpensive shelving systems out there.  If you are handy or know someone who is, a simple edge trim is an easy way to add shelving in a pantry.  Narrow shelving offers easier access to pantry items.
• Make a Plan
  Forget about the way your pantry was organized (or not) before.  You have a clean slate.  Think about what makes sense.  Here are some things to consider:
  1)  Do you want children to have easy access?  If so, put items low.  If not, put items high.
  2) What items do you use frequently? Put those at eye-level so you can keep a close watch on your stock.
  3) How can you make the best use of your space. If possible, use the doors for storage. Use baskets or extra small wire shelves to stack items or make them more accessible.
  4) Where do heavy items and kitchen gadgets/small appliances fit?
• Inventory your “Keep” Box
  Now that your pantry is clean and you have a good plan for it, a good start would be to inventory what you have and what will be going back on the shelves.  (Members to ListPlanIt.com have access to a Pantry Inventory page in Meal Planning.)
• Break Down the Items in the “Throw Away” Box
  If items are past their expiration or stale from being opened long ago, then put food in the compost or the trash, clean out jars and cans for recycling, and break down boxes for recycling.
• Deliver your “Donate” Items to a Food Pantry or Soup Kitchen
  You may have bought extra cans of an item that you now know your family will not eat.  Or you may just have items that you want to give away before the expiration date gets too close.  Now is your chance to clean your pantry and to do some good.  Ask your child’s school if they are collecting for families in need.  Your surplus is another family’s gain.
• Clearly Label Storage Areas
  Consider a labeling system for keeping your items together and reminding everyone with access to the pantry about the layout.
• Replace Items on Shelves
  Following your pantry plan, like items should be placed together: cereals/grains, canned/jarred goods, baking supplies, snacks, beverages, paper goods, etc.
• Add Maintenance to your Calendar
  Add a quick pantry check-up to your calendar once a month.  Now that your pantry is clean and organized, it only takes a little bit of time each month to make sure that everything is where it should be and that spills are wiped up.

What tips do you have to share on cleaning and organizing a pantry?

“Buyer’s remorse is the sense of regret after having made a purchase. It is frequently associated with the purchase of an expensive item such as a car or house. It may stem from fear of making the wrong choice, guilt over extravagance, or a suspicion of having been overly influenced by the seller.”

There are ways to prevent yourself from experiencing this type of grief.  A little bit of soul-searching before you lay down the money for something new is always a good plan.  Here are some suggestions for preventing buyer’s remorse.

• Live by a Budget
  If you have a budget and stick to it, then you will nearly eliminate the guilt of purchasing something that you know you cannot afford. By putting aside money for a car, furniture, a vacation, or anything else that you want/need, you will feel empowered to buy.
• Evaluate your Needs
  Make a list.  If some retail therapy is what you need, then be sure to jot down what you need before you go.  Sometimes, you may truly need something (e.g. a place to store blankets, an outfit for a formal dinner you are attending, a new computer), and you might as well spend money on those things versus something that you don’t need.
• Collect your Data
  Once you know what you need, try to collect as much information as you can. Don’t got shopping until you are prepared with your choice of color(s), height and weight requirements, measurements, brand name(s), and intention.
• Shop Around
  If, for example, you are in the market for a new bookcase for your living room, do your research first. Look in various locations, online first if necessary.  My first choice for saving money or finding something unique is often Craigslist or my local flea market or antiques mall.
• Give yourself 24 hours
  If after 24 hours, you are still in love with the item in question and have the money available, then buy it.  24 hours gives you time to think reasonably about the item.  Is it the right price?  Is it the right color?  Does it fit?  Are there emotional reasons for this purchase?  What is the “lifetime” for this item?
• Beware of Sales
  A good sale may seem like a good idea.  However, many an item with a discounted price has been purchased, just to be discarded soon after as an unwanted item.  Keep a level head when you see a sale.  Ask yourself if this is something you truly need or are you unduly influenced by the price?

Have you even had buyer’s remorse?  Was there anything you could have done differently to prevent buyer’s remorse?  Tell us about it.