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It’s the end of a month, and as I did in my January Budget Recap, I find it helpful to check in at the end of the month to see how the month went and if there is any tweaking I need to do before a new month is underway.
If you don’t have a budget, then you probably will want to start there. See my post on how to start a budget!
If you do have a budget, then here are some things to think about as February comes to a close. Consider this post your sign to do a February budget recap and help you get some perspective so you can stay on track for the rest of the year.
End of the Month Budget Questions | February Budget Recap
Did you actually track your spending?
A budget isn’t meant to keep you in a prison. It’s meant to help you figure out how you want to spend your money, and then keep track of whether you’re sticking to your plan. Think back to January as well. If you haven’t been tracking your spending, what barriers are keeping you from doing that? Do you need to change your method by using a different app, making a spreadsheet, or switching to pencil and paper?
How much did you spend last month?
If you did track your spending, great job! Now you can zoom out and look at your overall spending. You can also look at individual categories and see what your spending was. I failed to think about the potential spending we would do on Valentine’s Day. I had budgeted for a special dinner for my husband and me, but I didn’t think about some Valentine’s parties my kids were invited to. I’m happy to say I stuck to my goal for grocery spending in February! If you start to see a pattern of spending more in a category and you don’t really have a good reason why, it might be time to think about what needs to change.
Will you be planning to spend more or less on a certain category in the coming month?
Next month I know I will need to do a big Costco run to stock up on toilet paper and some other bulk items, so I’m going to add a little extra to that category. In our coffee budget, I can actually plan to spend nothing because our favorite local coffee shop let me have a bunch of coffee that was about to expire for FREE. I put it in the freezer and we’ll pull it out as needed.
Are there any holidays or events coming up that will cause you to spend more?
If it’s substantial, consider creating a new budget category for next year for that. This year, Easter falls at the very end of March, so you may need to think about that. St. Patrick’s Day is on the horizon if that ends up being a spending day for you. Spring break is also around the corner, so consider all those as you look ahead to the next month.
Are there any recurring expenses that won’t happen this month?
Maybe your child’s daycare gives you a cost break over the holidays, or maybe you decide to pause a few subscriptions.
Are there new sinking funds that have come to your attention?
Budgets are dynamic—they should always be available to change. Sometimes more recurring expenses come up that you forgot about. This is especially true if you’re new to budgeting. Maybe you forgot your yearly car taxes are due in March. That’s going to hurt a little this year, but if you start planning ahead for the next time they’re due and set a little aside each month, you’ll be in a much better spot next year!
Do an inventory check—how are you on groceries, personal care items, household items?
This doesn’t have to be complicated, but it’s good to know what things you might be running low on as well as things you have plenty of so that in the coming month you’re not tempted to overbuy or run out. You can keep an eye on sales and stock up.
Are there any new categories you need to add to your budget?
I signed up for a recurring subscription to a sewing club. I’ll be taking that out of my personal fun money budget, but I made a little sub category so that I wouldn’t accidentally spend all my fun money before the subscription amount gets taken out!
How are you doing on your financial goals?
Maybe you made a goal to add extra money to your Roth IRA each month this year. Were you able to do that?
Is there any financial win you can celebrate?
Maybe you paid off a small debt or met a financial goal you set last year. It’s always good to celebrate wins to give you motivation to keep pressing on!
