While most people can say that they have a savings budget for emergencies, it is often the non-emergencies that push our budget to the limit. You can never predict when your car will break down, or your laptop will go on the fritz. The last thing you want to do is reach for the credit card, but you need to have a plan in place to assist in saving for non-emergencies.

Not having this kind of savings is often why many people get into debt. What you need is a non-emergency fund. This can be used for those unlikely emergencies too, but its much more likely that your brakes will need replacing before your home burns down.

The first thing to do is anticipate how much you’ve been spending on these occurrences. Look back at your financial calendar or your banking statements to determine what you’ve spent. These will be things like vacations, car repairs, birthdays, annual property taxes or insurance premiums. Anything that is not monthly counts and should be counted in this list. Now put the amount you anticipate to be spending each month for the next year.

Some will be obvious to you, birthdays come on the same day every year, others like the car repairs won’t be. But you and I both know sooner or later the washing machine will break down, so its best to over anticipate than not anticipate at all.

Include this money in your monthly spending plan. For example, if your property taxes are due in April start putting aside a small amount of money starting at least four or five months before.

So when April comes around the expense is either completely covered or very close to it. Even setting aside the price of a cup of coffee every week can greatly help in case of the unforeseeable. Think you don’t have enough money to start saving for non-emergencies? How many times did you visit the drive-through or get a massage? Even small things add up and can be used to help you save for your future.

Some years ago I tried every method available to mankind to give up my smoking habit. I tried nicotine gum, patches, weaning myself down to a handful of cigarettes a day. In the end what worked was a determination to stop and to stop cold turkey. You might be best served to cut recurring household expenses the same way.

One of the best places to start is with recurring charges that may be attached to your credit cards. The various services that you never use and have paid more money on than you car to think about. Get rid of them!

At the risk of treading on a sacred cow for many families, consider your cable TV bill. Let be real, it is not worth paying for 63 movie channels and premium services to watch one move a month, is it? Cancel your subscriptions all at once and you will likely realize a savings of 30-40 bucks a month. The best part is after 24 hours of not having the access to the multitude of premium services, you will not miss them. I promise you wont.

The more ambitious person may include stopping swimming pool services. It really is not that hard to maintain a pool. And since you wont be glued to your couch watching premium movie channels you will need something to do.

You and your spouse could make somewhat of a game of these cost cutting procedures. No doubt she is spending money on something you don’t want or vice versa. Honey do you really need to spend $40.00 a month on your nails? You’re right darling, what do you say instead of playing golf Saturday morning , you mow the grass, I let the lawn service people go today