Guides › Money
Plan for the year's irregular expenses
A month-by-month list of the yearly costs that usually catch you out, like car tax, insurance and birthdays, with a monthly amount to set aside.
When to use it
Once a year, ideally in January
Step by step
Brainstorm your yearly costs
Jot down anything that doesn't happen monthly: insurance renewals, car service, school trips, birthdays, holidays, subscriptions, festive spending.
Let the AI fill the gaps
Paste your list into your AI assistant with this prompt.
Prompt to copyHelp me plan for irregular costs over the next 12 months. My household is [describe: adults, children and ages, car or no car, pets, renting or owning]. Here are the yearly costs I know about, with rough amounts and months: [list]. First, suggest other common irregular costs for a household like mine that I may have forgotten, and ask me to confirm amounts. Then make a 12-month table showing what's due each month, the yearly total, and the amount I'd need to set aside every month to cover them evenly.Set aside the monthly amount
Set up a regular transfer of that monthly figure into a separate savings pot if your bank offers one.
Add reminders
Put each big cost in your calendar a month ahead, so you have time to shop around before renewals.
What you get
Yearly irregular total: £3,480 = £290 a month. Jan: Home insurance £240. Mar: Car service £220, Mum's birthday £50. Aug: School uniform £150. Sep: Car tax £190. Dec: Festive spending £600...
Tips
- Shopping around a month before insurance renewals is often cheaper than auto-renewing.
- Update the list each year with what you actually spent.