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The fall represents a brief yet welcomed break from spending after the back-to-school rush of outfitting your kids with new supplies for another year. According to the calendar, you have months before the winter holidays arrive to throw another financial curveball your way. But don’t get too comfortable — the holidays will be here before you know it.

For kids eagerly awaiting winter holidays and presents, this transition is thrilling. Moms in charge of the family budget, on the hand, may not share their enthusiasm.

If you’re worried about how you’ll afford everything after spending a fortune on back-to-school supplies, this article is here to help. You can find tips on how to spend your money wisely now, so you can prepare for another busy holiday shopping season later.

Address the Empty Savings or Maxed Out Credit Card

As a mom, you constantly think about the next step, so you might already be worrying about a financial emergency. How can you afford an unexpected expense if you used your savings and credit cards to cover back-to-school clothes and supplies?

You’ve got good instincts—emergencies can happen even when you’re least prepared, so it’s a good idea to think about these things. Luckily, there are other ways to handle the unexpected when you’re low on savings and available credit. You can explore the world of online loans with your phone to see if you qualify for financial assistance.

If you think you can qualify, you can try to apply for your next loan by phone using basic financial information. This convenient mobile experience is perfect for busy moms on the go who need simple access to cash. Knowing you may use online loans by phone as a safety net can give you peace of mind while you sort out your budget.

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Take Stock of Your Expenses

Paying back savings and paying off credit cards are easier tasks when you have an accurate budget. You need to see your current cashflow to better understand your family’s priorities and not-so-priorities.

A simple list of expenses can be enough to give you these insights, although one that organizes your spending into categories is even more effective. Popular budgeting styles like the 50/30/20 Budget and the Percentage Budget put limits on categories to help you keep spending in check. Follow those limits to rein in your spending on the following categories and their expenses:

• Housing Costs: mortgage, rent, maintenance and repairs, condo fees, HOA bills.
• Utilities: electricity, water, phone and Internet.
• Recreation: streaming services, movies, sports, extracurriculars, travel.
• Transportation: transit passes, gas, vehicle upkeep, tolls.
• Debt: outstanding cash advances, installment loans, lines of credit, credit card balances.
• Food: groceries, meal subscriptions, takeout.
• Insurance: auto, health, home, life, pet.
• Pet Care: food, vet care, grooming, pet sitting.

Strike Out Unnecessary Spending

Now that you’ve done all this work to organize your spending, you can search through any categories that use up a lot of cash each month. From the list above, recreation represents the easiest category to slim down. You can pare down streaming services, rent movies from the library, and explore your community’s free autumn calendar for outdoor activities.

However, you can find savings in almost any category if you’re crafty enough! Review all your non-essential categories to see where you can save. As a mom, you rely on your ingenuity to keep your household running, so this should be easy for you. Take the time sit with your finances today — your hard work will pay off.

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