100+ Budget Categories to Help You Create a Successful Budget

Check out this list of over 100 budget categories! These budget categories will help you create a successful budget tailored towards your lifestyle.

*** Do you want a printable list?I have you covered! Click here to get your printable budget categories checklist! ***

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Creating a budget is critical for financial success. However, accounting for all the budget categories can be difficult.

A missed or forgotten budget category can derail your financial goals.

So let’s get you started on the right foot. Here is a list of over 100 budget categories to help you create (or improve) your budget.

List of Budget Categories

Select the budget categories that align with your lifestyle and spending habits.

If you are looking for a customizable budget worksheet, just enter your email in the box below. You’ll get three worksheets over three days that will improve your financial life.

Income

Salary (paycheck)
Side hustle
Bonuses
Reimbursed job expenses
Tips
Alimony (received)
Child support (received)
Gifts (received)

Housing

Mortgage
Rent
Home Owners Association (HOA) fees
Home maintenance/repairs
Home improvements/upgrades
Property taxes
Home warranty
Lawn care
Home security service

Utilities

Electricity
Internet
Cable
Phone
Heating
Garbage
Recycling
Water
Sewer
Natural gas

Food

Groceries
Restaurants
Fast food
Coffee shops
Alcohol

Transportation

Car loan
Fuel/gas
Car maintenance/repairs
Annual car fees (registration, inspection)
Oil changes
Parking fees
Property taxes
Public transportation (subway, taxis, Uber/Lyft)
Tolls (EZ Pass)
Roadside assistance (AAA)

Clothing

Adult clothing
Kids clothing
Dry cleaning

Kids

Extra-curricular activities
Toys
Kids sports gear
Allowance
Baby necessities (diapers, formula)
Tuition
School uniforms
School supplies
Babysitter
Child support

Personal care

Haircuts/barber
Hair coloring
Cosmetics (makeup, shower supplies)
Nail salon
Eyebrows
Massages/Spa

Medical

Doctor visits
Dentist visits
Hospital visits
Prescriptions
Over the counter medication
Glasses, contacts, contact solution
Vitamins/Supplements

Insurance

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Mortgage insurance
Renters insurance
Car insurance
Life insurance
Property insurance (i.e. jewelry)
Disability insurance
Long-term care insurance
Pet insurance

Household supplies

Cleaning supplies
Paper products
Tools
Furniture
Home décor
Pool supplies

Subscriptions

Gym memberships
Magazines
Professional Society annual fees
Netflix/Hulu
Amazon Prime
Music (Spotify, Pandora)
Sports TV subscription (like ESPN)
Software subscriptions
Identity theft protection

Fun money

Bars/Going out
Movies/Concerts/Sporting Events
Hobbies/Crafts
Hosting parties
Books
New technology (phones, computer, TV)

Pet

Veterinarian visits
Pet food
Pet toys/beds
Pet medication (i.e. flea shots, heart worm medication)

Giving

Tithing
Charity/donations

Gifts

Holiday gifts
Birthday gifts
Wedding/wedding shower gifts
Baby/baby shower gifts
Service gifts (secretary, lobby man)

Debt

Credit card debt
Student loans
Medical debt
Personal loans
Auto loan payments
Alimony

Travel

Vacation
Trips to see family
Trips for weddings, bachelor/bachelorette parties
Souvenirs
Baggage fees
TSA Pre-check or Global Entry

Savings

College savings
Retirement savings
New car savings
Health Savings Account/Plan
Emergency Fund
Investments

Service

Financial advisor
Lawyer
Tax professional

Taxes

Federal taxes
State taxes
City taxes
Property taxes (or you can categorize this in “housing” or “transportation” costs)

Miscellaneous

ATM fees
ID renewal fees
Postage
Holiday spending
Family pictures

How Many Budget Categories Do You Need?

Did I overwhelm you with over 100 budget categories? I don’t blame you.

The thing about budgeting is that it’s highly personal. You can be as simple or complex as you want.

If you want to keep it simple, you can put some of the smaller budget categories into a larger umbrella budget category.

You have to find what works for you. I know from experience that it will take some trial and error. You aren’t going to create a perfect budget the first time. It will take some tweaking, simplifying (or making more detailed), and patience.

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How much do you allot for each budget category?

Now that you have chosen the budget categories that suit your lifestyle, you now must determine how much money you are going to allot to each category.

I suggest that you look at your previous spending history. Take the average of the last 3 or 4 months for that spending category and start there. After each month, evaluate your spending and decide if you need to increase or decrease your budgeted amount.

If you need more guidance on how to create a budget, I suggest checking out my post on How to Start a Budget That Actually Works (it’s basically Budgeting 101).

Take action now with a printable budget categories checklist

You have taken the time to read this entire article, so don’t drop the ball now.

It’s time to take action and I’ve made it incredibly easy for you (and free).

I have create a one-page summary of over 100 budget categories (with room to add your own, if you have any specialized categories for your unique situation). This one page downloadable, printable page is made in a checklist form so that you can just place a check mark to the budget categories that you want to include in your budget.

Click here to grab your copy of the free budget categories checklist.

How complex is your budget? Do you keep it simple (few budget categories) or detailed (lots of budget categories)?