Car registration, annual subscriptions, school supplies, holiday gifts and the occasional vet visit don't show up on a monthly bill, so they're easy to leave out of a budget. Then one arrives and wipes out the cushion you thought you had, sometimes pushing you onto a credit card.

These costs aren't true surprises. You may not know the exact amount or timing, but you know they are coming at some point in the year. Treating them as emergencies every time keeps the cycle of shortfalls going, when planning for them is mostly a matter of writing them down.

Go through last year's statements and list every irregular expense you can find. Estimate a yearly total, divide it across your pay periods, and move that amount into a separate account each payday. When the bill shows up, the money is already waiting. Some people call this a sinking fund, and it can turn a stressful month into an ordinary one.